How to Choose the Best Over the Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

If you're traveling by public transportation or working from home, noise-cancelling headphones can upgrade your listening experience by creating an audio buffer between your ears and the outside world. How do you choose the Best over ear headphones noise cancelling pair for your needs?

There are two kinds of noise cancelling headphones that are active and passive noise cancellation. The former makes use of padded headphones that fit comfortably to block out outside sounds and the latter rely on built-in microphones that create opposing sound waves that cancel out ambient noise.

Comfort

Whether you spend your days in noisy public transportation or battling for office space with chatty colleagues or attempting to catch some shut-eye on an overbooked flight, noise cancelling headphones offer an acoustic buffer between your ears and the world. They also allow you to enjoy your music at a relaxing level without putting any strain on your ears. Furthermore, many of our top picks have light-weight designs that are comfortable to wear for hours.

Traditionally, best over ear noise cancelling headphones noise cancellation involves the use of active sound-reduction technology which creates opposite sound waves to block out ambient noise. There are headphones that come that have passive noise isolation which seals the earcups or buds around the ear to block out unwanted sound. However, the top models we tested have active sound cancellation to give a true escape.

To achieve the optimal results, you'll need to make sure that your headphones fit comfortably and are well-designed. You should ensure that they don't leak since this could be irritating to those around you. For a truly immersive audio experience, you'll need headphones that support the high-resolution Bluetooth codec LDAC. This allows them to play back hi-res music at 96kHz/24 bit resolution--making them an audiophile's dream.

Many of the latest models can be folded which makes them compact and practical for travel. The Bose QC45 headphones we've reviewed for instance, are an excellent choice to consider if you're looking a comfortable travel headphone that can fold flat to fit into its case. If you're a frequent traveler, the Sennheiser HD450BT is a fantastic pair of headphones that fold down to fit into your carry-on bag.

Most of the models featured in our roundup are wireless, and a lot of them are truly headphones with built-in microphones that allow hands-free phone calls. The app allows you to adjust the volume and noise cancellation settings which is great for those who want to adjust their headphones on the move. Some wireless models also have an charging dock for mobile listening, while others utilize an accessory case that can give you a long battery life when away from work or home.

Sound Quality

Sound quality is a big issue for many music lovers especially when it is about headphones. Noise cancelling headphones are an excellent option to block out external sounds.

If you're spending a lot of money on headphones, then you want them to play your music as effectively as they can. Fortunately as ANC headphone technology has evolved and improved, the sound they deliver has also improved dramatically over time. This has led to some of the Best over ear Noise cancelling headphones headphones available today that can compete with the top audiophile headsets.

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

The kind of sound you appreciate the most is contingent on how important noise cancelling is for you. While ANC is excellent at eliminating monotonous sounds, such as the whooshing noise of an aircraft, or the roar of traffic, it's not able to stop dynamic sounds of varying frequencies and intensities like human voices or instruments.

This is why a great pair of headphones with excellent passive isolation and great ANC will still be an excellent choice, regardless of regardless of whether you opt for headphones that fit around your ears or over-ear headphones that completely cover your earlobes. You can achieve impressive isolation even without active noise cancellation by using Comply memory foam tips, or similar products. They will conform to fit the shape of your ear.

Of course, the majority of ANC headphones come with various Bluetooth codecs that allow users to connect with the audio source that is most suitable for you. For example the Sony WH-1000XM4s have both LDAC and DSEE Extreme support to ensure that you can listen to your music in high-resolution and best over Ear noise cancelling headphones in stunning detail. The result is that when Sinead O'Connor sings Nothing Compares 2 U, her sibilant cry and powerful chorus sound like she's in the room with you.

Noise Cancellation

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

To achieve their magical effects, noise cancelling headphones have an engineered technology known as active noise cancellation (ANC). The tiny microphones that are in your earcups and earbuds are listening to the sounds you are exposed to. They emit a different frequency, which collides with each other to block out unwanted sounds. It's a bit more complicated than that, and is contingent on the hearing sensitivity of your ears, the headphone design and the quality of the audio processing, but the idea is that they can effectively reduce the noise you hear, whether it's an aircraft engine or your friend's animated conversations.

The best over-ear ANC headsets we tested weren't able to completely block out background noises, but they do a good job in blocking them. For the most immersive listening experience, look into an ANC pair that has adaptive noise cancellation. It enhances ANC to the next level by constantly listening to ambient sounds, reversing them in real time and ensuring that the audio you would like to hear (including hands-free calls) at a consistent volume. This cutting-edge technology is demonstrated by the Sony WH1000XM5s.

Many over-ear ANC headphones come with other features that make listening enjoyable. Look for features such as touch controls, high-quality audio codec support, and support for voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant. A wireless Bluetooth connection is a must for convenient and hands-free audio playback, and a portable charging case that helps you remain connected traveling.

A passive mode is also a handy feature. It allows you to disable the noise-canceling circuitry and listen with the same isolation that regular headphones offer. This is a great option to use when you do not want to hear outside noises, or don't have enough battery to charge your headphones.

Value

A quality pair of headphones will make you feel as if you're in a soundproof space when listening to music or making phone calls. Noise cancelling headphones are more expensive, but they provide better sound quality and block out distracting background noise. They are worth the additional cost for those who spend long hours in the office or on the road.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones have impressive noise cancellation capabilities and come with many useful features such as a dedicated microphone that delivers clear and natural sound when you make phone calls, and DSEE Extreme audio upscaling. The ANC system is excellent at blocking out external noises, however, they aren't as effective at separating you from low-frequency sounds, such as trains or traffic.

The headphones are light and fold into the compact D shape that can be tucked into the bag of a carry-on. They're ideal for travel. They are compatible with a variety of voice assistants, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and they have a feature that automatically pauses your music when you remove them from your ears. You can also use them with a wired connection to listen to your favorite music or podcasts in noisy environments.

The Razer Opus Wireless headphones offer great value for the money. They feature a decent ANC system however, they also have the option of turning on the external microphones of the headphones to allow more sounds from your surroundings to pass through. The headphones are equipped with a built in USB-C charging plug, which means they can be used even while charging. They have an extremely low-latency Bluetooth connection, which is essential for mobile gaming and watching videos.

You might want to consider the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless Headphones for a less expensive alternative. They do a great job of blocking out distracting sounds such as the rumble of bus and plane engines to the high-pitched sound of computer fans. They can last for more than 32 hours on a single charge. They also have an auto-off timer that can save power.