Noise Cancelling

Relax and enjoy

With noise-cancelling headphones you can escape your daily routine. Fade out annoying background noise and dive into your own sound world or just enjoy the silence. Frequent travelers or office workers not only use this type of headphone for more listening pleasure, but also for peacefulness and quietness.

Active and passive noise canceling

Noise-cancelling headphones reduce unwanted low-frequency noise thanks to active electronics (ANC). The ambient noise from the outside is detected by microphones and the headphone’s electronics then generate these (noise) waves but with 180 degrees out of phase. These anti-sound waves and the noise then get mostly extinguished. Good models achieve his acoustic trick without distorting the sound of the original material. The correct ear-cup design (over-ear or on-ear) ensures that unwanted noise in the mid-range and high-range gets absorbed (so called passive noise cancelling). There are also headphone models that only rely on passive noise cancelling, but these are not nearly as powerful as the active models.

Advantages and disadvantages of noise cancelling headphones

Biggest advantage: Mainly audiobooks and film scores, which usually have a much larger dynamic range than music, can be played much quieter, because the ambient noise does not have to be drowned out.
Disadvantage: The active electronics of the noise cancelling headphones require batteries or rechargeable batteries. But with play times of usually 25 to 30 hours per battery it’s enough for a long-haul flight.

Many models can also be used as normal headphones when the noise cancelling electronics are turned off or the battery is empty. With good models, there will be no sound difference to the operation with active noise canceling.

Latest: Noise Cancelling

EarFun Air Pro 3

3 years ago Maike Paeßens

EarFun Air Pro 3

Bass-tuned True Wireless in-ears with hybrid ANC

4.3 / 5

Characteristic for the EarFun Air Pro 3 is a great feature set with an effective noise cancellation as it is usually found in higher-priced models.

Sony WF-C700N

3 years ago Ulf Kaiser

Sony WF-C700N

Affordable True-Wireless in-ears with Adaptive Noise Cancelling

4 / 5

With the WF-C700N, Sony adds an in-ear model with adaptive noise cancelling to their range of affordable True-Wireless headphones.

Beats Studio Buds +

3 years ago Peter Schloßnagel

Beats Studio Buds +

True Wireless in-ears with Noise Cancelling and Transparency Mode

4.4 / 5

Beats' Studio Buds + are True Wireless in-ears with great sound quality that directly compete with the AirPods Pro 2 from Apple.

Nothing Ear (2)

3 years ago Maike Paeßens

Nothing Ear (2)

Stylish second generation True Wireless in-ears with LHDC 5.0

3.8 / 5

With the Nothing Ear (2), the emerging British company focuses on innovations such as an individual sound profile and personalisable noise cancellation, especially as LHDC 5.0 technology supports high-resolution streaming via Bluetooth.

Technics EAH-AZ80

3 years ago Peter Schloßnagel

Technics EAH-AZ80

Premium True Wireless in-ears with very good sound and efficient ANC

4.6 / 5

The Technics EAH-AZ80 impressed us with very good sound, efficient noise cancelling (ANC), innovative technology for phone calls (JustMyVoice) and an app that leaves nothing to be desired.

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2

3 years ago Peter Schloßnagel

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2

Powerful over-ears with noise cancelling, sound personalisation and subwoofer

3.8 / 5

The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 is a powerful Bluetooth over-ear with noise cancelling, sound personalization and built-in subwoofer.

Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro

4 years ago Numinos

Soundpeats Capsule3 Pro

True Wireless in-ears with Hi-Res Audio and ANC

4.8 / 5

The SoundPEATS Capsule3 Pro cost very little, but deliver a lot with effective ANC, long battery life, High-Res Audio capability and a customisable EQ curve.

4 years ago Peter Schloßnagel

Huawei FreeBuds 5

True Wireless EarBuds with noise cancelling and an unusual design

3.5 / 5

The new Huawei FreeBuds 5 are anything but ordinary: open construction, eye-catching design, plus Hi-Res Audio including LC3, LHDC and LDAC.

Sony WH-CH720N

4 years ago Ulf Kaiser

Sony WH-CH720N

Over-ear headphones with noise cancelling and Bluetooth 5.2

4 / 5

Bowers & Wilkins Pi5 S2

4 years ago Ralf Willke

Bowers & Wilkins Pi5 S2

Very good sounding True Wireless in-ears in a 2nd generation

4.1 / 5

There is a compelling reason to choose headphones from Bowers & Wilkins: the sound. This applies to the Bowers & Wilkins Pi5 S2.

All reviews from Noise Cancelling
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