I lab-tested the best noise cancelling headphones, and these are what I'd buy

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) offer outstanding noise cancelation capabilities that make them a top choice for the best noise canceling headphones. In our testing, we found the headphones were able to reduce loud sounds like bus engines, train screeches, and airplane noise significantly and block out a great amount of ambient noise. The large, dense ear pads create an excellent seal on the head, providing excellent passive noise isolation as well. With their exceptional noise cancelation along with premium audio quality, a competitive price, and connectivity features like support for Snapdragon Sound, USB-C listening, and aptX Lossless, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are one of the more compelling options on the market. The main downside is that the app is a bit simplistic, but that’s not really a major concern for most.

Users of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) stick with the headphones because of the consistent tuning from day to day thanks to the CustomTune tech baked into the headphones. Though the battery life is a little bit on the low side, it’s more than enough for most flights and commuter’s weekly schedules. These headphones will be popular, and it’s because they’re a credible contender for the best on the market.

Notable drawbacks include the price ($50 more than the Sony and Bose offerings), comparatively weaker ANC, and the less beginner-friendly nature of the headphones. Though the features of the Sennheiser headphones will definitely appeal to anyone picky about audio quality, those needing to absolutely delete their surroundings will have issues. Additionally, the older Bluetooth 5.2 standard might become pretty dated for some power users, though it’s not a liability unless you absolutely need LE Audio.

But perhaps the best thing about the HDB 630 is the ability to adjust the sound with a parametric equalizer. Hardcore audiophiles and other nerds prefer this type of equalizer to the traditional slider-based one because it allows you to make very specific changes to the sound in ways that a slider can’t. For example, fixing narrow peaks, or making very wide changes. Though this type of equalizer has slowly gotten more popular over the last couple years, it’s still a bit of a rarity on consumer headphones — making the Sennheiser HDB 630 a special product.

As top-tier noise canceling headphones, the AirPods Max 2 use hybrid active noise cancelation for optimal noise attenuation. As we’ve seen from the Apple AirPods Pro (1st generation), the AirPods Max supports Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the frequency response in real-time, adjusting for how the headset fits. However, the very high mass of the headphones can make a good fit troublesome for some people.

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Just be aware that these headphones may not sound like you’re expecting them to due to the inclusion of a feature called Loudness-Dependent Equalization. Because humans don’t hear the same way that microphones do, the same tuning at different levels will seem different to you. This feature fixes that. But for those who listen to music at lower volumes, it will seem quite a bit bassier than you might expect. You can always use the equalizer in iOS settings to fix this if you need to, however.

That said, there are tradeoffs. For example, those with larger heads and ears may not have the easiest time fitting the Tour ONE M3. If that’s the case, you’ll experience poorer ANC performance. Additionally, not everyone likes the new tuning of these headphones, despite the use of listener preference research being used in its development. Thankfully, this is rescuable via EQ.

In addition to the replaceable battery and easy pad maintenance, the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless performs quite well on its own. With a consumer-friendly tuning and good-but-not-amazing ANC, users will appreciate the added connectivity options and extreme battery life (over 50 hours with ANC on).

Rough edges include the somewhat primitive equalizer in comparison to the Sennheiser HDB 630, somewhat thin band padding, and slightly poorer ANC than other flagship headphones. But in all honesty many of these pain points really aren’t that big of a deal outside the lab, and shouldn’t factor into your buying decision unless you absolutely need to delete the world around you at all times.

We were impressed with rock solid ANC, decent comfort, and magnetic ear pads that facilitate easy cleaning and replacement. Though the cost is significant, it’s not much different than the other front-runners. However, none of the other headphones on this list support Sonos’ TV Audio Swap and Headphone Linking features. Because of that, the Ace Ultra is an obvious pick for home theater nerds — provided they’re already in the Sonos ecosystem.

However, these headphones may not be the best fit for everyone. Obviously, if you’re not in the Sonos ecosystem already, you can’t really take advantage of their best features. They’re also on the heavy side at 322g, compared to our top pick Sony WH-1000XM6 at 254g. That said, our reviewer Dave Carr had little issue with comfort, so your experience may vary.

The Beats 360 come with pads of either mesh and leather-like material. You can easily swap the pads off by twisting to unlock the ring they sit in, and pull them out. You can also pop the top padding off of the headband to install a replacement quickly. If you’re an exercise nut, this is super important for long-term use.

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Though sound quality is a little odd, it’s far from bad. The main reason that these headphones don’t compete with other front-runners is the lack of connection options, lack of EQ, and relatively simplistic feature set being inadequate in comparison. However, that doesn’t mean these are bad headphones, just headphones better suited for people who use their headphones to work out often.

Though there aren’t a ton of advanced features with the JLab JBuds Lux ANC, the 44+ hour battery life, ability to listen wired over analog or digital, and surprisingly robust wireless connection options will meet users of any level. It’s a very frustration-free set of cans.

However, I don’t generally recommend these headphones for audiophiles, frequent flyers, or gym rats. Though they’ll work fine for most people, they’re not well-suited to those groups for various reasons. For example, no ingress protection rating means that they’re a poor fit for the gym.