Good Over Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

If you're looking to turn the world down and over ear noise cancelling headphones focus on your music, good over ear noise cancelling headphones are essential. They can be used for traveling, your commute, or even working at home.

We've reviewed the top options to help you pick. Here are our picks according to the factors that matter most to us and our testers:.

1. Comfort

The best noise cancelling headphones for over-ears can be comfortable to wear and remain in place even when you move. The ear cups must be adequately padded to block out ambient noise. This is particularly important for those who listen to audiobooks, music and podcasts on the go or at home. The ear cup padding should be soft and flexible to accommodate different head dimensions and shapes, while the headband padding should be sufficient to ensure comfort throughout the day wear.

Choosing the right pair of noise-canceling headphones comes down to your specific needs and budget. Apple's AirPods Max has quickly taken a market share from the long-standing market leaders like Bose, Sony and Sony. And then there are low-cost options from monoprice as well as other brands that offer many of the same features as higher-end models, but at a fraction of the price.

Monoprice BT600ANC, for instance it comes with active noise cancellation ambient awareness, touch controls and high-quality audio codesc support for all your favorite audio applications. They're also smaller in comparison to Bose's newest models, making them a good option for the majority of people. They're also quite affordable at around the same cost as a decent pair of wired noise-canceling headphones.

If you're willing a bit more then the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 will impress you with their build quality and sound quality. Few headphones combine the elegance and sophistication of these. They feature die-cast aluminum arms, diamond-cut details, and a stunning design.

The noise-canceling capabilities of their models aren't as robust than the top-rated Bose QC35 II and QC45, though our Lab Assistant found them very comfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time. In our tests, they eliminated much of the rumble of the engine of an airplane or train track, but they couldn't remove the squeaking brakes or the hiss of fellow passengers on public transit. The headphones did not have passive isolation, which is a feature we look for when selecting the best headphones to block office chatter and other distracting background noises at home.

2. Sound

Noise cancelling headphones can drown out the background noise and help you concentrate in a noisy workplace or catch some shut-eye during a flight. But the quality of the audio that is produced by the headphones is equally important. You'll want to be able listen to music and podcasts with as much clarity and volume as you can in a quiet space.

The earcups and the bud that seal the ear canals in the headphones also play an important role in good isolation. It is essential to preventing external noises from affecting the audio experience. You can do this by wearing headphones with active noise cancelation with built-in microphones that create opposing sounds to neutralize ambient sounds. Earbuds do not use active noise cancellation technology, aren't as effective at reducing noise but they still provide good noise isolation due to their design and the tight seal that you get when they are sized correctly for your ears.

We test for several factors to find the best noise cancelling headphones. They are able to block low-frequency ambient sounds like the drone or hum of an aircraft, as well as high-frequency sounds like chatter or conversations. We also evaluate the sound quality of headphones, which includes things like midrange, bass and treble clarity and whether or not they can provide a natural distinction between voices and instruments.

The Sony WH1000XM5 is our top pick. It has excellent noise cancellation, which effectively dampens a plane's roar or the rumble in the subway car, but without taking the sound from your playlist or movie. They also provide excellent passive isolation and come with a number of useful features including the ability to automatically pause your music when you remove them from your ears or multipoint Bluetooth pairing for listening to multiple devices simultaneously.

Bose's QuietComfort headphones have the same sound quality, with crisp highs and mids. They are a bit more expensive than XM4s but not by a lot. The headphones have some minor issues: You can't alter the amount of active sound cancellation. It's either on, or off. Also, you can't activate the transparency mode, which lets in some outside sound, and they lack on-ear detection that prompts your phone to switch to the headset after you remove them.

3. Noise Cancellation

Anyone who wears headphones for long periods of time will benefit from noise cancelling. This is true whether they're using headphones for work, to listen to podcasts or read, or to listen to music or movies on a plane or train. But the best noise-canceling headphones should provide more than blocking out ambient sound. That's why we looked into audio spectrum analysis and subjective listening tests to assess the noise-canceling capabilities of headphones in our reviews.

In addition to looking for high-quality headphones with a comfortable design and excellent audio performance, we also looked at how a pair of headphones could suppress higher-frequency continuous noises, like restaurant chatter and incidental noises of short duration such as the whirr of a computer fan or neighboring lawnmowers. We also assessed the degree of isolation offered by a pair of headphones, and whether they would be effective in reducing sounds by covering your ears with ear cups.

Over-ear headphones are superior in noise cancellation than earbuds since they cover your ears completely and isolate them from external noise. We looked at the ANC performance of several headphones that are over-ear, including models from Bose, Sony and more to determine which pair has the most effectively blocked out external noise while still providing excellent audio quality.

In our review, we discovered the Sony WH1000XM5 headphones to offer a combination excellent audio quality and comfort, as well as superior noise cancellation. The headphones also support high-resolution audio codec LDAC, for a more immersive listening experience. They also come with an actual button that allows you to change between three different levels of ANC on any device.

The Monoprice's BT-600ANC is a compact, low-cost pair of over-ear headphones that provide an impressive quality of noise reduction as well as audio fidelity for the price. The headphones aren't comfortable to wear for long periods of time, however they do a fantastic job of isolating you from noise.

The Sony WH-910N headphones are a fantastic pair of noise-canceling headphones at a price that is very appealing. The "XB", in their name, stands for extra bass. While they do deliver the promised sound, we prefer Bose ANC performance and overall experience of the WH1000XM5 headphones.

4. Battery Life

If you're going to drop some hundred dollars on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, you want to ensure they'll last. Over-ear noise cancelling headphones must have a battery that can last up to a week or even an extended flight. We always test wireless headphones to see how long they last on battery.

In our tests, we found that the best ANC headsets have batteries that last at least 30 hours. This is more than enough to last through a long international flight or a full workweek of commutes and meetings. Many models go beyond the limit. Some models can even provide 60 hours of active noise cancellation.

Be aware that although certain headphones can last longer but the quality of audio will diminish as the battery dries out. This will be noticeable when the sound becomes muddy and the bass becomes less powerful. Most people will not notice the difference, but it is noticeable when listening to podcasts or acoustic music.

The updated Sennheiser Momentum over-ear headphones are made to provide the features that premium audio headset buyers look for. They are focused on style, comfort and essential features. They feature improved ANC as well as a user-friendly control app and excellent audio quality. These headphones are half the price of Sony's flagship models, which means you can enjoy top-quality ANC without the price tag.

Monoprice BT600ANC over-ear headphone are another option to think about. They're affordable, yet offer top-quality performance. They are light and comfortable, with a headband that is comfortable on the ears. They come with touch controls and AAC and aptX support for high-quality audio on iOS and Android devices. They're not as great as the Bose QuietComfort 45 but they're an excellent choice for anyone on a budget.

Noise-canceling headsets are a great purchase for frequent travelers, office employees and anyone who wants a quiet and peaceful environment to listen to their podcast or audiobook. Although they are more expensive than normal headphones, they're worth it for those who are constantly traveling.