No matter where your travels take you, noise cancelling headphones are sure to make a positive difference in the experience. They block out low-frequency noise such as engines and air conditioners while offering clear sound quality.
Though these earbuds may have their flaws, they perform admirably on noise cancellation and sound quality fronts. Furthermore, they support Bluetooth 5.2 codec so you can enjoy high-resolution audio content.
Sound Quality
Sound quality is equally as essential to music lovers as noise canceling. We incorporate this metric into our total score so that even when your ears are shielded from environmental sounds, your audio experience remains outstanding.
Our top-rated headphones in our test offer deep, full sound with rich bass and clear trebles, along with an expansive frequency response that reproduces every detail from any song or podcast. They even feature adjustable EQ settings so you can tailor them specifically to suit your own listening tastes.
Monoprice’s ANC BT-600ANC over-ear headphones delivered an impressively rich and full sound for their price, especially considering their noise canceling capabilities. Their noise cancellation was particularly effective at blocking low-frequency noise such as aircraft engine droning or car engine noise; yet these headphones failed to reduce high frequency noise as effectively. Perhaps due to not offering a dedicated equalizer setting for higher frequency frequencies.
Noise Cancellation
Noise cancelling headphones create a sonic barrier between you and the outside world, helping to focus and enriching your listening experience by dampening ambient sounds without making you feel isolated.
To do this, they use a microphone to “hear” outside noises and play back an equal but opposite tone to cancel them out. Sound waves have peaks and valleys; when headphones detect a pushing sound wave, an equal but opposite pulling tone will be produced to offset it.
Noise cancellation is effective at reducing many forms of background noise, though it cannot eliminate every source. Sound waves like screeching brakes or your seatmate’s animated conversation won’t be completely eliminated but may be reduced somewhat.
Noise cancellation can be beneficial for sleepers, helping block out distracting noises that cause restless nights. Unfortunately, prolonged exposure to loud sounds may eventually lead to hearing loss.
Comfort
No matter if you’re taking public transit or trying to relax during a flight, noise cancelling headphones are invaluable tools for improving the listening experience. Our testing revealed Sonys as among the top performers for active noise cancellation and offering quiet mode that reduces ambient sound for phone calls and more – perfect for phone calls as well. They were the best performers at dampening low-frequency noise such as engines rumbling or train announcements while still letting in higher pitched sounds like your seatmate chatting animatedly next to you.
These lightweight, simple headphones offer all-day wearability with quality hinges finished in matte for all-day comfort, touch controls on earcups, support for Android and iOS aptX audio playback and an impressively long battery life that fits conveniently into their sleek case – our top pick for value-oriented ANC headphones.
Controls
Adjustable transparency mode on some headphones offers users who wish to filter in outside noise an easy way of controlling how much of it filters in, enabling you to manually adjust how much ambient sound passes through, enabling them to hear what they need without having to switch their music off completely.
These settings can be especially helpful in professional environments where background noise from children playing or co-workers yelling can disrupt calls and customer interactions. Quality headsets with noise cancellation technology also ensure callers hear your voice clearly, building their trust when pitching products or collecting credit card details.
Noise cancelling headphones offer the added advantage of helping to alleviate stress levels and enable more effective concentration. Some even feature a relaxing sonic bubble perfect for meditation purposes.