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How to Choose the Best Over the Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

Whether you're commuting via public transport or working from home, noise cancelling headphones can improve your listening experience by forming an audio buffer between your ears and the outside world. But how do you determine which pair is best for you?

There are two primary types of noise-cancelling headphones: passive noise cancelling head phones isolation and active noise cancellation. The first type uses earcups with thick padding that is fitted to block out outside sounds, while the second utilizes built-in microphones to produce opposing sound waves that cancel ambient noise.

Comfort

If you're on noisy public transit or battling for office space with chatty colleagues or trying to catch some sleep on a long-haul flight, noise cancelling headphones offer an acoustic buffer between your ears and the rest of the world. They also allow you to enjoy your music at a relaxing level without putting any strain on your ears. Furthermore, the majority of our top picks come with light-weight designs that are comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Traditionally, noise cancellation involves the use of active sound-reduction technology which creates opposing sound waves that cancel out background noise. There are headphones that come with passive noise isolation which encases the earcups or buds around the ear to block out unwanted sounds. However, the best models we tested employ active sound cancellation to offer an unbeatable escape.

You'll want your headphones are well-designed and fit snugly. You'll also want to ensure that they don't leak which can cause annoyance to those near you. For a truly immersive audio experience, you'll need headphones that are compatible with the high-resolution Bluetooth codec LDAC. It allows them to playback hi-res music at 96kHz/24 bits resolution, making them an audiophile's dream.

A lot of new models can fold, allowing them to be small and easy to carry around. The Bose QC45 headphones we've reviewed, for example, are an excellent choice if you're looking for an affordable travel headphone that can fold flat to fit inside its case. If you're a frequent flyer, the Sennheiser HD 450BT are a good pair that folds to the size of a carry-on bag to make it easy to transportation.

The majority of the models we've reviewed are wireless and some come with built-in microphones for hands-free calling. The app lets you adjust the volume and noise cancellation settings which is great for those who need to adjust their headphones while on the move. Some wireless models include docking stations for on-the go listening, while others have a portable case that provides plenty of battery life even when you're not at home or at work.

Sound Quality

Quality of sound is a major issue for music lovers of all kinds particularly when it comes to headphones. Noise cancelling headphones are an excellent way to block out the sounds of outside.

If you're planning to spend a significant amount of money on headphones, it makes sense that they'll be capable of playing your music as well as possible. Fortunately, as ANC headphones have advanced, the sound that they provide has also improved considerably over time. This has led to some of the most powerful headphones on the market today that beat the best audiophile headphones available.

Of course, the sound quality you'll hear will largely depend on how you listen to music and what your preferences are. Some prefer a full warm, warm sound with plenty of bass, whereas others may prefer high-quality headphones that can hear every nuance in a song or an album.

Noise cancellation is a personal decision. While ANC is excellent at eliminating monotonous sounds like the whooshing noise of an aircraft, head phone or the roar of traffic, it's not able to eliminate dynamic sounds with various frequencies and intensities such as human voice or instruments.

If you are looking to get the most effective passive isolation, a pair of headphones with ANC that is excellent will be a good choice regardless of whether they're headphones for earbuds or over-ear. You can enjoy a remarkable isolation even with no active noise cancellation using Comply memory foam tips or similar products that mold perfectly to the shape of your ear.

Of course, most ANC headphones come with an array of Bluetooth codecs, allowing you to connect them to the audio source that works the best for you. The Sony WH1000XM4s, as an instance, come with LDAC support as well as DSEE Extreme to ensure you can enjoy your favorite songs in high-quality and stunning detail. Sinead's sibilant cry and her forceful chorus, is evident in her rendition of Nothing Compares 2 U.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling headphones provide an sonic buffer between your ears and the world around you. They listen to ambient sounds and then use built in microphones to "read" and only allow the sound you want to hear. They're an excellent choice for working from home, or any situation where background noise is distracting or irritating.

To create the magic, noise cancelling headphones have an engineered technology known as active noise cancellation (ANC). Small microphones in earcups or earbuds are able to listen to the sounds you're exposed to, then emit the exact opposite frequencies that will meet and effectively cancel out those unwanted noises, leaving only the music you're listening to. It's a little more complicated than that, and it depends on the quality of your ears, the headphone design and the quality of its audio processing, but the basic idea is that they can effectively reduce the noise you hear, be it an aircraft engine or your friend's animated conversations.

Although they're not able completely transform your surroundings into a silent empty space, the best over the ear headphones noise cancelling over-ear ANC headphones we tested do excellent job of blocking out most background noises. You should consider the possibility of a pair with adaptive noise cancellation. This takes ANC to a whole new level by monitoring ambient noises and countering them in real-time while keeping the audio that you'd like to listen to (including handsfree calls) at a constant volume. The Sony WH-1000XM5s provide an example of this technology in the action.

Many over-ear ANC headphones have additional features that make listening enjoyable. Look for features like touch controls, high quality audio codecs, and support for head phone voice-assistants such as Siri or Google Assistant. A wireless Bluetooth connection is essential for convenient and hands-free audio playback, and a portable charging case that helps you remain connected while on the go.

Another feature that is useful is a passive mode, which allows the noise cancellation circuitry to be turned off and lets you listen with the same isolation as regular headphones. This is a great feature to use when you do not want to hear any outside noises, or don't have enough battery to charge your headphones.

Value

If you are listening to music or making calls, a quality pair of headphones can make you feel like you're in a soundproofed room. Noise cancelling headphones are more expensive than their non-noise-canceling counterparts, but they provide superior sound quality and block out distracting ambient sounds. They are well worth the extra price for those who have to spend long hours in the office or out on the road.

The Sony WH1000XM5 headphones are packed with useful features. They are incredibly sound cancellation capabilities and a dedicated mic that produces natural clear and clear audio when you call and DSEE Extreme Audio Upscaling. Their ANC system does an excellent job of blocking out sounds from outside but they struggle to shield you from low-frequency sounds like traffic or trains passing by.

They're also light and fold into a compact, D-shaped bag that tucks into a carrying case, making them ideal for use on the road. They are compatible with a variety of voice assistants, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and they come with the ability to automatically stop your music when you take them from your ears. You can also connect them with a wired cable to listen to your favorite videos or podcasts in noisy environments.

The Razer Opus Wireless headphones offer great value for the money. They come with a great ANC system, but they also have the option of turning on the external microphones of the headphones to allow more sounds from your surroundings to be heard. The headphones have an integrated USB-C charging socket, so they can be used while being charged. They also have a low-latency Bluetooth connection which is crucial for gaming on the go and watching videos.

If you're looking for a less expensive option look into the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless headphones. They do an excellent job in blocking out distracting noises such as the rumble of buses and plane engines to the high-pitched hum of computer fans. They can last for more than 32 hours on a single charge and have an auto-off timer that can save power.