It's not a strategy that's good for your hearing health, but again, it means noise cancellation isn't mandatory. While I tested ANC headphones to their limits (taking them on the noisiest trains, to busy gyms, and on flights), not everyone needs intense use cases. Noise cancellation wasn't the main consideration, and they're not the best ANC headphones I've tested this year, but I picked them knowing that the ANC was still above average. Such a pair hasn't been invented yet, but the best ANC headphones do a good job at removing the worst parts. Noise cancellation isn't an abstract concept I'll evaluate, but a new way to consider how people buy the gadgets I'm testing.