The best noise-cancelling headphones from top brands

It’s impossible to talk about noise cancelation without name-checking the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. They’re powered by high-quality, innovative tech — Sony’s QNe1 processor chip — for class-leading features. 

First and foremost, the noise cancellation is excellent and praised for tackling the kinds of mid-range and low-level noises that other headphones can't touch. The ANC uses Dual Sense technology — two tiny microphones in each ear that provide real-time noise cancellation. These Dual Sense mics can adjust to your surroundings up to 700 times per second. 

The Sony Connect app allows you to customise the ANC and even the levels ambient noise you want to allow in. Set noise cancellation levels for different places — home, work, the park — and geo-location tech will do the rest. Other features include automatic pause, auto switch-off, voice assistant connectivity, and a Speak to Chat function. 

The sound quality is the standard you’d expect from Sony, delivered though 40mm drivers and bolstered by 360 Reality Audio tech, which connects to certain streaming services for an enhanced immersive audio experience. Audio resolution is also boosted by the advanced LDAC Bluetooth codec (though you can also wire these in with a 3.5mm jack for old school-style listening). 

Battery life goes up to 38 hours with noise cancellation off — and you get five hours of juice from just ten minutes of charging. If there’s a complaint, it’s that these aren’t built for workouts — particularly outdoors. 

The brilliance of Bose is no secret. Everyone knows about the audio brand. One of the reasons people rave about Bose is that its active noise cancellation offers best-in-class quality. Not to mention the fact that Bose pretty much invented the noise-cancellation headphone category.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are no exception, with an ANC upgrade that makes these as good as any premium noise cancelling cans available. As you’d expect, these on-ear headphones look the business — a sleek, almost futuristic style with the streetwise Bose logo.

The next-gen tech comes courtesy of Bose’s NC chip. There’s an eight microphone system (six for noise cancelling, two for voice pick-up). It has 11 levels of noise cancellation. You’ll find different levels work best in different environments — whether it’s the office, commute, or busy street. You may need to experiment. Just pre-set and adjust on the Bose Music app.

There's always a level of ANC at play — even dialling down to zero doesn't turn it off, it just allows more ambient noise in. There's also a Conversation Mode if you need to stop for a chat. The built-in microphone is impressively advanced too. It adjusts to your surroundings and is excellent at drowning out surrounding noise — a noticeable improvement on competing headphones. 

The Apple AirPods Max fit seamlessly into Apple’s roster of products, combining superb performance and style. It’s not just an evolution of the AirPods, but an ongoing evolution of Apple's entire range.

They have stunning sound, top performing ANC, and extra iOS features. The quality build means they’re much heavier, though you’d barely know it once they’re on. That's thanks to the efficiency of their construction. There are good colours options too, a rarity in many high-quality headphones. 

Physical controls include just two buttons — a button for the ANC modes and a multi-functional dial for volume and playback options.

The battery life is decidedly average at 20 hours — especially disappointing when compared to other headphones in a similar price range and spec. But they do go into an automatic low power mode when you put them in the carry case (the case doesn’t do a very good job of actually protecting the headset). Another niggle is that they need to be charged even to use in wired mode.

But don't get us wrong. The Apple AirPods Max are fantastic. But they're definitely best suited to Apple users. Android users will find them an excellent pair of noise cancelling headphones, of course, but they’ll be missing out on certain features and paying a big price for the pleasure. But if you are an Apple user, these are probably the best headphones money can buy.

If durable, hard-wearing craftsmanship is what you’re after, look no further than Sennheiser. The German, family-run manufacturer is well regarded for building some of the hardiest, most enduring headphones on the market. The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless are among the brand’s very best — a premium, great-sounding, multi-functional headset. 

It's worth mentioning that the also excellent Sennhesier Momentum 4 are available now, but we prefer the style of the previous gen model, with their leather head strap, steel arms, sliders, and noise-cancelling oval ear cups.

The ANC itself is very good, if not quite to the standard of Sony or Bose. It does however have three modes that are each tailored to different environments — Max, Anti-Wind, and Anti-Pressure. Transparent Hearing lets in ambient noise so you feel present in your environment.

You can control the ANC modes via the Sennheiser Smart Control app, where you’ll also find an equaliser for getting your levels just right. The sound quality is very good and that’s no surprise with this brand. They’ve been perfecting the art of efficient, flawless audio for generations.

The headset is equipped with control buttons for playback, volume, calls, and connecting to voice assistant. Another handy feature is smart TILE tech which helps you find your headset every time you lose it. Slightly less impressive is a battery life of just 17 hours. It’s still a few days’ worth of juice but underwhelming compared to others at this level. 

Not every pair of noise cancelling headphones needs to cost hundreds of pounds. JBL has emerged as one of the best-known headphones brands, with low-cost, high-performance noise cancellation tech. 

The wireless JBL Tune 660NC headphones look the part, with a more premium design and hard-wearing plastic. Large, over-ear cups create a comfortable seal that blocks out external sound — even without the ANC switched on. The cups swivel and fold inwards for storage and portability. 

But let’s get to the most important bit — performance. The sound is solid and packed with bass (some might even say too much bass, if you’re finicky about refined mids and highs). The ANC is as good as it gets at this price and without adjustable features. Just one push of the button and the ANC activates. The buttons, located on the ear cups, can be slightly fiddly — they're not quite as intuitive as we’d like — but you’ll soon feel your way around them. 

As for connectivity, they have multi-point pairing, which means hooking up with two devices at once. Some reviewers have noted bugs when connecting the Bluetooth on JBL headphones, but this listener has never had a problem. 

You’ll get up to 50 hours of battery life — which is competitive by most brand's standards — though it depends on which features you have switched on.

Never one to let Apple take all the plaudits, Microsoft has worked wonders with this upgraded (but thankfully down-priced) set of headphones. 

The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 aren’t just tech-minded, they’re brilliantly intuitive too. The outer surfaces of each ear cup can be tapped and touched to control playback and call functions. Most impressively though, the outer rim of each cup works as a dial to control both volume and noise cancellation levels. It’s arguably the best feature of all, being able to spin through a whopping 13 levels of noise cancellation.

They offer multipoint pairing too, which switches seamlessly between different Bluetooth devices. Though you have the option of listening via Bluetooth or wired. They also include a solid microphone, with an additional feature that makes these very adept for the modern world: a mute button. With video calls and conferences being a huge part of modern work, you’ll find this especially useful during work hours. Just remember to unmute again.

Sound comes via 40mm drivers, and the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 have been praised for having a big, open soundstage — they also support high-end aptX and SBC codecs. However, serious audiophiles will find some flaws in the overall quality and may want to look elsewhere. 

The 18.5 hours battery life isn't world-beating, but these do give you battery life reminders whenever you power up. If you are using them for work, they promise a respectable 15 hours of battery for voice calls.

If headphones for you are more than just some audio tech to wrap around your head — an accessory that makes a statement as well as delivering sound — the Bowers and Wilkins PX7 S2 are the pair for you. Style-wise, they're very high-end — a combo of contemporary and timeless in the framework and soft fabric finish. Slipping them on will be like proudly wearing a pair of box-fresh trainers. They’re comfortable too, with memory foam on the ear cups and headband.

The ear cups swivel flat but – unlike other headphone options — they don’t fold inwards for that portability. You’re better off keeping these around your head and neck at all times. That's no problem. They look way too good.

The style is matched by audio quality. They sound amazing, thanks to 40mm drivers and the aptX Adaptive which allows glitch-free listening — especially good for syncing sound with video content. This upgraded model also offers adjustable EQ settings through the Music app — a first for Bowers and Wilkins.

Noise cancellation is also customisable, with three modes that include a "passthrough" transparency mode for letting in ambient sounds. 

Other features that we like include automatic pause, which stops music when you take the headset off, and a reassuring 30 hours of battery. These charge fast too, with seven hours of runtime from a 15 minute boost. Annoyingly though, they have to be charged even for listening in wired mode.