How to Choose the Best Over the Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

Whether you're commuting via public transportation or working from home, Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones noise cancelling headphones can improve your listening experience by forming an audio buffer between your ears and the outside world. But how do you know which pair is best for you?

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

Comfort

Whether you spend your days on noisy public transit, battling for office space with chatty colleagues or trying to catch some sleep on an overbooked flight Noise cancelling headphones provide a sonic buffer between your ears and the rest of the world. They also allow you to enjoy your music at a relaxed level without putting pressure on your ears, and many of our top picks have light-weight designs that are comfortable to wear for hours.

Typically, noise cancellation involves the use of active sound-reduction technology which creates opposing sound waves to block out ambient noise. While you can find cheaper headphones that use passive noise isolation that covers the earcups or earbuds to block out noises that aren't needed, the top models we've tested utilize active sound cancellation to offer an ideal escape from the everyday grind.

You'll want to make sure your headphones are well-designed and comfortable. You should ensure that they don't leak as this could be irritating to others around you. For a truly immersive audio, you'll want headphones that can support high-resolution Bluetooth codesc LDAC. This allows them to play back hi-res music at 24 bit resolution and 96kHz, making them an audiophiles dream.

Many new models are foldable making them compact and practical for travel. The Bose QC45 headphones we've reviewed for instance are a great option if you're looking for an affordable travel headphone that can fold flat to tuck into its case. If you're a frequent traveler the Sennheiser HD450BT is a great pair of headphones that fold down to fit into your carry-on bag.

The majority of the models in our roundup are wireless, and a lot of them are headphones with built-in microphones for hands-free phone calls. You can also control your noise cancelling and audio settings with a dedicated app, which is a nice alternative for those who want to adjust their headphones on the go. Some of the wireless models come with a charging dock for on-the-go listening, [Redirect Only] while others use a portable case that gives you a long battery life when away from work or home.

Sound Quality

The quality of sound is a major deal for most music lovers especially when it comes to headphones. Noise cancelling headphones are a great way to block out the sounds of outside.

If you're planning to spend a significant amount of money on headphones, it makes sense that they'll be able to play your tunes and possibly. Fortunately, as ANC headphone technology has advanced in sound quality, the sound they produce has also improved dramatically over time. The result is the most audiophile headphones available currently available.

Of course, the quality of sound you'll hear will largely depend on the way you listen to music and what your preferences are. Some prefer a full, warm sound with lots of bass, while others may opt for high-fidelity headphones to be able to hear every detail of a song or an album.

The type of music you enjoy most also depends on how important beats noise cancelling over ear headphones cancelling is to you. While ANC is excellent in removing monotonous sounds like the whistling of an aircraft or the roar of traffic, it isn't able to remove dynamic sounds that change in frequency and intensity such as human voices or instruments.

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

Of course, the majority of ANC headphones will come with an array of Bluetooth codecs, allowing you to connect them to the audio source that works the best for you. The Sony WH1000XM4s, as an example, have LDAC support as well as DSEE Extreme to ensure you can listen to your favourite songs in high-quality and with stunning clarity. Sinead O'Connor's sibilant cry, and her forceful chorus, are evident when she sings Nothing Compares 2 U.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling headphones can create an audio buffer between your ears and the world around you. They basically listen to the ambient sound that you hear, and use built-in microphones to "read" those sounds, only allowing the audio you want to hear through. They are ideal for people who commute or work from home, or in any other situation where background sounds can be distracting or irritating.

Noise cancelling headphones use a technology called active noise cancellation to make their magic. The tiny microphones inside the earcups or the earbuds listen to the sounds that you're exposed to and then emit opposite frequencies, which will then collide with each other and effectively cancel out those unwanted sounds, revealing only the music you're listening. It's more complex than that, and it is dependent on the sensitivity of your ears, the design of the headphones, and the quality of its audio processing, but the gist is that they drastically reduce the sounds you hear, be it an aircraft engine or your coworker's animated conversations.

While they're not able to completely turn your surroundings into a silent silence, the top over-ear ANC headphones we tested did excellent job of blocking out the majority of background noises. For the most immersive listening experience, look into a pair with adaptive noise cancellation. This will take ANC to the next level by constantly listening to ambient sounds, countering the background noise in real-time and keeping the sound you want to hear (including hands-free calls) at a consistent volume. This advanced technology is demonstrated in the Sony WH1000XM5s.

Apart from the noise-canceling features, many pairs of over the ear ANC headphones come with additional useful and interesting features that will make listening more enjoyable. Look for features like control buttons, high-quality audio codec support and support for voice assistants such as Siri or Google Assistant. A wireless Bluetooth connection is essential to allow hands-free and comfortable audio playback and a portable charging case that lets you remain connected traveling.

A passive mode is also an excellent feature. It allows you to switch off the noise cancellation circuitry and listen with the same level of isolation that regular headphones provide. This is a useful feature for when you want to hear outside sounds or haven't enough battery power to recharge your headphones.

Value

A great pair of headphones can make you feel like you're in a soundproof space when listening to music or making phone calls. Noise cancelling headphones can be more expensive, but they provide better sound quality and block out distracting background noise. They are well worth the extra cost for those who work long hours alone in the office or on the road.

The Sony WH1000XM5 headphone is packed with features that are useful. They are incredibly sound cancellation abilities and include an in-built microphone that can produce natural clear and clear audio when you call as well as DSEE Extreme Audio Upscaling. The ANC system does a great job of blocking out external sounds, though they struggle to separate you from the bass-range sounds like passing trains or traffic.

They're also light and fold down into a compact D-shaped box which can be put into a carrying case, making them perfect for travel. They are compatible with multiple voice assistants including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and a feature that automatically will stop music when removed from your ears. They can also be used with an audio wire to listen to your preferred podcasts or videos in noisy environments.

The Razer Opus Wireless headphones offer great value for money. In addition to an ANC system that works well and has a transparent mode that switches on the headphones' external microphones so more of the noise around you can pass through. The headphones come with a built in USB-C charging port, which means they can be used while being charged. They also have a low latency connection over Bluetooth, which is important to play games on mobile devices and watch videos.

Take a look at the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless Headphones for a more affordable alternative. They do an excellent job of blocking out distracting sounds such as the rumble of buses and plane engines to the high-pitched hum of computer fans. They are able to last for longer than 32 hours and come with an automatic off timer.