id="article-body" class="row" section="article-body">
For many years, Bose was the audio gold standard for noise-canceling headphones that block out background noise and ambient sound. But as other companies have steadily chipped away at Bose's lead, it's now a competitive category with plenty of compelling noise-canceling options at different prices. Whether you want to use your noise-canceling headphones to listen to music or just block out unwanted noise, there are tons of great models to choose from -- with even more on the way.
Below, I've rounded up all the best noise-canceling headphones you can find -- all of which I've fully reviewed or used hands-on over a period of time. I'll be updating this list as more audio options are released.
Now playing: Watch this: Bose's new Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones live up to...
4:49
Best all around
Sony WH-1000XM3
Juan Garzon/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Nov 2019
Sony's WH-1000XM3, the third generation of Sony's excellent wireless noise-canceling headphones, has a more comfortable fit and features even better sound and music performance than its predecessor. Battery life is important, and with a strong battery life, it's currently our top-rated model with noise cancellation, edging out the Bose models as the best noise canceling headphones. Read our Sony WH-1000XM3 review.
$348 at Amazon
$350 at Best Buy
$348 at Abt Electronics
Most discreet
Apple AirPods Pro
Sarah Tew/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Nov 2019
Even if the music or audio doesn't sound as magical as you'd hope a $249 model would, the AirPods Pro still manage to be a good pair of truly wireless headphones. That's largely due to their winning design and fit, improved bass performance (which helps the audio quality), effective noise cancellation and excellent call quality. Plus, they're a lot less noticeable than over-ear headphones. Yeah, these in-ear buds are expensive to buy at $250, but the good news is you'll use them so much you'll probably wear the battery down -- it does degrade over time and isn't replaceable -- and have to buy a new pair of earbuds in 18 to 24 months if you don't lose them first. Read our Apple AirPods Pro review.
$249 at Apple
$230 at Amazon
$250 at Best Buy
Excellent for making calls
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Sarah Tew/CNET Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the long-awaited successor to its QuietComfort 35 II models, may not be a quantum leap forward but they offer slightly better sound, call and noise cancellation quality. Alas, they cost $400, but they're a strong all-around audio performer with up to 20 hours of battery life. That's a lot of battery life! Read our Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review.
$399 at Amazon
$399 at HP
$399 at Best Buy
Best budget true wireless noise-canceling
Mpow X3
David Carnoy/CNET The Mpow X3 sound shockingly good for their low price of $60, with good clarity and powerful bass (they play loud), and they even have active noise canceling that's fairly effective.
Mpow seems to be regularly tweaking its earphones, and the X3 was briefly taken off Amazon, before returning with its latest update: "The new version upgraded the volume control, optimized its active noise canceling function and call effect," the company told me. "It also added the super-soft ear caps which is more comfortable to wear for a long time."
They did fit me comfortably and securely and I got a tight seal from one of the XL ear tips. They're fully waterproof (IPX7) and get up to seven hours of battery life at moderate volume levels with USB-C charging. (The charging case looks like a fat version of the standard AirPods case.) Call quality is good -- they have a sidetone feature that lets you hear your voice in the buds -- but I've used other models with better noise reduction during calls. I noticed a touch of audio lag when I streamed a YouTube video but I had no issues when streaming iTunes movies.
The touch controls take some getting used to (they're a little wonky) and it didn't help that the instructions in the box seemed to be for the old X3. (I found the current instructions online, which helped me figure things out.) Aside from a few minor downsides, the X3 is a great value.
$60 at Amazon
Best value over-ear
Anker Soundcore Life Q20
Sarah Tew/CNET Anker's Soundcore Life Q20 is arguably the best value in noise-canceling headphones. Not only do these over-ear headphones sound quite decent for their regular list price of $60 (they often sell for $10 less), but they're also comfortable to wear thanks to the secure ear cups.
No, the Life Q20 doesn't sound as good as premium Bluetooth headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM3, but the audio quality is pretty good, which is all you can ask for noise-canceling headphones at this price. It's fairly well balanced with a reasonable amount of clarity and plump bass that's not bloated or muddy (there's a bass boost or BassUp mode if you want an extra helping of bass with your music). Also, the noise cancellation is acceptably effective and it's solid as a headset for making calls. Battery life is good at 40 hours. A simple carrying pouch is included. Read more.
$60 at Amazon
Best true wireless noise-canceling
Sony WF-1000XM3
Sarah Tew/CNET While they aren't water-resistant, Sony's new WF-1000XM3 true wireless headphones feature excellent sound, are good for listening to music or any audio with, and have something you won't find in Apple's AirPods: active noise cancellation. At $230, these noise-cancelling earbuds are not cheap to buy, but with a battery life lasting up to 24 hours (even more battery life!) and high-res audio, they are among the best new true wireless earbuds of 2020. Read our Sony WF-1000XM3 review.
$228 at Amazon
$230 at Best Buy
$228 at Abt Electronics
Best under $150
Sennheiser 450BT
Amazon Sennheiser updated its well-regarded 4.50BTNC noise-canceling headphone for 2020. The new model is called the 450BT and it has some notable upgrades, including better battery life (up to 30 hours with noise canceling on), USB-C charging, Bluetooth 5.0 (with AptX support for devices like the Samsung Galaxy smartphones that support it) and more comfortable ear pads. It also costs $50 less -- $150 instead of $200.
This doesn't have quite the clarity or bass definition of Sennheiser's Momentum Wireless 3, but it costs $250 less and delivers very good well-balanced sound that's easy to listen to for long periods. I thought the 450BT also worked quite well as a headset making calls -- it has a sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice inside the headphones.
The only potential downside is it may not be super comfortable for some people. I have a smaller head, so it worked fine for me, but it does clamp a bit and those with larger heads may have an issue with it. Also, while the ear pads have been upgraded they're still covered in a faux leather material that doesn't breathe quite as well as some ear pad coverings. Still, if you can't afford premium models in the $300-$400 range, this is a more affordable option that's well built and delivers premium sound. The headphones fold up into an included soft carrying case.
$150 at Amazon
Best noise canceling for runners
Sony WF-SP800N
David Carnoy/CNET Sony's WF-1000XM3 is considered one of the best set of true wireless noise-canceling earbuds. But to the dismay of some people, it lacked any sort of water resistance, making it unsuitable for sports. It took a while, but now we finally have a new true wireless noise-canceling sports model from Sony: the WF-SP800N.
This isn't quite the WF-1000XM3 with a IP55 water-resistant body. It's missing Sony's QN1e processor, but there's still a lot to like about it, including very good sound, solid noise canceling and good call quality. It's definitely an upgrade over the WF-SP700N, which came out in 2018, and its "arcs" (sports fins) lock the buds in your ears. Just make sure you get a tight seal from one of the included ear tips or else both the sound and noise canceling will be lackluster. Read our Sony WF-SP800N review.
$198 at Amazon
$200 at Best Buy
$200 at Abt Electronics
Best premium newcomer
Jabra Elite 85h
Sarah Tew/CNET When Jabra first announced its new Elite 85h ($300, Lạc Sơn Đại Phật £280 or about AU$435 converted) over-ear headphones, it touted how it would be equipped with always-on (hands-free) voice assistant control using Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant. Alas, that feature didn't make it into the final product -- apparently it affected battery life too much, and battery life is critical -- but the Elite 85h is nevertheless an excellent noise canceling headphone that makes music and audio sound good, with good sound quality, is comfortable to wear and also works well (important for over-ear headphones) as a headset for making calls. Read our Jabra Elite 85h review.
$250 at Amazon
$250 at Best Buy
$300 at QVC
Impressive sound
Sennheiser Momentum 3
Sarah Tew/CNET When it comes to premium noise canceling headphones, Bose and Sony have been the dominant players over the last few years. But now Sennheiser has turned up with its new Momentum 3 Wireless and it deserves some attention, particularly from folks who are fans of the Momentum line. It's available to buy now for $400 (£369) -- the same price as Bose's Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
Not only does it feature improved noise canceling features and excellent sound and audio, but it also performs well as headset for making calls. While its noise cancellation and comfort level doesn't quite measure up to the noise cancellation and comfort of Sony WH-1000XM3's, it has nicely padded ear cups covered with sheep leather and I had no trouble rocking it for a two-hour music listening session, to say nothing of the battery life. Read our Sennheiser Momentum 3 first take.
$400 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
$400 at Abt Electronics
Luxury looks, luxury sound
Bowers & Wilkins PX7
Amazon I liked Bowers & Wilkins' original PX noise-canceling headphones, but they were slightly lacking in both the comfort and noise-canceling departments. The company's new PX7, released in the fall of 2019, improves on both fronts, with excellent sound, four noise-canceling settings (Automatic, Low, High and Off) and well padded ear cups in a sturdy, eye-catching design. There's also an adjustable ambient "transparency" mode that allows you to hear the outside world.
The headphones are a tad heavy at 10.7 ounces (304 grams), but the build quality is top-notch -- and it better be considering these are a little pricey at $400. Bowers & Wilkins also makes a more compact on-ear model, the PX5 ($300), which is also quite good. But this model does sound a little better.
The sound is rich and detailed, with deep bass that remains well defined even at high volumes. This is a pretty dynamic headphone, with a touch of extra energy in the mid-highs. It's not laid-back like the earlier PX5 Wireless and its most direct competitor is probably the Sennheiser Momentum 3 above. That Sennheiser is arguably superior for making calls, but this B&W probably wins on design.
It supports AAC and aptX, uses Bluetooth 5.0, charges via USB-C and has up to 30 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels. It's noise canceling isn't quite at the level of the Bose or Sony, but it's not far off -- as I said, it's improved from the original PX's noise canceling. Read more.
$399 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
$399 at Abt Electronics
Best on-ear noise-canceling
Beats Solo Pro
David Carnoy/CNET The Solo Pro is the first Beats on-ear headphone to feature active noise cancellation and the first full-size Beats headphone to charge via Lightning. It uses the company's Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling (Pure ANC), "derived from the over-ear Studio3 Wireless, with updated tuning to accommodate the on-ear form factor," Beats says. With a tap of button, you can turn off that noise cancellation to save battery life or hit the button a second time to enter an audio transparency mode that allows you to hear the outside world, not just the music you're listening to.
Available in multiple color options, the headphone is equipped with six microphones, two of which are beamforming mics that are designed to hone in on your voice when making calls or talking to your voice assistant (Apple's H1 chip is on board for always-on Siri). The sound is smooth and well-balanced with punchy bass that doesn't make music sound boomy. Quite comfortable for an on-ear model, its more compact design travels better than some full-size models on this list. I just wish it cost a little less. Read our Beats Solo Pro first take.
$300 at Apple
$300 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
Swankiest
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9 (3rd gen)
Amazon Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay H9 doesn't get mentioned much in the discussion of top noise canceling headphones because at $500, it's a really pricey pair of headphones to buy. The latest third-generation version has been upgraded in a few significant ways that make it better than the earlier H9i. Battery life for this version has improved over the battery life of the previous version to 25 hours, there's now a dedicated button for your voice assistant, the padding on the ear cushions and headband is cushier and the touch controls have been tweaked. The audio sound is still good. Read more.
$422 at Amazon
Most comfortable
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Sarah Tew/CNET When Bose released its new flagship Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones it didn't drop the QuietComfort 35 II from its headphone line up and it remains a top noise canceling headphone. While I think the 700 performs better overall, there are people who prefer the QuietComfort 35 II. It frequently goes on sale for less than its price so definitely look for it at a discount if you want to buy it. Read our Bose QuietComfort 35 II review.
$349 at Amazon
$300 at HP
$349 at Best Buy
Good value
JBL Live 650BTNC
Sarah Tew/CNET While its noise canceling feature and comfort levels aren't quite on par with competing models from Bose and Sony, JBL's Live 650BTNC ($160) measures up well in terms of sound. These over-ear headphones are worth considering if you don't want to spend $300 or more on a noise canceling headphone. We like the sound of that! Read our JBL Live 650BTNC review.
$200 at Amazon
Underrated
Beats Studio3 Wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET A lot of people don't think of the Beats Studio3 Wireless as a noise canceling headphone but it does feature active noise cancellation and impressive sound. It's a little bit of an underrated headphone, with good battery life, quality sound and comfortable ear pads, and now that it's been out for a while it sells for less than its list price and sometimes significantly less. Read our Beats Studio3 Wireless review.
$350 at Best Buy
$350 at HSN
Frequent flier friendly
Bose QuietComfort 20
Truth be told these are the in-ear headphones I usually take with me on plane trips. The noise canceling earbuds take up very little room in a bag, don't need a battery (so no worrying about battery life) and are good for watching in-flight movies, whether they be on the airline's in-flight entertainment system or on your own device. They offer surprisingly good noise cancellation. Just don't forget your headphone adapter dongle if you have a phone or tablet that's missing the headphone jack. Note that these in-ear headphones have been out for a while. Since it's a wired model, it's unclear whether Bose will update it, but look for it on sale. Read our Bose QuietComfort 20 review.
$249 at Amazon
$249 at Abt Electronics
$249 at Best Buy
Good value
Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC
Sarah Tew/CNET If you can't afford some of the premium models on this list, consider noise cancelling headphones like the Sennheiser HD 4.50. It offers a good hands free sound experience and decent noise reduction in an attractive, comfortable design that's selling for $120. The only issue some people have with the HD 4.50 is that the ear pads aren't as plush as those of some higher-priced headphones. Read our Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC Wireless review.
$115 at eBay
Value on-ear
AKG N60NC
Sarah Tew/CNET When it comes to wireless noise-cancelling headphones, most people go for a full-size model. But if you're looking for a over-ear headphones that are a little more compact, the AKG N60NC are excellent on-ear headphones that also happens to feature active noise cancelling for an overall great listening experience. After starting out at $300 a few years back, they're now down to around $100.
$98 at Amazon
More headphone recommendations
Best true wireless earbuds of 2020
Best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds of 2020
The new Powerbeats 4 are old-school wireless headphones that cost $150
Best wireless earphones and wireless headphones for making calls
Best headphones of 2020
Best cheap wireless noise-canceling headphones under $100
Best headphones for running in 2020
Best over-ear headphones of 2020
Best cheap earbuds and headphones
Comments
Mobile Accessories Headphones Bose Sony Apple
Notification on
Notification off
Tv & audio
For many years, Bose was the audio gold standard for noise-canceling headphones that block out background noise and ambient sound. But as other companies have steadily chipped away at Bose's lead, it's now a competitive category with plenty of compelling noise-canceling options at different prices. Whether you want to use your noise-canceling headphones to listen to music or just block out unwanted noise, there are tons of great models to choose from -- with even more on the way.
Below, I've rounded up all the best noise-canceling headphones you can find -- all of which I've fully reviewed or used hands-on over a period of time. I'll be updating this list as more audio options are released.
Now playing: Watch this: Bose's new Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones live up to...
4:49
Best all around
Sony WH-1000XM3
Juan Garzon/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Nov 2019
Sony's WH-1000XM3, the third generation of Sony's excellent wireless noise-canceling headphones, has a more comfortable fit and features even better sound and music performance than its predecessor. Battery life is important, and with a strong battery life, it's currently our top-rated model with noise cancellation, edging out the Bose models as the best noise canceling headphones. Read our Sony WH-1000XM3 review.
$348 at Amazon
$350 at Best Buy
$348 at Abt Electronics
Most discreet
Apple AirPods Pro
Sarah Tew/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Nov 2019
Even if the music or audio doesn't sound as magical as you'd hope a $249 model would, the AirPods Pro still manage to be a good pair of truly wireless headphones. That's largely due to their winning design and fit, improved bass performance (which helps the audio quality), effective noise cancellation and excellent call quality. Plus, they're a lot less noticeable than over-ear headphones. Yeah, these in-ear buds are expensive to buy at $250, but the good news is you'll use them so much you'll probably wear the battery down -- it does degrade over time and isn't replaceable -- and have to buy a new pair of earbuds in 18 to 24 months if you don't lose them first. Read our Apple AirPods Pro review.
$249 at Apple
$230 at Amazon
$250 at Best Buy
Excellent for making calls
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Sarah Tew/CNET Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the long-awaited successor to its QuietComfort 35 II models, may not be a quantum leap forward but they offer slightly better sound, call and noise cancellation quality. Alas, they cost $400, but they're a strong all-around audio performer with up to 20 hours of battery life. That's a lot of battery life! Read our Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review.
$399 at Amazon
$399 at HP
$399 at Best Buy
Best budget true wireless noise-canceling
Mpow X3
David Carnoy/CNET The Mpow X3 sound shockingly good for their low price of $60, with good clarity and powerful bass (they play loud), and they even have active noise canceling that's fairly effective.
Mpow seems to be regularly tweaking its earphones, and the X3 was briefly taken off Amazon, before returning with its latest update: "The new version upgraded the volume control, optimized its active noise canceling function and call effect," the company told me. "It also added the super-soft ear caps which is more comfortable to wear for a long time."
They did fit me comfortably and securely and I got a tight seal from one of the XL ear tips. They're fully waterproof (IPX7) and get up to seven hours of battery life at moderate volume levels with USB-C charging. (The charging case looks like a fat version of the standard AirPods case.) Call quality is good -- they have a sidetone feature that lets you hear your voice in the buds -- but I've used other models with better noise reduction during calls. I noticed a touch of audio lag when I streamed a YouTube video but I had no issues when streaming iTunes movies.
The touch controls take some getting used to (they're a little wonky) and it didn't help that the instructions in the box seemed to be for the old X3. (I found the current instructions online, which helped me figure things out.) Aside from a few minor downsides, the X3 is a great value.
$60 at Amazon
Best value over-ear
Anker Soundcore Life Q20
Sarah Tew/CNET Anker's Soundcore Life Q20 is arguably the best value in noise-canceling headphones. Not only do these over-ear headphones sound quite decent for their regular list price of $60 (they often sell for $10 less), but they're also comfortable to wear thanks to the secure ear cups.
No, the Life Q20 doesn't sound as good as premium Bluetooth headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM3, but the audio quality is pretty good, which is all you can ask for noise-canceling headphones at this price. It's fairly well balanced with a reasonable amount of clarity and plump bass that's not bloated or muddy (there's a bass boost or BassUp mode if you want an extra helping of bass with your music). Also, the noise cancellation is acceptably effective and it's solid as a headset for making calls. Battery life is good at 40 hours. A simple carrying pouch is included. Read more.
$60 at Amazon
Best true wireless noise-canceling
Sony WF-1000XM3
Sarah Tew/CNET While they aren't water-resistant, Sony's new WF-1000XM3 true wireless headphones feature excellent sound, are good for listening to music or any audio with, and have something you won't find in Apple's AirPods: active noise cancellation. At $230, these noise-cancelling earbuds are not cheap to buy, but with a battery life lasting up to 24 hours (even more battery life!) and high-res audio, they are among the best new true wireless earbuds of 2020. Read our Sony WF-1000XM3 review.
$228 at Amazon
$230 at Best Buy
$228 at Abt Electronics
Best under $150
Sennheiser 450BT
Amazon Sennheiser updated its well-regarded 4.50BTNC noise-canceling headphone for 2020. The new model is called the 450BT and it has some notable upgrades, including better battery life (up to 30 hours with noise canceling on), USB-C charging, Bluetooth 5.0 (with AptX support for devices like the Samsung Galaxy smartphones that support it) and more comfortable ear pads. It also costs $50 less -- $150 instead of $200.
This doesn't have quite the clarity or bass definition of Sennheiser's Momentum Wireless 3, but it costs $250 less and delivers very good well-balanced sound that's easy to listen to for long periods. I thought the 450BT also worked quite well as a headset making calls -- it has a sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice inside the headphones.
The only potential downside is it may not be super comfortable for some people. I have a smaller head, so it worked fine for me, but it does clamp a bit and those with larger heads may have an issue with it. Also, while the ear pads have been upgraded they're still covered in a faux leather material that doesn't breathe quite as well as some ear pad coverings. Still, if you can't afford premium models in the $300-$400 range, this is a more affordable option that's well built and delivers premium sound. The headphones fold up into an included soft carrying case.
$150 at Amazon
Best noise canceling for runners
Sony WF-SP800N
David Carnoy/CNET Sony's WF-1000XM3 is considered one of the best set of true wireless noise-canceling earbuds. But to the dismay of some people, it lacked any sort of water resistance, making it unsuitable for sports. It took a while, but now we finally have a new true wireless noise-canceling sports model from Sony: the WF-SP800N.
This isn't quite the WF-1000XM3 with a IP55 water-resistant body. It's missing Sony's QN1e processor, but there's still a lot to like about it, including very good sound, solid noise canceling and good call quality. It's definitely an upgrade over the WF-SP700N, which came out in 2018, and its "arcs" (sports fins) lock the buds in your ears. Just make sure you get a tight seal from one of the included ear tips or else both the sound and noise canceling will be lackluster. Read our Sony WF-SP800N review.
$198 at Amazon
$200 at Best Buy
$200 at Abt Electronics
Best premium newcomer
Jabra Elite 85h
Sarah Tew/CNET When Jabra first announced its new Elite 85h ($300, Lạc Sơn Đại Phật £280 or about AU$435 converted) over-ear headphones, it touted how it would be equipped with always-on (hands-free) voice assistant control using Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant. Alas, that feature didn't make it into the final product -- apparently it affected battery life too much, and battery life is critical -- but the Elite 85h is nevertheless an excellent noise canceling headphone that makes music and audio sound good, with good sound quality, is comfortable to wear and also works well (important for over-ear headphones) as a headset for making calls. Read our Jabra Elite 85h review.
$250 at Amazon
$250 at Best Buy
$300 at QVC
Impressive sound
Sennheiser Momentum 3
Sarah Tew/CNET When it comes to premium noise canceling headphones, Bose and Sony have been the dominant players over the last few years. But now Sennheiser has turned up with its new Momentum 3 Wireless and it deserves some attention, particularly from folks who are fans of the Momentum line. It's available to buy now for $400 (£369) -- the same price as Bose's Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
Not only does it feature improved noise canceling features and excellent sound and audio, but it also performs well as headset for making calls. While its noise cancellation and comfort level doesn't quite measure up to the noise cancellation and comfort of Sony WH-1000XM3's, it has nicely padded ear cups covered with sheep leather and I had no trouble rocking it for a two-hour music listening session, to say nothing of the battery life. Read our Sennheiser Momentum 3 first take.
$400 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
$400 at Abt Electronics
Luxury looks, luxury sound
Bowers & Wilkins PX7
Amazon I liked Bowers & Wilkins' original PX noise-canceling headphones, but they were slightly lacking in both the comfort and noise-canceling departments. The company's new PX7, released in the fall of 2019, improves on both fronts, with excellent sound, four noise-canceling settings (Automatic, Low, High and Off) and well padded ear cups in a sturdy, eye-catching design. There's also an adjustable ambient "transparency" mode that allows you to hear the outside world.
The headphones are a tad heavy at 10.7 ounces (304 grams), but the build quality is top-notch -- and it better be considering these are a little pricey at $400. Bowers & Wilkins also makes a more compact on-ear model, the PX5 ($300), which is also quite good. But this model does sound a little better.
The sound is rich and detailed, with deep bass that remains well defined even at high volumes. This is a pretty dynamic headphone, with a touch of extra energy in the mid-highs. It's not laid-back like the earlier PX5 Wireless and its most direct competitor is probably the Sennheiser Momentum 3 above. That Sennheiser is arguably superior for making calls, but this B&W probably wins on design.
It supports AAC and aptX, uses Bluetooth 5.0, charges via USB-C and has up to 30 hours of battery life at moderate volume levels. It's noise canceling isn't quite at the level of the Bose or Sony, but it's not far off -- as I said, it's improved from the original PX's noise canceling. Read more.
$399 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
$399 at Abt Electronics
Best on-ear noise-canceling
Beats Solo Pro
David Carnoy/CNET The Solo Pro is the first Beats on-ear headphone to feature active noise cancellation and the first full-size Beats headphone to charge via Lightning. It uses the company's Pure Adaptive Noise Canceling (Pure ANC), "derived from the over-ear Studio3 Wireless, with updated tuning to accommodate the on-ear form factor," Beats says. With a tap of button, you can turn off that noise cancellation to save battery life or hit the button a second time to enter an audio transparency mode that allows you to hear the outside world, not just the music you're listening to.
Available in multiple color options, the headphone is equipped with six microphones, two of which are beamforming mics that are designed to hone in on your voice when making calls or talking to your voice assistant (Apple's H1 chip is on board for always-on Siri). The sound is smooth and well-balanced with punchy bass that doesn't make music sound boomy. Quite comfortable for an on-ear model, its more compact design travels better than some full-size models on this list. I just wish it cost a little less. Read our Beats Solo Pro first take.
$300 at Apple
$300 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
Swankiest
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9 (3rd gen)
Amazon Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay H9 doesn't get mentioned much in the discussion of top noise canceling headphones because at $500, it's a really pricey pair of headphones to buy. The latest third-generation version has been upgraded in a few significant ways that make it better than the earlier H9i. Battery life for this version has improved over the battery life of the previous version to 25 hours, there's now a dedicated button for your voice assistant, the padding on the ear cushions and headband is cushier and the touch controls have been tweaked. The audio sound is still good. Read more.
$422 at Amazon
Most comfortable
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Sarah Tew/CNET When Bose released its new flagship Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones it didn't drop the QuietComfort 35 II from its headphone line up and it remains a top noise canceling headphone. While I think the 700 performs better overall, there are people who prefer the QuietComfort 35 II. It frequently goes on sale for less than its price so definitely look for it at a discount if you want to buy it. Read our Bose QuietComfort 35 II review.
$349 at Amazon
$300 at HP
$349 at Best Buy
Good value
JBL Live 650BTNC
Sarah Tew/CNET While its noise canceling feature and comfort levels aren't quite on par with competing models from Bose and Sony, JBL's Live 650BTNC ($160) measures up well in terms of sound. These over-ear headphones are worth considering if you don't want to spend $300 or more on a noise canceling headphone. We like the sound of that! Read our JBL Live 650BTNC review.
$200 at Amazon
Underrated
Beats Studio3 Wireless
Sarah Tew/CNET A lot of people don't think of the Beats Studio3 Wireless as a noise canceling headphone but it does feature active noise cancellation and impressive sound. It's a little bit of an underrated headphone, with good battery life, quality sound and comfortable ear pads, and now that it's been out for a while it sells for less than its list price and sometimes significantly less. Read our Beats Studio3 Wireless review.
$350 at Best Buy
$350 at HSN
Frequent flier friendly
Bose QuietComfort 20
Truth be told these are the in-ear headphones I usually take with me on plane trips. The noise canceling earbuds take up very little room in a bag, don't need a battery (so no worrying about battery life) and are good for watching in-flight movies, whether they be on the airline's in-flight entertainment system or on your own device. They offer surprisingly good noise cancellation. Just don't forget your headphone adapter dongle if you have a phone or tablet that's missing the headphone jack. Note that these in-ear headphones have been out for a while. Since it's a wired model, it's unclear whether Bose will update it, but look for it on sale. Read our Bose QuietComfort 20 review.
$249 at Amazon
$249 at Abt Electronics
$249 at Best Buy
Good value
Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC
Sarah Tew/CNET If you can't afford some of the premium models on this list, consider noise cancelling headphones like the Sennheiser HD 4.50. It offers a good hands free sound experience and decent noise reduction in an attractive, comfortable design that's selling for $120. The only issue some people have with the HD 4.50 is that the ear pads aren't as plush as those of some higher-priced headphones. Read our Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC Wireless review.
$115 at eBay
Value on-ear
AKG N60NC
Sarah Tew/CNET When it comes to wireless noise-cancelling headphones, most people go for a full-size model. But if you're looking for a over-ear headphones that are a little more compact, the AKG N60NC are excellent on-ear headphones that also happens to feature active noise cancelling for an overall great listening experience. After starting out at $300 a few years back, they're now down to around $100.
$98 at Amazon
More headphone recommendations
Best true wireless earbuds of 2020
Best noise-canceling true wireless earbuds of 2020
The new Powerbeats 4 are old-school wireless headphones that cost $150
Best wireless earphones and wireless headphones for making calls
Best headphones of 2020
Best cheap wireless noise-canceling headphones under $100
Best headphones for running in 2020
Best over-ear headphones of 2020
Best cheap earbuds and headphones
Comments
Mobile Accessories Headphones Bose Sony Apple
Notification on
Notification off
Tv & audio
celeste.frewer@gmx.net
