The science behind Yealink's BH71 noise-cancellation headphones

Yealink BH71 monaural headset - distributed by TeleDynamics

Yealink's BH71 headset is an ideal choice for workers on the go. Its compact size and advanced noise-cancellation capabilities make it perfect for use on the road and in remote work scenarios.

In this article, we highlight the advantages of this innovative piece of technology, focusing on its state-of-the-art noise-canceling features.

BH71 headset: an overview

The BH71 headset, one of Yealink's BH series Bluetooth headsets, is a wireless monaural device that fits over the ear. It resembles what most of us would consider a Bluetooth hands-free earpiece with a characteristic boom mic.

The BH71 comes in four different kits, each of which includes various useful accessories, such as a Bluetooth dongle for devices that don't natively support Bluetooth, a charging case to extend battery life, and a workstation with many additional features (like a speakerphone and a 3" touchscreen). The ideal kit choice depends upon the particular use case scenario you want to satisfy.

The headset is lightweight, has a long-lasting battery, and can be paired with multiple devices—at home, in the office, and on the go. This makes it perfect for use in a hybrid office environment, for a mobile workforce and for sales and support teams that work primarily in the field.

The advantages of noise cancellation

Most of the use cases described above involve noisy environments. Without additional technology, the people you're communicating with could be distracted by other sounds picked up by the exceptionally sensitive microphone, impeding communications.

Not to worry, however, because the BH71 is designed for just these sorts of noisy settings. Within the mic boom is a microphone array that uses beamforming mechanisms to perform active noise cancellation (ANC), eliminating 90% of background noise.

What is beamforming?

The BH71 has four identical microphones equally spaced along the length of the boom. A sound from a particular direction will reach the closest mic first and subsequently reach the rest of the mics in succession. Sounds from other directions will arrive at each mic at different times.

This differential in the arrival times of sound at each mic allows the device to determine the direction of the sound. The pattern of each sound creates a sort of signature that the mic can use to filter out sounds coming from specific directions.

Using digital signal processing (DSP), the BH71 heightens the mics' sensitivity to sounds coming from the direction of the wearer's mouth and suppresses sounds coming from other directions.

This results in your voice being sent crystal-clear over the line without other distracting sounds—even in the noisiest of environments.

Wind noise suppression

Distracting sounds come from what's happening around you and the environment itself. We've all heard what it sounds like when the person on the other end of the call is outside on a windy day. In such situations, the beamforming mechanism isn't enough to eliminate unwanted noise completely.

The BH71 has been specially designed with tiny holes on both sides of the microphone boom arm. This creates a "windproof mesh" that significantly reduces the turbulence that moving air may create around the microphones, which is what causes wind noise.

The mic cancels any remaining residual wind noise using the previously mentioned beamforming mechanism, resulting in clear conversations even in the windiest environments.

Yealink BH71 headset close up - distributed by TeleDynamics

Additional key features

Of course, there's much more to the BH71 than just its superior noise cancellation. It has many qualities that make it very attractive for a wide variety of use cases, including the following:

Exceptional sound quality: Used by itself, beamforming can lead to some "coloration" of the final sound output. To avoid this, the DSP processes the sound even more to ensure excellent sound delivery.
Long battery life: Noise cancellation requires additional power to perform its task. For this reason, the BH71 is equipped with an excellent battery, enabling it to deliver 20 hours of talk time even with the cancellation active, reducing recharge frequency.
Comfort and safety: Users typically wear these headsets for hours on end. The BH71's low weight (about half an ounce) and comfortable earpiece ensure long-term comfort and safety.

Conclusion

We do not always have control over our work environments. If it's noisy, it's always good to know that the BH71 has you covered with its advanced noise cancellation and wind-suppression systems, making this headset an ideal choice for those working in unpredictable conditions.