Best Noise Canceling Headphones
Hi all, I have Bose Quiet Comfort nc headphones from 2004. I loved them. Electronically, they still work great, but mechanically they are on their last legs.
I’ve had a hard time finding what seem like good reviews online.
My use case is primarily for airline flights.
Can anyone make any suggestions? Any thoughts about in ear vs over ear?
I've had Sony WH-1000XM2 for two years now.
Bought it just before boarding for a 7-hour flight, and it was great. Even after a dozen flights since then, I'd still recommend it anytime. Its noise cancelling is amazing (source: I've tested it in comparison with Bose QC35, everyday in the shop before going for this one).
The XM3 has been released a while ago (minor update IMHO), has good reviews and is regularly discounted. With Black Friday almost there, you should get good deals on it.
I personally don't feel the need to buy it since I have the XM2, but I could get it for my wife.
I've had:
1. Bose QC-15
2. Bose QC-25
3. Bose QC-35
4. Bose QC-35 ii
5. Bose 700
6. Apple AirPods Pro
Far and away my choice now is AirPods Pro. They are comfortable to wear whilst sleeping on a flight (over ear can't be worn comfortably), and the noise canceling is significantly better than the Bose.
The only downside for me is battery life (I get about 5hrs out of them).
I have tried quite a few different as I value th sound quality as high as the noise cancelling.
I originally had Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2. They had amazing sound, connected quickly and quite good battery life. They were however not that comfortable for long durations as the headband lacks padding.
I then bought B&O H9 which was almost as good sound quality wise but a lot more comfortable. They however ended up having problems with bluetooth and I had to switch them.
Both Sony MX3 and Bose QC35 have a way too synthetic sound to them for my taste. I then tried the third gen H9 but they did not sound as good as my old ones for some reason. I then tried the new Sennheiser Momentum 3 which sounded quite good, with really good deep bass, but it lacked some control at places and was just a very large headset.
Then finally B&W came out with the PX7 recently and once I tried those I just had to have them. Their sound is almost bar none - at least to my taste, and their noise cancelling is exceptional on par with MX3 to my ears and finally they have extremely long battery life.
So 4 weeks in or something like that, I am really loving my PX7's and would recommend giving them a listen.
I have the QC35 and the WH-1000XM3.
The Sony have punchy sound. If you're a bass head, you are going to love them.
The application that goes with them also gives you a lot of control. However, after playing with all the settings for a few days, I found myself not touching them ever again.
For noise cancellation on airline flights, the Bose do a better job. Even after adjusting the Sony to the aircraft pressure level. Maybe the Sony are better at canceling other people's voice, but they are not as good as the Bose to cancel the noise of the aircraft engine.
The Airpods Pro also do a surprisingly good job at canceling the noise of the engine. During my last flight, I used the Airpods Pro and the Sony on top of them. Not very comfortable, but noise cancellation was amazing :)
When it comes to comfort, the Sony tend to hurt the top of my head after a while. The Bose are more comfortable.
I purchased the BOSE QuietComfort 35's - and they felt nice, were lightweight, cancelled noise well. They did not give me a headache, etc. For my personal taste, I found the bass lacking. I like to listen to dubstep when it gets noisy at work (something that I can just zone out to and not have lyrics to listen to, etc). And the lows just didn't hit hard enough for me.
Shortly after, I returned them and got Sony WH-XB900N -- after reading many reviews on both headsets. They are also lightweight, do not give me a headache, and were easy to set up / pair. The bass in them is amazing. If I'm ever distracted, throw them on, turn on some dubstep and just feel the music. It's a totally different experience. I feel much more immersed in the sound with them.
I should say that prior to purchasing either of the above, I only used the stock earbuds that come with the iphones. They weren't so compatible with the shape of my ear canal though, and my ears would start to hurt around the 30 minute mark.
Apart from Bose the other popular choice is Sony.
I wound not underestimate normal headphones as well.
Senheiser HD280 for example are very good with passive isolation at a really low price.
I personally use PXC 550 Wireless which can connect to two devices at the same time (a feature not always present to NR headphones)
Bowers & Wilkins PX are a solid alternative to Bose/Sony and similar price range.
If you want to listen to silence or audiobooks then the others have a stronger cancelling effect and will probably suit better. But if you enjoy listening to music I found the PX is more subtle, with 'just enough' NC that it does not compromise on sound quality but still removes annoying environment noise.
I have flown with them a few times now as well as the QC35 and prefer the PX. The build feels better (a little heavier) and has the same nice features like fold flat and removable cups. I think they will hold up well with travel abuse.
I think the new benchmark seems to be the Sony WH-1000XM3.
I was lucky enough to be able to try these and the Bose QC35II and for me the Sony just edged it.
They are over ear, have extraordinary battery life and are very comfortable.
They can even hold their own on the London Underground which is saying something. Highly recommended!
Everyone seems to talk about noise cancellation as it relates to wearing them on an airplane.
Airplanes are an easy problem to solve for because the engine noise is loud and of a constant tone.
The problem I need to solve for is random noises found in the workplace like people talking, printers printing, and other inconsistent tones that’s happen throughout the day.
Has anyone found a good pair of noise cancelling headphones that work in an office environment?
I really like the performance of my Bose QC-35. The problem is the slide switch: it broke with days left on the one year warranty so I called Bose expecting an ordeal but within five minutes a “new or refurbished” QC-35 unit was on the way — with the warranty extended out another year - along with a return shipping label to send back the broken pair. It’s been a couple years since the warranty swap and the slide switch on the replacement QC-35 has also broken. I simply set the auto-time-off to five minutes and use the pause/play button to turn them on after auto shutoff. The only problem is pairing the headset with another/new device as the slide switch needs to be gingerly manipulated in just the perfect manner, something you’re not going to do while driving.
All of that to say that when I saw the details on the model 700 I smiled when I saw there was no more slide switch on the device. I’m patiently waiting for my QC-35 to die completely before buying the model 700 as a replacement.
Wirecutter[0] always has the best in-depth reviews for headphones (of every type). I have the Bose QC35's (older generation, they were just refreshed) and they are great. I would recommend over the ear, especially if you are using them on flights or a noisy office.
[0] https://thewirecutter.com
Sony WH-1000XM3: I've used several ANC headphones before. None of those come close to this. Sound quality is extremely good too. Good battery life. A 15 minutes charge gives me 5 hours of playback.
On the negatives: A bit heavier than Bose headphones but not by much. The "touch control" is sometimes annoying to use.
I had to return by Bose because the NC gave me a weird pressure like feeling and it was uncomfortable to listen for more than 20 minutes at a time. Funny enough, the Sony 1000XM3 don't give me that feeling at all, I can listen to it all day no problem. I highly recommend the Sonys.
If you're after a very good set of budget noise canceling headphones, I would recommend Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2.
Over hear are the best in my opinion, but now that it's winter I regret that it's difficult to use a hat and over hear headphones at the same time.
I have a pair of Bose QuietComfort 32 II, which are quite lightweight and absolutely love them. However before the new 700 model came out, Bose released a firmware that reduced the noise cancelling impact on the QuietComfort 32 II (although they swear that the firmware upgrade shouldn't change impact noise cancelling it was measured by independent parties and it is indeed reduced).
As far as noise cancelling goes, there's really only 3 phones that are worth considering:
WH-1000XM3
QC35
Bose 700
As a side note, I use a pair of beyerdynamics DT770 80 ohm headphones, and they have positively excellent isolation. With music on, I can't hear anything outside, and nobody can hear anything I'm hearing at all. Have you tried to see if closed, isolated headphones fit your use case? There's way more options in that space, so you're more likely to find something comfortable and with a sound signature you really like.
Apparently in tests the new Sony’s are slightly better NC than the Bose, but I tested them in a store and preferred the audio quality of my Bose QCs and couldn’t personally tell a difference in NC.
I couldn’t live without my Bose QCs and they go everywhere with me. You don’t realise how much noise there is in day to day life until you’ve worn some good NC headphones around for a while then forgotten to take them with you one day.
I can't believe no one else has mentioned the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9 headphones. They are $139 the last time I checked and they blow the doors off of any Bose noise-cancelling headphones I've tried. They are great for flights. I've had mine for years and bought several pairs for friends and family, and everyone I've gotten them for loves them.
I use Nuraphones at work. Their main advantages are a gel-based ear surround and in-ear deliver of most non-bass sound, combined with environmental filtering and pass-through option if you need to hear around you.
Also, they detect your hearing range though some sort of auditory feedback they're sensitive to, and are really clear as a result.
Beoplay H9. Had QC35 for years until they broke and have tried Sony’s, but like H9 the best so far.
Cost a few dollars more though.
I'm using the Bose QuietComfort 25 wired headphones right now. I've been using them for years. Every time an ear cushion wears out or falls off, I buy new ear cushions and replace the old ones. I've now resorted to even using Gorilla glue to keep them attached (because the base isn't in good shape any more). They're still perfect in sound quality and really, really comfortable.
I tried buying beyerdynamic headphones a couple weeks ago, but the comfort didn't compare - at all. They were too tight and the cushion wasn't nearly as soft.
I'd strongly consider comfort as one of your metrics. There are a lot of nice over-ear headphones with good sound quality, but the cushion padding and stretch of the bridge matters too. Bose uses really nice cushions. I've heard good things about Sony's as well.
I bought a pair of Sony MX3 earlier this year, or maybe late 2018 and at the time I did a lot of research on them. I think it boils down to a choice between the MX and the QC and the best option for you is probably going to be a tad personal. I know people who swear by the the QC, my wife included, but the MX fit me (and my rather sturdy glasses) much better.
There may be a few technical favours either way as far as version goes, the MX3 has an advantage when I bought them, but having tried my wife’s QC for a week they certainly do the job as well.
The hand control features/gestures on the MX suck by the way, so don’t take those as a selling point. Solely go for long term comfort.
I also have a pair of QuietComforts that are over a decade old. I recently bought replacement ear covers from Bose, and an aftermarket cable on Amazon, and after using them all day yesterday, can report that they seem to be good as new!
I've been using the same set of parrot zik v1's for about 7 years.
Cons: heavy, 6 hour battery life
Pros: good sound, comfortable (for all day wear), over ear - so good for blocking out the extraneous noise, funky design
I quite often check mixes I'm working on from home while day jobbing on them and they are not studio grade, but they are good clear revealing without too much hype in any of the frequency ranges - they are a little 'smooth' compared to studio quality, but that seems good in a set of headphones that are primarily for blocking out noise.
I replaced the ear pads for the first time this year - now good as new.
On a plane, I double up. Either my Shure in-ear (noise-insolation) or my Bose QC30 in-ear (noise-cancellation) with my older Bose QC15 (noise-cancellation) over-ear on top. Seems to work really well for me. Obviously, if I have any music/film on then the in-ear are the ones plugged in.
For my commute (train+tube/bus+walk) I use my Bose QC30. Full-on noise cancellation on the train/tube, then I dial it down to 50/50 on the noise passthrough when walking in London to avoid being crushed by a bus or cyclist. (And also in-ears are harder for moped based thieves to steal off your head)
Audiophile perspective:
Even though i like the idea of ANC , it can fail in so many places. If you want something that can block noises, i would consider going for noise isolation instead.
Shure earbuds offer great isolation. But they tend to have flatter bass. Shure SE535 is a great balanced one but expensive a little.
Sony’s ANC is your bet if you are looking for ANC headphones. Any of their line has a good implementation.
For overly expensive ANC, you can try the AKG noise cancellation headphones. They are extremely expensive to the point i don’t recommend them
I don't have much experience from a NC perspective, but I recently got the Sony WH-1000X MK3 for office & travel and I greatly enjoy them. From a an amateur audiophile perspective, they sound pretty good, they're pretty comfy, and the touch controls are pretty nice.
One nice feature that I found out about digging around the manual is that if you touch your whole palm to the right side (the touch control side) the sound quiets and the ambient noise is amplified, kinda like taking one ear out. It's a nice little touch.
Not exactly to the question, but for reference in an office environment (where the noise is more intermittent): several years ago my Bose headphones weren't helping me for that, and I found the best combo for me was industrial earmuffs (like 3M, blocking maybe 30 decibels), combined with foam (or noise-blocking) ear buds placed underneath, and a white noise or similar app (like chroma doze off the f-droid.org app store). If there is better general noise blocking for offices, I'd like to know.
Hey,
I'm using WH-1000XM3. I bought it couple of months ago. I think it is good. But, it also depends on your music taste. I mean if you are bass-heavy, WH-1000XM3 might not be enough for you.
I have a pair of Bose QC 25. I don't know whether they're the best in terms of noise cancellation (certainly good enough for listening to music or watching movies at a comfortable volume on a flight), but they are the most comfortable headphones I've ever owned, which is an important factor if you intend to wear them for long stretches of time. They are literally the only pair of over-ear headphones I can wear for a workday without my outer ears hurting.
I have the Bose QC 25s and the Sony WH-H900N headphones.
I am not an ANC expert and it is subjective, but they're both great, but if I had to pick one, I'd say the Sonys edge it out for sound isolation and noise-cancelling.
The QC 25s are nice, because they use a AAA battery, and not a sealed, lithium ion battery. So, with proper care, they should last a while and aren't obsoleted by a bad, sealed battery.
I have an old wired Bose QC25 which still works great.
Although I have taken it to many flights, I recently bought the Bose QC20 wired because headphones are harder to sleep in especially if you sleep on the side. I would recommend the old Bose QC20. I wish Bose would update this and still keep it wired, it's great.
Not one Sennheiser post here? I have the Momentum 2.0 and have found them to be very comparable to Bose in noise cancelation, and better for music.
I have a pair of 2004-era QC and they’re super nice, but I found that the Beats Studio Wireless noise cancellation was as good as theirs and have been happy.
I can’t use the modern Bose QC because they cancel so strongly that it makes me want to vomit, so apparently there’s a limit somewhere.
I haven’t had a chance to try the AirPods Pro in an airplane yet, but their noise cancelling seems equivalent to the other two so far.
I use both inner ear and over ear Bose. I find noise cancellation feeling is more prominent to the point of distraction on the inner ear QC 30s. I find the QC 35 over ear provide better experience. Sony's 1000 seems to edge Bose out in noise cancellation. However I have been impressed with the 700, and I think Bose is now back on top. Either of them are cracking noise cancellation headsets.
If you are looking for Noise Cancellation, there's just ONE answer: Bose.
In my experience, no other brand provides a better active noise cancellation. Bose is still king (and by far). I've tried Sony, Schneider and others that I forgot. The QC35 were by far the best ones. I have not tried the latest Bose version tho, so I don't know if they are worth it or not.
I'm using Sony WH-1000XM3 and I'm extremely satisfied. Before I was using some JBL in ear. Expecially in an open office, the additional passive noise cancellation of good over ear headphones is important for me. I find the Bose QC 35II at the same level (and now cheaper) but the Sony look better :)
If anyone has issues with ANC, I suggest giving Etymotic IEMs a shot. I have ER2XRs, they provide a quoted 34-42dB of isolation. I never had a problem with the deep insertion, they sound great and are relatively cheap.
This isn't necessarily directed at OP since he's been using Bose since 2004
For whatever it's worth, I've had the same pair of Bose QC-15's for many years. I have replaced the cable twice and the ear pads twice. They are comfortable and have decent noise cancelling. I won't use wireless anything if I can avoid it, but I am weird that way.
In terms of reliability and support I would say whatever Bose's latest NC headphone is in the QC line.
I owned a few (sony, beats, Samsung, and others - all over the ear) and settled with Bose. My QC35 was great and worked for years, but recently I upgraded to a Bose 700 and can say that, if you're looking specifically for Noise Cancellation, you can't go wrong with it.
Slightly ot.
For sound quality, go for B&O Beoplay h9i.
Worse ANC than Sony XM3s or Bose, but the sound is so nice. I tried Bose QC35, bought and returned Sony XM3. For flights, as others have said, bose or sonys (maybe airpods pro?). But for music listening in the office, can't recommend h9i enough.
The QCs are unbeatable for noise cancelling. My QC15s are my best friend at school, or, at least they were until I got the new AirPods. If you’re using them on a plane, I doubt anything could beat the QC35s.
Can I crash your topic ?
I'm looking for a similar recommendation but with one additional requirement - minimal latency, as one of my use cases will be watching movies. Any ideas ?
Sony XM3, Bose QC 35 or Bose 700 - try them all and pick whatever is most comfortable. Noise cancelling in all 3 is good enough that you're unlikely to be able to tell the difference.
Sony WH-1000XM2 can be had for a steal occasionally - given that it's last gen model.
Definitely over ear for flights. Combined with foam plugs you can pretty much sleep in silence on overnight flights
Edifier W860NB. I never wore anything more comfortable on my head. It's half as cheap as the popular mentions here (bose and sony), but the sound quality is miles better.
If you're going for Bose, their latest Headphones (NC 700) is something you should look at. Sony came a close second, but that was before Bose updated the QC35.
I just returned the Bose QC35 - was worsening my tinnitus, they are really flat and uncomfortable to wear around neck.
Sticking with Sennheiser HD25s
Piggy-backing this question: does anyone knows good noise cancelling headphones that are wired?
I have done extensive testing and review reading. You have two options: sony xm3 or bose 700.
I love my PSB M4U 8s. Great sound, replaceable batteries. Been using them for about a year.
Any of these in budget range?
I've had Bose QC-35, one word: amazing! Extremely recommended.