Noise Cancelling--Bluetooth turned off?
 

Is it possible to use the noise canceling device in new headphones if the bluetooth is turned off? Planning to use the Apple MacBook Pro to connect with head phones. Can I just use noise canceling without the computer?

Thank you,

My Bose QC 35ii's have a button to control noise cancellation. It works whether or not they're paired to a device.

For almost all existing products yes. Even if something didn't, you could feed through something at 1% volume.

Depends on the headset.

The Bose QC35 series are the best in this regard, as you can just sit there for hours listening to silence, with NC turned on, even without any bluetooth or corded connection. Be aware that some people will eventually feel a 'pressure' effect on their ears after sitting there for hours, wearing a NC headset.

The Sony 1000xm1, xm2, xm3 series are a bit more complicated. They will power off after a few minutes with no connection. But you can indeed connect the 3.5 mm headphone cable into a phone or PC, and this will prevent the headset from powering off, even with no Bluetooth connection and no sound coming through the 3.5 mm jack. Also, the Sony series is reportedly better than Bose in reducing the 'pressure' effect.

As for other NC headphones, I don't know enough to answer your question.

In what model headphone?

Does the manual not say?

Bluetooth is rarely involved in NC. I'm not even sure how it could be, barring poor design.

I'm looking at you, Sony. I would like to my WH-1000MX2 to not turn off after 5 minutes of not being connected to bluetooth.

Pointless extra battery drain on both my phone and the headset just to keep it connected.

I have the same headset. You can keep the NC turned on if you plug in the wired cable to your phone, even if the phone is turned off.
But I do not argue that it is poor design in this aspect compared to Bose.

Could it also be a feature as to not drain your battery if the headset is accidentally left on?

It's nearly impossible to accidentally turn on this headset since it is a tiny flat button that requires a 3 second hard press. I would argue that the Bose headsets are way easier to accidentally turn on since they have an easy slider switch, yet Bose does not force auto turn off. It's just poor design and not offering the user the ability to choose if they want it on.

The Bose QC35ii has an optional timeout feature. That's the right way to manage this, IMO -- let the owner decide.

Probably. But I disagree with the feature. At least let us alter the setting through their app.

Agreed. The Sony 1000XM series already supports massive customization through the app.
It makes zero sense to me why they would keep this aspect of the design.