The 5 Best Noise Canceling Headphones For Every Budget – BGR

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Noise-canceling headphones used to be a high-end feature locked to luxury headphone users with deep pockets. These days, noise-canceling appears in a range of headphones, even at sub-$100 price points. The same goes for noise-canceling earbuds, too. Of course, the quality of noise-canceling varies, from dedicated active noise canceling (ANC) processing components built into luxury headphones to basic functionality at an affordable price point. Regardless, most users want the noise-canceling feature to block out day-to-day background sounds so they can focus on their tasks and make noisy morning commutes bearable.

There are noise-canceling headphones that can fit into anyone’s budget, from casual users to audiophiles. Finding a set that’s worth the money, however, is harder to find. Even headphones that seem like a good deal on paper don’t always live up to the hype. Another pitfall can be headphones that focus too much on one feature, while overall audio quality suffers. 

The best noise-canceling headphones aren’t all about their specs or the brand; some are better suited for certain types of music and audio content. While a budget pair of headphones is perfectly fine for listening to audiobooks and podcasts, a different set of head buckets might be better suited for techno or heavy metal music, just like best standard wireless headphones.

Bose is doing what it does best with QuietComfort: building dependable noise cancellation into a set of headphones that feel great. And bass, lots of bass. A focus on ergonomics with lightweight over-ear design and soft ear cushions is a hallmark of the Bose QuietComfort series design, helping with long workdays and travel.

The active noise cancellation is strong and consistent, with “Quiet Mode” providing solid sound isolation and “Aware Mode” coming in handy when you need to look out for oncoming traffic. Apparently, that’s important. The QuietComfort’s ANC produces effective reduction of both low-frequency engine noise and higher-pitched environmental sounds, making them great for travel. It also outperforms Bose’s battery life expectations, with measured playback hitting around 27 hours per charge versus the official 24 hours.

Bose is also well-known for a focus on bass, which is great for sonic booms and grimy beats, but SoundGuys found that the limited 3-band EQ on the Bose Music app didn’t do much to correct the overwhelmed mids and drowned out vocal sounds. If a user is focused on getting solid bass from a set of headphones with brilliant ANC performance, the Bose QuietComfort headphones are great for its $359 MSRP.

Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are a great all-rounder, with strong noise cancellation, loads of features, and solid call quality thanks to its eight-microphone array. It has a dedicated noise-canceling processor, which allows the WH-1000XM5 to adapt to different environments on the fly. That means consistent performance walking out of the office and onto a noisy street, for example.

For most users, the sound is great out of the box thanks to boosted bass and treble, but the Sony Sound Connect app is there for audiophiles to fine-tune EQ settings. If connected devices support LDAC, users can look forward to higher bitrates when listening to their playlists via Bluetooth audio, which also has a multipoint feature so it can be connected to your phone and laptop at the same time. Battery life outperforms Sony’s 30-hour continuous playback limit with ANC on by a couple of hours, too.

The microphone array and AI-based noise reduction are the WH-1000XM5’s biggest strengths, with beamforming for clear voice quality even in the busiest environments, but the $399.99 MSRP might put people off this all-star headphone choice. It’s worth noting that refurbished and offer pricing come along more often than expected on Woot, Amazon, and certified eBay sellers, so stay savvy with this buy. There’s $100 off that #399.99 price tag at the time of writing, direct from Sony and Amazon.

Personally, Heavys H1H are the best in-class noise-canceling headphones. After using them for over a year, being a metal head with a love of distorted (and pointy) electric guitars, Heavys H1H are perfect. That’s not to say they’re not suitable for anyone outside of the Metal and Hard Rock sphere either, with marketing campaigns positioning Heavys H1H as a good gaming headset too. Instead of chasing a neutral tuning, Heavys H1H go straight for power and impact by using an eight-driver design to deliver punch and clarity in aggressive mixes.

These features also make for fantastic headphones to use when plugged into a guitar amp. Having tried them out with a Boss Katana MKII 50W alongside Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex and Quad Cortex Mini modelers, that H1H punch complements every chug and squeal thanks to an emphasis on the H1H low-end enhancing sound output without making distorted tones fall flat.

It’s also a beast when it comes to battery life, with an impressive 50-hour span on continuous play. Heavys H1H is a bit heavier than its peers at 410 grams (14.46 ounces), but the spacious earcups and thick padding on said cups and headband counters the extra weight perfectly. While they’re not all-purpose headphones, they’re perfect for metalheads, delivering a soundscape hard to find with other noise-canceling headphones. As oif this writing, you can get $50 off Heavys H1H if you buy direct, with MSRP sitting at $299.

The Soundcore Q20i proves that effective noise canceling doesn’t have to cost a small fortune. With an RRP of $59.99, the Q20i focuses on getting the basics right rather than going all in on one feature. It’s a simple design with physical buttons and no dedicated app support, but it doesn’t need it. This is a perfect budget ANC hybrid headphone choice for the budget-conscious who just want a set of headphones for every now and again.

Thanks to Q20i being a stripped-back offering, the battery life is fantastic with 52 hours of playback. Granted, it doesn’t need to worry about dedicated processors or other fancy features, but its battery life exceeds that of many high-end headphones. The ANC on Q20i struggles with blocking out engine noises on a commute, for example, but is great at combating low-frequency noise like traffic.

The earcups can be a bit small for some, which also traps heat over time, but their comfort overall is fine. Call quality does what it says on the tin, too, but users will want to avoid generally noisy conditions. For its price point, the Soundcore Q20i is a great choice for the budget-conscious who want long battery life and aren’t interested in top-tier technology.

The AirPods Max are ambitious and full of amazing features, providing users are already in the Apple ecosystem. This makes the AirPods Max a niche set of noise-canceling headphones that only compete when playing with iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Custom drivers, adaptive EQ, and personalized spatial audio combine to make one of the best soundscapes to bless human ears.

Unfortunately, if users plan on using it with Windows PC and Android devices, they’re losing a lot of the functionality and getting basic Bluetooth Functionality. While that does include ANC and transparency modes, advanced functionality such as the aforementioned spatial audio, alongside custom settings, simply aren’t available. It would be great if Apple got out of its own way and brought full AirPod Max functionality to every Bluetooth-enabled device.

Apple users, however, get best-in-class low-frequency noise reduction and one of the most natural transparency modes available. Its aluminum ear cups and fabric headband distribute weight, and with around a 20-hour battery life, you can wear them comfortably for some time. To top it off, the AirPods Max seamlessly work with Apple devices. Just turn them on, and they can connect to an iPhone and Mac at the same time, ready to pick up and use with any Apple device. MSRP for AirPods Max is an eye-watering $549, but Amazon is selling them for $499 at the time of writing.