Finding the right active noise cancelling headphones can take a bit of trial and error, especially if you will be listening to your music in a loud or busy room where external noise is a problem. Noise cancellation is vital for blocking out those background higher pitched sounds so you can thoroughly and fully enjoy your music, movie sound, gaming sound, or other audio.
Audiophiles can be very particular about their noise cancellation, and only some headphones can reach that level of noise reduction. We have taken the time to compare a wide range of headphones that reduce noise enough for audiophiles to appreciate and have narrowed it down to some excellent choices for you to consider.
While we did put a focus on noise cancellation and how well it can handle blocking out annoying noises, we also compared other features and benefits these headsets could offer including battery lifespan, comfort levels, overall internal and external component quality, and more.
Whether or not you are looking for the best of the best when it comes to noise cancellation, or simply want a nice pair of headphones you can use in a busy office, there is something for you on this review list.
| Best Overall Noise Cancelling Headphones To Block Voices, Crying & SnoringSee On Amazon |  | Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless | See On Amazon |
| Best Value Noise Cancelling Headphones To Block Voices, Crying & SnoringSee On Amazon |  | Bose 700 Headphones Wireless | See On Amazon |
| Also Recommended Noise Cancelling Headphones To Block Voices, Crying & SnoringSee On Amazon |  | Shure AONIC 50 Wireless | See On Amazon |
| Best Premium Noise Cancelling Headphones To Block Voices, Crying & SnoringSee On Amazon |  | Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 | See On Amazon |
| Best Budget Noise Cancelling Headphones To Block Voices, Crying & SnoringSee On Amazon |  | Jabra Elite 85h Wireless | See On Amazon |
Well known brand-name offering a stylish looking headset with excellent noise cancellation capabilities.
Sony is a well known name when it comes to electronics and noise cancelling headphones. They put an emphasis on build quality and internal component quality. Their WH-1k XM4 is no exception when it comes to being the best noise cancelling headphones on their lineup. These active noise cancelling headphones have been designed and crafted to a high standard in order to offer a wide range of benefits to the wearer when playing games, watching movies, or making phone calls.
The comfort levels here are off the charts, making these headphones great for long hours of continuous use. They are lightweight and have excellent padding so you won’t run into any pressure point issues on your head or around the ear pads. Too much pressure from headphones can cause fatigue in your muscles and skin, leading to bruises, sores, and general discomfort.
The noise cancellation of most ambient noise is excellent even with loud background noise, as well as the other perks they offer including DSEE extreme upscaling, multipoint pairing capabilities, and more. When it comes to codecs, you’ll find all major codecs accepted, save for aptX including HD which means your high resolution sound files may be lacking.
One of the top names in headphones and speaker technology, you’ll find superior noise cancellation from these.
Bose went above and beyond with these noise cancelling headphones, making the noise cancellation not only excellent when listening to music, but also highly effective when making calls too. Whether you are an audiophile that loves getting the best return on your favorite music, or you use these Bose headphones for a variety of listening tasks, the Bose 700’s are a great choice when you need to cancel noise around you.
While their price which is under $400 can be a bit higher than comparable competition, the brand name and warranty behind it may be worth it to some. The quality of sound is extremely good on these ANC headphones, with undeniably superior noise cancellation when playing music or listening to gaming sound waves. Every soundstage in our test was clear and vibrant with well balanced highs and lows in every way.
The battery life on these ANC headphones can reach 20 hours of continuous use which makes these a great option for weekend getaways, traveling by plane, or when enjoying relaxing music or white noise to help you sleep or study.
Perfect design with active noise cancellation to ensure you can enjoy your favorite music in any location.
Shure has put a focus on providing the highest quality noise cancelling headphones possible, with a much more budget friendly price when compared to big names such as Sony and Bose. With the AONIC 50’s you will find superior active noise cancellation technology in their stylish over-ear designed headphones, even if you are listening to music in areas with constant noise around you.
The soundstage on these noise cancelling headphones is great with all types of music, giving you the freedom to listen to anything you truly love. We noticed a very detailed and clear performance when testing a wide range of music styles as well as podcasts and movies. If you are putting a focus on audio quality, the AONIC 50 is a great choice.
They’re also a simple to use and understand headphone. You won’t find a dozen different buttons and struggle to understand what each one does. Instead, you’ll get a solid pair of headphones that have basic features and outstanding noise cancellation and sound quality for audiophiles and studio professionals, as well as anyone playing white noise for sleep aid.
Very beautiful headphones that look luxurious while offering high quality noise cancellation and outstanding sound.
These noise cancelling headphones are stylish and beautiful to look at. If you want something that looks luxurious while also offering high quality sound and noise cancellation, the Beoplay H95’s are a great choice when you are buying headphones.
The sound is highly expansive and the noise cancellation is superior as it can block out almost 100% of background ambient sounds including screaming babies, a snoring partner, an airplane engine when flying, and more. The level of noise cancellation you get is also fully adjustable, so you can fine tune it to your liking depending on the area you may be listening to your favorite music.
These luxurious and high quality noise cancelling headphones carry a premium price to go with their premium looks and construction. You’ll find high quality internal components, as well as durable and luxurious exterior materials including 100% genuine leather. If you want outstanding looking expensive headphones with superior quality capabilities to play music at pristine levels in both higher frequencies and lower frequencies, look no further.
Highly stylish design with high-end internal components to create a solid noise cancellation capability for all listeners.
Offering up to 36 hours of battery life, you’ll find these active noise cancelling headphones are an outstanding value for the price. Not only can they provide a highly stylish look when worn, but these noise isolating headphones also offer a terrific audio stage for both highs and lows, though they may not be compatible with all codecs to get that fine-tuned punch.
These wireless headsets are an outstanding choice for anyone that puts an emphasis on well balanced audio, crisp and clear highs, deep bass lows, and high quality noise cancelling. You’ll find the midrange on these over-ear headphones to shine without any distortion or muted audio like so many other noise isolation headphones struggle with.
The comfort level on these Bluetooth headphones is also off the charts, making them great for daily use, long hours of wearing, commuting, or even falling asleep with when listening to relaxing music or white noise. The noise cancellation is outstanding and can really help make these headphones feel much more expensive than they actually are.
When it comes to wireless headsets, battery lifespan is a very important consideration. The last thing you want is to run out of battery lifespan when commuting or away from a power socket. Many headphones on this list offer a battery lifespan of more than 24 hours, with some reaching 36 or 38 hours as well.
Battery lifespan can depend on a few factors, mostly the battery quality itself. Higher quality batteries, such as lithium ion, will last longer than others. Age of the battery and headphones can also play a part, as can the ambient temperature around the headphones.
If wearing your headphones for long hours, comfort levels (see also comfortable gaming headsets) are extremely important. Most headphones are well padded and can be resized to fit your head comfortably. Ensuring you adjust them for your best personal comfort can help make long hours of use much easier on your scalp and ears.
Design quality can mean different things to different people, but aesthetics can be important on many headphones. Not only will they look nice, but they can also fit better depending on the design itself.
Some of the features with external design quality can include genuine leather padding, high quality plush foam or firm foam, moisture resistant ear cups and headband, titanium or silver accents, durable connection reinforcement for wires if applicable, and more.
One of the more important features when it comes to selecting your next pair of headphones, sound quality can make or break a headset in no time. Obviously if you are purchasing a new pair of headphones, it’s because you are looking for a high quality delivery of all types of audio.
When it comes to sound quality, take a look at the frequency range, connection options, codec capabilities, ST and HD tolerance, and more. All of these will tell you more about how the headphones can handle different types of music.
For example, codec capabilities and HD audio both play a part together. In order to get HD audio, you need a particular codec. Some headphones may not be compatible with those codecs meaning they might not be the best choice for audiophiles that demand high definition audio replay.
Wired headsets will normally connect to your devices via USB or standard headphone jack in either 3.5mm or 6mm sizes. Wireless headsets will connect via Bluetooth by way of a USB dongle that plugs into your device to aid in the pairing.
Depending on the style of headphones you get, the connection options can play a part in not only the effective uses of the headphones, but the quality of the audio too. USB connections are the most common, but some audiophiles swear by 3.5mm and 6mm jack connections offering a better return on sound due to the connection quality.
As with anything, especially electronics, prices can be seen in a huge range. Some of the lower end headphones are great for spur of the moment purchases, while the higher end pricing may be more of an investment or require some long-term savings.
Regardless of your goal when it comes to price, always try to compare the features of the headphones as well. Higher priced headphones may not always offer the best sound quality or features, or can be on par with other headphones several hundred dollars cheaper.
Wired and wireless headsets are a personal choice more than anything, however some audiophiles do say that wired headphones deliver a better overall sound than wireless can. This may be due to potential disruptions in Bluetooth signals or may not.
If you will be listening to your music in one spot, wired connections may be your best option. Many wired headphones offer cables up to 12 feet long giving you plenty of freedom if you need to move around your desk.
Wireless headsets can give you the freedom to move around your home, as well as outdoors for commuting or traveling. As long as your connected device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone is along for the ride, the headphones will work perfectly fine wherever you may go.
In some cases, yes. Gaming headsets can and occasionally do offer high levels of noise cancelling options, especially on closed back models. Gaming requires the wearer of the headphones to be in the moment, especially on fast paced games where they are in competition against other players and you wear headphones to be aware of all ambient noise around you.
Gaming headphones are necessary to provide spatial awareness. If an enemy is coming up behind you, you need to hear this information clearly without wondering if it was sound from your house leaking in instead.
You can also find noise cancellation in gaming headsets for both the headphone speakers as well as the microphone, making them an outstanding option for anyone making calls and clearly hearing human voices even with loud surrounding noise. It’s not standard to find headsets of any kind with noise cancellation for the microphone as well, but some gaming headsets do offer this added perk.
Prices set for headphones can depend on a wide range of factors including the brand of the headset, the style and design, the quality of internal components, and more. For wireless headsets, the battery type is also a huge factor in price as batteries that offer longer lifespans can cost considerably more to manufacture.
In some cases, you may simply be paying for the brand name of a headset and, if you look around, you may find the same or better features in lesser known brands for cheaper. If you are looking for a good balance of features and price, don’t be afraid to shop around with lesser known brand names.
Before you make any purchase, consider your needs. Don’t just focus on noise cancellation, instead look at other features on the headset too including the design and style, the features added for comfort, and more.
Decide whether you need wireless headphones, or if wired will work. Make sure you know what type of connection will work with your device too. If you are using a desktop computer, USB and 3.5mm jack are common – but for stereo systems, 6mm jacks are still used in many cases.
Also decide on the level of noise cancellation you need. Will you be in a mostly quiet room with the occasional background noise, or will you be in a constantly busy room with various people talking, things being done, and papers shuffling?
After taking a look at a variety of active noise cancelling headphones and comparing their features, pros, and cons, the pair we like the most is the Sony WH-1000XM4. Not only are these headphones stylish to look at and sound fantastic, but they are from a well known company as well which means you are protected by a warranty.
For noise cancellation, we found the capabilities to be excellent and almost superior to every other headphone we tried with these Sony offering both passive isolation for a wide range of disrupting sounds including barking dogs, a noisy office, engine noise, and other external sounds. This makes the Sony headset perfect for commuting as well as at-home listening.
The added perks are also highly appreciated including the multipoint pairing and upscaling with DSEE Extreme. While it does lack a bit in aptX HD capabilities, it more than makes up for it in offering a full range of other accepted major codecs for standard and high definition audio playback.