Red Noland Collision Center

Active Noise Control (ANC)

2011-08-17

What it is
Active Noise Control detects low-frequency engine sounds in the cabin and generates acoustically opposite sound waves to cancel out the engine sounds.
Technical Explanation
ANC uses the woofer componenet of the four door speakers-and the 10-inch woofer on vehicles equipped with Bose audio system-to generate the sound waves.
The sound waves are in opposite phase to the undesirable engine sounds to be cancelled. Undesirable engine sounds include low-frequency sounds created at low engine speed when optimizing performance for fuel economy and from exhaust back pressure during high-performance driving.
ANC monitors engine speed to ensure that the system cancels only undesirable engine sounds. The noise-canceling is fine-tuned using two interior microphones. One microphone is located in the rear center of the roof, and the other is in the front overhead console.
What it means
Like a radio station transmits sounds at a certain frequency, so does the engine of the car. ANC monitors engine sound and then sends out a signal that's directly opposite of the engine noise. It's not white noise. It's not masking other noises. It's simply going head-to-head with the engine noise and cancelling it so you can hear what you really want to hear.
Default Settings
ANC operates even when the sound system is turned off.
For a demonstration please see one of our sales consultants at Red Noland Infiniti in Colorado Springs at 565 Automotive Drive