The best noise cancelling headphones 2024, chosen by experts for all budgets
The best noise cancelling headphones will seriously improve your listening experience, bringing you top quality, immersive audio wherever you are. Even if you’re battling a noisy, fast-paced office, busy commute or the chatter in an aircraft cabin, a great pair of noise cancelling headphones can provide a sonic buffer between your ears and the rest of the world.
Over the years, we’ve reviewed many of the best noise cancelling headphones, putting their ANC, battery life, comfort levels, features and sound quality to the test against their value for money. In our guide below, we’ve included only the best headphones based on these rigorous tests. We’ve focused on the proper over-ear headphones with noise cancelling tech built-in. If you want a different design, take a look at our best noise cancelling earbuds guide instead.
Our current top pick of the best noise-cancelling headphones is the Sony WH-1000XM4. They might be a few years older than other headphones in this guide, but this means you can often find them with dramatic discounts whereas newer headphones have been rising in price. So if you’re after the best value for money, consider the Sonys. We’ve also included other affordable headphones, several more premium options, and other devices that’ll appeal to different budgets and preferences.
The quick list
Want to cut to the chase and find out which noise cancelling headphones are the best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices. You can also jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.
The best noise cancelling headphones for most people
Unbeatable on sound quality, design and value, the WH-1000XM4s are the perfect all-rounder and have seamless ANC that keeps you locked in a sonic world.
Read more below
The best cheap noise cancelling headphones
At this price point, it’s hard to believe that 1More’s Sonoflow deliver such convincing ANC but these over-ears really do the trick if you’re not looking to spend a lot.
Read more below
3. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The best premium noise cancelling headphones
Don’t mind spending a bit extra to get the best? These offer the best noise-stopping power we’ve ever heard, with phenomenal sound quality and a high-quality build as a bonus.
Read more below
The best mid-range noise cancelling headphones
These are satisfying, high-quality headphones for the price. The sound balance is excellent, they’ve got good smart features, and solid noise cancellation.
Read more below
5. Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
The best noise cancelling headphones for battery
Battery life without ANC is 100 hours (yep, you read that right) and even with ANC you’ll still get a fantastic 60 hours. If long listening sessions are important to you, these can’t be beaten.
Read more below
The best noise cancelling headphones for Sony fans
The WH-1000XM5 are Sony’s flagship cans, and offer the company’s best ANC and sound. They’re great, but beaten by rivals in some key areas.
Read more below
Load the next 4 products…
The best Apple noise cancelling headphones
These offer extremely strong active noise cancellation, along with elite connectivity and features for iPhone owners, as well as wonderful spatial audio. Just at a high price.
Read more below
The best noise cancelling headphones for sound
For audiophiles who don’t want to skimp on sound quality but also want convincing ANC from a pair of wireless headphones, the Focal Bathys are a top choice for sophisticated audio.
Read more below
The best-looking noise cancelling headphones
Every single part of these headphones has been designed and made with precision and care. They not only look great with aluminum detailing and Nappa leather, but sound incredible.
Read more below
10. Sennheiser Accentum Plus
The best pick for a tighter fit
Sennheiser’s 2024-issue affordable headphones boast some flagship features and excellent noise cancellation for the money – especially if your head’s on the small side.
Read more below
The best noise-cancelling headphones for Dolby Atmos
The Sonos Ace offer the best Dolby Atmos spatial audio and movie-balanced sound we’ve heard, via Sonos soundbars or over Bluetooth. The ANC is great too, but music quality is a weaker point.
Read more below
Becky Scarrott
I’ve reviewed over 150 audio products since becoming a tech journalist, ranging from super-budget earbuds to high-end Hi-Res Audio music players. Before joining TechRadar, I spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing everything the world of audio had to offer; before that, I was a professional dancer. I’ve test noise cancelling headphones of all stripes in all kinds of conditions, from trains to offices to planes.
August 16, 2024
Rewrote the introduction. Switched the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless for the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 as our ‘best noise-cancelling headphones for battery life’ option based on our testing. Added the recently reviewed Edifier Stax Spirit S5 and Creative Zen Hybrid SXFI to our ‘also consider’ section. Itemised the ‘how we test’ section.
The best noise-cancelling headphones 2024
Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Below you’ll find full write-ups for each of the best noise cancelling headphones in our list. We’ve tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
The best noise cancelling headphones overall
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones deliver strong noise cancellation and rich sound quality in a lightweight, comfortable design. Although these are an older model – now superseded by the Sony WH-1000XM5 – a price cut means that they’re still our top pick because they’re regularly available for such a good price. They’re still packed with great features including multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness ,and auto-play/pause – they’re all the noise-cancelling headphone we think most people will need.
In every department, the Sony WH-1000XM4 are a superb pair of wireless noise cancelling headphones. They can be beaten in any particular category, but not in every category at the same price. They deliver all-round satisfaction, and most importantly they offer there are no complaints about the sound. In our tests we listened to Janelle Monae’s absolute banger Make Me Feel. It sounded supremely powerful on the WH-1000XM4 headphones, from the bop of the percussion to the wall of sound that accompanies the pre-chorus.
On top of all this, the Sony WH-1000XM4 support Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format that enables spatial audio, plus the LDAC codec that can support CD-quality audio from compatible phones. It’s a shame there’s no aptX support, and you’ll get far better audio quality and battery life from the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 at #5 in this list – while the Sony WH-1000XM5 and newer Bose headphones (see #3 on this list) beat it for sound quality. But those are generally all notably more expensive than this model, especially during sales events, where these are always available for bargain prices.
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review
The best budget noise cancelling headphones
The 1More Sonoflow over-ear headphones prove that you can get great ANC for well under $100/£100, which is why they’re our top pick if you’re on a budget but still want to experience immersive sound – and drown out the world while you’re at it. The 1More app is easy-to-use but sparse when it comes to features. But you can turn ANC on and off and there’s an EQ with presets. The 1More Sonoflow headphones boast a huge 70 hours of battery life with ANC off and a still amazing 50 hours with ANC on – a five minute charge can also deliver more than 4.5 hours of extra listening.
These aren’t the best noise cancelling headphones you can buy, but for the price you’re getting a great experience and we think most people would be impressed by how well they perform. Sound isn’t high-end, but during our testing we were impressed with the powerful bass and detailed, crisp highs on offer here – thanks to the Sonoflow’s dual 40mm drivers. There’s support for Sony’s LDAC higher-res audio format too, but you need a device that supports it as well as audio that offers a hi-res bit rate.
These headphones have a simple design, quality hinges and there’s a matte-like finish to the plastic casing. The cups themselves are adjustable and are made from a super soft memory foam, which were comfortable to wear and lightweight at only 250g. You’ll find buttons on the earcups. It’s a shame you can’t control them but if you like physical buttons over capacitive on-ear touch controls you’re in luck.
The 1More Sonoflow over-ear headphones are great value for money. We highly rated the battery life and comfort levels. They feel more high-end than they should, which is thanks to their matt finish, sturdy case and minimal design. You’ll find better ANC and sound but, crucially, not for this price.
Read our full 1More Sonoflow review
The best premium noise cancelling headphones
If you’re looking for simply the best active noise cancellation you can get, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer it. And not only that, it’s combined with easily Bose’s best sound quality to date, which we called “electrifying” in our full review. These are not cheap headphones (though they’re much less expensive than the Focal and Bowers & Wilkins options in this list), but as our review also says “from the moment you start using them, they feel worth every penny.” If you’re looking to save some money, however, be sure to check out our Bose discount codes.
We tested them in as many different noisy environments as we could manage, ranging from international flights, to local buses, to walking around a busy city, to in the TechRadar office and at home. In all cases, they stamp down on sound more effectively than anything else we’ve used to date – if what you want is silence and focus, we cannot recommend these strongly enough. One thing we will say, though, is that the cheaper Bose QuietComfort Headphones are basically as good for this element.
However, as we’ve already said, the music quality is just fantastic in these headphones, even with noise cancellation turned on – a clear cut above the sound from Bose’s other headphones, or Sony’s offerings. Our review said that they “deliver some of the most alive, exciting, textured, finely resolved, deeply engaging music I’ve ever heard from a pair of wireless headphones.”
There are two somewhat disappointing aspects to them, though: the 24-hour battery life is below average (you get 30 hours pretty typically, including from Sony’s headphones, while you get 60 hours from the Sennheiser at #5 on this list); and they only support Snapdragon Sound for higher-quality audio. There’s no regular aptX or LDAC support, and there’s no USB-C audio input for fully Hi-Res Audio, which you get from the Sennheisers and Focal in this list.
If these don’t sound like dealbreakers, then know that the Bose Ultra really live up to their name.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review
The best mid-range noise cancelling headphones
The Sony WH-CH720N strike a great balance between price and performance, bringing active noise cancellation that absolutely reduces outside noise significantly so you can hear your music (or podcast, or whatever) more distinctly, while also giving you Sony’s usual excellently balanced sound.
Okay, for around half the price of the Sony WH-1000XM4 at #1 in our list, you’re obviously losing some quality – they’re not miracle workers. The active noise cancellation leaks in notably more sound in the low end (which is generally where it’s most effective) as well as higher-end noises, so it’s more that it reduces the volume of outside sounds than really creates that bubble of silence. On a plane, we found that we had to turn the volume up to 60% to hear soft conversation in a movie – but at least we could hear it at all. And in a less harsh circumstance than trying to watch a movie on a plane, we found that it definitely means you don’t have to turn the volume up as loud when walking in the traffic of a city, for example.
Similarly, the sound quality has less rich bass and layered mids and treble than the WH-1000XM4, but as mentioned before, it’s extremely well tuned for the dynamic range it has, so your music really sounds as it should. It has absolutely no problems with detail, serving up plenty of sharpness and clarity when needed. It just feels a little boxed in compared to the broader soundstage of more expensive headphones.
There’s no support for LDAC here, which some mid-range competitors do have (or they offer aptX instead), but there’s multipoint Bluetooth for easy switching between two devices, and a 3.5mm jack for wired audio when needed. These are also very light, and so are generally very comfortable to wear for long periods.
Read our full Sony WH-CH720N review
The best noise cancelling headphones for battery life
The reason these headphones are our top pick for battery life is they last an incredible 100 hours. Yes, you read that right. Although that’s without ANC and we assume if you’re reading this guide you absolutely need noise cancelling. In that case, you’ll get 60 hours from them, which is still incredibly impressive compared to rivals.
We were extremely impressed by the sound quality of the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, praising their “lively, detailed and confident presentation”. You’ll get the best experience from them with 16bit/44.1kHz FLAC files from the likes of Qobuz or Tidal. But, as we wrote in our review, “they don’t judge – give them what you’ve got and they’ll do their best with it.”
During our testing we were also impressed by the different customization options on offer here, like the effective seven band EQ. Noise cancelling is impressive – and most people will love the experience here – but it’s worth mentioning you will find better and more immersive ANC elsewhere in this list. What you get from these Cambridge Audio over-ears is very good, but not great.
Design-wise, these headphones tick all of the boxes. In our review we wrote: “They look, and feel, like a reasonably upmarket pair of wireless over-ear headphones.” The earpads are detachable and made from a nice mix of vegan leather and memory foam. While the headband is padded on the inside. The overall package is 330g, which is pretty standard and makes them comfortable to wear. The only downside when it comes to design is they don’t fold up small, so if you’re using them to travel bear in mind their case will take up a lot of space.
Read our full Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review
The best noise cancelling headphones for Sony fans
These are Sony’s best noise-cancelling headphones without question, if price is no object. Their noise cancellation is better than the Sony WF-1000XM4 at the top of this list, as is their sound quality. But they’re also significantly more expensive, and their upgrades over the older model aren’t huge, which is why we still think that the XM4 are the better-value buy for most people.
But the Sony WH-1000XM5 are definitely superb headphones, make no mistake. They have a premium build (though they don’t fold up any more, unlike the XM4, which is a bit of shame), with a “spacious and capable” soundstage (as described in our review), and noise cancellation that we called “very impressive” at stopping higher-end sounds compared to the XM4.
The difficult thing for the Sony WH-1000XM5 is that we think the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 could be a better choice for some people, delivering double the battery life. And if active noise cancellation is your priority, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are even better (for a higher price, though), and again are a step up in music quality.
We’ve included them in this list because there are plenty of Sony headphones lovers who want to know where the company’s best headphones are in the rankings – and we do think they’re excellent headphones by any measure. It’s just that they’re beaten on value by the XM4, on sound quality and features by the Sennheisers, and on noise-stopping power by the Bose Ultra.
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review
The best noise cancelling headphones for Apple fans
The Apple AirPods Max come with active noise cancellation, superb audio quality, and a striking design that makes them instantly recognizable, and that feels immensely high-quality. During our testing, we were truly impressed by these headphones, but they were never ideal for everyone, and more recently have been undermined by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones – but there are still good reasons to choose the AirPods Max.
Their sound is immensely expansive, natural and rich, and they offer easily the most impressive spatial audio 3D sound support of any headphones when used with an Apple device. Watching a Dolby Atmos movies with these headphones in feels stunningly close to sitting in speaker system rather than sandwiched between two headphones drivers, with the sound removed from your ears and convincingly placed in the room around you, all aligned to the screen you’re watching on. And music, whether in Dolby Atmos or not, is layered, meticulously clear, crisply defined, and effortless. The active noise cancellation is high-end too.
However, their high-price hasn’t aged well in 2014. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones sound at least as good, with even better noise cancellation, and are cheaper, lighter and more portable. The AirPods’ lack of Hi-Res Audio option, or even a real 3.5mm jack, also grates in an era when Apple Music does such high-quality sound.
But their Apple-specific features mean they’re still commendable for those with lots of the company’s devices. Aside from the spatial audio sound, they auto-switch between any number of devices, they have Find My support, they can share audio with other AirPods, and you can personalize the sound. For Android users, they’re not worth it.
Read our full Apple AirPods Max review
The best noise cancelling headphones for sound
The Focal Bathys over-ear headphones are a top pair of wireless over-ear headphones that sound fantastic when used wirelessly, but listen in wired USB-C DAC mode for 24bit/192kHz decoding and you’ll get truly exceptional sound, which is why they’re our top pick for audiophiles.
There’s a five-band EQ, which includes presets or can be tweaked manually. We’d have expected a little more battery life, but 30 hours does beat some of the top rivals on this list, including the Bose NCH 700.
Listen to the Focal Bathys via USB-C wired DAC mode for glorious hi-res audio. But wireless is good too, bringing detail, refinement, expanse and clarity to your favorite tracks. They really are a delight for sound quality, although the active noise cancellation isn’t the best of the bunch, which is why they’re not higher on this list. Having said that, they do block out some sounds, they just don’t wrap you in a cocoon of silence like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones do in particular.
If you want clear, extra detailed audio and the option for wired listening, they’re definitely worth the high price tag. If you’ve come to this guide because noise cancellation is your focus, the Bose Ultra at #3 on the list are probably the better mix of ANC power and sound quality.
Read our full Focal Bathys review
The best noise cancelling headphones for design
Bowers & Wilkins knows how to achieve premium audio quality, and its flagship wireless headphones are proof of that. Yes, the ANC is OK rather than wonderful, which is why they’re this far down this article – but noise nixing does feature, and it helps you to actually hear the sound quality over the din around you. And what sound quality – we said in our review that these cans boast “oodles of detail, agility and expanse” that you rarely get from wireless headphones. It’s exceptional and well worth the extra money, especially combined with their especially cool design over their (also luxe, just slightly less sleek) Focal Bathys rival.
They marry subtlety and flair in a way that few over-ear headphones have managed, with shimmering diamond-cut metal details contrasting with a luxe Nappa leather headband. It’s not just style over function either, as the drivers inside the chunky ear cups have been angled to sit parallel to your ears (rather than parallel to the outside of the earcups) for the seamless timing and precise sound that makes them so enjoyable to listen to. In both the audio and looks department, they’re pushing the envelope, but don’t go too far – super-desirable.
But the price makes them niche, no question, especially when – as mentioned above – the noise cancellation is weaker than some headphones half their price, and is far behind what the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer. But oh, none of those headsets has such a satisfying look and feel.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review
Best for smaller heads
Sennheiser’s February 2024-issue over-ears sit nicely between the company’s entry-level Accentum and flagship Momentum 4 Wireless listed above – and if you’re stuck trying to decide which to get, allow us to tell you that sonically and for active noise cancellation, these represent excellent value for money.
That said, while the build is classy and expertly finished, these are hardly ‘look at me!’ headphones and if you’re spending step-up money, you may have wanted a step up in terms of aesthetics.
What you do get is aptX compatibility, a whopping 50 hours of battery life (which is masses of stamina for ANC cans) and a 3.5mm jack for wired listening. Considering we loved their more expensive siblings, this is very very good news.
Any issues? Well, that depends. Some of us often struggle to find over-ears that don’t fall off or head down to the back of our crown at their earliest convenience. That won’t happen here – in fact, if your skull is on the smaller side you will love these. Larger headed? You may find the clamping force just a little heavy here.
Read our full Sennheiser Accentum Plus review
Visit our Sennheiser coupon page for our latest deals and discounts.
The best noise cancelling headphones for movies
Sonos’ very premium headphones come with some very premium features that have earned them their place on this list: in particular, their highly effective noise cancellation, and their superb head-tracked spatial audio. The Sonos Ace deliver the best sound balance for watching movies, based on our testing that directly compared them with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the AirPods Max. And they do this over Bluetooth from any source that decodes Dolby Atmos, or using a special connection to a Sonos Arc soundbar (with support for all recent Sonos soundbars coming in the future).
With movies, we found that the sound mix on the Sonos Ace allows speech to come through really clearly, while still providing plenty of power for bassy elements, such as explosions. But everything stays in its own lane – the bass power doesn’t overwhelm other aspects. And the feeling of surround sound is really strong, with elements moving around the room around your head convincingly. Tied to that, the head-tracking is accurate and lag-free.
The fact that there’s a button to instantly switch from listening via Bluetooth to the Sonos soundbar connection makes it really convenient as well – just grab and instantly to your TV to watch movies or play games with really dynamic and big sound, without disturbing anyone else (or being disturbed by them, thanks to the ANC). The only thing to note is that the 30 hours of battery life over Bluetooth drops to around just 10 hours (based on our measurements) when connected to a Sonos soundbar.
Beyond this, the Sonos Ace are very well-featured headphones, packing in lossless Hi-Res Audio over USB-C, aptX Adaptive for CD-quality wireless audio, and a transparency mode (that’s very transparent, a little too much in our opinion). The design feels very very premium and is generally extremely comfortable, though we found that glasses wearers had a harder time than others.
However, the music playback quality isn’t quite where it needs to be, considering the high price. It’s very good, but it should be amazing. The noise cancellation is also weaker than the Bose Ultra headphones, though is better than almost anything else. So, as the ranking in this guide suggests, we’d steer most people towards the Bose Ultra, but if movies are a particular priority, the Ace are worth serious consideration.
Read our full Sonos Ace review
Other noise cancelling headphones to consider
The biggest headphones we’ve reviewed recently that aren’t in this list are the Edifier Stax Spirit S5. They’re an excellent pair of wireless over-ear planar magnetic headphones that are great value for money. The problem? There’s no ANC here. But if you want an impressive spec and sound, read our Edifier Stax Spirit S5 review. We’d also recommend you take a look at our Creative Zen Hybrid SXFI review. As a set of headphones, they’re gifted in several ways, but noise cancellation (although listed on the spec sheet) isn’t one of them.
We’ve also recently tested the Sony ULT Wear headphones, which Sony has launched as a new mid-tier option, sitting between two products we have in this list: the Sony WH-CH720N and the Sony WH-1000XM5. They’re good headphones, but they have a big problem – the Sony WH-1000XM4, which is number 1 in our list. The XM4 are so often reduced to the same kind of price as the ULT Wear, but offer a finer balance of sound. For us, the bass of the ULT Wear was just a little too overstated, and the call-quality wasn’t great – but you can read an in-depth appraisal of them in our Sony ULT Wear review.
How to choose the best noise cancelling headphones
Design is hugely important, as a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones need to be comfortable for long listening sessions – look out for padded earcups and headbands in materials like memory foam for ultimate comfort.
Padded earcups also help with passive noise cancellation – in other words, they physically block sound from entering your ears. This works in tandem with active noise cancellation, with the best noise-cancelling headphones using a combination of the two methods to get rid of outside noise.
Not a fan of over-ear headphones? Our guide above is dedicated to headphones only; cups that sit over or on your ears with a band connecting them that fits over your head. But you can find true wireless earbuds with effective noise cancellation built-in, take a look at our best noise-cancelling earbuds guide instead.
As with any pair of headphones, the sound quality needs to be good, even if your focus is blocking out the world around you. How you define good sound quality depends on your personal taste. Do you like a warm, well-rounded sound, or do you prefer ultra high-fidelity audio that allows you to hear every single detail of your music? Are you a dedicated bass head or a classical music junkie?
Think about what works best for you so you know what to look for. With so many different noise-cancelling headphones out there, the choice can feel overwhelming if you don’t know what’s most important to you.
What is noise cancellation?
Noise-cancelling headphones use both analog and electronic methods to block out the environmental sound around you, allowing you to listen to your music in peace without distraction.
Active noise cancellation technology was originally implemented in a product (a headset for pilots) by Bose over 30 years ago, and the company has remained synonymous with it since. We asked John Rule, Senior Engineer at Bose Corporation, to explain noise cancellation.
“Today, noise cancellation in the majority of headphones and earbuds is achieved through a combination of both active and passive technologies. For active noise reduction, sophisticated electronics work with microphones both inside and outside the earcups to sense the sound around you and then measure, compare, and react – instant by instant – to produce an opposing cancellation signal,” says Rule.
Because noise is just a signal, it’s possible for ANC headphones to analyze the unwanted sound around you, and create an opposite version of that signal, which is then added into the music using clever processing. If done well, this will cancel out those unwanted extra sounds, but leave your music sounding just like you expect it to.
Bose’s John Rule emphasizes that it’s not just the circuitry doing the work, though. He says, “Passive noise reduction also plays a role in headphone performance. When you place an earcup over your ear or an earbud in your ear, some noise is physically blocked. The cup or bud design, materials used, clamping force of the headband, shape of the ear tips, and many other factors contribute to a comfortable fit while providing a good seal against incoming noise. When active and passive elements are combined, the result is cancellation of the noise you don’t want to hear, such as a plane engine or annoying vacuum. This lets you hear what you want, whether that’s your music or silence.”
Is it worth buying noise cancelling headphones?
Much like with any purchase, it depends on how important noise-cancellation is for you. For most people, when wearing headphones, you want to be able to hear what you’re listening to and not be distracted by environmental sounds.
While turning up the volume may help a little, a true pair of noise-cancelling headphones are able to filter out unwanted sounds more effectively without reducing the quality of the music or podcast you’re listening to.
You’ll be surprised how soon you become accustomed to noise-cancellation headphones and enjoying the relative silence away from the world.
What kind of speakers do noise cancelling headphones use?
Every pair of headphones here uses a speaker tech called ‘dynamic’ drivers to recreate sound, and this is by far the most common option for all headphones, earbuds and loudpseakers. It’s the classic cone-shaped design you might be familiar with from bigger speakers, but in these headphones the drivers tend to be between 30mm and 40mm in diameter.
To explain how these dynamic speakers work, and what it is that makes them so popular with manufacturers, we spoke to Andy Kerr, Director of Product Marketing and Communications at Bowers & Wilkins, which has been creating these types of drivers for headphones and speakers for over 60 years.
“Dynamic drivers use a magnet, a voice coil (typically made from winds of copper wire wound around a circular form), and a diaphragm/drive unit (a thin cone of material that makes the sound). The narrow end of the diaphragm’s cone is attached to the voice coil; the wide end of the diaphragm is held in place by a rubber surround, also called ‘suspension’. When electrical current is supplied to the voice coil, it becomes electromagnetic. This creates a push-pull interaction between the coil and the magnet, which it is coiled around, causing the coil to move up and down over the magnet rapidly. Since the coil is attached to the bottom of the drive unit, its movement pushes the drive unit up and down in response, creating sound pressure waves that your ears and brain translate into sound,” explains Kerr.
“A single dynamic driver can be made very compact, is light, and is highly efficient in terms of battery life, which is of course hugely relevant in the age of wireless earbuds. Dynamic drivers are also very popular in headphone designs essentially because they give companies like Bowers & Wilkins a way to use our knowledge and experience from designing and manufacturing them – for both loudspeakers and headphones – while customizing and continually improving the technology over time. For example, our approach to drive unit design combines stiffness in the material (for accuracy and fast response) plus good excursion (meaning how far the diaphragm is capable of moving, for deeper bass performance) that’s equally important for both earbuds and loudspeakers.”
For noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, dynamic drivers are effectively the only option for the speaker tech. While alternatives exist (‘planar magnetic’ and ‘electrostatic’ headphones drivers, for example, while ‘solid-state’ earbuds are also arriving), these are not used for ANC headphones, so dynamic driver tech powers everything in this list.
How we test the best noise cancelling headphones
Why you can trust TechRadar
☑️ More than 2,400 audio products reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech
We’ve tested every pair of the best noise-cancelling headphones on this list and to include them here, we’re looking for each product to excel at a number of things.
Effective noise-cancellation: we test for headphones that are able to block out sound effectively, no matter whether you’re on a daily commute or simply taking a walk. We always test noise cancellation in real-world environments, such as walking through traffic in a city, or travelling on subway, train and bus. We always try to test them on planes as well, but that depends on timing.
Additional features: around the inclusion of active noice cancellation, there’s invariably a plethora of perks we have to explore, such as multiple noise cancellation modes, customization options, how well their transparency mode works and if it works in conjunction with proprietary spatial audio processing. and how does all of this affect the battery life? Stamina is important.
Audio performance: obviously, this is a key consideration in any set of headphones. Good noise cancellation should never have to mean poor sound quality – and we made sure to check thoroughly until we were satisfied that each pair of headphones here offer clear and powerful sound, irrespective of the deployment of ANC. We test them both with ANC turned on and turned off, and compare directly to other models on the market with a range of music styles.
Bluetooth connectivity: we test for stable and reliable connections. After all, there’s nothing worse than losing a track just as it reaches the good bit. Multi-point for simultaneous connection to two devices? Auracast audio sharing? Wireless charging? You’ll know about it from us.
Comfort, design and style: we like to listen to music for long periods of time and we think you do too. So to assess a set of headphones looks alone would be wrong. We put in the listening hours and run them through our security/wearing tests too – because nobody wants to be running for a train and losing their headgear.
Value: talking of budget, we also consider whether the noise-cancelling headphones in this list were good value for money. That doesn’t mean we only looked at budget headphones – far from it – but we want to make sure that each pair offers something that makes their price worthwhile.
Our ultimate goal is to make sure you buy a set of noise cancelling headphones you’ll be over the moon with. We want them to furnish you with good quality music, free of extraneous noise, for years to come.
Latest updates to the best noise cancelling headphones
August 16, 2024
Rewrote the introduction. Switched the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless for the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 as our ‘best noise-cancelling headphones for battery life’ option based on our testing. Added the recently reviewed Edifier Stax Spirit S5 and Creative Zen Hybrid SXFI to our ‘also consider’ section. Itemised our ‘how we test’ section.
July 17, 2024
Added the Sonos Ace as the best option for movies with spatial audio, based on our testing against the other headphones here.
May 23, 2024
Refreshed the intro to reflect current products and added more recently-reviewed models (commenting on why they aren’t featured in the main roundup) to our ‘Also Consider’ section.
May 1, 2024
Checked all products against our latest reviews, and added new products in our Also Consider section.
March 28, 2024
Added a new ‘Also consider’ section covering recently reviewed products that haven’t made it into this list, explaining why.
March 4, 2024
Added the Sennheiser Accentum Plus as the best option for a tighter fit (or smaller heads).
January 30, 2024
Added the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones as the best premium option, and removed the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 given current prices and availability.
January 2, 2024
Updated the information in the guide for 2024.
November 20, 2023
Checked all entries against latest reviews, and added information about Black Friday deals.
October 13, 2023
Added a new quick menu to make it easier to see the list at a glance and introduced other formatting elements such as a navigation bar and a new lead image.
link
