Wireless noise-canceling headphones are super popular and effective these days. They have powerful processors and special mics that, together, generate opposing sound waves — called anti-phases — that cancel out the sounds around you. The result is that you just hear the music and not your apartment’s TV, your colleagues’ lunch conversation or the dull buzz of an airplane.
No wonder there are now a lot of noise-canceling headphones to choose from. Bose and Sony are probably the most well-known makers, but pretty much every other audio and tech company — Bowers & Wilkins to Sennheiser, Master & Dynamic to Apple — has thrown its hat in the ring (at least once).
If you’re looking for top-quality noise-canceling headphones, you can expect to spend between $300 and $400 — that’s what most of today’s flagship options are going for. Of course, you can spend a lot more or a lot less than that, too.
How We Tested
We test each pair of headphones for sound quality, call clarity, comfort, battery life and features (such as button or swipe controls as well as support for a companion app). We also test each headphone’s noise-canceling abilities in a range of different noisy and quiet environments.
To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.
