How to Choose the Best Over the Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

Noise cancelling headphones are a great way to improve your listening experience, regardless of whether you work from home or traveling by public transport. They create an audio barrier between your ears and the outside sound. How do you pick the right pair for you?

There are two kinds of noise cancelling headsets: passive isolation, and active noise cancellation. The former uses heavily padded headphones that fit comfortably to block out outside sounds while the latter utilize built-in microphones to create opposite sound waves to cancel out ambient noise.

Comfort

Whether you spend your days in noisy public transportation or fighting for office space with chatty colleagues or trying to get some shut-eye on a flight that's overbooked Noise cancelling headphones provide an acoustic buffer between your ears and the rest of the world. These headphones let you listen to music at the right volume without straining your ears. A majority of our top picks have a light design, making them easy to wear throughout the day long.

Traditionally, noise cancellation involves using active sound reduction technology that creates opposite sound waves to cancel out background noise. You can find cheaper headphones with passive noise isolation, which seals the earcups or buds around the ear to block out noises that are not needed. However, the top models we tested employ active sound cancellation to give a true escape.

For the most effective results, you'll need to ensure that your headphones are snug and well-designed. You'll also want to make sure they don't leak, which can annoy people near you. To truly experience a full audio experience, you'll require headphones that are compatible with the high-resolution Bluetooth codec LDAC, which allows them to play back hi-res music at 96kHz/24 bit resolution--making them an audiophile's dream.

Many of the latest models can be folded, allowing them to be compact and practical for travel. The Bose QC45 headphones we've reviewed for instance are a great option when you're looking for an affordable travel headphone that folds flat to tuck into its case. If you're an avid traveler, the Sennheiser HD450BT is a fantastic pair of headphones that fold down to fit into your bag for carry-on.

Most of the models in our roundup are wireless, and a lot of them are headphones with built-in microphones that allow hands-free phone calls. The app lets you manage the audio and noise cancellation settings, which is great for those who want to adjust their headphones while traveling. Some wireless models come with chargers for on-the-go listening, while others use an accessory case that can give you a long battery life even when you're away from work or home.

Sound Quality

Many music lovers are concerned about the quality of their headphones, particularly ones that offer high-quality audio. While any pair of headphones will assist in removing ambient sounds, a great pair of noise cancelling headphones will not just be able to effectively block out the outside world but also be able to deliver clear high-quality, high-quality sound.

If you're spending a lot of money on headphones, you want them to be able play your music as well as they can. Fortunately that's the case, as ANC headphones have evolved and improved their sound, they have also improved with time. This has led to some of the most powerful headphones on the market today that beat the best audiophile headphones available.

The quality of your sound will depend on your listening habits and preferences. Some prefer a full warm, warm sound with plenty of bass, whereas others may prefer high-quality headphones that can be able to hear every detail of a song or an album.

Noise cancellation is a personal decision. While ANC is excellent at eliminating monotonous sounds like the whooshing sound of an airplane, or the roaring of traffic, it is unable to remove dynamic sounds that have different frequencies and intensities, such as human voice or instruments.

If you are looking to get the most effective passive isolation, a pair of headphones with ANC that is excellent is a good option regardless of whether they're headphones with earbuds or even over-ear ones. You can achieve impressive isolation without active noise cancellation using Comply memory foam tips, or similar products. These will mold to the shape of your ears.

Most ANC headphones have various Bluetooth codecs that allow you to connect to the music source you like. The Sony WH1000XM4s, as an example, feature both LDAC support as well as DSEE Extreme to ensure you can enjoy your favorite songs in high-quality and in stunning detail. This means that when Sinead O'Connor sings Nothing Compares 2 U her sibilant cry as well as the forceful chorus come through like she's in the room with you.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling headphones provide an audio buffer between your ears and the world around you. They basically listen to the sounds you hear, and use built-in microphones to "read" those sounds, allowing only the audio you wish to hear through. They're a great option for commuting, working at home, or in any other situation where background noise is distracting or irritating.

To achieve their magical effects Noise cancelling headphones use an active technology that is powered by noise cancellation (ANC). The tiny microphones in your earcups and earbuds are listening to the sounds that you are exposed to. They then emit the exact opposite frequency which will collide together to block out unwanted sounds. It's a bit more complex than that, and is contingent on the hearing sensitivity of your ears, the headphone design and the quality of its audio processing, but the gist is that they can drastically reduce the sounds you hear, whether that's an aircraft engine or your coworker's animated conversations.

The top over-ear noise cancelling headphones ANC headsets that we tested didn't completely block out background noises, but they are effective at blocking them. For the most immersive listening experience, look into a pair with adaptive noise cancellation. This enhances ANC to the next level by continuously monitoring ambient sounds, countering the background noise in real-time and keeping the sound you would like to hear (including hands-free calls) at a consistent volume. The Sony WH-1000XM5s are an illustration of this cutting-edge technology in action.

Many over-ear ANC headphones come with other features that make listening enjoyable. Look for features such as touch controls as well as high-quality audio codecs and support for voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. A wireless Bluetooth connection is essential for hands-free and convenient audio playback as well as a mobile charging case that allows you to stay connected while on the go.

Another feature that is useful is a passive mode, which allows the noise cancellation circuitry to be shut off, allowing you to listen to music with the same level of isolation as regular headphones. This is a useful feature to use when you need to hear the world around you or don't have enough battery life to recharge your headphones.

Value

If you are listening to music or taking calls, a quality pair of headphones can make you feel as if you're in a soundproofed space. Noise cancelling headphones are more expensive than their non-noise-canceling counterparts but they deliver better sound quality and block out distracting background noise. They are worth the extra cost for those who work long hours in the office or on the go.

The Sony WH1000XM5 headphones come packed with features that are useful. They are incredibly sound cancellation capabilities and a microphone that is dedicated to producing natural clear, clear audio during calls as well as DSEE Extreme Audio Upscaling. Their ANC system does a fantastic job of blocking out external sounds but they struggle to separate you from bass-range noises like traffic or trains passing by.

The headphones are light and fold up into a compact D shape which can be easily tucked away in the bag of a carry-on. They're ideal for travel. They are compatible with a variety of voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and they have the ability to automatically stop your music when you take them from your ears. You can also use them with a wired cable to listen to your favorite music or podcasts in noisy environments.

The Razer Opus X Wireless headphones provide outstanding value for the money. They come with a great ANC system, but they also have a transparency setting that turns on the external microphones to allow more noise from your surroundings to pass through. They also have an inbuilt USB-C charging port, which means that they can be charged while still being utilized. They have low-latency Bluetooth connection which is crucial for ear noise cancelling headphones gaming on the go and watching videos.

For a more budget-friendly option look into the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless headphones. They do a great job in blocking out distracting noises including the rumble of buses and plane engines to the high-pitched sound of computer fans. They are able to last for longer than 32 hours and have an automatic off timer.