Methods and systems provide dynamic selection of noise-cancelling algorithms, and dynamic activation and deactivation of microphones to provide multi-mode noise cancellation for a voice-detecting headset in situations where ambient noise prevents voice navigation from accurately interpreting voice commands. To do so, when an ambient noise is detected that exceeds a threshold, a particular noise-cancelling algorithm best-suited for the situation is selected, and one or more noise-detecting microphones is activated. The noise-detecting microphone(s) receiving the highest level of ambient noise can remain activated while the remaining noise-detecting microphones can be deactivated. A speech signal received by the speech microphone can then be optimized by cancelling the ambient noise signal received from the activated noise-detecting microphone(s) using the selected noise-cancelling algorithm. After the speech signal is optimized, it can be communicated to the voice-detecting headset for interpretation.