Credit:
Reviewed / John Higgins
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Credit:
Reviewed / John Higgins
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Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones offer significant upgrades over the WH-1000XM4, with a higher price to match. Are these the best wireless headphones? Read More
The Sony WF-1000XM5 deliver class-leading noise-canceling performance with excellent sound quality and an app that offers a bunch of customizability. Read More
Apple’s updated AirPods Pro may look the same, but features like Adaptive Transparency and next-gen noise canceling make them the best buds around. Read More
The Soundcore Space A40 set a new mark for earbuds under $100 thanks to great sound and noise canceling that outperforms many pricier options. Read More
The Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds have some of the best active noise canceling we've ever heard, but aren't the best for making calls. Read More
These days, noise-canceling is almost a headphone necessity. Active Noise Canceling (ANC) headphones can’t eliminate all the noise around you. However, they can drastically reduce the worst of it, from managing crowd murmur to canceling out airplane noise. Add a little music into the equation and you've got some much-needed peace and quiet.
After testing dozens of headphones in our labs and in the real world, we’re confident the Sony WH-1000XM5 (available at Amazon for $348.00) are the best noise-canceling headphones available. They combine top-tier noise crushing with phenomenal features, comfort, and sound quality.
But there are plenty of great options, from over-ear models to noise-canceling earbuds, so you can find the perfect pair for you.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are premium noise canceling masters.
Not only do the Sony WF-1000XM5 deliver the best noise-canceling performance, they sound excellent, too.
The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) deliver significant upgrades to noise canceling, transparency mode, and sound.
The Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds deliver the best ANC performance you can get for under $100.
Incredible noise canceling
Clear sound
Secure and light fit
Lackluster call performance
Missing some standard features
World-beating noise canceling
Detailed sound
Ample battery life
Limited features
No adjustable EQ
Excellent audio quality
Top-notch noise cancelling
All day comfort
Effective operation has a learning curve
Fantastic noise canceling
Superb sound
Next-gen battery life
No good solution for volume control
Missing some features
Top-notch noise canceling
Comfy, secure fit
Tight, present audio
Chunky design
Case has mediocre battery
Middling features for the price
Light & comfortable
Outstanding noise cancellation
Works with Google Assistant
Expensive
Fantastic sound quality
Much improved ANC
Smaller footprint
Bulky, heavy case
No multipoint pairing
Small, lightweight, comfortable
Excellent audio performance
Solid ANC
No multipoint pairing
Samsung-only features
Outstanding features and design
Rich, balanced sound
Impressive noise canceling
Not as sport-friendly as other Jabra buds
John Higgins is Reviewed's Managing Editor for Tech. Before Reviewed, John covered all manner of electronics including TVs, projectors, AVRs, speakers, monitors, and computer peripherals for ProjectorCentral, IGN, Sound & Vision, T3, and Home Theater Magazine, among others. He also spent time as a sound editor and re-recording mixer for films, was a music teacher and music director at a private school in Los Angeles for 10 years, and recorded albums and played shows with a rock band.
Other testers who contributed to this guide include Reviewed's former Managing Editor Ryan Waniata, former A/V Editor Lee Neikirk, Reviewed Contributor Nick Woodard, Reviewed Contributor Nicole Carpenter, and Reviewed's former Director of Content Production TJ Donegan.
While we focus here on noise cancelation, we ultimately cover every angle on each headphone set we test with a mix of real-world and lab testing. That includes data collection and A/B testing on factors like max volume, active noise cancellation, and more.
For every set of headphones, we use a wide variety of test tracks, ranging from classical to hip-hop, rock, jazz, and more. We A/B test noise cancellation performance against our top picks using simulated sounds like airplane drone, crowd chatter, and pink noise. The tests feed into a scoring system designed to get us as close as possible to an objective overall ranking.
In addition to noise cancelation, we want to make sure the headphones we recommend excel at the other factors that make headphones worth buying. We test for key factors like battery life, ease of use, controls, wireless range, comfort, and more to determine overall performance.
We also go beyond the lab to test every feature we can in real-life situations. We measure sweat-proofing, short- and long-term comfort, battery life, microphone quality, and connectivity over distances and through obstacles like doors and walls.
And while the testing cycle makes it impossible to measure how a set of headphones holds up over the long haul, we do what we can to compensate. While we don’t factor them into our scores, we look to customer reviews to see if we need to make any notes about how a set may hold up.
We also keep using these headphones over time. If firmware updates add new features, or if we find they hold up exceptionally well (or poorly), we update our reviews and rankings with that information.
Three popular types of headphones: in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear.
Generally speaking, there are three major types of headphone: in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear. On-ear headphones, with cups that sit atop your ears, are becoming far less common. Over-ear headphones use large cups that envelop your ears, helping insulate you from outside noise. In-ear headphones, more commonly called earbuds, nestle into place within your ear itself.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) minimizes external sound by using small microphones to analyze incoming frequencies and then flipping their polarity to "cancel" them out. On the other hand, Passive Noise Cancellation (also referred to as passive noise isolation), uses materials and design to physically muffle or block outside sound. A strong mix of both is generally preferred to create the most effective noise cancellation.
Because active noise cancellation may introduce additional sound when engaged, it can affect the sound quality of what you’re listening to. Thankfully, this is becoming less of an issue among newer models.
Most noise cancellation headphones let you turn ANC on or off. More advanced models even allow for different levels of cancellation or feature Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation that automatically adjusts for the scenario and environment.
Noise cancellation is best at low, steady sounds like airplane engine drones. Even higher, steady sounds like air conditioning hums get dispatched fairly easily. The biggest test of noise cancellation comes with variable, midrange sounds like nearby conversations.
Since that’s the most distracting kind of sound for many people, shelling out for top-tier noise cancellation can be a big benefit when it comes to focusing on work in a crowded space.
Michael Garrett Steele has been writing and editing professionally since 2013, and has been a part of Reviewed since 2020. An MFA in music composition, Garrett has lent audio expertise to everyone from Independence Community College to Bethesda Softworks, informing reviews of audio equipment and services. Garrett also covers tech, drawing on experience working everywhere from IT helpdesks to enterprise architecture sales. Steele has also become a go-to reviewer for minor plumbing fixtures since covering bidets for Reviewed in early 2020.
John is Reviewed's Managing Editor of Tech. He is an ISF Level III-certified calibrator with bylines at ProjectorCentral, Wirecutter, IGN, Home Theater Review, T3, Sound & Vision, and Home Theater Magazine. When away from the Reviewed office, he is a sound editor for film and musician, and loves to play games with his son.
Nick Woodard is a tech journalist specializing in all things related to home theater and A/V. His background includes a solid foundation as a sports writer for multiple daily newspapers, and he enjoys hiking and mountain biking in his spare time.
Hailing originally from Montana, Ryan parlayed his time working as a musician and audio engineer into a career in digital media in 2012. Since then he's had extensive experience as a writer and editor, including everything from op-eds and features to reviews on TVs, audio gear, smart home devices, and more.
Lee was Reviewed's point person for most television and home theater products from 2012 until early 2022. Lee received Level II certification in TV calibration from the Imaging Science Foundation in 2013. As Editor of the Home Theater vertical, Lee oversaw reviews of TVs, monitors, soundbars, and Bluetooth speakers. He also reviewed headphones, and has a background in music performance.
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