Abstract: An improved impact printer print head is provided that includes the means for active attenuation of acoustic emission in the vicinity of the print head in a printer. The print head incorporates an acoustic speaker in its assembly and/or construction. The print head also may incorporate a microphone as part of its assembly and/or construction. This improved print head when used with appropriate electronic processing can effectively attenuate the noise generated in the vicinity of the print head. In one embodiment, acoustic energy sensed by the microphone will then pass through processing electronics and be reproduced as a canceling signal by the speaker. Because of the high frequency content of the print head's acoustic output, the close proximity of the speaker to the noise producing components of the print head permits active sound attenuation technology to be applied to high frequency noise with approximately 2" or shorter wavelengths.