The Best Noise-canceling Headphones For 2025

4 hours ago

Whether you're moving successful a noisy office, commuting connected a packed train aliases conscionable trying to attraction astatine home, a bully brace of noise-canceling headphones tin make each nan difference. The champion noise-canceling headphones artifact retired distractions and fto you bask your music, podcasts aliases calls successful bid — each while delivering awesome sound value and all-day comfort. From models pinch plush cushions to wireless cans pinch loads of other features, there’s thing present for each style and budget.

Best noise-canceling headphones for 2025
How to take nan champion noise-canceling headphones for you
How we trial noise-canceling headphones
Other noise-canceling headphones we tested
Noise-canceling headphones FAQs

Best noise-canceling headphones of 2025

Read our afloat Sony WH-1000XM6 review

Sony’s 1000X statement has been our apical prime for champion wireless headphone for a agelong clip now. Until different institution tin battalion successful arsenic galore premium features arsenic Sony, and do truthful pinch a operation of fantabulous sound value and effective ANC, nan crown is safe. With nan WH-1000XM6, Sony subtly redesigned its flagship headphones, making them measurement much comfortable to deterioration for agelong periods of time. This is an important facet to see erstwhile purchasing over-ear headphones. We besides noticed successful our tests that nan institution made noticeable improvements to nan progressive sound cancellation, acknowledgment to a caller QN3 chip. There are now 12 full ANC mics arsenic good – nan erstwhile exemplary only had eight. This each combines to amended artifact inheritance sound astatine mean and precocious frequencies, including quality voices.

The M6 besides has improved sound quality, acknowledgment to caller drivers, immoderate thief from mastering engineers and spatial audio upmixing. Its artillery life remains nan aforesaid 30 hours arsenic its predecessor, which is much than capable to get you done respective days of activity aliases agelong world flights. Speak-to-Chat still reduces measurement and activates ambient sound erstwhile you talk and nan M6 tin automatically alteration sound settings based connected your location aliases activity. The only existent downside is that they’re $50 much than nan WH-1000XM5 astatine afloat value ($450).

Pros

Improved sound
Better ANC performance
Tons of useful features
Supremely comfy

Cons

Price has accrued again
Speak-to-Chat still needs work
Call value suffers successful large environments

$448 astatine Macy's

Read our afloat Bose QuietComfort Ultra review

Bose’s unsocial return connected spatial audio whitethorn beryllium nan header characteristic connected its QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, but nan institution didn’t place ANC connected this model. Described arsenic “the quietest quiet” disposable connected immoderate of its headphones yet, nan ANC present is noticeably amended than nan Bose 700 and iconic QuietComfort Headphones. This is owed successful portion to microphone enhancements that besides amended telephone quality. The changes are particularly evident erstwhile dealing pinch nan hard-to-combat wave scope of group talking. The institution besides offers presets that operation ANC, transparency mode and its spatial Immersive Audio, allowing you to quickly move nan sound to lucifer your surroundings. And if that wasn’t enough, nan touch controls make these over-ear headphones a breeze to usage — truthful you get bully sound cancelation, bully sound and other convenience bundled successful this package.

While nan spatial sound characteristic is simply a spot of a mixed bag, nan banal tuning connected nan QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is still bully – moreover earlier you move connected Immersive Audio. Bose has mostly lagged nan title successful position of sonic prowess, but these over-ear headphones show that spread is narrowing. There’s a dash much bass to heighten a default sound floor plan that’s warmer, clearer and much inviting than erstwhile Bose models, resulting successful bully sound overall. When Immersive Audio hits, it’s astonishing and nan audio value is genuinely remarkable. But, nan institution is relying connected awesome processing alternatively than specially crafted contented truthful nan results vary.

Pros

Excellent ANC
Improved audio
Clearer transparency mode
Comfy

Cons

Expensive
Immersive Audio is inconsistent
No USB-C audio

$449 astatine Macy's

Read our afloat Sony WH-CH720N review

The WH-CH720N won’t triumph immoderate creation awards pinch these over-ear headphones, but what you get for nan value is good worthy immoderate artistic sacrifices. Due to their all-plastic construction, nan CH720N are ace lightweight and comfy, allowing you to deterioration them for hours astatine a time. The ANC isn’t arsenic robust successful these fund headphones arsenic that successful much costly headphones, but it’s supra mean for products successful this value range. Toss successful customizability and a useful transparency mode, and you’ve sewage a coagulated instrumentality that costs only $150 — and regularly goes for astir $100.

In summation to decent sound simplification for a mini investment, nan CH720N has 35-hour artillery life, beingness controls, DSEE upscaling and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. You tin besides set some nan EQ and nan level of ambient sound. Plus, nan company’s ever-present Adaptive Sound Control tin automatically move nan sound settings based connected your activity aliases location. Last but not least, nan wide sound value is really awesome for headphones astatine this price. There’s plentifulness of item and subtlety successful nan audio; you tin really perceive nan gritty texture of distorted guitars and near-pristine acoustic instruments.

Pros

Affordably priced
Lightweight and comfy
Great sound quality
Some useful features

Cons

ANC struggles successful definite environments
Lots of plastic
No automatic pausing
Advanced features reserved for pricier models

$150 astatine Amazon

Read our afloat Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review

Sure, location are headphones that will past longer than Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless, but they don’t connection nan combo of awesome artillery life, ANC and bully sound value you’ll find here. On this model, nan institution made large improvements to its progressive sound cancellation, catching up to rivals for illustration Bose and Sony. Specifically, nan ANC connected nan Momentum 4 handles changeless distractions much efficaciously than erstwhile models successful nan series.

I don’t attraction for nan creation Sennheiser introduced connected nan Momentum 4 arsenic nan institution ditched what was a rather caller look for thing overmuch much generic and plastic. However, nan alteration comes pinch nan prize of accrued comfort. You’ll besides get fantabulous sound quality, successful fact, it’s immoderate of nan champion you’ll find successful wireless headphones. There’s noticeable extent to nan audio floor plan pinch a wide soundstage that complements each genres. You mightiness moreover observe finer specifications you antecedently missed. And, of course, its 60 hours of artillery life with ANC connected is double what a batch of flagship headphones connection these days.

Pros

Impressive 60-hour artillery life
Better ANC performance
Great sound quality
Improved comfort

Cons

Pinch motion feels unnecessary
Standout creation is gone
Auto on/off needs work

$280 astatine Amazon

How to take nan champion noise-canceling headphones for you

Design

When you’re shopping for nan champion wireless headphones, nan first point you’ll request to determine connected is deterioration style. Do you for illustration on-ear aliases over-ear headphones? For nan purposes of this guide, I attraction connected nan over-ear style arsenic that’s what astir noise-canceling headphones are nowadays. Sure, you tin find on-ear models pinch ANC, but over-ear, progressive noise-canceling headphones are overmuch much effective astatine blocking extracurricular sounds since your ears are wholly covered.

For gamers, location are besides gaming headsets that characteristic sound cancellation — immoderate moreover person detachable microphones, truthful they tin double arsenic over-ear headphones. However, for nan intent of this article, we’re only going to beryllium focusing connected noise-canceling headphones alternatively than headsets. Look for models pinch a comfortable headband and representation foam receptor cups to guarantee you tin deterioration them for agelong periods without discomfort.

Many headphones besides travel pinch a scope of colour options, truthful if aesthetics matter to you, you’ll find plentifulness of choices beyond conscionable achromatic aliases white. Whether you’re looking for thing neutral aliases a bold popular of color, brands now connection a assortment of styles to lucifer your individual taste.

Finally, if you’re readying to deterioration your headphones for agelong periods of time, it’s important to prime a exemplary pinch a comfortable fit. Memory foam receptor cups, an adjustable headband, and lightweight materials tin make each nan quality during extended listening sessions. After all, awesome sound is only portion of nan equation; comfortableness matters conscionable arsenic much.

Type of sound cancellation

Next, you’ll want to look astatine nan type of ANC a group of headphones offers. You’ll travel crossed position for illustration “hybrid progressive sound cancellation” aliases “hybrid adaptive progressive sound cancellation,” and location are cardinal differences betwixt nan two. A hybrid ANC setup uses microphones connected nan wrong and on nan extracurricular of nan instrumentality to observe extracurricular sound and cancel it out. By analyzing input from some mics, a hybrid strategy tin combat much sounds than “regular” ANC, but it does truthful astatine a changeless level that doesn’t change.

Adaptive ANC takes nan hybrid configuration a measurement further by continuously adjusting nan sound cancellation for changes successful your situation and immoderate leakage astir nan padding of nan receptor cups. Adaptive noise-canceling besides does a amended occupation pinch upwind noise, which tin really termination your vibe while utilizing headphones outdoors. Some high-end headphones besides support Dolby Atmos, which enhances spatial audio and makes everything from euphony to movies sound much immersive. For nan purposes of this champion headphones list, I’m only considering products pinch hybrid ANC aliases adaptive ANC setups because those are nan astir effective astatine blocking sound and improving your wide listening experience.

Customization

You’ll besides want to cheque to spot if nan ANC strategy connected a prospective group of headphones offers adjustable levels of sound cancellation aliases presets. These tin thief you dial successful nan magnitude of ANC you request for various environments, but it tin besides thief you prevention artillery life. Master & Dynamic, for example, has ANC presets that supply some maximum sound blocking and much businesslike cancellation that is much power efficient. Other companies whitethorn see a slider successful their companion apps that fto you set nan ANC level to your liking. Some high-end models moreover let you to fine-tune nan ANC for circumstantial types of environments.

How we trial noise-canceling headphones

The superior measurement we trial headphones is to deterioration them arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. I for illustration to do this complete a one-to-two-week period, but sometimes deadlines don’t let it. During this time, I perceive to a operation of euphony and podcasts, while besides utilizing nan headphones to return some sound and video calls.

Since artillery life for headphones tin beryllium 30 hours aliases more, I drain nan artillery pinch looping euphony and nan measurement group astatine a comfortable level (usually astir 75 percent). Due to nan longer artillery estimates, I’ll typically powerfulness nan headphones disconnected respective times and time off them that measurement during a review. This simulates real-world usage and keeps maine from having to perpetually show nan process for complete 24 consecutive hours.

To trial ANC capacity specifically, I usage headphones successful a assortment of environments, from noisy java shops to quiet location offices. When my schedule allows, I usage them during aerial recreation since level sound is simply a monolithic distraction to some activity and relaxation. Even if I can’t hop connected a flight, I’ll simulate a changeless roar pinch achromatic sound machines, bath fans, vacuums and more. I besides make statement of really good each instrumentality blocks quality voices, which are a cardinal stumbling artifact for a batch of ANC headphones.

ANC-related features are thing other to consider. Here, I do a thorough reappraisal of companion apps, testing each characteristic arsenic I activity done nan software. Any holdovers from erstwhile models are double checked for improvements aliases regression. If nan headphones I’m testing are an updated type of a erstwhile model, I’ll walk clip getting reacquainted pinch nan older set. Ditto for nan closest title for each caller group of headphones that I review.

Other noise-canceling headphones we tested

AirPods Max

Apple’s AirPods Max are premium, well-designed headphones that incorporated each of nan champion features you find connected modular AirPods: coagulated sound cancelation, spatial audio and easy Siri access. However, their $550 starting value makes them almost prohibitively expensive, moreover for those pinch Apple devices. There are amended options disposable astatine little prices.

Sonos Ace

The Sonos Ace is an fantabulous debut for nan company’s first headphones. The operation of refined design, awesome sound value and location theatre tricks creates a unsocial formula. However, ANC capacity is conscionable okay and cardinal functionality is still successful nan useful for galore users.

Beats Studio Pro

The Studio Pro lacks basal features for illustration automatic pausing, and multipoint connectivity is only disposable connected Android. Moreover, they’re not very comfortable for group pinch larger heads. Overall sound value is improved, though, and sound capacity connected calls is good supra average.

Noise-canceling headphones FAQs

Does sound cancellation artifact each noise?

Noise cancellation doesn’t artifact retired each noise, though it does drastically trim nan measurement of astir outer sounds.

Is location a quality betwixt wired vs wireless noise-canceling headphones?

In position of sound quality, if you person 2 headphones — 1 wired and 1 wireless — pinch akin specs, nan quality is going to beryllium very minimal. However, wireless headphones connection much convenience, allowing you to move astir much freely pinch your headphones on, which is why they often characteristic sound cancellation to minimize outer sounds.

Does sound cancellation effect sound quality?

ANC does carnivore immoderate weight connected sound quality, but nan effect of this often doesn’t outweigh nan benefits. Noise cancellation reduces ambient noise, allowing a greater attraction connected audio detail. For audiophiles, however, location whitethorn beryllium a mini quality successful sound fidelity erstwhile ANC is turned on.