How to Choose the Best Over the Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

If you're traveling by public transport or working from your home, noise cancelling headphones can improve your listening experience by creating an acoustic buffer between your ears and the outside world. How do you choose the best pair for your needs?

There are two types of noise cancelling headsets: passive noise isolation, and active noise cancellation. The first uses earcups with thick padding that is fitted to block out outside noises, while the other makes use of built-in microphones to create opposing sound waves that cancel background noise.

Comfort

If you're spending your day in noisy public transportation, battling for office space with chatty coworkers or trying to catch some sleep on a long-haul flight, noise cancelling headphones offer an acoustic buffer between your ears and the rest of the world. They also let you listen to your music at a comfortable level without putting pressure on your ears. Additionally, the majority of our top picks come with an ultra-lightweight design that is comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Traditionally, noise cancellation involves using active sound reduction technology that creates opposite sound waves to cancel out any background noise. You can find headphones with passive noise isolation which seals the earcups and buds around the ear to block out unwanted sound. However, the top models we tested use active sound cancellation to give an unbeatable escape.

To get the optimal results, you'll need to ensure that your headphones fit snugly and are well-designed. It is also important to ensure that they don't leak, which can annoy people who are around you. To truly experience a full audio experience, you'll require headphones that support the high-resolution Bluetooth codec LDAC, which allows them to play back hi-res music at 96kHz/24 bit resolution, making them the ultimate audiophile's device.

A lot of new models can fold making them compact and convenient for travel. The Bose QC45 headphones we've reviewed for instance, are an excellent choice to consider if you're looking a comfortable travel headphone that folds flat to fit inside its case. If you're a frequent traveler, the Sennheiser HD450BT is a fantastic pair of headphones that can be folded down to fit in your carry-on bag.

Most of the models featured in our roundup are wireless, and many of them are true headphones with built-in microphones for hands-free phone calls. The app lets you adjust the volume and noise cancellation settings which is great for those who wish to adjust their headphones traveling. Some of the wireless models come with an charging dock for Over ear headphones noise cancelling mobile listening, while others utilize an accessory case that can give you hours of battery life even when you're away from work or home.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is a big issue for music lovers of all kinds, especially when it comes to headphones. While any pair of headphones will aid in blocking out ambient sounds, a great pair of noise cancelling headphones will not only be capable of effectively blocking out the outside world but also be able to deliver clear high-quality audio.

If you're going to spend an enormous amount of money for headphones, it only makes sense that they'll be able to play your tunes as well as possibly. Thankfully that's the case, as ANC headphone technology has advanced in sound quality, the sound they produce has also improved significantly over time. The result is some of the best audiophile headphones that are available today.

Of course, the sound quality you hear will depend on the way you listen to music and what your preferences are. Some prefer an enveloping and full bass sound while others might opt for high-fidelity headphones that convey every nuance of a song or album.

The type of music you enjoy most also depends on how important noise cancellation is for you. While ANC is excellent at removing monotonous sounds such as the whooshing noise of an airplane, or the roaring of traffic, it is unable to eliminate dynamic sounds with different frequencies and intensities, such as human voice or instruments.

If you're looking for the best passive isolation, a pair headphones with ANC that is excellent is a good option regardless of whether they are headphones for earbuds or over-ear. You can get impressive isolation even with no active noise cancellation by using a pair of Comply memory foam tips or similar products that precisely fit to the shape of your ear.

Of course, most ANC headphones will come with an array of Bluetooth codecs that allow users to connect with the audio source that works best for you. For instance, the Sony WH-1000XM4s feature both LDAC and DSEE Extreme support to ensure that you can listen to your favourite tracks in high-resolution, and in incredible detail. Sinead O'Connor's sibilant cries, and her powerful chorus are evident when she sings Nothing Compares 2 U.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling headphones provide an sonic buffer between your ears and the world around you. They essentially listen to the ambient sound you hear, and utilize built-in microphones in order to "read" the sounds, allowing only the audio you wish to hear through. They're an excellent choice for commuting, working at home, or any other situation where background noise can be distracting or irritating.

Noise cancelling headphones employ an active noise cancellation to create their magic. Small microphones in earcups or the earbuds listen to the sounds you're exposed and emit opposite frequencies that will be in collision and effectively block out unwanted sounds, leaving the music you're listening. It's a little more complex than that, and it is dependent on the sensitivity of your ears, the design of your headphones and the quality of the audio processing, but the idea is that they can drastically reduce the sounds you hear, whether that's an aircraft engine or your coworker's animated conversations.

The best Over Ear headphones noise Cancelling-ear ANC headsets we tested aren't able to completely block out background noises, but they are effective in blocking them. For the most immersive listening experience, you should consider an ANC pair that has adaptive noise cancellation. This will take ANC to the next level by continuously listening to ambient sounds, countering them in real-time and ensuring that the audio you want to hear (including hands-free calls) at a constant volume. This cutting-edge technology is demonstrated in the Sony WH-XB910N Headphones: Wireless Noise Cancelling - EXTRA BASS™ WH1000XM5s.

Many over-ear ANC headphones include additional features that make listening enjoyable. Look for features such as control buttons and high-quality audio codec support and support for voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. A wireless Bluetooth connection is essential to allow hands-free and comfortable audio playback, as well as a portable charging case that lets you remain connected while on the go.

A passive mode is useful feature. It lets you disable the noise-canceling circuitry and enjoy the same level of isolation that regular headphones offer. This is a great feature to use when you need to hear the outside world or haven't got enough battery life left to charge your headphones.

Value

If you are listening to music or making phone calls, a great pair of headphones will make you feel like you are in a soundproofed space. Noise cancelling headphones are more expensive, but they offer superior audio quality and block out distracting background noise. For this reason, they can be well worth the extra investment for those who spend much time on their own at work or traveling.

The Sony WH1000XM5 headphone is packed with useful features. They boast impressive noise cancellation capabilities and come with a dedicated mic that produces natural clear, clear audio during calls as well as DSEE Extreme Audio Upscaling. The ANC system is excellent at blocking out outside noises, but they're not as effective at separating the listener from low-frequency sounds such as trains or traffic.

They're also light and fold down into a compact D-shaped box that can be tucked away into a carry case, making them ideal for travel. They are compatible with multiple voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and have a feature which automatically will stop music when removed from your ears. They can also be connected to an audio wire to listen to your preferred podcasts or videos in noisy environments.

The Razer Opus Wireless headphones offer great value for the price. They come with a great ANC system, but they also have a transparency setting that turns on the external microphones to allow more noise from your surroundings to pass through. The headphones come with a built-in USB-C charging port, which means they can still be used while charging. They have a low latency connection over Bluetooth, which is important to play games on mobile devices and watch video content.

For a more budget-friendly option you can look at the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless headphones. They excel at blocking out distracting sounds, such as the rumble from plane engines and buses or the high-pitched sound of computer fans. They can last up to 32 hours on a single charge and have an auto-off timer to save power.