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Great noise-cancelling headphones don't just offer excellent noise cancellation - they're also comfortable and sound great.
That's exactly why the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones are our top pick. This pair blocks out ambient noise better than any other headphones we've tried.
Headphone technology has come a long way over the past few years. Gone are the days when using headphones meant wearing a pair of large over-ear headphones that connected to your listening device with a big cable. These days, there are Bluetooth headphones, true wireless earbuds, and even headphones that are specifically built to block out any outside noise.
Active noise-cancelling headphones are a little different from normal headphones that simply have padding that physically blocks out noise. Instead, they have a microphone that picks up noise around you, and the headphones play a sound opposite to that noise to block it out. It's a pretty neat concept that has given rise to tons of noise-cancelling headphones that are great for travel or simply getting a bit of peace and quiet.
Of course, there are a number of things to consider when buying a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. For starters, you'll want to consider whether you want over-ear, on-ear, or in-ear headphones. Then, you'll want to think about any other features that you may want from your headphones - like whether you want wireless or wired ones. Last but not least, you'll want to decide on a budget. After all, adding noise cancellation to a pair of headphones also generally adds to the price tag.
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There's also the fact that not all noise cancellation is created equal. On the contrary, while companies like Bose are known for excellent noise cancellation, some others simply add it for the sake of it, and it's not always up to snuff.
Here are the best noise-cancelling headphones of 2019:
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Why you'll love them: The Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones have a great design and sound awesome, plus they have the best noise-cancellation tech on the market.
Bose has traditionally been the top choice for noise-cancelling headphones, but Sony has something to say about that. The company's Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones have incredible noise cancellation, are super comfortable, and sound absolutely awesome.
In fact, sound is probably the main way in which these headphones beat out the Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones. The bass on the headphones is natural and deep without going overboard, while the mids are well-tuned.
The high-end response on the headphones is also very nicely tuned, and while we could have used a little more in the highs, they still sound a lot better than the majority of headphones in this price range.
The design of the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones is pretty stellar, too. The headphones are solid and comfortable, and don't feel like they'd break easily. They come with a nice carry case, so when you're not using them, they should be protected in your bag.
So what are the downsides to the headphones? Well, the main one is price — the headphones are a little more expensive than some of the other picks on this list. Still, if you can afford them, they're well worth buying.
There's no surprises here — Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones are known for their high quality, and they're by far the most comfortable noise-cancelling headphones on the market.
As you would expect from a high-quality pair of headphones, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones sound great, though audiophiles should beware of the fact that the sound is definitely not all that natural. The headphones boast plenty of bass, the mid range is a little scooped, and the high end generally offers a solid amount of clarity.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones may not offer quite as much dynamic range as some other headphones on the market, but the excellent noise cancellation more than makes up for it.
One of the best things these headphones have over previous Bose headphones is built-in Google Assistant support. You can quickly access your digital assistant without having to pull out your phone. It's a nice feature for those who like voice assistants.
So what are the downsides to these headphones? Well, the main one is the build. The headphones are very lightweight, but the trade-off is that they're largely built out of plastic, so you'll want to make use of the case that comes with them for protection. They're also a little pricey, coming in at $349.
Pros: Good sound, very comfortable, excellent noise cancellation
Why you'll love them: The AKG N60 NC headphones are very well designed with good noise cancellation, plus, they sound great and have an on-ear design that makes them a good choice for travelers.
AKG is known for its high-quality headphones, and the AKG N60 NC headphones are no exception to that rule. The headphones are well-designed, quite comfortable, and they have noise cancellation. That makes them an excellent pair of headphones for traveling, considering the fact that they're relatively compact.
One of the nicest things about these headphones is the fact that they sound great. The bass is present without going over the top, and the mids, while slightly tuned, sound very good, too. The high-end on these headphones is well tuned, present, and clear, which is great news for those who want plenty of detail.
There are a few downsides to these headphones. For starters, the headphones are wired. There are the AKG N60 NC Wireless headphones, but they're slightly bulkier and have a little different sound quality, too. Still, despite the downsides, most reviewers seem to love the AKG N60 NC headphones. Headphone Review gave the headphones 9/10, while TechRadar gave them an equivalent 4.5/5.
Pros: Great sound, decent noise cancellation, relatively comfortable
Why you'll love them: The Bose QuietComfort 30 headphones are well-designed and feature good noise cancellation, plus, they’re in-ear and very portable.
This is the second pair of Bose headphones in our guide, and for good reason. If you’re looking for a pair of in-ear noise-cancelling headphones, then the Bose QuietComfort 30 headphones are the way to go. Not only do the headphones sound good and offer good noise cancellation, but they’re also ultra-portable, thanks to their in-ear form-factor.
The QuietComfort 30 headphones are well made with a neckband-style design that features playback and volume controls on a small remote. While in-ear headphones often have a rough time when it comes to comfort, these ones aren’t so bad.
Of course, perhaps the best thing about the headphones is the fact that they sound great, as you would expect from Bose. The headphones feature plenty of punch in the bass and mid range, plus the high-end is detailed and clear, ensuring an exciting listening experience. Then there’s the noise cancellation, and while it’s perhaps not quite as good as the QuietComfort 35 II headphones, it’s still very good.
There are some downsides to these headphones, namely the fact that they’re expensive, coming in at $299. Still, despite the price tag, reviewers like TechHive and CNET gave the headphones 4/5 or more.
Pros: Great design, excellent sound quality, good noise cancellation
Why you'll love them: The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless headphones are well-designed and sound better than any other noise-cancelling headphones we've tried.
The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones may not have quite the level of noise cancellation as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphones, but the sound-quality, in general, is quite a bit better — especially for those who like a natural sound.
Before we get to the sound quality, there are a few other great things about these headphones. For starters, the headphones are extremely comfortable, which is great for those who plan on using their headphones for hours at a time. They’re also pretty well-designed, though they’re not the most portable headphones.
As mentioned, the sound quality on the headphones is extremely good. The headphones feature a nice bass-response that doesn’t go too over the top, plus they feature a very well-tuned mid range, with warm low mids and cutting high mids. The high-end is detailed and clear, which is great news for those that like natural-sounding music.
So what are the downsides? Well, as mentioned, the noise cancellation isn’t quite as good as some other headphones on the list, plus they’re a little pricey, coming in at around $350. Still, the headphones have gotten rave reviews since their launch, with Headphone Review giving them a cool 9/10, and Digital Trends giving them a still excellent 8/10.
Headphones used to be boring black things that looked okay and sounded amazing. Now, headphones look as great as they sound — if you get the right pair.
We test a lot of excellent sounding headphones at Insider Picks and many of them are very stylish, too. We've rounded up our absolute favorites below:
Audiophiles will be the first to tell you that it's easy to spend thousands on a great pair of headphones, but you're probably not looking for a pair of multi-thousand-dollar headphones. We've rounded up the best over-ear headphones in a variety of price points from $100 to $1,000 and everything in between.
Here are the best over-ear headphones you can buy:
We've been testing as many wireless Bluetooth headphones as we can get our hands on over the past few months, and we've put together this list of the best wireless headphones we've tested.
Earbuds need to be well constructed to deliver the same kind of audio quality you'd expect out of a bigger pair of headphones. Master & Dynamic pulled it off with the ME05 earbuds. They are still the best earbuds I've used, delivering excellent sound quality in a nice, neat package.
On-ear headphones give you great sound in a portable package that's comfortable to wear. Master & Dynamic's MW50 are the best on-ear headphones we've tested yet. They're an investment, but you'll appreciate these headphones more each day, as you rediscover favorite songs and fully appreciate new ones.
If you don't mind wires, Status Audio's CB1 headphones offer the best audio quality I've heard in headphones costing less than $100. The headphones themselves are comfortable when listening for extended periods of time, and unlike most studio monitor-style headphones, the cable is manageable.
