Best noise-cancelling headphones 2023: top ANC headphones for every budget

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Apple AirPods Pro 2
(Image credit: Future)

If you travel regularly or like to block out distractions around the home or office, headphones with decent active noise cancellation (ANC) are must-have purchases. They will help isolate you and your music from the noise around you so that you can be more immersed in your favourite tunes. 

Noise-cancelling has become an increasingly prominent feature on wireless headphones, both on over-ear and earbuds designs, which is great as we are all now spoilt for choice – jump into any online or physical electronics store and you’ll be bombarded with options covering every form factor, price, and type of user. But that does make singling out the best pairs fairly tricky. Over the years we’ve had more than a few pairs enter our test rooms that have looked great on paper and proudly eschewed their ANC powers in their marketing material, only to find on our morning commute or day at our desks they have a below-par user experience or – worse – inadequate noise-cancelling or sound quality.

That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you find the right pair of active noise-canceling headphones for your specific needs and budget (and you never know, there's every chance of a headphones deal among them, too). Every pair we recommend in this list has been tried and tested by our team of product experts, both in our test rooms and the real world. This way we know firsthand that they have powerful enough ANC to help block out everything from the whirring sound of trains, planes and automobiles to irritating background office noise – ensuring you can relax or focus as needed using them. 

A pair of noise-cancelling headphones' sound performance is equally important, of course, so that aspect carries serious weight when it comes to forming our star ratings and ordering this very list.

How to choose the best noise-cancelling headphones

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Noise-cancelling tends to go hand in hand with wireless Bluetooth connectivity. You'll find few wired ANC pairs these days – logical considering noise-cancelling is associated with portability. That gives you the freedom of no wires, while battery life often pushes north of 24 hours these days.

Most pairs of ANC (active noise-cancelling) headphones not only include microphones to cancel out external sound but also to allow for chatting with friends and family, or for those video meetings that are all the rage these days.

Sony WH-1000XM5: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Sony's latest 'WH' over-ears combine great noise cancellation and excellent sound to class-leading effect. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
New design, same result for Sony’s latest premium noise-cancelling headphones

Specifications

Bluetooth: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Battery life: 30hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Sensational sonic clarity
+
Nice to use
+
Punchy and precise, agile bass

Reasons to avoid

-
Build seems less premium than previous XM4 
-
Don’t fold away completely

Sony's latest wireless noise-cancelling headphones are the best-value pair at this fairly premium end of the market and our favourite of their kind, as their What Hi-Fi? Award 2022 attests to.

It can be tricky for a manufacturer to push the sound performance of a product consistently from generation to generation, but that is what Sony has managed to do with the WH-1000XM5 headphones.

When we saw the official pictures of the XM5, we were more than a bit surprised. We wondered whether it was a wise move to give one of Sony’s biggest success stories in recent memory – the previous WH-1000XM4, below – a major redesign. But it's paid off. 

The Sony XM5 headphones might feel a little less premium than before, but the jump in sound quality from the previous generation is a big one, and rivals could once again have their work cut out. If you are looking for a new pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones, your auditioning should start here. The older XM4 were already the best around, but the XM5 are undoubtedly better for those who can afford to pay the premium.

Read the full Sony WH-1000XM5 review

Our pick of the best Sony headphones

Sony WH-1000XM4: Best noise-cancelling headphones

No longer Sony's latest and greatest, but still highly recommendable – and more affordable too. (Image credit: Sony)
Sony’s older premium wireless headphones still deliver a sonic masterclass

Specifications

Bluetooth: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Battery life: 30hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Dynamic, detail-rich sound
+
Next best after Sony XM5
+
Lightweight, comfy and clever

Reasons to avoid

-
No IP rating
-
No aptX support

The Sony XM5 above might be the most appealing pair on this list, but that doesn't mean they will be affordable for everyone. So if your budget cannot stretch to the company's latest model, your next-best noise-cancelling headphones option is their predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4.

One of the most popular pairs of headphones on the planet (and for good reason), they live up to their hype with great sound quality, comfort and usability. They may not sound quite as good as the XM5 or feature the nicely updated aesthetic design, but they still offer the majority of features found in the XM5, such as ANC, the Speak to Chat function (when you start talking, they automatically pause playback and engage the ambient sound mode) and 30 hours of battery life. You can see how they compare in every department with our Sony WH-1000XM5 vs WH-1000XM4 article.

For the money, we don't believe you will find anything better.

Read the full Sony WH-1000XM4 review

Sony WF-1000XM4

Sony has this part of the ANC headphones market wrapped up too; the WF-1000XM4 are formidable all-rounders. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Without doubt the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now

Specifications

Bluetooth: SBC, AAC, LDAC
Battery life: 8hr (24hr with charging case)
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Clear, detailed bass performance
+
Wonderful sense of musicality
+
Comfortable, with lass-leading battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Missing Sony’s Multipoint feature
-
Lacking ear tip choices
-
No aptX HD

Yes, it's Sony again as we move on to the best noise-cancelling earbuds. The WF-1000XM4 produce one of the most dynamic, detailed and balanced performances we've heard from a pair of Bluetooth buds, and set the standards at this price. Bass notes sound tight and textured, while vocals ooze refinement and sophistication. Their musical delivery keeps you coming back for more, and also makes you thankful for the eight hours of battery life, which is class-leading in this field.

The Sonys are comfortable to wear too. The new-look earpieces include touch-sensitive controls and a new ear tip design which helps with noise isolation. Combine this with the excellent noise cancelling provided by Sony's Integrated Processor V1 and you've got a pair of headphones that effectively block out the hustle and bustle.

IPX4 water resistance comes as part of the XM4 package, as does Sony's clever Headphones Connect app for iOS and Android and clever features such as Quick Attention and Speak-To-Chat which both allow you to have a conversation without removing the earbuds. 

Read the full review: Sony WF-1000XM4

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and Sony WF-1000XM4 in-hand

Bose's flagship ANC wireless earbuds are the real deal and some of the very best pairs around. (Image credit: Future)

4. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Bose's flagship wireless earbuds sound the business

Specifications

Bluetooth: SBC, AAC (aptX Lossless coming)
Battery life: 6hrs (24hrs with charging case)
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Exceptional noise-cancelling
+
Fantastic sense of refinement
+
Beautifully balanced sound
+
Excellent detail levels

Reasons to avoid

-
No Bluetooth multipoint
-
No wireless charging

If you want the new benchmark for wireless earbuds, this is it. Say hello to the best premium wireless earbud winners at the What Hi-Fi? Awards 2022. As the title of the award suggests, these premium Bluetooth in-ears sound amazing while throwing in one of the very best in-ear ANC experiences too. And you pay for that.

Smaller and lighter than the original QC Earbuds, the Earbuds II provide a comfortable fit and lots of features. Bluetooth 5.3 is a big bonus, and the Bose app allows you to alter the amount of noise-cancelling on offer via a number of customisable presets.

Speaking of noise-cancelling, the Bose are at the top of their game. They can automatically adjust the amount of ANC on offer so your music isn’t drowned out by particularly loud noises and the effect is deeply impressive. As for sound, it's balanced and neutral and overflowing with fine detail. 

It's a shame there's no wireless charging or Bluetooth multipoint, but we don't think this is the end of the world when you consider that these classy buds ooze such sophistication.

Read the full Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II review 

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II vs Sony WF-1000XM4: which are the best pair?

Sony WF-C700N: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Sony's latest midrange ANC wireless earbuds are a great middle ground between its XM4 (above) and budget model.s. (Image credit: Future)
Five-star wireless ANC earbuds that deliver sensational value for money.

Specifications

Noise-cancelling: Yes
Bluetooth: AAC, SBC
Battery life: 7.5hrs (+7.5hrs from charging case)
Wireless charging: No
Waterproof: Water resistant
Finishes: (White, Black, Sage Green, Lavender

Reasons to buy

+
Very comfortable fit
+
Refined presentation for the money
+
Detailed, dynamic and musical sound

Reasons to avoid

-
No multipoint Bluetooth (yet)
-
Charging case doesn't add a lot to battery life
-
No aptX or LDAC support

And already we're back to Sony, this time with its mid-ranging wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, which slot neatly between the WF-1000XM4 (above) and non-ANC budget WF-C500. They're a relatively new model and deliver fantastic value for money which is why they're so far up this list.

The buds are impressively compact, and their lightweight design helps make them more comfortable than a whole host of rivals. Battery life is competitive at seven and a half hours, although the fact the charging case can only deliver one extra charge to the earpieces before needing topping up itself seems a little stingy.

They lack the higher-quality aptX HD and LDAC (as do many at this modest price), but they do have Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically switches listening modes depending on your location. Multipoint Bluetooth – which lets you switch seamlessly between devices – won't arrive until mid-year, too.

The sound quality is superbly balanced too, with deep, detailed bass, expressive mids and engaging highs. They're a very musical listen for the money, and the superb level of comfort, sound quality and great feature set make these in-ear headphones very easy to recommend.

Read the full Sony WF-C700N review

Wireless headphones: Focal Bathys

In addition to aptX Adaptive and ANC, the Bathys also have a USB-DAC mode that supports 24-bit/192kHz through USB-C. (Image credit: Future)
Focal blends Bluetooth into its high-end headphones recipe with great success

Specifications

Bluetooth: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
Battery life: 30hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Compellingly big, spacious, clear sound
+
Pleasingly full-bodied balance
+
Gorgeous and solidly built
+
USB-C wired listening bonus

Reasons to avoid

-
Plasticky buttons don't feel premium
-
Price inaccessible for most

Focal’s entrance into this burgeoning premium noise-cancelling headphones market isn’t surprising considering its presence at the premium end of the wired space. And nor is the success of its first effort. The gorgeous-looking Bathys are highly recommendable for anyone after the convenience of portability in a premium pair of headphones at this price, who can stretch their budget above the B&W Px8 but not to the heights of the Mark Levinson No5.909.

For a wireless headphone performance, it’s among the most engaging we have heard. And if you want them to double up as home headphones for longer listening stints, which they are more than comfortable enough to wear for, know that going wired via the built-in DAC/USB-C port does add a degree of refinement and tightness to the delivery.

Noise cancellation is fairly non-intrusive to the performance, too, and if you need it – as we did on two flights during testing – it does a decent job of diminishing distracting outside world noise from your music listening in ‘Silent’ mode.

Read the full Focal Bathys review

Focal Bathys vs Bowers & Wilkins Px8: which high-end pair are better?

Lindy BNX-60: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Want ANC and over-ears? This is the best pair for the job if you're on a tight budget.
The best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy on a budget

Specifications

Bluetooth: AAC, SBC, aptX
Battery life: 15hr
Charging: Micro USB
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: No

Reasons to buy

+
Detailed, solid sound
+
Strong feature set for the money
+
aptX Bluetooth support is nice

Reasons to avoid

-
Treble a little muffled in standard mode

The BNX-60 show that noise-cancelling and Bluetooth can both be carried off in a very modestly priced package.

One ear cup has a volume control, the on/off switch for the active noise-cancellation and a blue light that indicates when the ‘ANC’ (active noise-cancelling) feature is in use. The other has the USB input for charging, pause/play/skip track controls, a Bluetooth connection light and a standard wired headphone output. A full charge is good for 15 hours of wireless music, or a little less with the active noise-cancelling.

At this price, you'd be worried about bright treble or booming bass, but instead, the Lindy BNX-60 headphones produce a balanced sound that’s easy to listen to. They also deliver a groove and also do a decent job with vocals. 

For this kind of money, it's extremely hard to grumble. So we won't.

Read the full review: Lindy BNX-60

Apple AirPods Pro 2: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Apple user after ANC? The latest AirPods Pro deserve a spot on your shortlist. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Apple's best-sounding AirPods yet are up there with the best

Specifications

Bluetooth: AAC
Battery life: 6hrs (30hrs with charging case)
Charging: Lightning
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Clear, detailed and powerful sound
+
Excellent noise-cancelling
+
Smooth, intuitive use with iOS devices

Reasons to avoid

-
Many features restricted to iOS devices only
-
Customisable ANC modes would be useful

The AirPods and AirPods Pro in-ears have always been one step behind the competition, particularly when it came to sound quality. They’ve been good-but-not-great wireless earbuds; lovely to use for iOS users, but never quite reaching the sonic heights established by the top noise-cancelling earbuds in this crowded and popular category. 

That’s set to change with the new AirPods Pro 2. The second generation of Apple’s flagship wireless ANC earbuds promises a more powerful processor, with advancements in active noise-cancelling, longer battery life, new features and, more importantly, better audio performance.

We certainly didn’t expect them to trouble the best-in-class competitors such as Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QC Earbuds II (just higher up this list), but with the AirPods Pro 2, Apple has more than caught up. The Pro 2 are a five-star stunner.

Read the full AirPods Pro 2 review

AirPods Pro 2 (2022) vs AirPods Pro: what are the differences?

Apple AirPods Max: best noise-cancelling headphones

The best wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones that keen Apple users can buy. (Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)
Apple’s first on-ear headphones justify their huge price tag

Specifications

Bluetooth: AAC
Battery life: 20hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Superb sound and noise-cancelling
+
Cinematic spatial audio
+
Exceptional build quality

Reasons to avoid

-
Near-pointless case
-
Audio cable not included
-
Practically Apple-only

No one was surprised by the announcement of the AirPods Max. Apple’s first on-ear headphones were one of the tech world’s worst-kept secrets for months.

What did come as a surprise was the price, which makes them vastly more expensive than the great majority of premium (if we can even still call them that) wireless noise-cancelling headphones. Can they possibly justify such a comparatively huge outlay?

The short answer is that yes, they can. If your budget reaches above the Sonys that top this list but not to the pricier Mark Levinsons, the AirPods Max could well be the pair for you.

Unsurprisingly, you do need an iPhone or iPad in order to get the most out of the AirPods Max. They will work with non-Apple products using standard Bluetooth 5.0, but you’ll miss out on many of their unique features. Ultimately, we can’t imagine anyone not already fairly well ensconced in the Apple ecosystem would consider buying a pair.

Assuming you are a keen Apple user, the AirPods Max are the best wireless noise-cancelling headphones you can buy – and not by a small margin. Their authenticity, detail, crispness and spaciousness elevate them so far above the previous best in the wireless noise-cancelling class that the comparison starts to become a little redundant and you instead begin to consider them alongside proper hi-fi products.

There’s no denying that they cost a lot more than typical products in this class but, if sound quality is king, there’s equally no denying that they’re worth it.

Read the full review: Apple AirPods Max

9 features we'd like to see on the AirPods Max 2 headphones

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2: Best noise-cancelling headphones

B&W's latest wireless over-ears combine competitive sound quality with best-in-class features and a stylish design. (Image credit: Future)
Wireless noise-cancelling headphones that supply style with substance

Specifications

Bluetooth: aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, AAC, SBC
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 30hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Insightful, clean, focused sound
+
Taut bass
+
Premium build

Reasons to avoid

-
Not class leaders in sound department
-
No mini jack input

The Px7 S2 are a clear step forward for B&W, offering a more sophisticated, neutral and detailed sound compared to the 2020-released PX7. These are headphones that really prompt the listener to dig in and analyse their music. Some of the best wireless headphones competition, such as the leaderboard-topping Sony WH-1000XM5, are arguably more engaging, but the Px7 S2 are still an excellent and stylish alternative for those who enjoy attentive listening.

Generally, the Px7 S2 put in a strong noise-cancelling performance, too, with consistency and minimal sound colouration across the different settings. The 30-hour battery life is welcome, as is fast charging. And support for aptX Adaptive and aptX HD are big ticks in the box for those who own sources that also support these higher-quality Bluetooth codecs. 

Note that the Px7 S2 don’t support passive audio, though, so must be charged up and powered on even for cabled listening. 

Got a bigger budget? If the Focal Bathy or AirPods Max don't take your fancy, the fantastic B&W Px8 – Bowers' more premium ANC headphones – may well be the premium alternatives for you.

Read the full B&W Px7 S2 review

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: Best noise-cancelling headphones:

Sennheiser's latest premium ANC wireless over-ears continue the Momentum legacy with superb sound and features. (Image credit: Sennheiser)
The latest Momentums keep the legacy alive despite a less luxurious appearance

Specifications

Bluetooth: aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC
Battery life: 60hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Clean, neutral, musical sound
+
60-hour battery life
+
Effective ANC

Reasons to avoid

-
Drops predecessors’ classy aesthetic
-
Earcups don’t fold inwards

Only the strongest film franchises tend to get a fourth go and, like Toy Story 4, the Momentum 4 Wireless have dutifully honoured the legacy of those that came before it – sonically and feature-wise, if not aesthetically. We are disappointed to see the classy design of Momentums of old giving way to one that’s markedly more non-descript, but the new guise is fit for purpose and we recognise that many might like its low-key discretion.

The design is actually very well thought out, and arguably more importantly noise cancellation is effective and sound quality entertaining. When first playing music through them, we were struck by their tonal balance, which has shed a layer or two of the richness that has characterised older Momentums, in favour of more neutrality this time round. They sound sharp and sprightly, and that added leanness hasn’t come at the expense of substance across the frequencies: highs are well-honed, mids are pleasingly plump, and lows strike a good balance between being taut and tubby.

That they undercut the more insightful Sony XM5 makes them highly recommendable for those that can’t afford the extra outlay for that bit more sonic transparency, and perhaps even the best alternative if you prefer your music to be more lively than, as the B&W Px7 S2 above are, predominantly analytical.

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM5: which headphones are best?

Mark Levinson 5909: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Mark Levinson dares to push the price parameters of wireless ANC over-ears – and that courage pays off. (Image credit: Future)
Mark Levinson manages to justify the No. 5909’s huge price tag with benchmark wireless performance

Specifications

Bluetooth: aptX Adaptive, AAC, LDAC
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 34hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Strong wireless performance for the money
+
Active noise cancellation
+
Quality construction

Reasons to avoid

-
Inaccessible price for most
-
Basic on-cup controls

The Mark Levinsons enter our test room doors as the most expensive wireless noise-cancelling pair we’ve tested and therefore do so with a weight of expectation on their shoulders. Can wireless performance ever be so good as to justify such an expense? You bet it can.

If we hadn’t unboxed the Levinsons and gone through the simple Bluetooth pairing process ourselves, we would be tempted to check for any wires dangling from the earcups. While the No. 5909’s performance is still short of the best available from similarly priced wired headphones, it’s easily the best wireless headphones performance we’ve come across.

Anyone who is after the convenience of wireless without sacrificing too much sound quality to get it, and lucky enough to afford such a best-of-both-worlds solution, the Mark Levinsons are highly recommendable.

Perceived value may not get top marks (they don't look as bling as they could), but sonic value certainly does – and that’s really what matters here. Mark our words, these wireless headphones really wow.

Read the full Mark Levinson No. 5909 review

Earfun Air Pro: Best noise-cancelling headphones

The cheapest ANC wireless earbuds we can recommend are hard to pick fault with for their price. (Image credit: EarFun)
Earfun adds noise-cancelling to its successful budget true wireless earbuds recipe

Specifications

Bluetooth: SBC, AAC
Battery life: 9hr (32hr with charging case)
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Solid, accurate bass weight
+
Effective noise cancelling
+
Classy build and finish for money

Reasons to avoid

-
Harsh upper midrange

Earfun builds on the success of its former Award-winning Air earbuds by cramming even more features into a new ‘Pro’ variant, the main addition being active noise cancellation. (There is now a 10mm driver and three mics per earpiece, too.) But, considering the claims on the spec sheet, the price remains jaw-droppingly low.

Not long ago, you’d have paid hundreds to get something anywhere near as fully-featured. At the time of writing, we haven't come across anything at this level that does everything these Earfuns do, as well as they do it. (Not even the Earfun Air Pro 2!)

The Earfun Air Pro fit securely, connect easily, have reliable controls and feature basic but effective noise-cancelling profiles – for just a small premium on the Air model. There’s also USB-C charging and wearer detection, plus the sound is pretty decent for the money.

It’s rare that we award five stars to a pair of true wireless headphones at this ultra-low price point, since cheap rarely means good value. Simply put, it does here.

Read the full Earfun Air Pro review

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Third time's a charm for Sennheiser's premium wireless earbuds, which barely put a foot wrong. (Image credit: Future)
The True Wireless 3 keep the momentum going strong

Specifications

Bluetooth: aptX Adaptive, aptX, AAC, SBC
Noise-cancelling: Yes
Battery life: 7hrs (28hrs with charging case)
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Spacious, refined and insightful sound
+
aptX Adaptive Bluetooth support
+
More affordable than previous gen

Reasons to avoid

-
Earpieces slightly cheaper looking
-
Pick up wind noise

There are true wireless headphones that have proven so consistently commendable over the years that a new iteration is hard to ignore when it comes along, and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless are one of them. 

Entering their third generation here, two years on from the launch of the sophomore efforts, the wireless noise-cancelling earbuds remain on the top rungs of an increasingly tall ladder with an improved performance that's right up there, a competitive spec sheet that offers great battery life (28 hours) and Bluetooth codec support (aptX Adaptive), and the bonus of extra in-app personalisation features. Oh, and a welcome new launch price below those of the former Momentum models.

They're nice and comfortable, deliver one of the most mature, spacious and refined performances in the market, and have the bonus of noise cancellation too.

In bowling, three strikes in a row is called a ‘turkey’; in What Hi-Fi? reviews, three five-star badges in a row is known as a blinder of a run. Building on an already winning recipe with an improved feature set, decent step up in performance and kinder price tag, the Momentum True Wireless 3 are as competitive as ever and Sennheiser’s best yet. A brilliant buy.

Read the full Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 vs Sony WF-1000XM4: which are better?

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: Best noise-cancelling headphones

Bose's premium over-ears boast the most sophisticated active noise cancellation system we've come across. (Image credit: Future)
Improved wireless and noise cancelling, same sonic ability

Specifications

Bluetooth: AAC, SBC
Battery life: 20hr
Charging: USB-C
Built-in mic and controls: Yes
Transparency mode: Yes

Reasons to buy

+
Best-in-class noise-cancellation
+
Comfortable and stylish
+
Crystal-clear, upfront sound

Reasons to avoid

-
Lack class-leading insight
-
Rivals have better battery life

While not the very best sounding noise-cancellers out there, this is the most sophisticated noise-cancelling system we've come across, period.

The rather unwieldy name of Bose’s noise-cancelling over-ear headphones doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but it does reflect the company’s recent focus on improving noise-cancelling technology in its headphones. The 700s use a new noise-cancelling system with everything from new acoustics to new digital signal processing – all running off Bose’s own NC chip.

It features an eight-microphone system (six to cancel noise, two for voice pick-up) and 11 increments (from 0-10) of noise-cancellation intensity to choose from, allowing you to transition from full isolation to full transparency. Zero doesn’t turn noise-cancelling off; it is a light veil that allows you to hear your environment, while ‘10’ represents the most extreme level of sound blocking. Whichever level we use, in whatever environment, the isolating effect is as good as we’ve experienced in a pair of headphones. 

For a hands-free experience, there’s built-in voice control, and when listening to music, (which is, after all, what they're designed to do) the sound is bold, clear and upfront – although less so than the Sonys, B&Ws and Sennheisers above. Bose claims the sonic quality in these 700s is comparable to the four-star QC35 IIs (listed below), and we’d agree. 

Read the full review: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

How active noise cancellation works

It's all very clever really. Noise-cancelling headphones essentially use two or more tiny microphones on their outer housings to "listen" to the external noise around you and create a mirror image of the compression and rarefaction of the air that it detects.

We can think of the soundwaves around us like peaks and troughs, or ripples in a pond. Plane engine noise is an ideal example since the thrum you hear in the cabin is typically a soundwave of constant amplitude – the height of the peaks and the depths of the troughs are largely continuous. 

If you produce another sound wave with the same amplitude but opposite phase – with a peak where the engine sound wave has a trough, and vice versa – you get something called antiphase. Added together, the two sounds cancel each other out. The result: silence. And – voila – you're listening to your music in peace!

Passive vs active noise-cancelling

Some manufacturers may say their headphones boast a "noise-isolating design" or "natural noise-cancelling abilities", but that doesn't necessarily mean they are 'proper' active noise-cancelling headphones.

Active noise cancellation is a technology; it's an electrical feature that requires power to work. When you're using it, you'll soon notice ANC will drain your wireless headphones' battery at a faster rate. Toggle ANC on and tiny microphones on your headphones pick up that irksome engine thrum. This is then quickly measured by the headphones' internal electronics to produce an opposite sound, which is fed into your ears. If the tech does a good job, all you'll hear is the chug of the train fading into nothingness. 

Passive noise-cancelling – or noise isolation, as it's often referred to – is, instead, a physical thing; a term used to describe headphones that block out external sounds and reduce the amount of sound leaking into your ears without the need for power. This is simply achieved through physical design elements.

Closed-back designs, leather earpads, a good in-ear seal, sizing up or down in eartips, a heavier clamping force in the headband (meaning the earcups fit tighter over your ears), dampening in the earcups and even the shape or material of the driver housings all contribute to passive noise isolation. But remember: it's not the same as the active noise-cancelling headphones we've listed above.

How we test noise-cancelling headphones

While we have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door, noise-cancelling headphones are different beasts that require everyday use on the go in different environments.

Therefore, our noise-canceling headphones reviewing process sees us use pairs in an office, amidst street noise, on public transport and, when we can, even on a plane. We judge a pair's portability, comfort and battery life, and of course sound quality is king in forming our verdicts and star ratings too. 

As What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, each pair we review is compared to the best in its price and style class – whether that's one standout pair or a few we favour the highest among the many models we listen to each year for reviews and during the What Hi-Fi? Awards judging. We keep class-leading products in our stockrooms so we can always compare new products to rival ones we know and love and see how they perform contextually in the market.

All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible, too. There's no input from PR companies or our sales team when it comes to the verdict, with What Hi-Fi? proud of having delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.

Read more about how we test and review products at What Hi-Fi?

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her eight years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.

  • David Homer
    BE WARNED: The Sony WH-1000XM4 are NOT rated for sports. I had a pair I used during lockdown for spin classes and they packed in completely - Sony couldn't fix them and said that they're not covered by warranty if they get wet (clearly you can't get sweaty with them without throwing away £300)!
    Reply
  • 0rdep
    What about soundcore Liberty pro 3? Better than 90% of the above list
    Reply
  • stripeycat
    In the interests of flagging what I (and other internet users) consider to be a glaring design flaw in these and their predecessors, the mx3, glaring enough to warrant not actually purchasing the product as a result, it is worth noting for anyone fastidious enough to make their way to the comments module of articles such as this that the outer plastic slider component that attaches the earpiece assembly to the headband and allows this to move up and down to account for different head sizes is extremely flimsy and is prone to snapping with a very limited amount of careful use (eg. on no more than twenty separate occasions while sitting at a seated desk over the lockdown period).

    This plastic slider CANNOT be replaced without completely disassembling the entire right earpiece component which includes desoldering 10 microwires from the board housed inside this unit. The slider itself can also not be purchased from the manufacturer but has to be sourced via third party providers such as aliexpress where the best a user can hope for is a copy manufactured in china.

    i do not care how good the sound quality in a noice cancelling headphone is if, quite frankly, i cannot use the thing after a year and a half because it will not remain on my head, and may cost me - should i agree to the prohibitive cost of repair specified by the manufacturer - £120 MINUS labour costs, in this case.

    Waiting on delivery of my new QuietComfort 45s. I don't care if it is claimed that they are 'not as good' as these things. My QC I set are still my backup headphones and are going strong after seven years. I'll continue to vote with my wallet.
    Reply
  • stripeycat
    0rdep said:
    What about soundcore library pro 3? Better than 90% of the above list
    Did you mean the Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro.
    Reply