Best noise cancelling headphones

Sometimes listening to the sounds of nature or the sounds of the people around you can be an enlightening experience, but sometimes you just need a vacation from the world. As people who ride subways every day, we know how necessary it is to block out the world sometimes just to keep your sanity—and hearing—intact. Whether you’re always in crowded areas, working at your desk, or a frequent commuter: noise cancelling can be a much-needed feature. Everyone can benefit from any of the best noise cancelling headphones.

Besides sound quality, a good pair of noise cancelling headphones do two things: provide a comfortable fit for extended use and also accurately cancel out unwanted outside noise. Without getting too technical, Active Noise Cancelation (ANC) is achieved by using built-in microphones that pick up what is going on around you. The headphones then produce their own out-of-phase sound waves that destroy outside noise. With so many options out there (and a lot of them quite expensive), we decided to make a list of the best noise cancelling headphones you can get.

Editor’s note: this list of the best noise cancelling headphones was updated on May 17, 2022, to include the Sony WH-1000XM5 and to include in-line FAQs with microphone demos.

Why is the Sony WH-1000XM5 the best noise cancelling headphones for most?

Sony has finally released the update to its flagship noise cancelling headphones: the Sony WH-1000XM5. This new model features a redesign from its predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4, as well as an improvement to the already best-in-class active noise cancelling.

Most listeners will enjoy a consumer-friendly sound, but for those who want a little less bass: use the Sony Headphones Connect app to boost mids and drop highs a bit. While it’s a little annoying to need to equalize headphones instead of having them sound perfect out of the box, at least it’s easy enough to navigate.

Sony has been regarded for having the best active noise cancelling headphones on the market, and that legacy continues with the WH-1000XM5. The newer headset attenuates noise even better than its predecessor, cancelling out sounds such as the hum of an air conditioner or the rumble of a jet engine—perfect for travelers and commuters. Passive isolation is also better, so it blocks out more high-pitched noises than the Sony WH-1000XM4 as well.

Additional features that make the Sony WH-1000XM5 our top pick include Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, automatic ear detection, support for multiple audio codecs (SBC, AAC, and Sony’s LDAC), fantastic microphone quality, intuitive touch controls, Sony 360 Reality Audio, and great in-app control. If you’re looking to go all-in for a pair of active noise cancelling headphones, and are willing to pay a pretty penny for the best experience, look no further than the Sony WH-1000XM5.

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II is a great mid-range pick

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II is lightweight and portable with a plastic build. It offers one-touch access to your smart assistant of choice and has a slew of gesture controls that can be difficult to remember. Their firmware can be updated via the Sennheiser app, and you can adjust the EQ with the app.

The PXC 550-II supports SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Low Latency for high-quality streaming, but you can also use the headphones with the 2.5mm cable for lossless playback. The very neutral-leaning frequency response allows vocals and various midrange frequencies to resonate clearly through nearly all recordings. Individuals who prefer a bass-heavy frequency response may find these headphones underwhelming, but they certainly are accurate.

Battery life is good: you get 21 hours, 58 minutes hours from a single charge and it takes 3 hours to complete a full charge cycle. While this may seem long, it’s reasonable relative to how much playback time you get out of them. Unfortunately, it does not offer any fast charging capabilities. For $200, though, this is exceptionally good.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 has the best build quality

Bose has made a name for itself in the consumer space by making more premium headsets for frequent flyers and those with deeper pockets. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the flagship product for the Massachusetts-based company, and it has a lot of really good features along with a premium build. It also boasts integrated voice assistant support, including Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, or Apple’s Siri.

As far as sound quality goes, these aren’t going to satisfy bass heads. However, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 aligns with our targets really well, and should satisfy most people right out of the box. Sometimes the best things in life are the boring things that work without much fuss, and that’s very true here.

Besides the ANC, these have playback controls in the form of a touchpad on the right ear cup. Whether you’re rocking an Android or iOS device, the playback controls should function exactly the same when you’re connected via Bluetooth.

Battery life is somewhat disappointing as far as ANC headphones go—but that’s still miles ahead of true wireless earphones. A single charge will last you about 21 hours, 25 minutes of battery life with ANC and Bluetooth turned on, so at most you’ll only be plugging them in to charge maybe twice a week. you shouldn’t have to worry much about battery longevity with the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, as they sport much larger cells than true wireless earphones do.

For pure noise cancelling, get the Apple AirPods Max

There’s no getting around it, Apple’s first set of headphones is the best pure noise cancellers you can buy. However, the AirPods Max may not be the right thing to buy owing to their high cost and relatively poor flexibility. Unless you own an iPhone and have a large budget, there are too many competing models out there that offer a similar level of ANC performance and better sound quality.

As with other top-tier noise cancelling headsets, the AirPods Max uses hybrid active noise cancelling for optimal noise cancellation. As we’ve seen from the Apple AirPods Pro, the AirPods Max supports Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the frequency response in real-time, according to your environment and how the headset fits. Apple’s taking a big gamble with this headset, and it’s bound to pay off as loyal Apple fans, and those beholden to the brand will appreciate the convenience and smart features.

Audio performance is right where you’d expect it to be for an Apple product, with much better performance than some of the cheaper options on this list. However, the headphones use only SBC and AAC—meaning no high-bitrate codecs like LDAC. You can, however, enjoy digital wired audio via Lightning-to-USB-C cable but this will cost extra.

Bargain hunters should give Monoprice a chance with the BT-600ANC

While it’s not really a household name, Monoprice makes a decent set of low-cost ANC headphones. The Monoprice BT-600ANC comes in at $99 USD, while also providing a fairly respectable noise cancelling performance for the money. Typically this is a category that requires a minimum of $200 to get ANC headphones worth their salt, but this is a very extreme outlier.

Sure, they don’t sound the greatest, and you could probably get better headphones for $100—but you can’t get better ANC headphones for that price. With the feature enabled, you can reliably see a reduction between 20-30dB of droning outside noise, even in the range where most music sounds live. That’s pretty good, considering that most cheap ANC headphones struggle here. It’s just gravy that these headphones also isolate noise well, meaning they physically block sound from reaching your ear a little better than most headphones do.

We will point out, however, that there is no companion app, and these headphones are very Spartan by their nature. Monoprice as a company often goes the barebones route, and for those looking for a simple headset that’s great. However, if you really want things like equalization and voice assistant support: you’ll have to figure something else out.

The Bose QuietComfort 45 has great noise cancelling but an odd frequency response

Bose’s QC 45 headset looks very similar to the Bose QC 35 II and has the best ANC of any Bose headphones to date. Although the Bose QuietComfort 45 is an excellent set of headphones, the inability to fully disable ANC and use the headset as a normal pair of wireless headphones is a thorn in our side. You can only alternate between ANC or ambient sound modes, which is a big bummer. The Bose QC 45 also didn’t make the cut as a top five pick for its boosted treble response, which can be unpleasant for listeners who like early aughts punk tracks and the like. Bose retroactively added a custom EQ to the QC 45, though so you can try your hand at equalizing the treble down.

Even with these gripes, the Bose QC 45 rests as one of the most comfortable headphones around and features very good button controls. Some of our staff actually prefer buttons over touch controls because they’re easier to operate when wearing gloves. The microphone is also quite good here, though not on par with the WH-1000XM5.

The best noise cancelling headphones: Notable mentions

• Bowers & Wilkins PX7: While this set of headphones is very clearly geared to compete with the high-end cans listed here, it’s too pricy for the sound you get out of it. If you’re willing to put up with some discomfort, you’ll enjoy the ANC though.
• Bose QuietComfort 35 II: Though it’s outperformed by the headphones on this list, the Bose QC 35 II is still a great pair of noise cancelling cans. And, if you want to use them to game, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset offers everything the regular QC 35 II has plus a detachable boom microphone.
• Jabra Elite 85h: These headphones are under $250 but still have very good noise cancelling, which is a relatively rare combination of things. They also have automatic ear detection and water resistance amongst other features.
• Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet: These are an affordable and sleek pair of active noise cancelling headphones for children. They fit smaller heads and limit the maximum volume to help protect your kiddo’s hearing.
• Sennheiser HD 450BT: This is a great choice because of its sound quality. However, if you have anything larger than tiny ears, the ear cups probably fit more like on-ear headphones than over-ears. This is a bit more affordable than the Sennheiser PXC 550-II, but the active noise cancelling isn’t quite as good.
• Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3 Wireless: Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM 3 Wireless is trying to keep up with Sony and Bose. While noise cancellation is good, it can’t compare to either leading brand. If you can’t resist a retro design and need snappy wireless performance, look into this or the more portable sibling.
• Shure AONIC 50: This is an excellent headset for listeners who want as many options to connect as possible. You get SBC, AAC, aptX HD, and LDAC support along with a standard wired connection and support for USB-C passthrough audio. We also love this headset for its premium build, extremely comfortable design, and excellent sound quality. If you want something a bit lighter and more affordable from Shure, check out the AONIC 40.
• Sony WH-XB910N: If you like bass, this is unquestionably the headset for you. Sony’s “extra bass” headphones crank the volume up on here, but you get other features too like good ANC and a comfortable fit.
• Under Armour Project Rock Over-Ear Training Headphones by JBL: If you’re looking for a set of ANC capable workout headphones here’s the best choice. The aesthetic and default sound might turn you off, but bull horns aside, the app offers good EQ, and the IPX4 rating means it’s sweatproof to boot.

What you should know about the best noise cancelling headphones

Active noise cancelers attempt to increase the quality of your music by using destructive interference to prevent auditory masking. In simpler terms, outside noise (a “masker”) can drown out notes that are similar in frequency, making them completely inaudible. By using active noise cancellation tech (ANC), you can simultaneously make your music sound better in noisy environments, but you can also reduce how much pressure your inner ear is subjected to, staving off hearing loss.

You should also know that noise cancelling doesn’t mean the noise goes away, or that it can’t reach your ear. Even if you use noise cancelling headphones, you’re still at risk for noise-induced hearing loss because it doesn’t block out all noise. Be sure to limit your exposure to junk sound above 85dB if at all possible. That may be an impossible task on trans- or intercontinental flights, but the best way to listen to music is in a quiet environment—ANC should be the last resort.

If you’re still set on ANC headphones, there’s nothing wrong with that! But it’s always good to explore your options. Other considerations you should keep in mind are that Bluetooth is messy and your audio quality will almost always sound better with wired headphones.

Additionally, you may find that you may need to upgrade your phone if you haven’t in the last few years to get the most out of your audio. Remember how I just said Bluetooth is messy? Well, that’s because its great irony is that despite its namesake, it’s a fractious and varied set of standards that don’t play well together. Unless you have a flagship phone like an iPhone, Galaxy, or V20, chances are good that you’ll be stuck on an older, crappier codec. When studying spec sheets, you’re going to want to make sure that both the headphones and the phones support either AAC, aptX, or LDAC. However, Android phones with Android 8.0 or higher will have these standards by default.

Active noise cancellation requires the use of batteries, and that’s a pain for many people. There’s really no way around it unless you ditch the active noise cancellation and go for passive isolators. Really, the best way to do that is to get some in-ears. You may find them uncomfortable, but I’ve had good luck with Comply memory foam tips. They conform perfectly to your ear canal every time, which not only means super-good isolation with whatever earbuds you want but also they’re as comfortable as it gets with that type of audio device.

How we test headphones

How well headphones and earphones attenuate noise is actually a fairly easy thing to test. using our Bruel & Kjaer 5128 test head, we can offer much more accurate measurements of what a human would experience than most other outlets would. Basically, the process goes like this:

1. Insert testing microphone into a human analog head.
2. Play and record ~90dB of pink noise over a speaker about 1m away from the test head with the headphones OFF (control curve)
3. Play and record ~90dB of pink noise over a speaker about 1m away from the test head with the headphones ON (variable 1 curve)
4. Play and record ~90dB of pink noise over a speaker about 1m away from the test head with the headphones ACTIVATED (variable 2 curve)
5. Subtract variable curve from the control curve

In cases where the attenuation is better than the ANC, always go with better isolation. While ANC is certainly getting a lot better, it won’t always be perfect at getting rid of incidental noise like people talking, people dropping things, crashes, kids banging pots and pans… you get the idea. Just keep that in mind when you peruse our charts: a higher pink line (isolation) is always better than an equally-high dashed blue one (ANC).

How we choose candidates and winners

We’ve been covering the audio industry for some time and we’re acutely aware of what the top of the market is. It’s not exactly a huge mystery which companies are great at this sort of thing, and which ones aren’t as much. However, we give everyone their fair shot because we’re not all-knowing gods of consumer audio or anything, and there are always some surprises out there; yes, even for this best noise cancelling headphones list.

It’s also important to check our ideas about what people want at the door because we’re not the ones buying: you are. So from time to time, we take to Twitter to see just how people are actually buying these headphones. Like good journalists, we posted the question, and the results were a little surprising:

So with that in mind, we set off to assess each of our candidate products in the order of importance established by the poll.

After using all of our candidates, we hashed out which headphones are the most comfortable, best sounding, etc. From there, we went down the list of most important factors and averaged the ranks based on a system of weighting that rewarded categories in order of performance. If we ever encountered two headphones that were roughly “the same” as each other in any one metric, we didn’t split hairs, they got the same sub-rank. Once we got our new number, it was easy to pick our winners!

Why you should trust SoundGuys

The writers at SoundGuys have accumulated years of experience reporting on the consumer audio market, testing audio products, and helping consumers find the right audio product for them. Our staff adheres to a strict ethics policy and no writer will gain anything from recommending one brand over another.

We don’t use ads or sponsored content on the website at a time when doing so is the norm, and SoundGuys’ survival depends solely on readers enjoying their purchases. We pride ourselves on transparently outlining objective facts and measurements, while accounting for the subjective experience to contextualize an audio product’s performance. When we do misspeak, we correct and own up to it.

Frequently asked questions about the best noise cancelling headphones