The 8 best noise-cancelling headphones of 2024

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Whether you activity from home, find yourself connected an airplane much often than not, aliases simply want to move down nan measurement of nan extracurricular world, noise-cancelling headphones are precisely nan instrumentality you need.

Even nan best worth headphones will consciousness lacking if they don't travel equipped pinch halfway decent sound cancellation. Besides, location are simply excessively galore headphones connected nan marketplace (our testing excavation gets bigger period by month) for you to salary hundreds only to get subpar ANC.

To thief you prime nan correct model, Mashable editors and reviewers tested dozens of headphones and earbuds and picked retired nan champion noise-cancelling headphones of 2024 (so far).

Do noise-cancelling headphones really work?

There's a large quality betwixt extracurricular sound being blocked and euphony simply being large capable to drown it out. If you're looking for nan maximum magnitude of sound cancellation, you want to spell for headphones that person progressive sound cancellation.

Active noise-cancelling headphones electronically screen up nan sounds coming from your surroundings by utilizing soul microphones that perceive to what's happening successful nan world astir you, past invert nan sound and nonstop it to nan speakers. The thought is that some nan output and nan input will cancel out, leaving you pinch near-silence. Over-ear headphones besides create a tight seal astir your ears that adds different furniture of sound blocking.

If you've tried a brace of noise-cancelling headphones earlier and haven't been impressed, don't beryllium discouraged. It's partially astir uncovering nan headphones that lucifer your preferences, arsenic not each ANC performs equally. For instance, cheaper ANC headphones whitethorn person a much noticeable hissing sound that you'll perceive erstwhile nan sound cancellation is turned on, which tin beryllium distracting for immoderate folks.

Other headphones whitethorn beryllium awesome astatine blocking astatine debased tones, but much prone to letting high-pitched tones in. Typically, much premium headphones will output amended results, but we person fund picks beneath that still do a coagulated job.

In nan past, not galore earbuds featured progressive sound cancellation that was comparable to over-ear headphones, but newer iterations for illustration nan AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds clasp their ain successful nan ANC space. However, moreover these earbuds can't rather get nan aforesaid seal that headphones can, truthful if you're looking for maximum silence, you mightiness beryllium happier pinch over-ear headphones. However, if you want to trim down connected nan bulk, earbuds make for awesome alternatives.

What are nan champion noise-cancelling headphones to buy?

Bose and Sony are some apical names erstwhile it comes to immoderate type of audio, but particularly erstwhile it comes to sound cancellation. Both brands characteristic industry-leading ANC connected apical of superb sound quality. There are besides immoderate different brands and models worthy checking out, truthful if you want to tune retired ambient sound, we've laid everything retired for you below, from your much premium options to your fund picks.

Most comfortable headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra

Read our afloat reappraisal of nan Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones.

Who it's for:

Over-ear headphones tin beryllium awesome for blocking retired noise, but little awesome for comfortableness erstwhile they're excessively dense aliases compression your caput excessively much. If you're personification who wants to deterioration your headphones each day, nan Bose QuietComfort line was made for you. We've antecedently tested nan QuietComfort 35 IIs and nan QuietComfort 45s, and nan QuietComfort Ultra was easy nan astir comfortable of nan three. They're besides nan astir costly astatine $429, truthful you will beryllium paying a premium.

Why we picked this:

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones up nan ante connected nan long-popular statement from nan brand, giving you all-day deterioration pinch spatial audio.

We don't cognize really Bose improved connected nan creation arsenic overmuch arsenic they did, but we wore these headphones for hours — connected flights, pinch glasses on, each time — and they wore done it each without squeezing aliases emotion heavy. To driblet nan royal Mashable we for conscionable moment, I (Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard) tin attest to these easy being headphones I could deterioration each day, and I wasn't unsocial successful that feeling. Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino besides precocious tested retired these headphones, and recovered that their biggest tie was their comfort, noticing that she didn't acquisition nan aforesaid receptor aches she mightiness get aft wearing her Sony WH-1000XM4 for nan aforesaid magnitude of time.

She did say, however, that their progressive sound cancellation and sound floor plan were good, but not great. In her opinion, she recovered them to beryllium a spot lacking, noting that nan ANC "is really bully astatine blocking retired low-pitched noises, [but] it can't wholly artifact high-pitched sounds unless you move up nan sound to unhealthy volumes." Personally, I recovered nan ANC to do nan occupation for me, but astir of nan sound I artifact retired connected a time to time ground isn't ace high-pitched.

Where Mangino and I really agreed is that nan receptor cup controls and multipoint pairing time off overmuch to beryllium desired, particularly astatine this value point. It tin beryllium difficult to easy link pinch nan fastener that acts arsenic nan on/Bluetooth pairing fastener — sometimes it's instantly responsive, and sometimes you person to property it a fewer times, and hold successful betwixt for it to decently move connected and connect. Like past QC headphones, these besides tin beryllium touch and spell pinch multipoint pairing, but I recovered them to usability amended astatine slightest than nan QC 45 headphones, which often made audio person mini skips pinch much than 1 instrumentality connected.

Finally, these headphones weirdly don't connection passive playback, truthful you will request to trust connected them being charged whether you're listening wired aliases wirelessly. Thankfully, Mangino and I recovered that it was amazingly difficult to tally down nan artillery connected nan Ultras, moreover if you're regularly utilizing ANC and spatial audio. Ultimately, if what you prize supra each other is comfort, we deliberation these flaws will consciousness worthy nan trade-off.

Battery life: 24 hours | App-connected: Yes | Colors: Black, sandstone, white

Best for audiophiles: Sony WH-1000XM5

Check retired our afloat reappraisal of nan Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones.

Who it's for:

If you want bully ANC, but particularly worth clear and well-rounded sound, these are your headphones. Whether you really for illustration to blast your music, aliases conscionable want to perceive nan lows, highs, and mids of a song, nan WH-1000XM5s are nan headphones connected our database astir apt to deliver.

Why we picked this:

Sony's flagship noise-cancelling headphones nutrient a balanced sound that fto your euphony shine, while giving you capable ANC to artifact ambient noise.

Here's what Mashable Deputy Reviews Editor Miller Kern had to opportunity astir listening to Brandi Carlile’s “Right connected Time” connected nan XM5 headphones: "The vocals and instruments each sewage to shine, and nan headphones made it consciousness for illustration I was location successful nan studio. These are astir apt nan best-sounding headphones I’ve ever tried." That audio quality, mixed pinch their comfortableness and effective sound cancelling, are what earned them a Mashable Choice Award. And if you're intimidated by messing astir pinch an equalizer, nan app presets on pinch nan "Find Your Equalizer" characteristic make it easy to find nan sound settings that deed conscionable right.

Their portability facet could beryllium a small amended — nan receptor cups don't fold successful — but chances are, you'll want to beryllium listening to them astir of nan time, anyway. When you are connected nan go, nan microphone is different standout feature. Kern relayed that moreover connected a locomotion location successful New York City, she could perceive who she was calling perfectly, and beryllium heard herself without immoderate inheritance sound getting successful nan way. As an added bonus, they person a artillery life that thumps nan Bose QC Ultras by a bully six hours, offering immoderate of nan champion artillery we've seen from premium over-ear headphones.

Battery life: 30 hours | App-connected: Yes | Colors: Black, navy, silver

Best for bass lovers: Sony ULT Wear

Check retired our afloat reappraisal of nan Sony ULT Wear headphones.

Who it's for:

If you don't request a fancy civilization equalizer to cognize you for illustration punching up nan bass 10 retired of 10 times, nan caller Sony ULT Wear headphones are made for you. Our reviewer praised these headphones for offering balanced sound and powerful bass, a uncommon combo. These are besides a awesome prime for those looking for a much affordable replacement to nan WH-1000XM5s.

Why we picked this:

Sony released nan caller ULT line successful April, and considering nan price, they're immoderate of nan champion Sony headphones ever made. They're designed for anyone who's a instrumentality of bass. In summation to nan equalizer successful nan app, nan headphones person a dedicated ULT fastener that lets you bump up nan bass connected demand. The 40-millimeter driver keeps it sounding clear and not crispy, making these headphones a worthy competitor to nan WH-1000XM5s, our apical prime for nan champion sounding noise-cancelling headphones.

When testing nan 2 headphones broadside by side, Mashable's Miller Kern recovered that while some headphones sounded great, "the ULT Wear’s sound was fuller and felt much for illustration situation sound. And moreover connected nan modular setting, nan bass sounded richer connected nan ULTs." We still guidelines by nan WH-1000XM5s arsenic a amended prime for audiophiles, but Kern makes a beardown lawsuit for buying these complete nan XM5s. "[To] nan mean person, I’d opportunity nan ULT Wears are nan winners — particularly for those who prioritize bass and fullness successful their audio." For $100 cheaper, these are a much than adjacent replacement to Sony's flagship headphones.

Battery life: 30 hours | App-connected: Yes | Colors: Black, off-white

Best noise-cancelling earbuds for Apple users: Apple AirPods Pro

Read our afloat reappraisal of nan Apple AirPods Pro (Generation 2).

Who it's for:

If you want ANC without each nan bulk, nan AirPods Pro are small, discreet, and (thanks to nan their long-awaited USB-C charging port) easier to charge. Though over-ear headphones typically supply superior ANC, these AirPods person awesome sound cancellation for a brace of buds. You'll astir apt bask them a small other if you person different devices wrong nan Apple ecosystem.

Why we picked this:

Are they pricey? Absolutely. Is their ANC worthy it? Here's what Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder had to say: "These are nan first brace of earbuds I'd really see taking connected an airplane (instead of my overmuch larger and clunkier over-ear headphones)." Though these aren't nan only Apple headphones pinch ANC, we highly for illustration these complete nan AirPods Max, which we deliberation are measurement overpriced (they're double nan costs of these Pros) and don't person nan capacity to warrant that value tag.

Other than that slayer ANC, AirPods are awesome for recreation because they return up minimal abstraction successful your transportation on, they sound great, and they person a Conversation Awareness mode which automatically lowers nan measurement erstwhile you're talking, truthful placing a portion bid is easy arsenic tin be. And pinch their caller USB-C port, you tin complaint them straight from an iPhone 15.

To get a perfectly snug fresh to maximize your listening experience, you'll person your prime betwixt 4 receptor tips. Apple claims these buds support lossless audio, but arsenic of correct now, only pinch nan Apple Vision Pro, truthful you'd person to ammunition retired an further $3,500 for that experience.

You tin find AirPods connected waste pinch immoderate regularity if you shop from Amazon aliases Walmart — we urge waiting until they astatine least drop down to $199 astatine either retailer earlier buying a pair.

Battery life: 6 hours (up to 30 hours pinch charging case) | App-connected: No | Colors: White

Best sounding earbuds: Sony WF-1000XM5

Who it's for:

Love high-quality audio but not truthful fond of nan emotion of headphones complete your ears? These Sony earbuds are nan earbud exemplary of nan flagship WH-1000XM5 headphones we recommended above.

Why we picked this:

These earbuds present a rich, well-balanced sound profile, without nan weight of over-ear headphones. The receptor tips worldly are not nan accustomed silicone recovered connected AirPods and different earbuds, but a much foam-like worldly you'd find connected an receptor plug, allowing for all-day deterioration that creates a patient seal without sacrificing comfort. People who aren't fans of nan stemmed creation made celebrated by AirPods will admit that Sony didn't effort to make a c copy. Plus, these Sony earbuds still connection functional touch controls.

The Sony companion app allows for a ton of customization, including for those aforementioned touch controls, paired devices, and of course, an equalizer. Those who consciousness a spot intimated by a wholly civilization equalizer will admit nan "Find Your Equalizer" feature, which gives you 2 rounds of options to prime from while listening to euphony to constrictive down what settings really sound nan best. Once you've made your selection, a last earlier and aft sound trial confirms you're happy pinch nan mix, making it easier than ever to get nan astir retired of your music.

We besides enjoyed nan Adaptive Sound Control, which switches nan earbuds automatically from sound cancelling to ambient sound transparency modes based connected whether you're sitting aliases stepping astir (settings that tin beryllium adjusted). Multipoint pairing besides lets you move betwixt 2 devices pinch adjacent to zero lag. If you dislike utilizing transparency mode because of really it amplifies extracurricular sounds, you tin set that, too.

Admittedly, these earbuds are pricey, but we deliberation nan premium features and value sound warrant nan costs for personification who wants a batch retired of their earbuds.

Battery life: 7-8 hours per complaint (24 hours pinch case) | App-connected: Yes | Colors: Black, silver

Best mid-range earbuds: Beats Studio Buds+

We're presently evaluating whether nan caller AirPods 4 are a amended fresh for nan champion mid-range pick. We'll update this station accordingly, but successful nan meantime, cheque retired our full reappraisal of nan AirPods 4.

Who it's for:

We don't deliberation these earbuds execute rather arsenic good arsenic nan newest AirPods Pro, but they also costs $80 less. If you're trying to get value ANC earbuds for nether $200 (but are consenting to walk much than $50), past nan Beats Studio Buds+ are nan measurement to go. Plus, pinch Google Fast Pair support, they're better suited for Android users than nan AirPods Pro.

Why we picked this:

We emotion a good dupe, what tin we say? While these Beats aren't a one-to-one lucifer for nan AirPods Pro, they springiness a batch of nan aforesaid basal functionality astatine a overmuch much affordable price. And astatine six hours per complaint pinch ANC, they lucifer nan Pro's artillery life exactly.

As for really they sound, these are Beats headphones, truthful expect nan bass to travel done bully and clear. They're not excessively bass dense though, and they springiness plentifulness of equilibrium connected higher frequencies. Their ANC decidedly isn't astatine nan aforesaid level arsenic nan Pros, truthful having a well-rounded sound is nice, arsenic playing euphony successful tandem pinch ANC will springiness you your champion changeable astatine blocking retired nan world astir you.

You'll person your prime betwixt 4 colorways, including black, silver, ivory, and transparent. During our testing, we besides recovered these earbuds fresh much comfortably than nan AirPods Pro, truthful if you thin to person problem getting AirPods to enactment successful your ears, these are a amended action for you. If you can, we urge waiting for these earbuds to spell connected waste — you tin often find them for $149.95 aliases $129.95.

Battery life: 6 hours pinch ANC, 9 without (27 hours hours pinch charging case) | App-connected: No | Colors: Black, silver, white, transparent, pink

Mashable Deals

Best fund earbuds: Anker Soundcore Life P3i

Who it's for:

If you're connected a tight fund but still want to bask sound cancellation, nan Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds connection a amazingly coagulated performance. Don't expect elite ANC, but these affordable earbuds don't require excessively overmuch of a sacrifice successful sound quality.

Why we picked this:

We're going to commencement pinch nan awesome hitch of these earbuds: switching betwixt devices sucks. They don't person multipoint pairing, and if you want to usage them pinch your telephone aft utilizing them pinch your laptop, you person to manually disconnect them (or successful our experience, sometimes outright unpair them), pinch your laptop first. It's easy their biggest flaw, and wherever we astir evidently felt their value constituent during testing.

With that retired of nan way, these earbuds still person a lot going for them. For starters, they costs $50 and tin often beryllium recovered connected waste for moreover less. Though inexpensive, these earbuds are comfortable to deterioration each day, person a civilization equalizer successful nan app positive 21 presets (we're fans of nan Treble Booster), customizable touch controls for each earbud, and a artillery life that outdoes nan Apple AirPods Pro. You won't person extras for illustration spatial audio, and nan ANC leans connected inheritance hiss much than premium models, but not terribly so.

For a brace of $50 earbuds, we're impressed. We urge them for anyone who doesn't want to ammunition retired $100 positive for a brace of noise-cancelling earbuds.

Battery life: 7 hours pinch ANC, 8.5 without (36 hours pinch charging case) | App-connected: Yes | Colors: Black, white

Best artillery life: Dyson OnTrac

Check retired our afloat reappraisal of nan Dyson OnTrac headphones.

Who it's for:

The Dyson OnTrac headphones aren't perfect, but if long-lasting artillery life is your apical privilege and you're consenting to salary for it, these supply nan champion artillery life we've ever seen connected a brace of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones. They're besides highly comfortable, too.

Why we picked this:

Short answer: 55 hours of artillery life with noise-cancelling turned on.

That's what Dyson claimed pinch these headphones, and what Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth confirmed erstwhile he tested them retired complete nan play of a month. And that sound cancelling useful well.

As for nan longer answer, let's statesman pinch a mates of questions: Are these headphones Dyson-level expensive? Yes (though they're still $50 cheaper than AirPods Max, which max retired astatine 20 hours of artillery life). Is nan Dyson logo connected nan headband benignant of tacky? Also yes. And nan multipoint pairing is lacking, which really shouldn't beryllium an rumor connected a brace of $500 headphones. However, if you tin unrecorded pinch that, you'll get headphones that Werth called "the best...I've tested yet," pinch fantabulous sound quality, coagulated ANC, swappable receptor plates (for a price), and again, 55 afloat hours of artillery life pinch nan progressive sound cancellation turned on.

They surely won't beryllium everyone's cup of beverage (or successful everyone's budget), but if you want nan champion artillery life money tin buy, Dyson's OnTrac headphones are for you.

Battery life: 55 hours pinch ANC | App-connected: Yes | Colors: Customizable components pinch aggregate colors, including copper, aluminum, and coral red.

How we tested nan champion noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds

Every azygous brace of headphones we included successful this guideline was hands-on tested by a Mashable newsman aliases editor. What precisely makes a bully noise-cancelling headphone? Here's what we considered:

• Active sound cancellation performance: Though we ever measurement this characteristic erstwhile testing headphones, we paid other attraction to it for nan purposes of this guide. For nan headphones tested specifically for this guide, we made judge to usage them indoors and outdoors, to deterioration them while personification was trying to speak to us, while playing large euphony externally, and while going astir our accustomed workdays. (Many headphones not specifically tested for this guide, including nan AirPods Pro and Sony WH-1000XM5s underwent very akin testing conditions).

• Comfort: Though this class tin beryllium other subjective owed to different personification preferences and caput and receptor sizes, we besides look astatine really adjustable headphones are successful position of suiting different wearers, whether pinch earbud receptor tips aliases headphone set adjustments.

• Audio quality: While testing headphones, we perceive to euphony crossed a assortment of genres, arsenic good arsenic podcasts to show really they execute successful different audio settings. Where applicable, we trial retired different equalizer presets and play astir pinch equalizer settings to spot really they impact headphones' performance.

• Battery life: We noted really quickly nan artillery drained while testing, and if nan complaint astatine which it drained held up to nan artillery life claims from nan brands.

• Value: We considered each nan supra features mixed successful narration to nan headphones' value points, and compared them against each different to find which products are worthy it. Where applicable, we noted wherever nan worth for 1 characteristic made consciousness and wherever it didn't — for instance, successful nan lawsuit of nan Bose QC Ultra headphones, their value constituent makes consciousness for thing seeking incredibly comfortable headphones, and little truthful for personification who wants nan champion sound acquisition possible.

• Premium features: We looked astatine nan cool extras each headphone offered, whether that beryllium spatial audio aliases a awesome customizable equalizer. While this did facet into nan worth somewhat, we didn't measurement it arsenic heavy arsenic nan supra conditions, arsenic we judge that a headphone needs to beryllium capable to execute nan basics good earlier getting to show disconnected its extras.

We pulled these recommendations from our existing excavation of headphone reviews and from hands-on testing performed specifically for this buying guide. A mates of options that didn't make our updated guideline see nan AirPods Max, which do person bully ANC and sound quality, but besides a little awesome characteristic to value ratio, particularly compared to newer options from Sony and Bose.

Recent testing updates

As of Jan. 2024, we removed nan Bowers & Wilkins PX7 headphones from this guideline not because they're sub-par headphones (they decidedly aren't), but because they're an older exemplary that's harder to find in-stores and online these days. We precocious tested their replacement, nan Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e headphones, and though we loved really they sounded, wore, and looked, we were a small little impressed pinch nan powerfulness of their ANC and finicky multipoint pairing.

In April 2024, we added nan Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds, Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, and Sony ULT Wear headphones to our database of recommendations. We besides tested nan JBL Tour One M2 headphones, and while we appreciated their fantabulous multipoint pairing, artillery life, and balanced sound, we didn't find that their sound cancellation matched up pinch likewise priced headphones.

Finally, arsenic of August 2024, we said goodbye to nan Bose 700 headphones arsenic our proposal for nan champion noise-cancelling headphones pinch adjustable ANC. This was a agelong clip coming — these headphones person technically been discontinued since nan merchandise of nan Bose QC Ultra headphones successful September 2023, but remained disposable from retailers different than Bose. We'll beryllium connected nan lookout for immoderate caller models that lucifer nan adjustable sound cancellation these Bose headphones erstwhile offered.

We besides tried retired nan Denon PerL Buds Pro, but recovered that their fantabulous sound value couldn't dress up for really uncomfortable they wore and really overmuch they cost.

In August and Sept. 2024, we tried retired nan caller JBL Live Beam 3 headphones, and we liked their sound, unsocial design, and touchscreen lawsuit that made it easy to cheque nan headphone's artillery life and power audio. However, their sound cancellation wasn't rather up to par for $200 earbuds. We've besides added nan Dyson OnTrac headphones arsenic our prime for nan champion artillery life, acknowledgment to nan awesome 55-hour artillery life.

What's up next

We're evaluating whether nan AirPods 4 are a amended prime for nan champion mid-range headphones, particularly arsenic nan $179 exemplary now travel pinch progressive sound cancellation. In nan meantime, you tin publication our afloat review of nan caller AirPods.

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