Wireless noise-canceling headphones are super popular today. 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.
It's 2023 and there are 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).
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Bose QuietComfort 45 Read More
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 noise-canceling headphones are going for. You can spend a lot more or a lot less than that, too, but there's some give and take with that. When shopping for noise-canceling headphones, here's what to consider.
What to Look For
Active noise-cancellation
Not every pair of active noise-canceling headphones has the same noise-canceling power. The best ones, typically made by Sony or Bose, have superior processors and built-in microphones so that they can identify unwanted ambient sounds and then create opposing sound waves to effectively cancel them out.
Sound quality
The most important thing with any pair of headphones is how they sound. The best headphones sound alive. They deliver clear vocals, punchy bass and a wide soundstage so you really feel like you're experiencing the music live. The problem is active noise-cancellation isn't good for sound quality — the extra frequencies created to cancel out ambient sounds also work against the frequencies of the music. However, high-quality noise-canceling headphones have the ability to sound great while also creating the perfect calm that you want with noise cancellation.
Call quality
The reality is that people are wearing headphones for more than just music — they're also taking calls. Recently, manufacturers are putting more microphones in their headphones so that your voice sounds crisp (not grainy) on calls. The most recent headphones by Bose and Sony have also been integrated with technologies that cancel out voices around you, so there's no unwanted background chatter while you're on a call.
Premium features
There are a bunch of other features you want to look for in a pair of headphones — and it all comes down to personal preference. Do you want a pair that has buttons or swipe gestures for play/pause and volume control? Do you want a pair that supports fast charging? Or a pair that comes with a companion that allows you to tweak EQ settings?
How We Tested
We're always testing a wide variety of wireless headphones with active noise-cancellation — and there are a lot of options. 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). And, of course, we test each headphone's noise-canceling abilities in a range of different noisy and quiet environments.
The Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2023
Sony WH-1000XM5
Released in May 2022, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are new and improved versions of the company's acclaimed WH-1000XM4 noise-canceling headphones. The "XM5s" have a new lightweight design with larger earcups so they're even more comfortable. They have an extra processor that helps them deliver even stronger active noise cancellation (especially for mid-to-high-range frequencies). And they have double the built-in microphones so they've significantly better for calls. Additionally, they have many of the same features and sound that made the Sony XM4 our previous pick for the best noise-canceling headphones. The catch? The XM5s are $50 more expensive.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple's first pair of over-ear headphones are very luxurious. Their earcups are made entirely of stainless steel – no plastic — so feel and look very nice, although they are heavier than most other alternatives. The sound quality and noise-canceling ability of the AirPods Max are both excellent, easily making them some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy. The kicker is that because they are baked with Apple's H1 chip, so they have all the same features as AirPods Pro — such as a transparency mode, support for spatial audio and Dolby Atmos, and easy iPhone pairing. If you have an iPhone and can stomach the high price tag, you can't go wrong with the AirPods Max.
Sennheiser HD 450BT
Released in February 2020, the HD 450BT are Sennheiser’s first real pair of budget noise-canceling headphones. They’re exactly half as expensive as Sennheiser's flagship Momentum Wireless 3 and deliver many of the same sound qualities and features. There are some definite tradeoffs, most prominently in their feel and build quality. You can buy decent noise-canceling headphones for even cheaper, but none have the sound quality and noise-canceling skills of the Sennheisers.
Beats Studio Pro
Released in July 2023, the Beats Studio Pro are essentially a more budget-friendly alternative to Apple's AirPods Max. The two headphones share a lot of the same features (reminder: Apple owns Beats), such as fast iPhone pairing, hands-free "Hey Siri" and support for Apple's Find My network. They also support for Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, just like AirPods Max. The main tradeoff with the Studio Pro is that while good, the sound quality as well as noise-canceling and transparency modes aren't quite elite. That said, the Studio Pro are significantly cheaper and lighter (so you'll probably find them more comfortable), and they work better with Android devices. They also can work as wired headphones via 3.5mm or USB-C jacks (the latter of which can even play lossless audio).
Bose QuietComfort 45
Released in the fall of 2021, the Bose QuietComfort 45 are the company's newest noise-canceling headphones — and they're essentially a newer and better version of 2017's QuietComfort 35 II. They retain the lightweight and super comfortable design of their predecessors, but Bose improved their noise-cancellation (and transparency) capabilities and gave them new-age features like USB-C charging (so they can fast charge) and longer battery life. They still aren't quite on par with the company's more expensive Headphones 700 in terms of sound quality and noise-cancellation.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2
Released in mid-2022, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 is the successor to the 2019-released PX7 (also on this list). Despite looking fairly similar, B&W has totally revamped them on the inside to improve their sound quality and noise-cancellation ability. They're also lighter, smaller and ever-so-more comfortable to wear. You can buy them in black, blue and gray (shown).
Bowers & Wilkins Px8
Released in late 2022, the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 are essentially a fancier and slightly better version of the company's Px7 S2. The two headphones look almost identical, but the PX8 is made of higher-end materials like aluminum and real leather rather than plastic. Additionally, the PX8 deliver an even more refined sound thanks to drivers that are made of carbon fiber and resin. But at just shy of $700, they're also one of the most expensive wireless noise-canceling headphones you can buy.
Master & Dynamic MW75
Released in mid-2022, Master & Dynamic's newest flagship noise-cancellation combines excellent design, superb sound and a hefty price tag. They have a new look (and new tempered glass earcups) compared to their predecessors, the MW65, plus M&D has drastically improved their noise-cancellation skills. And for the first time in a pair of over-ear headphones, you can now tweak the EQ settings and customize various other Settings thanks to a companion app.
Focal Bathys
Released in late 2022, the Focal Bathys — pronounced "bat-ees" — is the French high-end audio company's first pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They are one of the most expensive options on the market, but they bring over a lot of technologies and sound qualities from Focal's high-end wired headphones. They also have more of a luxury build with premium materials like metal and leather, which obviously drives up the price as well. The Bathys are rich with features, including a robust app for tweaking the sound quality. They work well as wired headphones, too, even supporting lossless audio (up to 24-bit/192kHz) when used with the included USB-C-to-USB-C cable. True, their noise-canceling and transparency skills are good but not quite elite, so you're mostly getting these because you like their design and sound.
Bose Headphones 700
Released in June 2019, the Headphones 700 are the company’s flagship noise-canceling headphones. They have a number of modern features that the older QuietComfort 35 Series II lack, including a new transparency mode, customizable noise canceling, swipe gestures for playback and USB-C charging. Aside from the completely new design, the biggest upgrade is a six-microphone array that enables the Headphones 700 to be one of the best noise-canceling headphones for phone or video calls. (Note: Bose has since released the QuietComfort 45 that have similar features and capabilities, but at a cheaper price and a more classic design.)
Sony WH-CH720N
Released in early 2023, the Sony WH-CH720N are essentially more affordable noise-canceling wireless headphones than the company's flagship WH-1000XM5. Don't expect the same level of sound quality or noise-cancellation as the M5s, but the Sony WH-CH720N work in much the same way; they support many of the same features, including Quick Attention and Speak To Chat. They also have a pretty incredible 36 hours of battery life.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Released in August 2022, the Momentum 4 Wireless are Sennheiser's current flagship noise-canceling headphones. They are quite the departure from the Momentum 3 Wireless as they have a completely new and lightweight design — which has been streamlined for comfort. They have drastically improved sound quality and noise-canceling. And at up to 60 hours, they have one of the best battery lives you'll find in any wireless ANC headphones. The only real downside is that the new design has ditched the retro look that made the Momentum 3 Wireless so unique. They also ditched the physical buttons in favor of capacitive controls.
New and Upcoming Releases
Our recommendations are based on real-world testing. Here's a snapshot of new and unreleased noise-canceling headphones our testers are considering for future updates to this guide.
•Bose QuietComfort Ultra: For fall 2023, Bose is rolling out a new set of its QuietComfort over-ear headphones under the 'QuietComfort Ultra' branding. They feature a revised design, but the big news is the addition of "Bose Immersive Audio," a spatial audio-like system that's designed to give the impression that music is coming from speakers in front of you, rather than in your own head.
• Dali IO-12: Announced in May 2023, the Dali IO-12 are super high-end wireless noise-canceling headphones that cost a cool $1,499. In addition to being made of premium materials, they can work well as wired headphones; they can connect to an analog source via USB-C cable and play high-resolution audio (up to 24-bit/96kHz).
• PSB M4U 9: Released in summer 2023, the PSB M4U 9 is the company's newest flagship pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones. They aim to bring a warm and big sound that's similar to PSB's loudspeakers. They cost $499.
• KEF Mu7: These are KEF's first pair of wireless headphones with active noise-cancellation. The Mu7 has custom 40mm drivers and support for aptX HD for high-end sound. They get their unique industrial design (made out of aluminum) thanks to a partnership with Ross Lovegrove, who has helped KEF design a number of its super-expensive loudspeakers.
• Mark Levinson No. 5909: At $1K, the Mark Levinson No. 5909 is one of the most expensive wireless noise-canceling headphones you can buy. Their design is mostly made out of anodized aluminum and real leather. They have 40mm Beryllium-coated drivers and support for lossless sound (thanks mostly to supporting LDAC audio files), which the company claims allows them to deliver an audio quality that's almost as good as wired hi-fi headphones.
• Dyson Zone: Dyson, the company best known for its vacuums, has jumped into the world of wireless headphones. The Zone are its wireless noise-canceling headphones, but they are completely unique because they can purify the air you breathe via an attachable visor. Released in March 2023, the Dyson Zone cost an eye-watering $949.
