Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones
I remember when I first put a noise cancelling headphone on my head. It wasn’t anything special, I didn’t even hear about its brand.
But when I first heard the music from a phone that still had buttons on it, my first question was “what is this magic”?
With better noise cancellation technology, better quality soundtracks and better devices, this magic took off to a whole new level!
We live in the age of distraction and it’s hard to focus on ourselves and ourselves only when we’re going about our daily commute.
Cars are always on the move, people move up and down and public transport is as loud as it gets and all this clutter can get to us easily if we let it. While some people are completely fine with it, others would like to focus more or have the option to shut the world out while they go about their business.
Now, I could recommend a meditation class to help you out, but we’re here to talk about tech stuff right now, so I’ll stick with that.
The next best option for you is to get your hands on a noise cancelling headphone. If your daily routine is in a loud environment or your workplace isn’t as quiet as you would like it to be of course.
Here is the list of 10 best noise cancelling wireless headphones I recommend:
| Hard Drive | Battery Life / Charge * | Product Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Beats Studio 3 | 12 hours | |
  | Bose QuietComfort | 20 hours | |
  | Sony H.ear | 20-25 hours | |
  | BÖHM | 16 hours | |
  | Cowin E-7 Active | 30 hours | |
  | Bluedio T4 | 16 hours | |
  | iDeaPlay V402 | 30 hours | |
  | Mpow Jaws | 13 hours | |
  | ALZN Active | 12 hours |
* Please note, that the battery life on one charge depends on the usage volume.
Imagine, having your head and especially your ears all to yourself, while shutting any ambient noise that comes from the outside, now that’s a listening experience worth having. This is why we’re going to go through what you should look for when choosing a noise cancelling headphone.
We’ll go through the most important aspects that make high quality noise cancelling headphones and recommend the best ones in our opinion.
Noise cancelling technologies and standards has been steadily improved over the years and they continue to do so, so now they can offer a really awesome experience.
Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones
There is a lot to look at and we’ve reviewed the 10 best headphones in our opinion. Check them out!
– Beats Studio Wireless Over-Ear Headphone
Thanks to the huge heaps of money Beats have invested into advertising, we all know about their headphones.
But don’t get me wrong, the Beats Studio Headphone is nothing short of intimidating and it sure delivers the sound quality it promises. It also has a very cool look and a simple, sturdy design, which makes it excellent to wear during your daily commute.
It has got a lot of praise and it really is a cool device, but does its outstanding popularity match its quality and features? Let’s find out!
At first look, the most unique feature of the Beats Headphone is its slick design and the huge selection of colors it is available in. They feature a soft but strong headband, which is one of people’s biggest concerns when they’re looking to buy a headphone they will carry around.
But the Beats headphone has a strong build quality. The material bends well in every direction and would require an excessive force in order to break.
It is quite durable, unless you smash it against the wall or throw it under a car or something. You can also carry it around safely in its sturdy case.
The headband is also adjustable, making it comfortable no matter how big or small your head is. Shortly put, it’s very comfortable!
For the features, it has a powerful Bluetooth, with the controls being on the left ear cup, on the Beats logo. With them, you can sync your device, turn the volume up and down, skip a song forward or backwards and pause and play your music.
One the bottom of the same cup, there’s the micro USB port that lets you recharge your headphone. You can also connect it with a straight tangle-free cable, featuring a 3.5 jack.
For the sound quality, it manages to deliver the high quality of sound that Beats headphones always delivered, with one improvement. A lot of people have complained that the sound overpowers the bass at times, so Beats has corrected it, offering a clear balance between the two.
Vocals are clear and you can hear high pitched sounds come in very well. Bass is more controlled, but you can hear it coming in clearly. Anyone who loves bass won’t be disappointed.
This headphone has only one year warranty, which is a letdown for me, but it is still acceptable, considering that this is a high quality product. For more information about the warranty check out the PDF linked on the buy page.
Overall, Beats offers the high quality and stylish wireless, noise cancelling headphone that is capable of covering your ears up and lets you shut out the world.
If you want to enjoy music and noise cancellation at the highest quality, be sure to check the product through the link we provided!
– Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphone
Here’s another premium noise cancelling headphone that can rival the best on the market. It has the solid, sturdy design we all know and love, the high quality sound and it demands its price for it. But is it a worthy purchase for even the true music lovers? Let’s find out!
We’re looking for a few core things, which are build quality, sound quality, comfort and naturally, how well does it cancel the noise.
In my opinion Bose QuietComfort is the go to for train and airplane rides, since they cancel mind wrecking noises very well and are incredibly comfortable to wear, since they don’t put any unnecessary strain on either the head or the ears.
The soft foam on the top can be barely felt on your head and the soft and cushiony leather covered hear pads work just perfect for me.
It’s also built out of a very flexible, yet strong material, which makes it hard to break. So stability and comfort are a major plus for these.
Controls are on the side and the bottom of the left ear cup. You have buttons for controlling volume, turning noise cancellation on and off, play pause tracks, etc.
It is a wireless headphone with a powerful Bluetooth connection that didn’t have any scrambles so far, so it works well.
But you also have a 1m wire if you want to connect it to your device through that. You can plug it in through the 3.5mm jack on the bottom of the left ear cup. On the bottom of the right ear cup, there’s a micro USB port for charging.
Now, a very impressive feat of the Bose QuietComfort is the 20 hour battery life. So far, it looks like it really holds up, which is an outstanding feature.
Sound quality doesn’t blow your mind to pieces; it’s just about what you would expect from a premium, closed cup earphone. Sounds, vocals and instruments sound very clear and the bass is well balanced.
It can be heard beautifully without interrupting the music experience even a little. I usually test my headphones with classical music and EDM, which I think produces pretty accurate conclusions, for me at least.
For the noise cancellation, I’ve felt the magic. In my opinion, no company manages to nail noise cancellation as well as Bose does, so it is the best in noise cancelling. It complies with every reason you would buy a wireless headphone for.
– Sony H.ear
Sony has been keen to producing high quality headphones over the past years and the Sony H.ear is one of their masterpieces.
It is a premium headphone that has the same price as all the other premium headphones, but does it give us a good reason to choose it above the others? Let’s find out!
The Sony H.ear is intimidating at the first look. It features a very sleek design that speaks for itself. It says comfort, robust function and portability in quite a profound way.
It features the matte color and the seamless design of many Sony products and it works well for this headphone. It reflects light from different angles, which gives a lot of personality to this otherwise simple headphone.
On the top, there’s the ratchet system for size adjustment that other similar headphones use, which makes the headphone a bit more sensitive, but it still looks sturdier than most headphones.
The headphones have a bit of swivel so that it fits every head shape perfectly. The ear cups can be folded in, which is a great plus for portability. They are covered in leather, which gives a cool and comfortable feeling as the headphone is lying on your ears. It has about 300 grams so I wouldn’t consider it heavy at all.
You can also use the carry case for extra protection but it doesn’t take many scratches if you don’t. Finally, the most powerful build feature is that this thing can bend and stretch.
It can be recklessly torn without even a crack and it will pop back into its normal shape after you’re done torturing it. Overall, its build is very robust and can withstand a lot of wear and tear without deforming.
On the left ear cup, there’s the noise cancelling on and off button, the power button, skip track buttons, play pause button and a micro USB port for charging. The battery life can go up to 24 hours, with about 70% volume and constant noise cancellation. This is truly outstanding! This headphone is awesome for the long haul.
Most headphones have high quality sound and that’s it, but the Sony H.ear takes it further, offering the possibility to play high resolution audio files. Further, the noise cancellation is done incredibly well.
I couldn’t actually tell if it cancels the noise better than the others but it definitely gets the job done. You won’t hear much of cars, your pc’s humming or any other noise in the environment once it’s turned on.
Sound quality is good, it’s great! It has true highs and good mids, offering very well balanced bass. It won’t make your ears ring and you can enjoy your music on full throttle!
So, to answer the question, the answer is yes. The Sony H.ear is great as a pair of headphones and it does offer the extra features that make it a worthy choice over other headphones here!
– BÖHM B76 Wireless Bluetooth Over Ear Cushioned Headphones
Finally, here’s an active noise cancelling headphone that brings premium sound quality, a robust build at a much more affordable price.
It isn’t cheap but it costs much less than the premium noise cancelling headphones that we enlisted so far. Let’s see what this baby has to offer.
It has a nice, very sturdy design with soft, leather cover that lessens the pressure put on your head. The round shape you see on the ear cup’s exterior is made of metal, not plastic.
So, it has a very sturdy build quality that bends well and won’t break if you drop it a couple of times. The ear cups are covered in leather, which look sweat resistant although I didn’t see that in the product description.
Either way, they’re soft and comfortable to wear and I didn’t notice them placing any strain on the ears at all. They are extremely light weight actually, even with some strong metal parts.
The control buttons can be found on the left ear cup’s side. You can use them to sync Bluetooth, turn the volume up and down or skip, play and pause your tracks. It can also be connected with the audio cable you get with it, through a 3.5 mm jack.
On the right side, there’s the switch for turning the active noise cancelling on/off and the micro USB port for connecting the device to your charger.
Noise cancelling works really well. The ear cups muffle a lot of sound to start with, but once I turned the noise cancelling on, I couldn’t hear myself talking. That echo you hear from your own voice is completely gone as you use it.
Not only that it is well-made and well-designed, the sound quality is also pretty awesome. While you definitely pay a large price for the mark that other brands put on their products, you don’t have that unnecessary cost with BÖHM’s B76 headphone.
It rivals the sound quality of premium products with small differences that either you wouldn’t notice or would get used to very quickly.
In short, in my opinion, the BÖHM B76 headphone rivals it’s brethren in the noise cancelling wireless headphone category.
– Cowin E-7 Active
With all the sturdy metal parts and the glossy, chrome finish, the Cowin E-7 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones look like a serious piece of technology slipped out of a Terminator movie.
I just waited to see it melt and shift into something else when I first saw it, but luckily that didn’t happen.
Now, I’m left with a very decent headphone that is both stylish and good to listen to. But is it really worth the money you pay for it? Let’s find out!
Even with its looks, it invites you closer to take a listen and let it bang on your ears. The 40mm large-aperture drivers definitely do the trick. The headphone delivers crystal clear sound with a good frequency range.
You can definitely fear the highs, mids and lows, with a pretty powerful, but balanced bass. I loved listening to classical music and EDM as I reviewed this baby.
What made it excel even further in my eyes is that it supports 30 hours of active use with noise cancellation, thanks to its incredibly powerful battery.
It can be charged through a micro USB cable, so all you have to do is plug it in and it will be full in a few hours.
Having a bit of metal on it, such a massive pair of ear cups and such a powerful battery, it can get a bit heavy, but you’ll get used to it easily.
Also, you can have the top of your head carry the entire headphone, so it will be incredibly comfortable to use. It covers the ears nicely and pounds down on them with some good heavy beats.
Noise cancellation works perfectly, clearing out any ambient noises, except really loud screams and other types of high pitch sounds.
If you like this powerful product as much as I do, you’ll definitely check out the updated price through the link we provided.
– Bluedio T4
The Bluedio T4 is a pair of stylish headphones that come in three different colors (red, black and silver). They have an interesting party feel about them and look pretty sturdy with a few metal parts.
These headphones offer good quality sound and cancel out any noise around you. I personally don’t like the Bluedio T4 for its design but it delivers the sound and noise cancellation that it promises at a good price, so it’s worthy of checking out. This is just my personal opinion.
Sound-wise the Bluedio T4 is pretty awesome. It has a more balanced sound compared to the T3 version. It has fewer rumbles and it is made to provide clear sound rather than powerful bass that pound down on your ears.
I personally prefer the rumbling and feeling the roughness of some good party music.
From a design perspective, the Bluedio T4 looks kind of fancy in red color. The black colored version looks much more casual and I feel much more sympathy towards it.
A pair of big cups covers your ears completely and isolates it from the world. The weight of it is also pretty good and doesn’t put any strain I wouldn’t like to have on my head. The ear cups have a swivel, so they will fit your head pretty well, but they won’t hold on if you shake it too hard.
It would be a rare occurrence for most of you to bang your head that hard, unless you’re a huge metal fan. In that case, just avoid it.
Overall, the Bluedio T4 is a decent device that provides good sounds, a stylish design and a comfortable experience. I personally find other headphones to be better, but it delivers the features that it has promised, so it is a good and honest product for a good price.
– iDeaPlay V402 Bluetooth Headphones
Now this I like. I’ve found a decent headphone with a good design and a powerful build quality that has a bit of metal in the right places.
Also, they have ditched the almost standard, round shape for the cups, which make it awesome in my opinion. It is also less expensive than all the devices I enlisted here, so it looks pretty nice so far.
The design is what I loved the most at first sight. It speaks sturdiness and quality. On the sides, it has a textured metal exterior that gives it a very cool look in my opinion.
It is also very comfortable, with a thick cushion on the headband and the cups as well. Both of them feature the same kind of leather, which has a nice, cool touch.
When placed on the ears, the rectangular shaped cups work really well. Experientially, the rectangular shaped cups aren’t much different from round shaped cups. They seal pretty well and cover your ear entirely.
So basically the shape of it is a personal preference. Overall, it’s awesome to wear it and is very light-weight with 0.55 lb. of weigh.
Syncing it with your Bluetooth device is done in a few short seconds, but you can also connect it through an audio cable. The device is compatible with just about every Bluetooth device under the sun and can connect from 33 feet away.
The sound quality is good, really good. Vocals and instruments sound clear and the extended bass pounds down on your ears the way it’s supposed to. I really can’t say much about it, other than that I liked it. I give the sound quality 4.5 stars.
The battery life is good but isn’t that amazing. It can last for 17 hours, with active use (with noise cancellation turned on), and an amazing 540 hours of stand-by use. It can fully charge up in 2 hours with the use of the micro USB cable you get with it.
To sweeten the deal, you get 30 days of money back guarantee, a 12 month warranty and a lifetime support. If you like what this headphone has to offer, be sure to check the updated pricing through the link we provided!
– Mpow Jaws V4.1
Now here’s an interesting feat. The Mpow Jaws V4.1 is the only wireless noise cancelling headphone on this list that has ear buds instead of ear cups.
But the first question is where the heck it would put the audio processor. Well, the Mpow Jaws V4.1 has a good solution to this. So, is it actually any good?
In short, yes, yes it is. In long, there is a lot to say. But it is also pretty interesting from a design perspective. The reason why it is inexpensive is the fact that it is made of cheaper materials.
Don’t get me wrong, it is still a very durable device, since it is held together with a rubber piece in the middle that bends really well. But it is pretty obvious that this device is budget oriented.
The ear buds are kept in the larger part where the processor and the control buttons are stored. While they are unused, they are attached to those large parts by a magnet.
It connects pretty fast through Bluetooth 4.1 but keep in mind that you will feel the difference in sound quality, between this and an analogue connected headphone.
Still, it produces a good listening experience and since it uses ear buds and CVC6.0 noise cancellation technology together, you barely hear anything from the outside world.
The battery lasts for 13 hours with continuous talking and music play, while it lasts 350 hours on stand-by with a single charge.
The most outstanding feature of this headphone is that it is very lightweight, but anyone who is looking for high quality sound and a powerful headphone should scroll up to the other ones.
This is a low cost device that provides a good listening experience but doesn’t match up to the high quality experience that the others have to offer. If you want to spend very little on your noise cancelling headphone or want them to be very lightweight, it will work well for you.
If you want to see the updated pricing, be sure to check it out through the link we provided!
– ALZN Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
As we move down on this list, headphones are getting cheaper and they still look very decent and have an attractive build.
But do they manage to match up to the standards we have set? Do we have to have lower quality sound or a less robust build for a smaller price? Let’s find out!
At first glance the ALZN Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphone looks just like any other full size headphone out there. I wouldn’t say that it is much more than that, or that we need anything more than that.
It is made of black plastic and has a matte finish. On the side of the cups, there’s a kind of strapped texture that gives it a more modern stylish feel, but in terms of looks, that’s it.
The cushions on the ear cups are thinner than they are on most models, which leaves more room for your ears and make it overall a better, more comfortable fit.
Although, having it thin or thick is your personal preference. I would like to see more metal in the headphone’s build but I don’t expect it from a device for this low price.
Overall, it muffs outside sounds pretty good until you turn on the music and the noise cancellation.
Once again buttons are laid out on the bottom of the ear cups. You can use them to turn the headphone on and off, control your music and turn the noise cancellation on or off.
The overall build of it is very lightweight and won’t put any strain on the head, which I’m a great fan of. The lighter a wireless Bluetooth headphone is the better.
Sound quality is what you would expect from a full size headphone. It produces clear sound and well balanced bass. There isn’t much to talk about since it works really well when the noise cancellation is turned on.
You can rarely hear anything from your surroundings and you can walk off to the land of beats all the way from there.
The ALZN Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphone it’s really worth checking out the updated pricing of this high quality product.
– Junwer V201 Wireless Headphones
Now this headphone is really serious about itself. It has the same shape and size as what we’re used to with other wireless headphones with a few extra design features.
Some of you might like it, some of you don’t. I personally prefer a simple, sleek design above the textured one that iDeaUSA’s headphones offer. It also has a microphone that lets you make phone calls.
It is made of plastic with the headband being a bit thicker than what I’m used to, making it feel comfortable on top of any head. The weight of the device can be adjusted and the ear cups can be rotated, which make it fit to just about any head you would put it on.
Once again, the control buttons are found on the bottom of the ear cup. The cups are covered with the classic leather material and they will cover your entire ear, letting the speakers punch on them.
It has pretty good sound with 40mm stereo drivers that feature aptX technology. It produces detailed, clear sounds with good bass. Overall, it provides a very balanced listening experience. Once you turn on the active noise cancelling it will filter out any outside sounds that you might encounter.
I would risk saying that it has a longer battery life than other, more premium headphones, offering 25 hours of constant listening time and 200 hours of standby time.
What also makes it an excellent purchase is the 12 month manufacturer warranty, the 30 days money back guarantee and the lifetime support you get in the package.
It’s easy to connect to any Bluetooth device or anything with a 3.5mm jack if you use the cable too. Overall, it is an awesome product at a lower price than usual. If you want to see updated pricing, check it out through the link we provided.
What Makes A Good Noise Cancelling Headphone?
First off, there’s a big difference between noise isolation and noise cancelling. A lot of people confuse this fact. Noise isolation minimizes the amount of sound that gets to your ear while you wear it. They do this through physical means, which is also called “passive noise cancellation”.
These headphones basically create a good seal over your ear, blocking vibrations from the outside, which is a welcome feature in itself, but it isn’t as powerful as noise cancellation.
Noise cancelling headphones on the other hand has a serious technology behind it that makes outside sounds seem non-existent. They use a digital processing technology as you listen to music, which cancels out any incoming sound waves and any kind of ambient noise.
So, simply put, look for headphones saying “active noise cancellation” or “noise cancellation”. They’ll provide a much better experience and if you don’t want to use their noise cancellation feature, you can always turn it off, usually with the switch of a button.
This makes them good for both indoor and outdoor use and enables you to use the noise cancellation feature when you actually require it.
There aren’t many variables to look at when you’re choosing a wireless headphone. Most of it is a personal preference; the only thing that you should really be demanding is sound quality, since you want it to produce the most realistic and truest sounds possible.
That usually comes at a price, but there are much cheaper brands out there that produce awesome headphones with amazing sound quality at a lower price.
But let’s find out how you should choose a wireless headphone for yourself already!
Decide on your needs and requirements
Don’t go shopping before you know what you want or base your decision on the best headphone that comes your way. That usually works too, but making an educated, well established decision based on your actual requirements is what’s sure to serve you in the long run.
Besides knowing the difference between noise isolating and noise cancelling headphones, it’s also very important to take form factors into consideration. This depends mostly on the lifestyle you live, the way you use your headphones and the environment you wish to use it in.
The headphones with the best sound quality are usually big and cover your entire ear cup, since there wouldn’t be much point in using noise cancellation when outside noises can easily penetrate into your cup.
So, you can choose between a full sized headphone and ear buds. Both work pretty well with noise isolation. But since there’s more room in full size headphones, they often have louder speakers, heavier bass and overall, a much better sound quality.
The conclusion is that I can’t really tell you exactly which one you should choose.
If you use it more indoors, definitely go for the full size cups. They can be great in any environment, but keep in mind that they have a bit of weight and they also get really warm.
Summers will make your ears sweat unlike ever before if you wear them, while they come in quite handy during the winter.
Headphones with ear buds on the other hand work better if you want to use them during dynamic, intense workouts. So, in short, it’s up to you to decide which one works better for you. Try both of them in a store if you can to get a better idea.
Powerful Noise Cancellation Has Its Price
There are various noise cancellation standards and not every headphone complies with them. Every noise cancelling headphone has its own audio processor.
Naturally, the quality of that processor greatly determines the quality and price of the headphone.
So, good noise cancellation and good sound quality comes at a price. If you want these features to be high quality, you’ll have to pay a hefty price for it.
I’m not saying that you should spend a couple hundred dollars on a headphone, you can buy some good ones for $100 and below, but the truly awesome ones comes at least double the price.
Look for a good battery life
Since these headphones are pretty big, they can have some pretty large batteries on the inside. But since they use an audio processor, they tend to eat it up faster than most headphones. Most of them have a battery life of around 6-10 hours, which is pretty good.
But you yourself know that the more time you have on your device, the better. Also, spare yourself some effort and money and buy a headphone that has a rechargeable battery, so you don’t have to buy new ones or replace them anytime soon.
Make sure it has a warranty
If you invest money into a more premium headphone or even one around $100, make sure that the company offers a long enough warranty. It’s an expensive product, so it should have a warranty longer than a year.
The last thing you’d want to experience is having your $300 pair of headphones break down on you without being able to repair or replace them.
Look around the web and read a couple of reviews about the company or the product to ensure that they have a customer service policy that works well for you.
It also helps to look after how you can get in touch with the company if your headphone needs a repair. The way companies handle these situations definitely wary.
Do the Best Test
Naturally, the best way to know whether a headphone works for you or not is by trying them out. If you have an electronics store where you can try it out, be sure to do it. Make sure that you have a good fit and that it covers your ears well.
If it has active noise cancelling, turn it on and test it as well as you can. Listen how much of the ambient sounds in the store you can hear. They should also have soft enough and well-shaped cushions that ensure your ears won’t hurt after a long session.
If you can’t do it, you can always watch a review video or read one. We’ve composed some awesome reviews in this article, where we go through the details of each product.
Noise Cancelling Headphones aren’t actually magic
While they do cancel out most of the ambient sounds, no noise cancelling headphone can stand against high pitched sounds, roaring car engines or airplane turbines.
These sounds will seep through, but that’s rarely a problem for anyone, so just move on and enjoy your music if that happens.
Now that we got our guide straight, it’s time to see the best noise cancelling headphones of this year, all of which offer the right price and quality, depending on what your personal preference is. Without further ado, let’s get down to them!
Conclusion
There you go! A straightforward guide and the best consumer level wireless headsets with noise cancellation! Currently, the market has some true marvels to offer for just about every budget.
Although, noise cancellation is still a pricy feature to have, some headphones managed to pack all the awesome packages we want into a less pricy model.
So by now, no matter where you are, you can get your hands on a pair of awesome noise cancelling headphones that offer the great sound quality and exceptional listening experience you’re looking for.
It was a joy to review all of these outstanding products and I had a ton of fun with it. If you want more information about any of them, you can check them out through the links we provided.
I hope that you’ve learnt what you wanted to know about wireless noise cancelling headphones and that you’ve enjoyed reading through this article!
