How to Choose the Best Over the Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

If you're traveling by public transport or working from your home, noise cancelling headphones can improve your listening experience by creating an acoustic buffer between your ears and the outside world. But how do you decide which pair is right for you?

There are two main kinds of noise cancelling headphones that are passive noise isolation and active noise cancellation. The first uses earcups with thick padding that is fitted to block out outside noises, while the second uses built-in mics to create opposing sound waves that cancel ambient noise.

Comfort

If you're on noisy public transit or battling for office space with chatty coworkers or attempting to catch some sleep on an overbooked flight, noise cancelling headphones offer an acoustic buffer between your ears and the rest of the world. These headphones allow you to listen to your music at the right volume without straining your ears. Many of our top picks feature a lightweight design, making them comfortable to wear all day long.

Noise cancellation is usually accomplished by using active sound-reduction techniques that generate opposing sound waves in order to cancel background noise. There are headphones that come with passive noise isolation, which seals the earcups or buds around the ears to block out unwanted sounds. However, the best models we tested have active sound cancellation to give an unbeatable escape.

You'll want your headphones are well-designed and fit comfortably. You'll want to ensure that they don't leak as this could be irritating to the people around you. For a truly immersive audio, you'll want headphones that can support high-resolution Bluetooth codesc LDAC. This allows them to playback hi res music with 24 bit resolution and 96kHz which makes them an audiophile's dream.

Many of the latest models can be folded making them compact and convenient for travel. The Bose QC45 headphones we've reviewed, for example, are an excellent choice to consider if you're looking a comfortable travel headphone that folds flat to tuck into its case. If you're an avid traveler then the Sennheiser HD 450BT are a excellent pair that folds to the size of your carry-on bag, making it easy to transportation.

The majority of the models we have reviewed are wireless and some even come with built-in microphones that allow hands-free calls. You can also control your noise cancellation and audio settings using a separate app, which is a nice option for anyone who wants to adjust their headphones on the go. Some wireless models come with docking stations for on-the go listening, while others come with a case which gives you the power to run for hours even when you're not at home or working.

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 option to block out the sounds of outside.

If you're spending lots of money on headphones, you need them to play your music as effectively as they can. Fortunately, as ANC headphones have developed, their sound has also improved over time. The result is some of the best audiophile headphones that are available today.

The quality of the sound you hear will depend on your preferences and listening habits. Some people prefer a full warm and warm sound with plenty of bass, while others might prefer high-fidelity headphones to be able to hear every detail of the music or album.

Noise cancellation is a personal preference. While ANC is great at removing monotonous sounds, such as the whooshing noise of an airplane, or the roaring of traffic, it's not able to remove dynamic sounds that have different frequencies and intensities, like human voices or instruments.

To this end, the best pair of headphones with exceptional passive isolation as well as good over ear noise cancelling headphones ANC will still be an excellent choice, whether you go with earbuds that are sealed around your ears or Over Ear Headphones Noise Cancelling Bluetooth-ear headphones that completely cover your earlobes. You can achieve impressive isolation even without active noise cancellation using a pair of Comply memory foam tips or similar products that mold perfectly to the shape of your ears.

The majority of ANC headphones are equipped with several Bluetooth codecs that allow you to connect with the music source you like. For instance, the Sony WH-1000XM4s feature both LDAC and DSEE Extreme support to ensure that you'll be able listen to your music in high-resolution and in incredible detail. Sinead O'Connor's sibilant cries, and her ferocious chorus come through when she sings Nothing Compares 2 U.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling headphones can put an audio buffer between your ears and the world around you. They listen to ambient sounds and then use built in microphones to "read" and only allow the audio that you want to hear. These are great for those who commute, work from home, or in any situation where background sounds can be distracting or even annoying.

Noise cancelling headphones utilize the technology known as active noise cancellation to make their magic. Miniature microphones in the earcups or the earbuds listen to the sounds you're exposed to and emit opposite frequencies that will be in collision and effectively cancel out those unwanted noises, leaving only the music you're listening to. It's more complicated and relies on the sensitivity of your headphones as well as the design of the headphones and the quality of the audio processing. The main thing is that they can cut down the sound of an airplane's engine or animated conversations from your colleagues.

Although they're not able completely turn your surroundings into a silent void, the best over-ear ANC headphones we tested do an excellent job of blocking most background noises. For the most immersive listening experience, you should consider the headphones with adaptive noise cancellation. It will take ANC to the next level by constantly listening to ambient sounds, reversing them in real time, and maintaining the audio 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 motion.

Apart from the noise-canceling features, many pairs of over-the-ear ANC headphones come with other useful and interesting features that will make your listening life more enjoyable. Look for features like touch controls as well as high-quality audio codecs, and support for voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. Wireless Bluetooth is essential to allow hands-free playback of audio and easy audio playback. A portable charging case can allow you to stay connected on the move.

Another handy feature is the passive mode which allows the noise-canceling circuitry to be turned off, allowing you to listen to music with the same level of isolation as regular headphones. This is a useful feature for when you need to hear the outside world or don't have enough battery power to charge your headphones.

Value

If you are listening to music or taking calls, a quality pair of headphones will make you feel as if you're in a soundproofed area. Noise cancelling headphones are more expensive, but they provide better sound quality and block out background noise. Because of this, they are worth the investment for those who spend much time on their own in the office or while traveling.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones have impressive noise cancellation capabilities and come with many useful features, including a dedicated microphone that can produce clear and natural sound during phone calls and DSEE Extreme audio upscaling. The ANC system does an excellent job of blocking out sounds from outside, though they struggle to shield you from low-frequency sounds like traffic or trains passing by.

They're also light and folds down into a compact, over ear headphones noise cancelling bluetooth D-shaped bag that tucks into a carrying case, making them perfect for use on the road. They are compatible with multiple voice assistants including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and have a feature which automatically pauses music when they are removed from your ears. They can also be connected to wired connections to listen to your favorite podcasts or videos in noisy environments.

The Razer Opus Wireless headphones are a great value for money. They feature a decent ANC system however, they also have a transparency option that turns on the external microphones to allow more sounds from your surroundings to pass through. The headphones are equipped with a built-in USB-C charging port, which means they can still be used while being charged. They have low latency connections over Bluetooth which is essential to play games on mobile devices and watch video content.

Take a look at the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless Headphones to get a cheaper option. They do a great job of blocking out distracting sounds such as the rumble of bus and plane engines to the high-pitched sound of computer fans. They can last up to 32 hours on a single charge. They have an auto-off timer to conserve power.