Mar 10, 2024 11:00 AM

The Best Noise-Canceling Headphones

Tune out (or rock out) with our favorite over-ears and earbuds.

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Shaking off the world and sinking into a new album can feel like a train ride through the countryside … unless you're sharing that seat with two young toddlers. Or if your neighbor's dog is barking. Come to think of it, there are a lot of sounds that can ruin a good song. That's why we have headphones that isolate and cancel out noise. Below are the best noise-canceling headphones and earbuds you can buy, handpicked and tested by the Gear team here at WIRED.

Not seeing anything you like? Check out our other audio guides, like the Best Wireless Earbuds, Best Workout Earbuds, Best Cheap Headphones, and Best Wireless Headphones.

Updated March 2024: We've added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e headphones, Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, and Sony WH-CH720 headphones.

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Photograph: Bose
Best Overall
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
What Bose doesn’t know about active noise-canceling headphones isn’t worth knowing, frankly. With the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, the company has managed to improve on its own giddily high standards. These headphones do a simply remarkable job on external annoyances, leaving you in splendid isolation to enjoy the balanced, poised, and articulate sound they serve up. They’re on the pricey side when compared to their most obvious competitors, but with these Bose you get exactly what you’re paying for. Frequent fliers and the like should form an orderly queue. —Simon Lucas
$429 at Amazon
$429 at Bose
Photograph: Sony
A Close Second
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony redesigned the exterior of its popular flagship headphones for the fifth generation (9/10, WIRED Recommends), making them a bit sleeker and more competitive with Apple and Bose in looks. What didn't go away is the company's excellent noise cancellation, super customizable sound, and fantastic battery life. They're pricier than previous generations, but the sound is more absorbing, with a more energetic feel than the less dynamic models that came before.
$398 at Amazon
$398 at B&H Photo

Photograph: Apple
Best for iOS
Apple AirPods Max
If you use an iPhone and you are willing to pay $550, Apple's noise-canceling over-ears (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are a fantastic choice. They are probably among the best wireless headphones you'll have ever heard, but astonishing fidelity isn't the only reason to buy the company's flagship cans. Excellent pairing and connection with Apple devices, top-notch noise reduction, and some of the finest build quality you'll find this side of $1,000 make these a great pair for most people. The only thing not to like about the AirPods Max? The included soft case does very little to protect the headphones when they're not on your head.
$549 at Amazon
$549 at Apple
$550 at Best Buy
Photograph: Bose
Best for the Office
Bose Noise Canceling 700
Bose’s Noise Canceling 700 offers excellent noise reduction that quiets clacky keyboards or chatty roommates; they also have great sound quality and battery life. But the real reason to buy the 700s is for call quality. They use advanced signal processing and four microphones to limit the sound of the world around you on phone calls. The person you're calling will think you’re in a library, even when you’re in a rowdy living room.
$380 at Amazon
$380 at Target

Photograph: Sony
Still Great
Sony WH-1000XM4
This isn't the newest model, but Sony's WH-1000X lineup has produced some of the best noise-canceling headphones for nearly a decade, and the previous-generation WH-1000XM4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are no exception. Sleek, businesslike looks and a 30-hour battery life match its successor, and this version sports better noise cancellation and audio upscaling than its predecessors, both of which contribute to a cleaner overall sound signature. The high-quality microphones don't make you sound like you're underwater in Zoom meetings, which is an essential upgrade in the post-Covid world. It periodically goes on sale for under $300, so avoid buying it at full price.
$348 at Amazon
$350 at Target
Photograph: Focal
For Audiophiles
Focal Bathys
If money is no object, this pair from French hi-fi brand Focal (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best. The magnesium and aluminum headphones—with custom French-made drivers and super soft earcups and headband—offer listeners some of the best wireless audio I have ever heard. From deep lows to crisp highs, these resemble their more expensive, corded, brethren but allow you to listen in planes, trains, and automobiles without toting along an external digital-to-analog converter or special audio player.
$699 at Amazon
$699 at B&H
$699 at Headphones.com

Photograph: Amazon
Best Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
It bears repeating: Bose is the absolute master of active noise-canceling technology. The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are just the latest demonstration of the company’s expertise. Get these earbuds positioned just so, set them up to your satisfaction using the excellent control app, and the outside world need never bother you again. It almost goes without saying that the sound you’ll enjoy is big, bold, and vivid—which is something else Bose knows all about.—Simon Lucas
$299 at Amazon
$299 at Best Buy
$299 at Bose
Photograph: Sony
Best Backup Buds
Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony's fifth-generation flagship earbuds slim down while stepping up. These buds are smaller and slicker (maybe too slick when it comes to grabbing them) than the previous XM4 buds, while still providing fabulous sound and noise canceling that outduels every pair of buds not made by Bose. In true Sony style, they serve up a truckload of adaptive features and EQ controls while retaining their battery bragging rights of up to eight hours of playback time with ANC and 12 hours without it. —Ryan Waniata
$298 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$298 at Walmart

Photograph: Apple
Also Great for Apple Devices
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) With USB-C
AirPods are middling, but the AirPods Pro (8/10, WIRED Recommends) are a different story. This is the second generation of the buds to come out, and have the same great fit and noise-canceling tech as the first generation, and better audio quality. This version also has an improved codec, in case you end up using it with your new Vision Pro headset, as well as USB-C charging.
$189 at Amazon
$250 at Best Buy
$249 at Apple
Photograph: Bowers & Wilkins
The Most Comfortable
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
There didn’t seem to be much wrong with the Px7 S2 (9/10, WIRED Recommends), but Bowers & Wilkins has gone ahead and fixed them anyway. The Px7 S2e feature upgraded digital sound processing for greater sonic insight and engagement, and the result is a pair of headphones that sound as upmarket and sophisticated as they look. What the company hasn’t done, though, is alter the way they fit, or the materials from which they’re built—which means the Px7 S2e are supremely, almost indecently, comfortable to wear over the long haul. That's just as well given that battery life is a big 30 hours (including seven hours of action from just a 15-minute charge). —Simon Lucas
$399 at Amazon
$399 at Best Buy
$399 at Bowers & Wilkins

Photograph: Anker
Best Cheap Buds
Anker Soundcore Space A40
These sub-$100 earbuds from Anker (8/10, WIRED Recommends) have all the features you'd expect from a much more expensive pair. You get a wireless charging case, multipoint pairing, and decent overall sound, plus what WIRED contributor Ryan Waniata calls excellent noise canceling for the money. The buds even have 10 hours of battery life, with four full recharges in the case. One downside? They don't have a sensor to auto-pause music when you pull a single one out of your ears. Not a bad compromise, given all the other features.
$78 at Amazon
$100 at Soundcore
Photograph: Jabra
Best for Workouts
Jabra Elite 8 Active
We've loved Jabra's rugged workout earbuds for years, and it's no surprise that its flagship pair are our new favorites. The newest version are now IP68 rated, which means you can run them through the washer and they'll survive. They also have a new, bigger charging case which has improved the battery life for a few years. Jabra's noise-canceling technology is especially effective because the fit is so dialed, but HearThrough technology still lets you hear ambient noise. If you want to save a little money and don't mind slightly worse specs, we also really like the Jabra Elite 4 Active ($120).
$200 at Amazon
$200 at Target

Photograph: Amazon
Great Value
Sony WH-CH720N
Sony may rule the “premium wireless noise-cancelers” roost, but that doesn’t mean it’s ignored the less well-off among us. The WH-CH720 are sensational value for the money: properly built and finished, with accomplished active noise-canceling skills and big, burly sound quality. Yes, it would be nice if they folded up and/or came with a protective case, but you can’t expect everything when you’re paying such a competitive price. If you want more than a taste of the high end of the market without actually having to pay for it, you really can’t go wrong here. —Simon Lucas
$150 at Amazon
$150 at Best Buy
$150 at Sony
Photograph: QuietOn
Sleep Buds
QuietOn 3.1
Perfect for co-sleepers who may need that little extra peace and quiet to get through the night, these tiny buds drown out any auxiliary noise, be it the sound of the highway outside your window, or the snores of your spouse right next to you. As soon as I popped them in, the world was totally silent. The QuietOns are sleek and petite and come with different-sized ear tips for customization. Plus, the battery lasts for 28 hours, so you only have to charge them every few days based on an eight-hour sleep schedule. It is worth noting that if you’re sensitive to active noise canceling and experience the eardrum suck phenomenon (where you feel intense inner ear pressure), or earbuds just aren’t that comfortable for you in general, these may not be your best option. They don’t play music, you can’t listen to a guided meditation, and best of all … you really can’t hear anything, though they're more expensive than passive earplugs.
Check out our Best Sleep Gadgets and Best Earplugs guides for more sleep recommendations.
$289 at QuietOn

Photograph: Sony
Honorable Mentions
Other Noise Canceling Headphones We Like
Now that the majority of new headphones and earbuds offer at least a modicum of noise canceling, it'd be impossible (and unproductive) to list everything we like above. But if you haven't yet found your fit, here are some more favorites worth considering.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 for $218: It's no surprise that the Bowers & Wilkins flagship noise-cancelers, the Px7 S2 (9/10, WIRED Recommends), sound good and look great. What you can't see (or anticipate) is how light and comfortable these headphones are on your head. Frankly, the only reason these headphones are here instead of above is that B&W went and updated them too quickly with the even better-sounding Px7 S2e.
Apple Beats Fit Pro for $199: The Beats Fit Pro are an aging but still knock-out pair of wireless buds, with great sound, easy-access physical buttons, and solid noise canceling to boot. Add to that six hours of battery life, spatial audio compatibility with Apple Music and other services, and you've got one of the best pairs of earbuds ever “designed in California.”
Sony WF-1000XM4 for $240: Sony's WF-1000XM4 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) still have some of the best noise reduction we've heard from a pair of earbuds and offer the same super-customizable sound we love from Sony's over-ear headphones. These are becoming harder to find, and they're a bit too large for smaller ears but the extra size allows for fantastic battery life.
Amazon Echo Buds for $120: Amazon's second-gen Echo Buds (8/10, WIRED Recommends) don't provide quite the same silence as the top buds on our list, but they're still a good low-cost option. Amazon's built-in Alexa voice assistant lets you set timers, check the weather, and control your buds hands-free. The buds sound pretty good too, making them worthy of consideration several years on.
Epos/Sennheiser Adapt 660 for $197: Want excellent sound, a comfortable fit, and high-quality noise-canceling tech for less than what you'd pay for Sony or Bose headphones? Check out this collaboration between Epos and Sennheiser. The Epos/Sennheiser Adapt 660 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) sound fantastic, and are some of the lightest noise-canceling headphones I've ever worn. They also feature excellent microphones for great silence on calls and Zooms.

Parker Hall is a senior editor of product reviews at WIRED. He focuses on audiovisual and entertainment products. Hall is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied jazz percussion. After hours, he remains a professional musician in his hometown of Portland, Oregon.

Writer and Reviewer

Simon Lucas is a technology journalist and consultant. Before embracing the carefree life of a freelancer, he was editor of What Hi-Fi? He's also written for titles such as GQ, Metro, The Guardian, and Stuff, among many others.

Contributor

TopicsShopping buying guides Headphones wireless headphone noise-canceling