The 10 Best Noise Canceling Headphones Of 2023

Feb 20, 2024

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Noise-canceling headphones are the best way to enjoy your favorite music or focus on spoken-word content like podcasts and audiobooks. Whether sitting in a busy coffee shop or on a long flight, there's nothing quite like tuning out the outside world and immersing yourself in some smooth jams or relaxing with calming ambient noise.

Active noise canceling (ANC) headphones go beyond the passive noise isolation most over-ear headphones offer. Instead of just relying on acoustic insulation in the ear cushions, ANC goes a step further by analyzing the sounds around you and tuning them out so you can enjoy what's coming from inside the headphones.

When it comes to picking the best ANC headphones, there's no shortage of options on the market today, with something for nearly every budget. However, unlike purchasing a standard set of cans, you'll want to consider not only the overall sound quality but how well the ANC works at filtering out the noise around you, whether that's the murmur of a crowd or the sound of jet engines.

Many premium ANC headphones also provide advanced features like transparency modes that can go the other way, helping to amplify sounds so you can carry on conversations without removing the headphones. Lastly, you'll also want to pay attention to battery life. ANC naturally consumes more power when enabled since the headphones have to do more work to actively analyze and cancel out the noise around you.

The most expensive headphones on this list, Apple's AirPods Max are arguably some of the most attractive and solidly-built over-ear headphones you can buy. The premium aluminum construction gives them a substantial feel with a uniquely understated design, yet they're balanced enough not to feel too heavy on your head. Replaceable ear cushions and simple and intuitive controls make for a comfortable fit and a pleasant user experience.

The AirPods Max are the most natural fit for Apple fans, but they're ultimately just Bluetooth headphones, so they can be used with any Bluetooth-enabled device. They also support wired audio, although you'll have to opt for a Lightning to 3.5mm cable that Apple sells separately, as there's no 3.5mm port directly on the headphones. These are clearly a wireless-first option.

Like the rest of Apple's AirPods, you'll get the best experience if you pair them with an iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or Apple TV, where you'll be able to take advantage of features like personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, seamless pairing and switching between all your devices, and built-in operating system controls for adjusting their settings. You also won't find any support for popular Android codecs like aptX or LDAC here — the AirPods Max are AAC-only, which makes them far better-suited for Apple devices that do a better job with that codec than most Android smartphones.

AirPods Max offer solid ANC, plus a best-in-class transparency mode that can be engaged with a single button to hear what's happening around you and more easily use them for phone calls. A single Digital Crown control similar to what's used on the Apple Watch lets you adjust volume with a twist or control playback with single- and multi-press combos. Apple promises up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with ANC and spatial audio enabled, and fast charging provides an extra 1.5 hours with a five-minute top-up. The AirPods Max typically retail for $549 but can be found on Amazon for as little as $449, depending on your color preference.

Anker is known for its lineup of affordable accessories, and the Space Q45 are no exception. While the sound quality won't match the most premium cans on our list, the active noise cancellation is pretty solid, and they offer good battery life and fast charging.

The Q45 feature a primarily plastic construction, which isn't surprising for headphones in this price range, with PU leather earcups and some metal reinforcement in the headband to provide some extra durability. The lightweight design makes them reasonably comfortable to wear for extended periods, although the pleather earcups aren't the most breathable, so you may want to think twice about working up a sweat with these on.

A custom Soundcore app allows you to tweak your sound profile with 22 EQ presets, adjust ANC and transparency levels, and customize the controls on the sides. They support Bluetooth 5.3 and both the AAC and LDAC codecs. This allows for near-lossless quality on most modern Android smartphones, although that may not matter much in a set of sub-$200 wireless headphones as the unbalanced sound quality matches the price tag.

Anker claims you'll get about 50 hours of battery life with ANC enabled or 65 hours without, and there's fast charging support with a five-minute top-up giving you another four hours of listening time. Anker's Soundcore Space Q45 Wireless are available on Amazon for $150.

The Beats Studio Pro are a surprising new entry from the Apple subsidiary. Not only are these the first Beats over-ear headphones to appear in six years, but they actually overtake Apple's AirPods Max in just about every way. This includes a significantly lower price tag, improvements in ANC and overall sound quality, and full support for Android features like Fast Pair.

While the design is still unmistakably Beats, the Studio Pro have packed in new drivers, plus 3.5mm and USB-C ports for handling wired audio, including hi-res lossless audio over a USB-C connection — something that works far better with Android smartphones than it does with the iPhone. While the Beats Studio Pro miss out on some small things that the AirPods Max can do for Apple users, such as automatic switching between devices, that's a minor trade-off considering they cover the important bases, including seamless pairing that syncs through iCloud and Find My features that work just as well with Apple's ecosystem as they do with Google's.

More significantly, they're also the first non-Apple-branded headphones to support personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking when used with a compatible Apple device. The ANC and transparency modes also compare favorably with Apple's AirPods Max, but they're not on the same bleeding edge as the second-generation AirPods Pro in that they won't be getting the Adaptive Transparency features that Apple has cooked up in iOS 17.

The Beats Studio Pro offer solid battery life with up to 24 hours of continuous playback when ANC or Transparency modes are enabled or 40 hours with those features off. A 10-minute charge will give you four more hours of listening time when you need that extra burst. Beats Studio Pro are available from Amazon in black, deep brown, navy, and sandstone finishes for $350.

Bose was one of the first names in noise-canceling headphones, and the Bose 700 continue that trend with a set of premium headphones that offer a more elegant design with top-notch sound quality and adjustable noise cancellation. There's little doubt the Bose 700 feature a somewhat opinionated design, with the stainless steel headband running down the outside of the earcups. However, there's some function to this form, as the earcups slide up or down for more effortless adjustment around your head. They're also well-balanced with cushioning and foam in all the right places to ensure a comfortable fit for longer listening sessions.

While the sound quality and ANC of the Bose 700 are both top-notch, it's a bit disappointing that these are limited to just the SBC and AAC codecs when listening wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.0. Still, you can wire them up with an included 2.5mm-to-3.5mm audio cable for a better listening experience. Unlike some competing headphones, ANC also works just as well here over a wired connection as it does wirelessly.

The Bose 700 also have support for Alexa baked right in, allowing you to summon Amazon's voice assistant with a single wake word, just like you can on an Echo or other Alexa-compatible speaker. They can also be used to summon Google Assistant or Siri when paired with a compatible smartphone, but you'll need to press a button to call those up, similar to how this works on other headphones.

Battery life is a bit on the lower end, with only 20 hours of listening time with maximum ANC enabled. However, in addition to offering 11 levels of ANC, the companion Bose Music app also adds an auto-off timer, so you should be able to eke a bit more run time by tweaking a few settings. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are available from Amazon in black and silver luxe for $379.

British audio brand Bowers & Wilkins is about style every bit as much as substance, and that's where the Px7 S2 set themselves apart from the pack, thanks to their more refined design and comfortable fit. However, B&W doesn't sacrifice sound quality in the name of style. If anything, the Px7 S2s punch a bit above their weight class, supporting the full range of aptX codecs, including aptX Adaptive and aptX HD, plus AAC for Apple fans. The 40mm drivers are also angled to provide more sculpted sound with good stereo imaging and improved clarity. In fact, B&W has done an excellent job of replicating the feel of its speakers inside the space of the earcups.

While the Px7 S2s fall short of the ANC levels offered by other premium headphone makers like Apple, Bose, and Sony, they still provide more than enough to tune out the bustle of the city from a coffee shop patio. There's also a competent transparency mode to let important sounds and conversations get through when needed.

For wired listening, the Px7 S2s take a page out of Apple's book, eliminating the 3.5mm input in favor of the single USB-C port, but at least you'll find a USB-C to 3.5mm cable in the box. However, this means you won't get passive audio support — wired listening requires the headphones to be powered on, consuming some battery life, although not as much as a fully wireless experience. B&W promises 30 hours with ANC on, with a 15-minute top-up giving you seven hours in a pinch. The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 are available from Amazon in white, blue, or gray for $399.

The Marshall Monitor II headphones sport a classic design that should appeal to fans of the Marshall brand of amps and other audio gear, and they offer a sound signature to match. As you might expect, the balanced V-shaped audio profile reflects Marshall's classic sound that's especially well-suited to rock genres and guitar riffs.

The biggest downside is the complete lack of any advanced Bluetooth audio codecs. There's no aptX or even AAC — you get the baseline SBC codec, and that's it. While that would've sufficed for streaming music services in 2020, most have since moved on to hi-res lossless audio that the Monitor II's won't be able to take full advantage of.

As with some others on this list, the Monitor II ANC aren't at the top of their class for noise cancellation. However, they do a capable job of handling the most common outdoor and background noises you'll encounter, so they don't disappoint in that area. It's clear that Marshall tuned these to filter out ambient noise without cutting you off from more important sounds like car horns.

You'll get 30 hours of wireless listening time with ANC on or up to 45 hours if you leave it off. They charge up via USB-C, with a 3.5mm port for wired listening, and include cables for each that nicely match the Marshall styling. Marshall's Monitor II ANC headphones are available from Amazon for $350.

You won't likely be buying Sennheiser's Momentum 4 Wireless for their design — they're easily some of the most generic-looking headphones out there — but what they do pack in is unsurpassed battery life and Sennheiser's marquee sound signature in a remarkably affordable package.

Looks aside, Sennheiser is in the upper echelon of the best headphone brands, so you're getting excellent sound quality and a battery that can run for a staggering 60 hours on a single charge — and that's with ANC switched on. As is the norm for Sennheiser, you get a balanced, neutral sound that reproduces music much closer to the way the artist and audio engineers intended, which means the bass is present without being overdone.

The Momentum 4 offer the best ANC you'll find in a set of Sennheiser cans, with some notable improvements over their Momentum 3 predecessors. But as with others, they fall short of the Sony-Bose-Apple triumvirate. The ANC will filter out the usual rumbling background noises creating a peaceful soundscape amidst the bustle, but they don't do as well with sharper sounds that quickly peak and diminish, like a barking dog or crying baby.

For connectivity, you get the usual assortment of Bluetooth codecs. There's no LDAC here, but that's mostly made up for with aptX HD and aptX Adaptive. And, of course, there's also AAC support for those wanting to pair these with an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Wired listening is also available via an analog 3.5mm jack or digitally via USB-C.

While you likely won't need to do this too often, should you manage to deplete the battery, you can get another four hours of listening time with a five-minute charge or get the full 60 hours back by plugging in for two hours. Sennheiser's Momentum 4 Wireless are available in black and white finishes from Amazon for $287.

Sony's WH-1000XM series has become the gold standard of ANC headphones, with best-in-class active noise cancellation. Only Bose and Apple can even try to hold a candle to what Sony has accomplished in this area, but the new WH-1000XM5 widen that gap with better noise filtering in the higher frequencies.

The XM5s have taken nearly everything that was already outstanding about their XM4 predecessors and ramped it up a notch. The excellent ANC performance is joined by an expansive soundstage that rivals the best headphones on the market, plus a 30-hour battery life with ANC on.

Naturally, these headphones support Sony's LDAC codec, although they do so at the cost of aptX. That's unlikely to be a big problem, though, since most modern Android phones can stream over LDAC, giving you the highest-possible audio quality. As usual, Apple users will be limited to AAC, which is where the XM5s will land more on par with other premium headphones like the AirPods Max in sound quality.

There's also a 3.5mm jack for analog audio listening, plus Bluetooth multipoint, so you can pair with two devices and easily switch between them without too much fuss. Sadly, though, the USB-C port is only good for charging the headphones — there's no support for hi-res lossless audio. Turning ANC off will push your listening time to 40 hours, and the fast charging is faster than most, with a mere three minutes on a USB-PD charger giving you back three hours of playtime. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are available from Amazon in silver, black, and midnight blue for $398.

Urbanista's Los Angeles headphones deliver good sound in a stylish design that packs in one particularly unique feature: solar charging. With these, you can forget about long battery life, as you'll get practically unlimited listening time as long as you stay in the light.

You'll get three hours of listening time by spending only an hour outside on a sunny day or two hours in cloudier conditions. Indoor lighting will also work to provide power, so unless you spend a lot of time hiding in a dark room, it's unlikely you'll ever need to plug these in. Nevertheless, you can still get up to 50 hours of ANC listening time or 80 hours ANC-free on a full charge.

It's a neat feature, but it may leave you wondering if these are a one-trick pony. Thankfully, Urbanista isn't relying on the self-charging aspect as the Los Angeles' only selling point. In addition to the trendy design, you get a rich, bass-forward sound stage that feels like it reflects the L.A. club scene. These won't appeal to folks who prefer a more balanced audio signature, but it's bold, warm, and well-suited to contemporary music.

Sadly, though, the ANC suffers a bit on the Los Angeles compared to most headphones in its class. While it's unfair to expect it to perform as well as $300+ flagships by Sony and Bose, others in this price range do noticeably better. That's not to say it's terrible, but it doesn't cancel out much unless you're listening at high volumes. That's arguably what these tubthumping headphones are designed for, though, so it may not be a big problem for the target audience. Urbanista's Los Angeles headphones are available from Amazon in midnight black and sand gold for $140.

1More's Sonoflow prove that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a decent pair of noise-canceling headphones. While the company has cut a few corners to get here, the Sonoflow provide effective noise cancellation with a reasonably good sound signature for the price.

The minimalist look may not stand out from the pack, but the Sonoflow aesthetic is nice enough that it belies their budget price tag. While more plasticky than most, the build quality is also surprisingly good for a $100 set of headphones, although it understandably doesn't feel as premium as the more expensive flagships.

Putting that aside, the Sonoflow pack in a pair of 40mm dynamic drivers plus Bluetooth 5.0 with LDAC support for hi-res audio and AAC to cover the Apple end of the spectrum. There's no aptX here, but that's becoming an increasingly common tradeoff among modern ANC headphones. You also get multipoint connectivity, which is a nice bonus in a set of budget cans.

The ANC is also remarkably competent for what you're paying here, cutting out everyday background noise. Unfortunately, the headphones switch into a passive power-off state when you opt for wired listening through the 3.5mm jack, which means there's no ANC in this mode. Battery life is impressive when running wireless, with 1More promising up to 50 hours with ANC on or 70 hours with ANC off, beating out most pricier headphones. The 1More Sonoflow are available in black, blue, or silver from Amazon for $100.