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The best noise-canceling earbuds (and how they actually work)
Active noise cancellation (ANC) is a highly coveted feature on the earbud market right now. With the help of tiny microphones on the earbuds' exterior, ANC earbuds actively listen to cancel out incoming sound waves, preserving quiet and amplifying in-ear sound. But, no matter how strong a pair's noise-canceling powers are, it's important they don't have connectivity problems or major sound leakage issues. I can't be the only person who has accidentally DJed for the whole office...right?
Most ANC earbuds use Bluetooth technology to drown out external sounds while fighting to stay connected.
If you're looking for earbuds that prioritize both connectivity and noise cancellation, I've rounded up a list of my favorites below. I've put these earbuds to the test in some of the most hectic environments, and these top-notch buds are a great place to start.
More:
- The best earbuds you can buy right now
- The best cheap wireless earbuds, starting at $36
- The top noise-canceling headphones -- and can they protect hearing?
- The best headphones you can buy right now
- Bluetooth 5.1 capabilities
- Best ANC
- Secure fit in the ear with a winged design
- Battery life isn't the best
- Need the Bose Music app to change settings
- Bulky case and earbud design
Bose QuietComfort Noise-Canceling Earbuds II features: Battery life: 6 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX4 | Earbud weight: 9g each | Wireless charging: No
When it comes to listening to music and podcasts, quality matters. These Bose QuietComfort noise-canceling earbuds create a customized experience for each listener to optimize their audio experience with advanced features.
Bose took an already impressive QuietComfort pair of earbuds and made them even better. These noise-canceling earbuds offer three modes -- quiet mode, aware mode, and no noise cancellation -- that you can switch between with the touch of a button on the earpiece.
The noise-canceling capabilities are assisted by CustomTune technology which tailors noise-cancellation performance to your ear.
When ZDNET's Christina Darby tested the buds, even she said they"married comfort and quality while establishing a new benchmark for active noise cancellation."
Review: Step aside, AirPods. There's a new ANC champion in town
You know the saying, "all good things come with a price?" Well, that couldn't be more evident here. These earbuds are currently running on sale for $249 on Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, but beware: their normal retail price is $299.
Despite the hefty price tag, it's not unusual to frequently see these earbuds on sale, so keep an eye out for other great deals.
- On sale often
- Sound quality is unmatched across competition
- Excellent bass
- Earbud size is slightly large
- No multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Sony WF-1000XM4 features: Battery life: 8 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX4 | Earbud weight: 7.3g each | Wireless charging: Yes
Sound quality was Sony's top priority when designing these wireless earbuds, and it knocked it out of the park. With newly designed 6mm drivers, these earbuds reproduce dynamic sound. Additionally, the Integrated Processor V1 enhances sound quality and reduces background noise with the "industry's highest level of noise-canceling" tech.
Sony didn't stop with a new processor and advanced drivers; their LDAC technology also allows high-resolution audio to play through the speakers.
I use my wireless earbuds most at work and school. That being said, there are plenty of times I need to take my earbuds out to converse throughout the day. These earbuds can detect when you're talking and turn off noise cancellation in response, so you can talk with others without removing them from your ears.
Review: Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds review: Superb noise cancellation, clear calls, and long battery life
When ZDNET's Matt Miller reviewed the buds back in 2021, he noticed how noise cancellation also enhanced the quality of his phone calls on both sides of the conversation.
"Callers said I sounded crystal clear and they could not tell at all that I was on a wireless headset, not to mention simple earbuds. On my end, the callers were also crisp and clear, just like they were in the room talking with me," he says.
Lastly, sound quality is just as important as comfort when it comes to earbuds. Sony created this product with an ergonomic surface design, so listeners don't have to deal with uncomfortable listening.
- Adaptive transparency mode
- Personalized spatial audio settings
- Four sizes
- Long battery life
- Not ideal for non-iPhone users
- Expensive
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) features: Battery life: 6 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX4 | Earbud weight: 5.3g each | Wireless charging: Yes
When Apple developed its famous AirPods, big audio companies knew there was going to be a new market with major competition. When the first pair of AirPods dropped, they were essentially just a pair of Apple's wired earbuds in a wireless form. But Apple's design of the AirPods Pro ushered in an impressive combination of excellent sound quality, comfort, and noise-canceling capabilities -- especially with the 2nd generation.
Thanks to Apple's new H2 chip, these AirPods significantly upgrade performance via high-band connectivity and a low-distortion audio driver with a custom amplifier. These combined technologies ensure clearer audio across a wider range of sound frequencies.
And for those that find constant noise cancellation a tad disorienting, these 2nd-generation AirPods Pro have a transparency mode that ZDNET contributor Jason Cipriani says he is "legitimately in love with," based on high-quality audio and surrounding sound listening.
Review: AirPods Pro 2 offers two big upgrades but connectivity chaos hasn't been tamed
These new AirPods feature two times more noise cancellation with a 33% longer battery life. Plus, a new feature allows you to personalize spatial audio settings to create your ideal sound experience (using iOS 16). To top it all off (literally), you can quickly charge the 2nd-generation AirPods Pro case wirelessly via an Apple Watch charger.
- Many color options
- Apple H1 chips
- Wingtips for added support in the ear
- Case is a little large
- Pricy when not on sale
- Android users don't get some features iOS users get
Beats Fit Pro features: Battery life: 6 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX4 | Earbud weight: 5.6g | Wireless charging: No
Many people, including myself, love listening to music while hitting the gym or running outside. With the unique design of the Beats Fit Pro earbuds, you no longer have to worry about your earbuds falling out mid-squat.
Wingtips keep these wireless earbuds comfortably secure in your ear, whether you're breaking a sweat or hopping between Zoom meetings.
Plus, you aren't sacrificing performance for comfort. These noise-canceling earbuds have spatial audio with dynamic head tracking to make music, movies, and TV shows even more epic. A dual-element diaphragm driver sits inside each earbud to produce a clear sound.
Also: Apple AirPods Pro vs Beats Studio Buds: Which is better?
Plus, these Beats have an Apple H1 chip, so iOS users can get most of the same features available on AirPods, including Siri voice assistance and audio sharing.
- Budget-friendly price without compromising quality ANC
- Ergonomic fit
- Can clearly hear incoming calls
- No wireless charging
- Mic quality is subpar
Ugreen x6 earbuds features: Battery life: 6 hours | Waterproof rating: IPX7 | Earbud weight: 49.89g | Wireless charging: No
Want noise-canceling buds, but hesitant to spend a fortune? Ugreen's HiTune X6 earbuds are $40, but still tote ANC, blocking up to 95% of noise. And with 10mm drivers, the buds bring extra bass and low treble. Combine those two factors and these budget-friendly buds can be the perfect companion to protect your peace and focus on the sound you want to hear.
"Even though I live next to a major highway, the ANC is good enough to lock out most traffic noise, so I can actually sit out on the patio or grill in my backyard while listening to music or podcasts," says ZDNET's Taylor Clemons, who tested the earbuds.
Clemons praised the clear quality of incoming calls, but also noted that you have to yell for the person on the other end to hear you. At 49.89 grams, these buds weigh noticeably more than others on this list, but that's probably due to their unique stem, which is more like a bulb than a slender stick. While Clemons said they wouldn't recommend sleeping in the buds, the X6s do have an ergonomic fit.
Overall, these are a great budget-friendly choice if you're wanting to slowly get into ANC earbuds or purchase for a friend, kid, or family member notorious for losing their earbuds.
What are the best noise-canceling earbuds?
The best noise-canceling earbuds are the Bose QuietComfort wireless earbuds. Although the battery life and weight are nothing to gawk at, their incredible sound quality and active noise cancellation make them the best pair of wireless earbuds on the market.
Noise-canceling earbuds | Price | Battery life | Combined earbud weight | Wireless charging |
Bose QuietComfort II | $299 | 6 hours | 18 g | No |
Sony WF-1000XM4 | $198 | 8 hours | 14.6 g | Yes |
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) | $199 | 6 hours | 10.6 g | Yes |
Beats Fit Pro | $200 | 6 hours | 11.2 g | No |
Ugreen X6 | $40 | 6 hours | 49.89 g | No |
Which are the right noise-canceling earbuds for you?
With workplaces and schools becoming so embedded with technology, the use of wireless earbuds has evolved as well. What used to be the primary way to listen to music has become a tool for taking phone calls and canceling out external noise.
There's been an evolution of wireless earbuds, with noise cancellation becoming a key feature. If you're looking for the best noise-canceling earbuds, look at this table to figure out which pair is right for your lifestyle and/or budget needs.
Choose these noise-canceling earbuds... | If you want… |
Bose QuietComfort II | The best pair of noise-canceling earbuds overall. Despite their chunky case and old-school Bluetooth in-ear design, Bose takes noise cancellation to the next level. If you want to truly block out the world and feel like a DJ has taken over your eardrums, these buds are your best bet. |
Sony WF-1000XM4 | The best noise-canceling earbuds with the best sound quality. Sony carries out its best-in-class surround sound even in a compact pair of earbuds. Plus, these pebble-like buds are comfortable and convenient for hands-free phone calls. |
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) | The best noise-canceling earbuds for Apple devices. A pioneer in the wireless earbud market, the 2nd-generation AirPods Pro are a fantastic encore of the original with even more powerful ANC and a transparency mode that's actually...transparent. |
Beats Fit Pro | The best pair of noise-canceling earbuds for working out. The winged tips on these buds provide sweat-proof security from your first to last burpee or sprint. Equipped with an Apple H1 chip, you can also leverage "Hey Siri" and Audio Sharing features. |
Ugreen X6 | The best budget-friendly earbuds. Don't let the underwhelming price fool you, the Ugreen X6 still deliver impressive ANC, comfortable fit, and clear call quality. These are especially great if you're prone to losing earbuds. |
How did I choose these noise-canceling earbuds?
Narrowing the top noise-canceling wireless earbuds down to just five pairs is extremely tough. When deciding which earbuds are the best, I considered noise cancellation, sound quality, weight, and battery life.
Along with looking at the specs of each pair of wireless earbuds, I also considered my personal experience with the Apple AirPods Pro and the experience of other ZDNET team members when testing different earbuds. Plus, I love music, so I know how important it is to have a reliable pair of earbuds that deliver top-tier sound while drowning out intruding noises.
Moreover, by diving into noise cancellation and sound quality, you can get incredible audio from the small speakers in your ears.
What are noise-canceling earbuds and how do they work?
Noise-canceling earbuds use active noise cancellation to reduce background noise and improve the overall sound quality of audio. ANC works by using mics to pick up external sounds, and then it generates sound waves that are the exact opposite wavelengths (or "negative" of the external sounds) to create a "cancellation" effect that reduces background noise.
Some noise-canceling earbuds also use passive noise-cancellation, which is achieved through earbud design, such as using noise-isolating materials. These are particularly useful in environments with high levels of ambient noise, like airplanes or busy streets. They can also provide a better listening experience in general, reducing the need to use max volume to overcome background noise.
For more on how noise-canceling earbuds work, check out Christina Darby's ZDNET explainer.
Is it worth buying noise-canceling earbuds?
In my opinion, yes. In a packed workplace or a busy street, sometimes the surrounding noise can drown out earbud audio. With noise-canceling earbuds, you can focus better on whatever you're listening to, without disrupting sound quality.
Are noise-canceling earbuds good for sleeping?
Noise-canceling headphones can be great for sleeping or falling asleep, especially for stomach and back sleepers. However, I'll warn that while the Bose QuietComfort II earbuds are sure to cancel any sleep-inhibiting sound, they're a bit chunky -- especially for side sleepers. Also, keep in mind that they're not the best option in the case of an emergency, since you're essentially tuned out to the world.
For earbuds especially tailored for sleeping, check out our list of the top headphones for sleeping.
Is noise-canceling bad for your ears?
In short, no. Noise cancellation is not bad for your ears. However, some people have experienced dizziness while using noise-canceling modes.
Are there alternative noise-canceling earbuds worth considering?
There are over 4,000 search results when you type in, "noise-canceling earbuds" into your Amazon search bar. However, Amazon isn't the only place to secure a new pair of earbuds. You can find them at Walmart, Best Buy, Target, and so many other places!
Here are a few that didn't make the cut, including some true wireless earbuds, that are great alternatives if the options above don't sound like the best fit for you.
The Beats Studio Buds are a great pair of noise-canceling earbuds that come with three different sizes of soft tips to customize your listening experience. Although they come with Apple's chip, these earbuds are compatible with Samsung devices, too.
I haven't tried these earbuds yet, but I am dying to. They have an ergonomic, lightweight fit, and they're smart earbuds, so you can adjust settings for an optimal listening experience.