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We’ve reviewed a lot of noise-canceling headphones, from wired to truly wireless, and I’ve tested almost all of them and compared new models to older ones.

We evaluate noise-canceling headphones in a variety of environments, such as public transportation and densely populated areas. These aren’t the only options we chose for this list, as recognizing comfort, wireless performance, and sound is important. There’s no point in buying a pair of ANC headphones if they sound bad. Let’s take a look at them now.

Bose Quietcomfort Ultra headphones: Best for noise cancellation

Our top pick for noise cancelling is the Sony WH-1000XM5, but these aren’t the best noise cancelling headphones we’ve tested. The Bose Quietcomfort Ultra headphones are also among the best we’ve tested.

They suppress more noise than the Sony competition or any other wireless headphones for that matter. Whether you’re out and about in the city, riding public transportation, wearing these on a plane, or just don’t want to hear the person next to you, the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra headphones are excellent ANC headphones no matter where you are.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra’s noise cancellation is excellent, without making the audio sound overly “cold” or distorted like the previous QuietComfort 45.

They’re comfortable to wear, and even better for long-term use than Sony’s headphones, though they’re still not as light and airy as the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. However, the QuietComfort Ultra can be folded up for easy carrying, which is very practical.

In terms of sound quality, compared with previous Bose headphones, this product has a richer and fuller sound, while still maintaining Bose’s usual audio balance. The mid-frequency band is clear and delicate, the high frequency is bright but not piercing, and the low frequency is also enhanced, which sounds more layered and presents a more popular and mainstream sound style as a whole.

The wireless connection is stable and comes with a wealth of personalization options, such as customizable sound adjustment, call quality, and shortcut key functions.

However, the call quality was a little strange. Whenever we spoke, the background noise was transmitted. Although this did not affect our experience, the other party felt a little strange. Although the price is a bit expensive. But you will get excellent noise reduction performance, it is worth choosing.

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Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones: The best noise-canceling headphones

If you’re looking for a pair of wireless headphones to block out distractions, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones are our pick.

A wireless alternative to earphones, these Ultra Quiet Comfort Earphones offer a comfortable fit, excellent wireless performance, engaging audio quality, and of course, great noise cancellation.

The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones look identical to their predecessor, the Bose Quietcomfort II headphones. We also found them to be slightly better thanks to the tweaked design of the stabilizing band. The touch controls look identical but also feel more precise, while the IPX4 IP rating will keep the headphones safe from sweat and rain.

The headset supports Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with Snapdragon Sound technology, which means it can support SBC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless encoding formats. Unfortunately, however, it does not support Bluetooth multipoint connection.

In actual use, the headphones have an excellent noise reduction effect in public transportation environments such as buses and subways, and almost no noise can penetrate. However, we believe that in terms of pure noise reduction intensity, QuietComfort Earbuds II is still slightly better. It is worth mentioning that when you turn on the “Perception Mode”, Bose’s ActiveSense technology will automatically adjust the noise reduction intensity according to the ambient noise, bringing a more natural listening experience.

In terms of battery life, the headset itself can be used for about 6 hours, and the total battery life can reach 24 hours with the charging box. Although it does not support wireless charging and there is no wireless charging case available, the overall battery life performance is still satisfactory.

In terms of sound quality, the Ultra version continues the style of QuietComfort Earbuds II, with clear and full mid-range and excellent detail performance; the low frequency is slightly inferior to Sony WF-1000XM5 or Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, but still has good diving and texture. In addition, the newly added immersive audio function can expand the sound field, bring a stronger sense of space and immersion, and further enhance the listening experience.

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Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones: The best Sony noise-canceling headphones

Sony’s WH series of wireless headphones are some of the best we’ve ever tested, especially when it comes to noise cancellation, and the Sony WH-1000XM5 is Sony’s best effort yet.

Sony WH-1000XM5 has a significant improvement in active noise reduction compared to the previous generation WH-1000XM4. Sony said that this generation of headphones performs better in handling high-frequency noise. In our actual experience, we found that the noise reduction effect of XM5 is very good in noisy crowds and commuting scenes. Although XM4 is slightly better in isolating certain types of low-frequency noise, the noise reduction of XM5 sounds cleaner and more natural.

Through the Sony Headphones Connect app, you can freely adjust between 20 different noise reduction levels, bringing a clearer and wider customized noise reduction experience than the previous model.

In terms of appearance, the WH-1000XM5 has undergone the biggest change. The new oval earmuff design is not only more modern, but also compatible with more head shapes; the headband has also been re-optimized for more comfortable wearing. However, this generation has cancelled the folding structure, similar to Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and AirPods Max, and cannot be folded and stored like XM4. Although this change is not liked by all users, it does reduce wind noise interference when worn.

The features are very rich, including “Quick Attention” mode (quickly filter external sounds), “Automatic Play/Pause When Wearing”, and “Automatic Pause of Music During Voice Calls”. The battery life is still excellent, and it can maintain about 30 hours of playback time when active noise reduction is turned on.

Although the same as the previous generation, the XM5’s more efficient noise reduction system makes the 30 hours of listening feel more durable. In our test, it only needs to be charged once after a full week of normal use, and the battery life performance is satisfactory.

The audio is solid here and there, but the Sony WH-1000XM5’s mids sound richer, the soundstage is more spacious, and the low-end has more depth and texture. It’s not as good as the noise-canceling Bose Quietcomfort Ultra headphones, but it’s still a strong competitor.

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3. Bowers & Wilkins PX8 headphones: Best premium noise-canceling headphones

The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 headphones are some of the best-looking headphones on the market. Available in both black and tan, the build quality looks great and they’re very durable. We found them comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and the oval shape helps to create a more natural soundstage.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 features adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), which we think works really well in practice. Whether it’s subway noise, noisy voices, or wind noise, PX8 can effectively suppress it without sacrificing sound quality. Even in noisy environments, it can compress the noisy crowd into a more easily ignored background sound, allowing you to remain immersed and calm in various scenarios.

In terms of noise reduction performance, PX8 outperforms the Focal Bathys and Master & Dynamic MW75 of the same price, demonstrating Bowers & Wilkins’ profound skills in acoustic tuning.

The PX8 uses a 40mm full-range carbon cone dynamic unit, which brings an open and detailed sound field. Compared with its predecessor, the PX7, this is undoubtedly a huge upgrade in sound quality. The low frequency is full and impactful, the mid-frequency is transparent and natural, suitable for a variety of music types; the high frequency is bright but not harsh, showing a unique sense of layering, making the PX8 a high-end headphone with clean sound quality, accurate and dynamic performance.

In terms of call quality, the PX8 isn’t as all-around superior as the Sony WH-1000XM5, but it’s still reliable in real-world use. Voices are clear and natural, and the dedicated microphone effectively suppresses background noise, ensuring smooth communication even in noisy environments.

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Apple Airpods Pro 2 earphones: The best Apple noise-cancelling earphones

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are one of the best true wireless noise cancelling earphones that Apple has made for Apple users. The design is not much different from that of the original AirPods Pro, but they have an additional ear cap size (XS) to accommodate wider ears. The force sensor also provides the ability to adjust the volume level, but I found that it is not always the most reliable option.

In terms of sound quality, Apple AirPods Pro 2 has been significantly improved compared to the previous generation. The low frequency is fuller and warmer, while the vocals are still clear and natural, the details of the instruments are also more refined, the overall sound field is wider, and the layers are clearer.

The real highlight is its active noise cancellation (ANC) performance. When we tested it in a noisy environment such as a subway, we compared it with the Sony WF-1000XM4 and found that the AirPods Pro 2 performed almost as well in cutting out high-frequency noise and the low-frequency rumble of the train, and even outperformed it in some frequency bands.

Its noise reduction function is adaptive and can automatically adjust the effect according to the intensity of ambient noise. The improved transparency mode also performs well, bringing a more natural and clearer external sound perception experience. However, the lack of more refined manual adjustment options for noise reduction and transparency mode is still a small regret.

In terms of battery life, each earphone can be used for about 6 hours, and the total battery life can reach 30 hours with the charging box. This performance is better than Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II (6 hours + 24 hours) and is roughly equivalent to Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 (7 hours + 28 hours). But in terms of battery life, some cheaper models, such as JBL Live Pro 2 (10 hours + 40 hours), have more advantages.

If you’re an iOS user and need a pair of true wireless earbuds with ANC, it’s hard to find a better integrated option than the AirPods Pro 2.

Seamless connection, spatial audio, adaptive EQ and other functions are deeply integrated with the iOS system, bringing users a unique experience. For non-iOS users, since many functions cannot be fully used, they may be more inclined to choose other brands.

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JBL Live Pro 2: Best cheap noise-canceling in-ear headphones

The JBL Live Pro 2 is the best noise-canceling headphone for around $800. And while walking through a Shenzhen subway station, we found that the active noise cancellation of the JBL Live Pro 2 reduced background noise to just a slight rustling sound.

It does a particularly good job of suppressing vocals, and can effectively block out most noise even in busy areas, which is a surprising performance for this price.

Wearing comfort is not to be overlooked either—we experienced little discomfort during extended use. Thanks to an IPX5 rating for water resistance, these headphones are more durable than most noise-canceling headphones, making them perfect for gym or rainy day use.

However, the wireless connection and call quality of the JBL Live Pro 2 are a little lacking. In crowded environments like Victoria Station, we encountered signal fluctuations, and even in less crowded areas, the same situation occasionally occurred. As for the call experience, its performance is not ideal. Although it has a noise-canceling microphone, it still transmits a lot of background noise to the other party in a noisy environment, making calls difficult, which is obviously not as good as the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.

In terms of sound quality, JBL Live Pro 2 tends to show a balanced sound style. Although it is not particularly exciting, it sounds very comfortable. It provides a thick low-frequency performance, the mid-frequency is clear and natural, and the high frequency presents a bright and layered texture.

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Dyson OnTrac headphones: The best design for noise-canceling headphones

Dyson’s OnTrac headphones are undoubtedly the most distinctive products on the market. The CNC copper version we received is very attractive and highly customizable – users can replace the shell and earmuff panels in a range of finishes.

According to Dyson’s official data, there are up to 2,000 customizable combinations. Although each component is expensive, this also brings unprecedented personalization possibilities to the headphones.

Of course, the highlight of this headset is not only the appearance customization. Although the overall design is a bit bulky and may not meet the aesthetic taste of all users, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it is very comfortable when actually wearing it. This is mainly due to the sufficient soft padding material and the reasonable distribution of weight. Even if you listen for a long time, it will not cause obvious pressure or discomfort in a certain part.

In terms of sound quality, Dyson OnTrac provides clear and delicate sound performance, and the overall tuning is neutral and balanced. Although this tone style may lack the “excitement” or exaggerated low frequency pursued by some users, for listeners who pursue true restoration and pay attention to details, its performance can be described as professional and accurate.

In addition, its battery life is also excellent – without using the noise reduction function, the battery can play continuously for about 55 hours. Although its active noise reduction performance is not the best in the industry, it is enough to effectively isolate the noise in daily life and provide a relatively quiet listening environment.

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