Good Over Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones
If you’re looking to shut the world down and focus on your music, good over-ear noise cancelling headphones are essential. If you’re flying or on your commute, or working from home.
We’ve reviewed the top options to help you select. These are our top picks based on the most important criteria to us and to our testers:.
1. Comfort
The best noise cancelling headphones for over-ears can fit comfortably on your head and stay in position even when you move. The earcups should be sufficiently padded to keep ambient noise out. This is crucial for those who listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts on the move or at home. The earcups should be soft and flexible to fit different head sizes and shapes while the headband must have enough padding to be comfortable for all-day wear.
The best pair of noise-canceling headphones comes down to your individual requirements and budget. There are longtime heavyweights on the market, such as Bose and Sony but Apple has quickly gained a share of the market with its luxurious AirPods Max. There are also budget-friendly models from brands like monoprice which offer many of the features found in more expensive models for a fraction of their price.
Monoprice BT600ANC, for example has active noise cancellation, ambient awareness, control buttons and high-quality audio codesc support for all of your favorite audio applications. They’re also lighter when compared to Bose’s most recent models which makes them a great choice for most people. They are also quite affordable, about the same as a pair good noise-canceling wired headphones.
If you’re willing to pay 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 have die-cast aluminum arms, Bose diamond-cut metal details, and a stunning design.
The noise cancelling capabilities of these headphones are less powerful than those of the Bose QC35 and QC45. However our Lab Assistant noticed that they are very comfortable to wear over long periods. In our tests, they blocked out much of the rumble of the engine of an airplane or train track, but they couldn’t cut out the screeching brakes or the roar of fellow passengers on public transit. They also lacked the passive isolation that we seek in our top headphones to block out office chatter and other distracting background noises at home.
2. Sound
Noise cancelling headphones enable you to block out background noise and help you focus in a noisy space. They can also help you sleep on a plane, or focus more effectively at work. The quality of the sound that comes through the headphones is also important. Ideally, you’ll be able to enjoy music and podcasts in your quiet spot with the audio coming through as clear and as full as it can be.
The earcups and bud that protect the ear canals within the headphones also play a part: good isolation is key in preventing external noises from affecting the audio experience. This can be achieved through a snug fit or by using headphones that have active noise cancellation, which have built-in microphones that actively create opposing sound waves in order to neutralize the background noise. Earbuds which don’t feature active noise cancellation aren’t as isolating, but they still offer good sound isolation due to their design and the snug fit you can achieve when they fit well.
We look at a variety of factors to find the top over-ear noise cancelling headphones, including their ability to cut down low-frequency ambient sounds like the sound of a train engine or the drone of an airplane, as well as high-frequency continuous noises like conversations or chatter. We also look for the quality of the headphones’ sound, assessing things like mid-range, bass and clarity of treble, and whether they provide a natural separation between the instruments and vocals.
The Sony WH1000XM5 is our best choice. It is a great device for noise cancellation that effectively reduces the roar of a plane or the rumble from a subway car, without sucking the sound out of your music or movie. They offer great passive isolation, and have a number of useful extras such as the ability for your media to be automatically paused when you remove the headphones.
Bose’s QuietComfort 45 headphones have similar audio quality, with clear highs and clear mids. They’re a bit more expensive than the XM4s, however not so much that they aren’t worth considering. They do have a few minor drawbacks, however: They don’t let you alter the volume of active noise cancellation. It’s either off or on. You can also’t enable the transparency mode, which allows in outside sounds and they don’t have an on-ear detection that prompts your phone to switch to the headset once you take them off.
3. Noise Cancellation
Noise cancelling is a crucial feature for anyone who plans to use headphones for long periods of time, regardless of whether they’re working at home remotely, read or listen to podcasts, or simply listen to movies and music on a plane or train. But the top noise-canceling headphones need to be more than just blocking out ambient sound. In our reviews we analyzed the noise-canceling capabilities of headphones using audio spectrum analysis and also subjective listening tests.
In addition to looking for premium headphones with a comfortable design and high-quality audio quality, we also looked at how headphones can block out high-frequency, continuous noises such as restaurant chatter, and short-duration incidental noises such as the whirr of the computer fan or the nearby lawnmowers. We also examined the isolation provided by headphones and whether the earcups could effectively block out sound.
Over-ear headphones perform better in noise cancellation than earbuds because they completely cover your ears and block out outside noise. We have compared the ANC performance of a variety of headphones that are over-ear, including models from Bose, Sony and more to determine which one best eliminated external distractions while still delivering high-quality audio.
In our review of the Sony WH1000XM5 headphones we discovered that they provide a mix of excellent sound quality and comfort along with superior noise cancellation. The headphones also support high-resolution audio codec LDAC, for an immersive listening experience. They also have a physical button that allows you to switch between three preset levels of ANC on any device.
The Monoprice BT-600ANC are lightweight low-cost headphones that offer an excellent level of audio fidelity and noise reduction. They’re not the most comfortable headphones to wear for long durations of time, but they do an excellent job of shielding your ears from surrounding noise and allowing you to become lost in your favorite tunes.
If you’re looking for a great set of noise-canceling headsets at a much more attractive price point take a look at the Sony WH-XB910N. The “XB” in their name is for bass, and while they deliver on that promise, we still prefer Bose’s ANC performance and overall design of the WH-1000XM5 headphones.
4. Battery Life
If you’re spending a few hundred dollars on a pair noise cancelling headphones, make sure they’ll last. A good pair of over-ear noise cancelling headphones will have a long battery lifespan that will last through an extended flight or week of commuting. This is why we always look at battery life during our tests of wireless headphones.
During our tests, we found that the best ANC headsets have battery life of at least 30 hours. That’s enough to last through a long international flight, or a full week of meetings and commutes. Many models will go above the limit with some models even achieving 60 hours of active noise cancellation.
It is important to be aware that while some headphones last longer, the quality of the audio will decrease as the battery gets depleted. This is evident when the sound becomes muffled and the bass becomes less punchy. Many people don’t notice the difference, but it is noticeable when listening to podcasts or acoustic music.
The new sennheiser noise cancelling headphones Momentum 4 over-ear headphones are designed to be stylish and comfortable while offering the essential features high-end shoppers look for in their audio headsets. They include upgraded ANC, a useful control app, and superb audio quality. They’re also half the cost of the most popular Sony headphones which means you’ll be able to enjoy a great ANC experience without the hefty Sony price cost.
Another pair of high-quality headphones to take into consideration is the Monoprice B-600ANC over-ears, which are affordable and provide excellent performance. The headphones are light and comfortable, with a headband that is comfortable on the ears. They have touch controls as well as 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 still a great choice for anyone on a budget.
Noise-canceling headphones are a great option for frequent travelers, office workers and anyone looking to block out distracting sounds while focusing on their podcast or audiobook. They are more expensive but they’re worth it for those who are always on the move.