There is nothing worse than hearing the constant roar of an airplane engine, the sounds of a snoring neighbor beside you, or the sounds of a crying child… this list goes on, as there are so many unpleasant sounds in this noisy world. How to choose the right headphones to avoid all these?
At such moments you simply dream of teleporting away from extraneous noises to a silent place, where you can enjoy your favorite music. And while teleport machine is still in the plans, there is a great replacement — noise cancelling headphones.
If you need something universal for traveling, working in a noisy environment or simply enjoying your favorite music in peace and quiet — noise cancelling headphones are your go-to choice.
But how to choose the right headphones? Which ones are the best for you and your needs?
If you can’t decide, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with everything you need to know when buying noise cancelling headphones.
Today many headphone models boast being noise cancelling, but some do it better than the others. And companies are often inconsistent while labeling their headphones as noise cancelling depending on the context.
That’s why it’s important to understand what is noise cancellation and how do noise cancelling headphones work before your purchase.
Explore how noise cancelling headphones work and provide solution in case of unwanted noise.
Generally, there are 3 types of noise cancelling headphones:
Often times these terms are confused with each other. However, there are some significant differences concerning how they reduce noise and for what purpose they are used. And it’s essential to have some basic understanding of their distinctions to make the right choice.
This is the most common type of noise cancellation available in headphones. These devices are often also referred to as “noise isolating.” In this case, the physical features of headphones like shape, design and used materials act as a gate for noise, blocking it from reaching your ears. Those big bulky headphones you’ve seen are made exactly for noise isolating purposes. They fully cover your ears with the extra padding to drown out outside noises.
If you’re choosing among headphones with passive noise cancelling, you just need a pair with good-fitting headphone cushions that form a strong seal around your ears. The better is the seal, the more noise they block out.
Passive noise cancelling headphones are the best for isolating irregular and high-frequency sounds. If you work in a busy open office and have colleagues who like to chatter about the last episode of their favorite TV show – noise isolating headphones are a must-have for you.
These headphones are very effective in cancelling the ambient noise; the only problem is that they’re incredibly large. If you don’t like having a bulky device on the top of your head, then have a look at noise isolating earbuds.
These headphones also use their shape and design to mute external noise, but they go a step further and use advanced technology to actively cancel noise. These headphones have a small built-in audio processor, which detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and then cancels noise by generating a mirror “anti-noise” signal. In result, the ambient noise magically disappears, and you hear a significantly cleaner sound.
Active noise cancelling headphones are most useful for removing constant noise from lower ranges, like white noise and other low-frequency sounds. It’s helpful in muting sounds like airplane engine noise, traffic, any constant humming, and even some human chatter. If you do a lot of traveling or commuting, then headphones with ANC will be a great choice for you to have some peace and quiet on the way.
However, ANC headphones require a battery to activate their noise cancelling feature. This affects both the weight of the device as well as its price. Most models of active noise cancelling headphones are heavier and more expensive than other headphones. When ANC function is turned off or in case the battery runs out, they continue to work as regular headphones.
This type of noise cancellation is a relatively new term in the headphones industry. Often the companies put the label “adaptive”, while in reality these headphones use regular active noise cancelling function.
So how is the adaptive noise cancellation different? Adaptive technology adjusts the strength of cancellation based on the level and type of the surrounding noise. Basically noise cancellation is high (stronger) when background noise is loud, and the opposite – the amount of noise cancellation is small when background noise is low.
In some of the headphones you should activate the adaptive noise cancelling mode. Often you even can fine tune the settings and set your desired level of noise cancelling via companion apps. Other models come with an automatic adaptive technology, tailoring the strength of noise cancellation to the ambient noise level in real-time. However, be aware that the higher is the amount of noise cancellation the more aggressively it cleans the sound, negatively impacting its voice quality.
Why would you need an adaptive noise cancellation? It’s very useful when you need to hear external sounds but still keep the general level of background noise low. For instance, while the flight attendant makes an announcement when the plane is about to land, or when your colleague appeals to you in a noisy office.
There is no simple answer to this question. The type of noise cancellation that is right for you, in fact, depends on how you’ll be using the device and in what situations. The usage cases of noise cancelling headphones vary from listening to music or watching a movie, making a call or working in a noisy office, or simply wearing the headphones to block out ambient noise.
A better question would be to ask yourself: “What do I need noise cancelling headphones for?” The answer to this question will help you decide.
Here are some of the things you should pay attention to when buying noise cancelling headphones:
Do you want passive or active noise cancelling headphones? Or maybe the ones with an adaptive mode? Do you want full-sized headphones or earbuds? Wired or wireless? The choice mostly comes up to your own needs and comfort.
The “noise cancelling” label usually adds up to the price tag of the headphones. And the better the noise cancellation, the more it costs. After all, it’s a trade-off between the quality of audio and noise cancelling feature. If you want to have both great audio and great noise cancellation, then you should be ready to pay for it too.
If you need good noise cancellation for your calls, but you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on buying expensive headphones, then you can simply use the ones that you already have together with Krisp app, which will remove all background noise during your calls. It hit a record on Appsumo Deals as well.
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This way your regular headphones are “updated” with noise cancelling function, your conference calls get by without a single noise, and your pocket is full with the money saved.
More tips on how to make conference calls more successful.
When choosing the model of headphones, pay attention to other features and characteristics of the pair. Like all devices, the headphones differ not only in design, but also in supplementary functionality. Some models come with additional accessories like headphone case, which may be very handy. See if your desired pair has replaceable batteries. Finally, check whether the seller gives you a warranty, and if headphones can be restored or replaced, just in case. Make sure to check all these details before your purchase.
Have you ever sat near a person with headphones whose music sounded on the whole bus? You definitely don’t want to be that person. So when buying new headphones, check whether they don’t leak sound and can keep your privacy.
Leakage can happen due to poor built-in quality or loose fitting and be disturbing to people near you, especially if you’re listening to something loud. So if you plan to use the headphones in crowded places, choose headphones made from durable materials that fit snugly on your ears.
Make sure to try on the headphones. For good sound isolation and noise cancellation, it’s necessary that the headphones tightly cover your ears. Although most headphones are adjustable and flexible, still it’s always better to try them on before buying. Some brands offer woman and man fits as well.
This way you don’t have to guess whether the headphones will suit you or not, and after that find out that they put pressure on your ears or, on the contrary, fall down. Take your time, walk a bit in the store and get the feel of the headphones. Do you like it?
Now you know everything on how to choose the right headphones that suit you and your needs.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is our favorite pair of noise-cancelling headphones, but we also have recommendations for people who want to spend less or prefer earbuds over headphones.
For frequent flyers or commuters on public transit, reducing the noise around you is the difference between enduring a trip and enjoying it. Noise-cancelling headphones can make your music easier to hear and your world a little more peaceful.
This pair of over-ear headphones cancels noise impressively, sounds great, is comfortable to wear, and has a long battery life—all for less than $100.
This pair of wireless earbuds sounds fantastic and cancels noise better than any others we’ve tested. However, people with very small ears might struggle to keep them securely in place.
True wireless earbuds should play for at least five hours, ideally more. Over-ear headphones should go for at least eight to 10 hours.
A good design should fit most ear shapes and head sizes, so we have a variety of people try on our top contenders.
We use a specialized audio-measurement system with a simulated ear to test how much noise the headphones can reduce.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the best set of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones that Bose currently offers. This pair is worth the investment for the frequent traveler who puts a premium on performance and comfort, and we recommend the 700 over newer, pricier Bose offerings for as long as it is still available.
These headphones can provide the superior noise cancellation that Bose has been known for, but the level of the active noise cancellation (ANC) is adjustable on a scale from 0 to 10, enabling you to find the amount that works best for you.
This pair also has a lightweight design that is comfortable to wear for hours, and features an easy-to-use combination of touch controls and physical buttons that you can access without looking. Plus, you can use the headphones in wired mode with the ANC engaged if, for example, you want to access an in-flight entertainment system. They fold flat for easy storage in the supplied case, too.
The Bose 700 isn’t entirely without flaws, however: The sound quality is good but not as crisp as that of our favorite everyday audiophile headphones, the app can be vexing, and the battery life isn’t the longest we’ve seen—though at 20 hours, it’ll still get you through a very long flight.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are small but powerful. This pair combines excellent active noise cancellation and passive isolation to better suppress all the sounds around you—not just the low-frequency ones. The sound quality is fantastic right out of the box, and you can customize it further in the Sony app. The eight hours of battery life (with ANC enabled) will get you through a long day of listening.
If you want to hear your surroundings, simply hold a finger to the left earbud, and the hear-through mode (sometimes called awareness or transparency mode) kicks in. Or, an optional feature automatically enables hear-through when you speak—handy for people who frequently have their hands occupied. The large, touch-based controls handle the full suite of music playback, call answering, and digital-assistant activation, and they aren’t as prone to misfires and missed taps as the controls on other earbuds we’ve tested.
The XM5 is loaded with helpful features, including Alexa and Google voice activation, dual-device connectivity, noise-reducing microphones, and even the ability to accept or reject calls with a nod or shake of your head.
The earbuds are quite small. Sony includes four sizes of tips, but this pair may still prove challenging to keep in place for folks with small ears or who are very active. And the unique foam and silicone tips can make your ears feel full, a sensation some people may find uncomfortable. Additionally, as with all true wireless earbuds, you can’t use these in wired mode, so you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter to use this pair with certain in-flight entertainment systems that require a cable connection.
If you want a surprisingly great pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones for around $100, we recommend the Soundcore Space One. In our tests, the active noise cancellation was nearly as effective as that of the Bose 700, and the level is adjustable. The sound, while not as refined as that of the Bose 700, is nonetheless enjoyable to listen to and can be customized to your preference in the Soundcore app. The chassis is lightweight and comfortable to wear, with full controls.
Dual-device connectivity is supported, and a hear-through mode can be activated by the press of a button or automatically when you speak. The 40-hour battery life with ANC on (55 hours with it off) means you may only have to charge this pair once a week or less.
The Space One comes with a cable so you can use it in wired mode on a flight or when you run out of power—but note that the ANC and microphone do not work if you’re out of battery. Luckily, the quick-charge feature will give you four hours of listening after just five minutes plugged in.
While this set has three noise-reducing microphones, we found that voices can sound compressed and somewhat distant to callers—especially when compared with more expensive headphones.
Our top pick for the best wireless earbuds, the Soundcore Space A40 pair is also a great option if you want a more affordable pair of noise-cancelling earbuds. Though this set’s active noise cancellation isn’t as broad or effective as what you can get from the Sony WF-1000XM5, it still ranked near the top in our tests.
The sound quality is enjoyable right out of the box, but if it’s not your ideal, you have multiple ways to fine-tune the sound using the Soundcore app. The small, lightweight earbuds should fit most ears comfortably, and 10 hours of battery life per charge is impressive. The tiny charging case holds an additional 40 hours’ worth of power and supports wireless charging.
Six microphones deliver clear phone calls, and the pair’s dual-device connectivity allows you to effortlessly switch between listening to music on your laptop, for example, and taking a call on your phone.
The touch-based controls work reliably and are customizable in the app, but they don’t offer everything: You have to choose one function, such as track reverse, to omit. As with all true wireless earbuds, you can’t use these with a cable, so you’ll need a Bluetooth transmitter to for use with some in-flight entertainment systems.