The Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones

Often when you’re working hard on a project or playing a game, you don’t want to be disturbed by the sounds of gardeners mowing the lawn or cars driving by. And while earbuds and headphones may help quiet some of the unwanted noise around you, noise-canceling headphones can do a significantly better job at reducing these sounds with their active noise control. A good pair of noise-canceling headphones should do more than just block ambient noise, however. The quality of their audio is equally as important. Check out our list of the best wireless noise-canceling headphones below to help increase your focus and productivity with the sweet sound of music.

What To Look For

When choosing our favorite wireless noise-canceling headphones, we paid close attention to aspects like their comfort, audio quality, and ability to effectively reduce ambient noise. For example, Anker’s Soundcore Life Q20 is a sure-fire winner in this regard. This comfy pair uses hybrid noise-cancellation technology to block out both low and mid-frequency noises. Raycon’s Work earbuds, on the other hand, have active noise cancellation capabilities and an Awareness mode that allows you to pay attention to what’s going on around you. Keep on reading to find out more about our favorite wireless noise-canceling headphones.

Anker Soundcore Life Q20

Impressively immersive

These premium headphones have a large battery to give you hours of playtime before recharging.
Best Overall

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Anker’s Soundcore Life Q20 headphones balance audio quality and noise-cancellation capabilities for a long-lasting listening experience. With up to 40 hours of playtime between charges, these wireless headphones can last several days before you need to worry about plugging them back in. Their hybrid active noise cancellation technology utilizes four built-in microphones to help detect and cancel out ambient noise, significantly reducing the drones of cars or workplace chatter.

Pros:

  • Anker’s BassUp technology does a fantastic job of providing rich low frequencies. Not only do they boost the volume, but they also reproduce the bass tones with clarity and depth.
  • These headphones have voice assistance that conveniently notifies you of their pairing status and remaining battery levels.
  • The hybrid active noise-cancellation feature on these headphones does a great job at preventing low hums from distracting you as you work.

Cons:

  • While the earcups are comfortable, they fit on the larger side, which may be an issue for people with smaller heads or ears.

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones

Block out the ruckus

These wireless headphones utilize dual microphones to significantly reduce ambient noise.
Runner Up

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Sony’s noise-canceling headphones use forward- and backward-facing microphones to give you superior background noise reduction, whether you’re just listening to music or are on a conference call. With their 30mm driver units, these headphones produce crisp audio so that you don’t have to turn them all the way up. They have a built-in microphone and voice assist that allows hands-free calling and can last up to 35 hours before needing to be recharged so you’re not constantly tied to a cord. And when they are low on battery, simply plug them in with the provided USB cable for a quick charge.

Pros:

  • We love the lightweight design. They’re perfect for a jog since they stay comfortable and secure.
  • These headphones have a solid 35-hour battery life, giving you plenty of time in between charges.

Cons:

  • The padding on these headphones isn’t the softest and may be irritating to some who have sensitive skin.

Donerton Wireless Earbuds

Don't sweat it

These wireless earbuds loop over your ears to ensure they stay in place as you move, and their water-resistant design ensures they keep performing through all the weather.
Waterproof

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If you’re an active person who wants to listen to their music on the move without the distractions of the world around you, Donerton’s wireless earbuds are what you need. With their ergonomic ear loops and soft rubber plugs, these earbuds securely stay in place as you get active. Better yet, they’re IP7 waterproof to ensure rain and sweat don’t cause any damage, and they come with a charging case that gives you additional protection from fall damage. One button on top gives you full control over your volume, play or pause, previous or next, and more.

Pros:

  • These earbuds come with three rubber plugs of different sizes, so you can find the best fit for your ears.
  • The price is super affordable, offering a great audio option at a reasonable cost.

Cons:

  • The noise cancellation doesn’t always block out ambient noise completely.

Raycon Work Earbuds

Get down to business

These earbuds have fantastic mic quality to make sure you sound clear in any work meetings.
Best For Work

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Great for the home and office, Raycon’s Work earbuds make sure you have the audio quality you need to sound professional. With six Vivid Voice microphones, these earbuds help filter out background noise so that you sound crisp and clear in your meetings. They also have advanced active noise-cancellation technology that helps block ambient noise to help you focus, as well as an awareness mode that helps you hear what’s going on around you. Lastly, these earbuds come with three sound profiles so that you can choose the perfect audio balance that best suits you.

Pros:

  • The ability to swap between active noise cancellation and awareness mode is extremely quick and convenient, keeping you prepared if the situation changes.
  • We really enjoy the audio quality on these earbuds and the three sound profiles are a nice touch.

Cons:

  • These earbuds only have an eight-hour battery life when playing consistently, so you may need to charge them daily.

Bose QuietComfort 45 Headphones

Premium sound

These headphones have an adaptive EQ technology to provide the best audio balance, no matter how loud or quiet it gets.
Best Audio Quality

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Bose’s QuietComfort 45 headphones offer some of the best audio you can get out of a pair of wireless headphones. With their Active EQ and Triport acoustic technologies, these headphones provide a full and balanced sound, with clear highs and smooth lows. They fit comfortably over your ears with soft padded ear cups. And with the ability to switch between Quiet and Aware modes, you can easily turn active noise cancellation on or off when necessary.

Pros:

  • The soft and plush earbuds are gentle on your ears and head, even if they’re used for a long time.
  • These headphones have some of the most impressive noise-canceling abilities, filtering out more sounds more consistently than others.

Cons:

  • These premium headphones come at a premium price, so they may not be within everyone’s budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does active noise cancellation work?

Active noise cancellation works by taking in the sound frequencies of the noises around you and quietly emitting the opposite frequencies, effectively canceling out the two. It works the best for long, consistent sounds like road traffic or airplane engines. Abrupt noises like the bark of a dog may be too fast for the technology to generate the destructive frequency. Because of how energy-intensive it is, active noise cancellation will drain your headphone’s battery more quickly than when you just use it for audio.

What makes noise-canceling headphones better than passive ones?

Active noise cancellation proactively works to counteract ambient noise. Passive noise cancellation, on the other hand, relies on well-designed features like earcups or earbuds to block noise from reaching your ears. Because of this, active noise cancellation can often be a more reliable way to reduce ambient noise, especially long drawn-out sounds that these headphones can easily identify.

About the Author

Kevin is a certified tech-head. He has been building his own computers since he was in the 8th grade and currently builds custom keyboards in his free time. You can trust Kevin to always be up to date on the latest changes in the PC space, and he's here to help you find quality products without the premium price tag.

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