If you’ve ever tried to listen to your favorite playlist but it’s drowned out by talkative passengers, airplane engines, or other distracting noises, you may want to consider some headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC).
Whether you’re working in a bustling coffee shop, catching a flight, or trying to concentrate at home, a good pair of headphones with ANC will block out those distracting external sounds so you can fully immerse yourself in your music, podcast, or that new audiobook you’ve been meaning to listen to.
Noise-canceling headphones are designed for all sorts of situations, and each model will be a little different. Some have plush memory foam ear cushions and an adjustable headband for all-day comfort, ideal for longer listening sessions. It’s also worth considering a pair of headphones that offer hours of battery life that will keep the music going from morning meetings to evening workouts. If you’re looking for high-end sound quality and smart features like customizable ANC, there’s a pair that will suit your needs.
How to choose the best noise-cancelling headphones for you
When you’re buying a pair of wireless headphones, the first thing you need to decide is how to wear them. Do you prefer on-ear or over-ear headphones? For the purpose of this guide, I’ll focus on the over-ear style because that’s what most noise-cancelling headphones are these days. Sure, you can find on-ear models with ANC, but over-ear, active noise-cancelling headphones are more effective at blocking out external sounds because your ears are completely covered.
For gamers, there are also gaming headsets that feature noise canceling — some even have detachable microphones, so they can work as over-ear headphones as well. However, for the purpose of this article, we’re just going to focus on noise-cancelling headphones rather than headsets. Look for models with a comfortable headband and memory foam ear cups so you can wear them for long periods of time without discomfort.
Type of noise cancelling
Next, you need to look at the type of ANC offered in a set of headphones. You’ll find terms like “hybrid active noise cancellation” or “hybrid adaptive active noise cancellation,” and there are key differences between the two. A hybrid ANC setup uses microphones inside and outside the device to detect and cancel external noise. By analysing the input from both mics, the hybrid system can combat more sounds than “regular” ANC, but it does so at a constant level that doesn’t change.
Adaptive ANC takes the hybrid configuration a step further by constantly adjusting noise cancellation to changes in your environment and any leakage around the ear cup padding. Adaptive noise-cancelling also does a better job with wind noise, which can really ruin your vibe when using headphones outside. For the purposes of this best headphones list, I’m only considering products with a hybrid ANC or adaptive ANC setup because they’re the most effective at blocking out noise and improving your overall listening experience.
Customizable
You’ll also want to see if the ANC system on a set of potential headphones offers adjustable levels of noise cancellation or presets. These can help you dial in the amount of ANC you need for different environments, but it can also help you save battery life. For example, Master & Dynamic has ANC presets that offer both maximum noise blocking and more efficient cancellation that’s more energy efficient. Other companies may include a slider in their companion app that lets you adjust the ANC level to your liking. Some high-end models also allow you to fine-tune the ANC for specific types of environments.
How we test noise-cancelling headphones
The primary way to test headphones is to wear them as much as possible. I prefer to do this over a period of one to two weeks, but sometimes time constraints don’t allow that. During this time, I listen to a mix of music and podcasts, as well as use the headphones for both voice and video calls.
Since headphones can have a battery life of 30 hours or more, I drain the battery by playing looping music and setting the volume to a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent). Because of the long battery life I anticipate, I typically turn the headphones off several times and leave them on during the review. This simulates real-world use and saves me from having to constantly monitor the process for more than 24 hours.