A method and apparatus of determining the transfer characteristic in an active-noise-control system, which involves generating white noise at an end of a one-dimensional sound field that is defined by a linear ventilating system in which sound travels essentially parallel to the extended direction of the system; equalizing the transfer characteristic of the one-dimensional sound field and generating cancelling sound, according to an inverse of the transfer characteristic, to cancel the white noise and prevent noise being output from the other end of the one-dimensional sound field; continuously preventing the noise output and measuring the characteristic data of the one-dimensional sound field at, at least, one measuring point in the one-dimensional sound field; and calculating the transfer function of the one-dimensional sound field in the noise-output-prevented state, according to the characteristic data of the sound field.