T2 - Features - Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) & Transparency Mode

T2 features three audio modes that let you decide what you want to hear - and what you don't want to hear. These three modes are called Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Transparency mode, and Normal (Off) mode.

The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) mode in T2 reduces outside noise which allows you to fully immerse yourself in your own world.

Transparency mode works the opposite way and instead amplifies sounds in the background, enabling your spatial awareness. With this, you can stay alert to your surroundings without having to take out an earbud, or simply hear your own voice while on a phone call.

As soon as your phone recognizes that a phone call is incoming, T2 will automatically pause what you are listening and switch to transparency mode, then let you decide whether to answer the phone call or not.
The transparency mode will be on during the call regardless of use of ANC. When you end the phone call, T2 goes back to normal mode, ANC mode or Transparency mode depending on how you were using the earbuds before the call.

How to switch between the modes

The earbuds are in Normal (Off) mode by default, where background noise is neither reduced nor amplified. By holding the touch control for 2 seconds on any of the earbuds (left or right) the modes cycle between Normal, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency, and then back to Normal.

How does Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) work?

The mechanics behind Active Noise Cancellation is in its name. The built-in microphones on T2 listen to the noise outside the earbuds while using the speaker to emit the same noise - but inverted - inside, reducing the outside noise nearly entirely. The ANC in T2 uses Feed Forward technology, which uses the microphone on the outside of the earbud to forward noise to the internal processor.

Feed Forward technology works best when used in surroundings that have a static low-frequency noise, for example in transportation (cars, public transport, or airplanes). However, you may not notice a significant difference with high-frequency noise (such as people talking) or if the noise is irregular.