These Are the Best Noise-Canceling Headphones You Can Buy in 2024
The irony of having to pay hundreds of dollars for headphones to better hear “silence” is obvious, but with all the noise that comes with life these days, finding silence is invaluable. Today, headphones are no longer used only for listening to music; they’re also microphones, devices that can hear our surroundings, and, yes, tools that can help us tune out.
This review highlights the best active noise canceling (ANC) headphones; we have also listed the best headphones . It’s the best thing money can buy to tune out the world and focus on the task at hand, the music, or the beautiful sound of silence.
The best active noise canceling headphones
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra leads the way in headphones and in-ear headphones. The QuietComfort Ultra headphones are Bose’s flagship headphones with excellent noise cancellation and comfort. Although they are expensive, they have a premium design and an “Immersive Audio” feature that improves the sound quality (at the cost of some battery life). They are also great for making calls as they have the ability to reduce background noise and distinguish your voice in a noisy room.
Best ANC Headphones for Apple Users
AirPods Max makes it to this list because Apple users will always value the ability to remain part of the Apple ecosystem. But make no mistake: Apple’s AirPods Max are excellent active noise-canceling headphones, on par with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. If you’re in the Apple ecosystem and want to stay there (and it costs you extra money), then the AirPods Max might be a better fit. Keep in mind that they are much heavier than the QuietComfort Ultra (but just as comfortable).
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AirPods Max ($529)
The Best Active Noise Canceling Headphones for High-Quality Sound
ANC technology is known to improve sound quality, but only audiophiles will notice. If you consider yourself an audiophile but are looking for the best active noise canceling headphones that can also deliver sound quality, check out the Sony WH-1000XM5 . The 1000X headphones are the fifth generation and are a popular line of headphones due to their quality. I personally have been a big fan of them for many years and have owned many of them. Sony has taken the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach over the years, simply tweaking or adding features to stay competitive in the market, and I appreciate that.
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Sony WH-1000XM5 (now $299.99)
Best ANC Headphones with Long Battery Life
As you probably know, ANC can have a big impact on the battery life of your headphones. For this reason, headphones with active noise cancellation and long battery life are simply irreplaceable. What about active noise canceling headphones that can be charged by the sun? The Urbanista Los Angeles ANC headphones feature solar charging technology that delivers the best battery life on the market, with approximately 80 hours of continuous playback on a full charge. This is much higher than any competitor, and with excellent sound quality and a more affordable price, this is a unique pair of headphones that will suit people who like to go out and about.
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Urbanista Los Angeles (currently $169)