The best noise-canceling headphones of 2023: Sony, Bose, and more

Noise-canceling headphones are a wonderment of nan modern world. No, seriously, the tech that makes them work is borderline magical, bringing much-needed quiet to our mundane autobus and level rides, study and activity sessions, and movie, music, and podcast enjoyment. The champion sound canceling headphones person a awesome operation of features, including that all-important ANC, transparency mode for letting successful immoderate extracurricular sounds, comfort, artillery life, and, of course, price.

While active sound cancellation has been astir for a while now and it's almost modular successful headphones from over-ear (our attraction here) to earbuds, nan characteristic is amended successful immoderate than successful others. Whatever your listening needs whitethorn be, though, we've sewage you covered.

We trial a batch of noise-canceling headphones, and erstwhile it comes to nan very champion we consciousness that nan Sony WH-1000XM5 simply cannot beryllium beaten. They travel from a awesome statement of awesome headphones (we've moreover kept their predecessor, nan WH-1000XM4s, connected this list) that sound awesome, are comfortable, and person best-in-class ANC. We see them to beryllium among nan champion wireless headphone options overall, which successful move led america to crown them the champion headphones, period.

And if nan WH-1000XM5 aren't correct for you, we've put together this extended database of fantabulous alternatives. They each cancel noise, but each brace has its ain circumstantial strengths.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends / Digital Trends

Sony WH-1000XM5

The champion overall

When it comes to top-notch sound quality, comfort, and easiness of use, nan Sony WH-1000XM5 is nan champion successful each way, barroom none.

Improving upon nan erstwhile generation's WH-1000XM4 (our runner-up prime below) successful much ways than one, we were amazed to find retired that location moreover could be improvements made. But nan powers astatine Sony had a fewer much tricks up their sleeves.

For starters, nan XM5 are cozier to wear, acknowledgment to an improved cushioning strategy and amended weight distribution from cup to cup. In position of existent audio, interestingly, nan XM5 speaker drivers are 25% smaller than nan ones recovered successful nan XM4, featuring 30mm carbon-fiber-based transducers that make listening to immoderate euphony genre an absolute joy.

And let's not hide nan powerfulness of nan XM5's progressive sound cancelation (ANC). Utilizing 8 microphones and 2 onboard audio processors, nan XM5 are perpetually listening and adapting to immoderate situation you're in, delivering nan very champion sound cancelation connected nan market.

Factoring successful its Sony-exclusive LDAC lossless listening for Android devices (sorry, Apple fans), humble artillery life, and a bevy of further must-haves, it's easy to spot why we can't extremity raving astir nan Sony WH-1000XM5.

Riley Young / Digital Trends

Sony WH-1000XM4

The runner-up

While nan WH-1000XM5 whitethorn beryllium Sony's latest and top headphone option, nan WH-1000XM4 still holds up good arsenic an replacement prime pinch a somewhat little value but galore of nan aforesaid fantabulous benefits.

In position of artillery life, nan WH-1000XM4 present up to 30 hours pinch progressive sound cancellation connected and 38 hours without. The XM4 besides usage precocious package algorithms and hardware erstwhile it comes to progressive sound cancellation, powerful devices that fundamentally destruct immoderate distracting biology noise.

Like nan XM5s, nan XM4s besides see Bluetooth multipoint connection, allowing them to beryllium connected to 2 different devices astatine nan aforesaid time. Essentially, you could beryllium watching Netflix connected your laptop, section a telephone telephone connected your mobile device, past effortlessly return to your streaming enjoyment.

The XM4 besides features a deterioration sensor to automatically region contented erstwhile you region nan headphones, arsenic good arsenic Sony's euphony upscaling tech, DSEE Extreme.

If you're looking for a measurement to soundlessness nan extracurricular world truthful you tin beryllium near unsocial to bask your favourite music, we highly urge nan Sony WH-1000XM4 arsenic good arsenic its newer upgrade. If you want to comparison a akin noise-canceling action that's not from Sony, you could besides return a look astatine the Bose QuietComfort 45.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bowers & Wilkins Px8

The astir royal noise-canceling headphones

The Px8 offers an absorbing proposition for those pinch heavy wallets: Pay astir doubly arsenic overmuch arsenic different high-end headphones cost, and get a unique, luxurious acquisition that includes unthinkable wireless audio and effective sound cancellation.

Of course, astatine this price, you besides get a comfortable creation pinch monolithic receptor cushions, leather padding, and aluminum notes that harvester for a durable, beautiful fresh that tin past for hours without immoderate discomfort. And nan Carbon Cone drivers put successful nan activity to present exceptional sound, pinch support for Bluetooth aptX Adaptive wireless tech for nan champion imaginable wireless acquisition (just support successful mind that iPhones don’t support aptX yet).

Battery life is besides rather bully for headphones this size, lasting up to 30 hours connected a azygous charge. Are each these features mixed worthy nan super-high value tag? That’s up to you to decide, but these headphones look astonishing while delivering nan high-end audio acquisition you’d expect, truthful style points tin count for a lot. And if you for illustration these and are consenting to driblet a small other cash, cheque retired nan McLaren Edition type of nan Px8s that Bowers & Wilkins created successful collaboration pinch nan supercar maker.

Zeke Jones/Digital Trends / Digital Trends

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

The champion for artillery life

Sennheiser whitethorn not cod nan aforesaid fanfare arsenic different titan headphone names, but erstwhile it comes to craftsmanship and performance, there's nary uncertainty that your listening acquisition is going to beryllium stellar erstwhile you put successful a group of Sennheisers, and nan Momentum 4 Wireless are nary exception.

Comfortable to deterioration and rocking only 1 fastener for each of your Bluetooth headphone needs (play/pause, answering calls, and adjusting noise-cancelation settings), nan Momentum 4 comes retired connected apical successful 2 awesome categories — sound value and artillery life.

In position of nan former, you tin expect to perceive each kinds of specifications successful songs you whitethorn person heard a cardinal times over. This is acknowledgment to Sennheiser's dedication to giving its listeners nan astir complete soundstage possible. Mids and highs are connected point, pinch plentifulness of articulation and adjacent to nary distortion, and nan bass is immoderate of nan champion low-end we've heard from immoderate group of headphones.

Now, are you fresh for nan crowning laurel? The Momentum 4 Wireless is rated for up to 60 hours of battery, and that's pinch progressive noise-cancelation enabled. This thumps nan Sony XM5 by a agelong shot, and frankly, competitory brands should usage nan Momentum 4 Wireless artillery specs arsenic a benchmark for early merchandise designs.

Riley Young/Digital Trends

Apple AirPods Max

The champion for Apple users

Apple has been connected a rotation erstwhile it comes to individual audio. The second-generation AirPods Pro person yet landed, and truthful acold person been different deed for their existent wireless earbuds lineup. But for Apple fans who still for illustration next-level over-ear cans, nan AirPods Max (a stunningly beautiful — and costly — group of over-ear ANC headphones) are still nan measurement to spell — aliases astatine slightest until nan next procreation of nan AirPods Max comer along.

Their design, pinch aluminum-covered earcups, a weight-distributing mesh headband, and immoderate of nan astir intuitive controls we've ever used, is genuinely exceptional. We can't opportunity capable astir nan build quality, which puts astir different high-end wireless cans to shame.

As Caleb Denison covers successful his excellent reappraisal of nan AirPods Max, sound value is close, but not rather connected par pinch nan Sony WH-1000XM4s, but what really blew america distant was nan AirPods Max's noise-cancellation, transparency mode, and telephone value — each of which is amended than nan Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700, and that's saying thing fixed really bully nan Bose are.

You could usage nan AirPods Max pinch non-Apple devices, but to do truthful would beryllium an unfortunate discarded of nan AirPods Max's talents. They brace instantly pinch devices specified arsenic iPhones and Macs and tin move betwixt them successful a snap. The spatial audio characteristic that's compatible pinch some 1st- and 2nd-gen AirPods Pro, nan Beats Fit Pro, and nan AirPods 3 is astonishing successful nan AirPods Max and tin now beryllium knowledgeable pinch various iPhones, iPads, M1 aliases M2 Macs, Apple TV 4K, and more.

They're not cleanable — we deliberation their dense weight will forestall group from wanting to deterioration them for agelong listening sessions, and their included protective lawsuit has rightfully go nan entity of ridicule for its non-existent protection. And then, of course, there's nan price.

Still, if you're an Apple instrumentality pinch money to put successful individual audio, you apt won't find a amended group of progressive noise-canceling headphones than nan AirPods Max.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bose QuietComfort 45

Best for comfortableness and quiet

It's correct location successful nan name. These iconic sound canceling headphones from Bose are some incredibly quiet and ace comfortable. Few audio cogwheel makers do ANC for illustration Bose, whose laminitis Amar Bose invented nan sound cancellation that we cognize coming successful 1989. Bose is still a leader successful nan tech, pinch nan QC 45s being nan company's flagship.

The Bose QC 45s present fantabulous sound quality, pinch Digital Trend's resident headphone expert, Simon Cohen, praising their "Bose sound" arsenic having a bully equilibrium of frequencies: "Bass is ne'er absent from nan formula, but nor does it trample its measurement done songs for illustration an elephant wearing combat boots. And astatine nan precocious end, there’s this other deed of energy, a brightness that teeters connected nan separator of being sharp, but ne'er makes you flinch," Cohen writes.

And, of course, nan ANC is world class, supplying nan headphones pinch nan perfect, clear soundlessness that they're known for, moreover if they don't person nan fancy features for illustration nan Sony WH-1000XM4's reside discovery that automatically activates transparency mode (Bose calls it Aware mode) erstwhile you commencement talking.

Similarly to their cousin, nan Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, nan QC 45s are great headphones for making telephone calls, and Bluetooth multipoint makes connecting to 2 devices simultaneously a breeze for your activity aliases study day.

Battery life connected nan QuietComfort 45s is simply a decent 22 hours connected a complaint pinch ANC on, they afloat complaint up successful conscionable 2.5 hours, and a speedy 15-minute zap tin nett you up to 3 hours of use.

Ted Kritsonis / Digital Trends

1More SonoFlow

The champion fund noise-canceling headphones

Noise cancellation exertion has yet go affordable capable to find successful immoderate fantabulous fund headphones, and nan SonoFlow is simply a near-perfect illustration that combines affordable ANC pinch awesome sound. You’re not giving up overmuch astatine each while redeeming a batch of money compared to picks from Apple aliases Sony.

The 1More SonoFlow includes important features for illustration support for high-res audio, an in-depth app pinch plentifulness of EQ customization options, and ANC that includes a transparency mode. The artillery life is peculiarly incredible, offering up to 50 hours pinch ANC turned on, thing that moreover high-end headphones would struggle to achieve.

There are a mates of mini drawbacks, for illustration nan deficiency of a deterioration sensor for automatic turn-off, but these are very mild features to springiness up erstwhile you’re getting immoderate overmuch astatine specified an fantabulous price.

Sony

Sony WH-XB910N Extra Bass

Best for bass

If you're each astir that bass successful a brace of noise-canceling headphones, past look nary further. In nan astir Captain Obvious measurement possible, Sony's trading squad either conscionable gave up aliases had a infinitesimal of clarity erstwhile naming nan WH-XB910N: Extra Bass is what they're called, and other bass is decidedly what you get. And that's a bully thing.

With a look akin to nan company's celebrated (and older) WH-1000XM4 but $100 cheaper, nan WH-XB910Ns look awesome and present nan expected other bass pinch authority, rumble, and clarity, arsenic good arsenic punchy mids and clear highs. But arsenic you'd expect from a group of cans labelled arsenic such, if nan bass is excessively overmuch for you nan accompanying Sony Headphones Connect app offers a ton of EQing options to dial it backmost pinch sliders and loads of presets based connected different euphony types. Support for AAC and SBC audio codecs are great, but Sony's ain hi-res LDAC audio codec lets you bask higher value 24-bit audio, too.

Noise canceling connected nan WH-XB910N is decent, too, and features Sony's Adaptive Sound Control that modifies itself to nan ambient sound of your surroundings. What's much is that they study nan locations you sojourn complete clip for a much tailored experience. Speaking of elaborate experiences, nan WH-XB910N besides support Sony's object-based spatial audio exertion for immersive situation sound.

Outside of nan audio features, master folks will besides for illustration these cans for their Bluetooth multipoint connectivity for connecting to 2 devices simultaneously (like your machine and telephone erstwhile you request to seamlessly move to return a call), but they besides support Fast Pair and Swift Pair for easy relationship pinch Android and Windows 10 devices.

The Sony WH-XB910Ns boast coagulated artillery life astatine up to 30 hours per complaint pinch a speedy complaint characteristic that tin nett 4.5 hours of listening clip aft 10 minutes connected nan complaint cable.

Edifier

Edifier WH950NB

Great for artillery life

Edifier makes immoderate awesome headphones, and nan WH950NB are impervious affirmative of that, offering a coagulated all-round group of ANC cans for nether $200.

The WH950NBs execute good and are consistently forgiving of each kinds of music, delivering realistic, full, and balanced sound signature from their 40 millimetre drivers. Android users will bask support for nan LDAC Bluetooth codec intends listeners will besides use from their expertise to play hi-res audio. But different nan WH950NBs only support nan modular SBC codec (sorry, truthful AAC aliases aptX, folks). The Edifier Connect app's EQing options see 2 presets, Classic and Dynamic, arsenic good arsenic nan action to create a civilization EQ. There are besides Music, Theatre, and Game-specific modes, nan later of which offers a debased 80-milisecond latency for fast-action gaming.

Looks for illustration we've buried nan lede present — nan Edifier WH950NB boast nan longest lasting artillery life connected our database pinch up to 35 hours per complaint pinch ANC connected and an awesome 55 hours pinch it off. Speaking of which, nan sound cancellation of these headphones does nan occupation well, and while not top-shelf for illustration Sony aliases Bose headphones, for nan value they efficaciously artifact retired everything from inheritance sound connected nan streets and debased rumble from agelong flights. There are 5 ANC settings to take from, however, including High Noise Cancellation, Low Noise Cancellation, Wind Reduction, Ambient Sound, and Noise Cancellation Off.

The Edifier WH950NBs, for illustration others connected our list, besides connection Bluetooth multipoint connectivity and Google Fast Pair for Android users. Lastly, if you're concerned astir your hearing, nan WH950NBs connection a maximum measurement limitation of 85dB that you tin activate successful nan app to support your ears safe.

Image utilized pinch support by copyright holder

PuroQuiet On-Ear

The champion noise-canceling headphones for kids

It tin beryllium reliable to find decent-quality headphones for kids moreover earlier you commencement looking for a characteristic for illustration sound cancellation. Fortunately, nan Puro PuroQuiet are some a awesome group of wireless kids headphones, and arsenic a bonus, they've sewage noise-canceling too. But nan champion portion for parents is that they travel equipped pinch a package limiter that keeps nan measurement astatine aliases beneath 85dB, which is considered nan maximum measurement that children should beryllium exposed to for prolonged periods (we don't want them increasing up needing OTC proceeding aids, now do we?).

With 16 hours of artillery life, it's improbable your kid will outlast these headphones, but if they do, there's ever nan action of utilizing an analog cablegram instead. We're frankly amazed much kids' headphones don't connection sound canceling. If nan extremity is to support nan measurement astatine a safe level, eliminating unwanted extracurricular sound intends you tin get nan aforesaid sound value astatine little volumes than without this feature. It feels for illustration a lucifer made successful child-parent heaven, thing that doesn't travel on very often!

You'll besides admit that while not precisely cheap, fixed that nan PuroQuiets person a very coagulated building that will withstand astatine slightest immoderate of nan maltreatment kids tin inflict, nan Puro PuroQuiet are very reasonably priced for what they offer. We deliberation your kids' ears are worthy it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Editors' Recommendations

• Sony’s champion noise-canceling headphones conscionable sewage a large discount
• The champion headphones for swimming successful 2023
• Bose’s champion noise-canceling headphones are $100 disconnected correct now
• The champion OLED TVs for 2023: from LG, Sony, and Samsung
• These JBL noise-cancelling earbuds are complete 50% off