Updated Jan. 1, 2024 7:31 a.m. PT
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David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
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What to consider
Budget
Fit
Return policy
Best for noise-canceling
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Best Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds
Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)
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Best budget noise-canceling wireless earbuds
Earfun Air Pro 3
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Great-sounding wireless earbuds
Master & Dynamic MW09
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Best everyday wireless earbuds that are also good for sports
Beats Fit Pro
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Best wireless earbuds from Beats
Beats Studio Buds Plus
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Best Anker noise-canceling earbuds
Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
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Best Technics wireless earbuds
Technics EAH-AZ80
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Best-sounding noise-canceling wireless earbuds
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 S2
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Best Samsung wireless earbuds
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro
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Best wireless earbuds for Android users
Google Pixel Buds Pro
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Best wireless earbuds with triple drivers
Status Between 3ANC
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Best noise-canceling earbuds from Sennheiser
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
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Best wireless earbuds with a touchscreen display in their case
JBL Tour Pro 2
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Best compact wireless earbuds from Sony
Sony LinkBuds S
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Best AirPods Pro alternative for less
JBL Live Pro 2
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Best noise-canceling premium earbuds from OnePlus
OnePlus Buds Pro 2
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Best B&O wireless earbuds with stems
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EX
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What are the best noise-canceling earbuds overall?
Over the years I've tested hundreds of wired and wireless earbuds, and it's hard to name one single model as the best overall noise-canceling earbuds, but a few models do stand out from the pack. These include the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds,the Apple AirPods Pro 2 and theSony WF-1000XM5 buds. The Bose and Sony came out in 2023, and the AirPods Pro 2 were recently updated with USB-C charging and some other small enhancements. I also recently added the Master & Dynamic MW09 earbuds to the list.
These earbuds offer not only excellent ambient noise-muffling capabilities but also a comfortable fit, very good sound and mostly strong voice-calling performance. Those are the key factors I evaluate when determining which products end up on this list. Pricing is also a consideration for value picks.
The best noise canceling (or "noise cancelling," as companies like Bose and Google spell it) is able to mask a wider range of frequencies and do it on the fly ("adaptive" noise canceling) with sophisticated software algorithms and more-powerful but energy-efficient processors embedded in the buds. Apple, Sony and Bose remain among the leaders in the category, but they have plenty of competition.
This list is just made up of the best noise-canceling earbuds, not full-size headphones, with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds being the most recent addition to the list. I've tested all the earbuds on the list and fully reviewed the most popular models. If you're looking for the best noise-canceling headphones, we've got a list that includes a mix of earbuds and over-ear headphones.
Read more: Best wireless earbuds
Best noise-canceling wireless earbuds for 2024
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Pros
- Excellent sound and best-in-class noise canceling
- Fit Kit ear tips and stabilizer system gets you a secure, comfortable fit
- Immersive Audio creates a different listening experience
- Slightly improved voice calling
Cons
- No wireless charging or multipoint Bluetooth
- Immersive Audio mode hurts battery life
Battery Life Rated up to 8 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
While the QC Ultra Earbuds aren't a major upgrade over Bose's excellent QC Earbuds 2 that were released in 2022, they're definitely a little better. They should fit most ears very well, and they feature superb noise canceling, arguably the best out there. And a natural-sounding transparency mode with a new ActiveSense feature kicks in some ANC should the sound get too loud around you (it's sort of similar to the AirPods Pro's Adaptive Audio feature). They also sound slightly better overall, with a touch more clarity, and their new Immersive Audio feature opens up the sound a bit.
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Pros
- New smaller design
- Improved sound, noise canceling and voice calling
- Upgraded processors and drivers
Cons
- Pricey
- No Find My feature integrated into app
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hours
Noise Canceling Yes (ANC)
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
When Sony'sWF-1000XM4earbuds came out in 2021, we awarded them a CNET Editors' Choice. And while they're excellent, we had some quibbles -- they're on the large side and aren't a good match for certain ears. Clearly, Sony took those gripes to heart when it set out to design its next-generation WF-1000XM5 flagship noise-canceling earbuds. Not only are the XM5s smaller, but they also offer improved performance pretty much across the board, with better noise canceling, sound and voice calling. Are the XM5s perfect? Not quite. And at $300 -- $20 more than their predecessor -- they're costly, too. But overall they're really impressive -- easily among the top earbuds on the market.
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Pros
- Lightweight design, now with USB-C charging
- Excellent sound and noise canceling
- Powered by Apple's H2 chip
- Strong voice-calling performance
Cons
- Basically the same design as previous model
- Murky support for high-resolution audio
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes (Apple Ecosystem Only)
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistance IP54
Full Review Read full review
Apple not only swapped in USB-C for Lightning connectivity in its new iPhone 15 models, but it made the switch with the AirPods Pro (2nd generation). The new AirPods Pro 2 with MagSafe (USB-C) are nearly identical to their Lightning predecessor, delivering the same excellent sound, noise canceling and voice-calling performance. That said, they offer some other small upgrades, including additional dust resistance and a new acoustic architecture that allows for Lossless Audio with theVision Pro, Apple's upcoming wearable headset that's set to be released in early 2024 and costs $3,499. Is it possible that new acoustic architecture makes the buds sound subtly different with current devices like the iPhone? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, the AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) are easy to recommend to Apple users despite their high price.
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Pros
- Relatively inexpensive
- Good sound and overall performance for their price
- Wireless charging and support for new Bluetooth LE Audio standard
Cons
- Voice calling performance is only OK
Battery Life Rated up to 7.5 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistance IPX5
Full Review Read full review
Earfun has put out a series of wireless earbuds over the last couple of years with one important commonality: They're very good values, made more so by frequent discounts. The company's new-for-2023 Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds feature the latestQualcomm QCC3071system-on-a-chip with AptX Adaptive for Android and other devices that support the newLE Audio standard and LC3 audio codec, which is superior to the SBC codec (they also support AAC for Apple devices).
Lightweight and comfortable to wear -- I got a good seal with the largest ear tip size -- these aren't a huge upgrade over theEarfun Air S, but they are better. They have slightly larger wool-composite drivers (11mm versus 10mm), slightly improved noise canceling and better battery life (up to seven hours with noise canceling on, according to Earfun).
In short, the Earfun Air 3 deliver strong performance for their modest price, with robust bass, good clarity and a relatively wide soundstage. They also pack in a lot of features, including a wireless charging case and "multidevice" connectivity. (I could pair them to two devices simultaneously but had to pause the music on one device and hit play on the other for the audio to switch.) They're IPX5 splash-proof and also work well (though not exceptionally well) as a headset for making calls.
Use the code EAP3CNET at checkout at Amazon to drop the price to just less than $50.
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Pros
- Sleek design
- Comfortable fit despite being slightly large
- Great sound
- Much improved noise canceling
- Very strong battery life
Cons
- Expensive
- Voice-calling performance could be slightly better
Master & Dynamic headphones and earbuds have always featured unique, eye-catching designs that include premium materials like aluminum, sapphire glass and Kevlar. Its latest MW09 flagship earbuds look pretty similar to its earlier MW08 buds, but have some upgrades on the inside that deliver better performance, particularly when it comes to battery life and noise canceling (it's now very close to what Bose and Sony offer, though not quite at their level for ANC). They're IP54 dust- and splash-proof and despite being on the larger side, I found them comfortable to wear, and they stayed in my ears fairly securely.
If you can get a tight seal (seven ear tips are included), the MW09s sound great. They sound natural, with nice detail and deep bass that's well defined and not overpowering. A touch on the warmer side -- there's no treble push -- with an open, refined quality, they're earbuds you can listen to for long stretches without any listening fatigue. They're right up there with the best-sounding buds.
Other highlights include very strong battery life (up to 16 hours), Bluetooth 5.4 (up to 30-meter range and LE Audio ready) and multipoint Bluetooth pairing. While their voice-calling performance is good, it's not up to the level of the AirPods Pro 2 in terms of noise-reduction and voice clarity during calls. Maybe Master & Dynamic can improve in that area with a firmware upgrade, but either way, they're worth checking out if you're looking for high-end earbuds. They're available in multiple colors.
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Pros
- Lightweight design with integrated wingtip that fits securely
- Very good sound and noise canceling
- Powered by Apple's H1 chip
Cons
- No wireless charging
- No enhanced My Find with proximity view (only standard Find My)
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hours
Noise Canceling Yes (ANC)
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
While the Beats Fit Pro technically aren't AirPods, they're built on the same tech platform as the AirPods Pro (yes, Apple owns Beats). Unlike Beats' earlier and less expensiveStudio Budsand new-for-2023 Studio Buds Plus, the Beats Fit Pro include Apple's H1 chip and have most of theAirPods Pro'sfeatures, including active noise canceling, spatial audio and Adaptive EQ. I'd venture to call them the sports AirPods you've always wanted.
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Pros
- Great battery life
- Improved sound over previous version
Cons
- Apple-only features
Battery Life Rated up to 6 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
Alas, for those of you who bought the original Beats Studio Buds, which remain on the market for now, I'm sorry to report that these new Plus buds are significantly improved, with better sound, noise canceling and battery life. Additionally, they now deliver top-notch voice-calling performance.
The transparent version is getting a lot of attention (who doesn't like transparent electronics?), but the big changes are on the inside. Beats says 95% of the components are new and improved, and the buds' "acoustic architecture" has been revised. The speaker drivers remain the same, but the Studio Buds Plus are powered by a new, more powerful custom chipset and have three new microphones in each bud, which are three times larger and more sensitive than the ones found in the Beats Studio Buds.
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Pros
- More affordable and better than Liberty 4 buds
- Comfortable fit with upgraded sound and noise canceling
- Robust feature set and solid call quality
Cons
- Noise canceling could be better
Battery Life Rated up to 8 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
New for 2023, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC earbuds carry a lower list price than last year's Liberty 4 buds and are arguably better. They have improved noise canceling and better sound quality, along with support for the LDAC audio codec for devices that support it. (Many Android smartphones do, and in theory it offers slightly improved sound quality when paired with a music streaming service that offers high-res tracks.) They're lightweight buds that should fit most ears comfortably with four sizes of ear tips to choose from.
The Liberty 4 NC buds have single custom drivers compared to the Liberty 4's dynamic dual drivers -- and a completely different case design -- but I thought they delivered more pleasant sound than the Liberty 4s. Their treble is a little smoother and they feature strong bass performance. They came across as fairly open, with a reasonably wide soundstage. You can tweak the sound profile in the companion app for iOS and Android.
The buds come in several color options and are IPX4 splashproof, so they're suitable for running and gym use. They feature excellent battery life -- up to 10 hours on a single charge at moderate volume levels -- and there's also a transparency mode that lets ambient sound in and sounds pretty natural with only a very faint audible hiss. While the noise canceling is an improvement over the Liberty 4's and is effective, it falls a bit short of what you get from Bose's and Sony's premium ANC earbuds.
Like the Liberty 4, the earbuds have six integrated mics for noise canceling and making calls, and callers said they thought the buds did a pretty good job of reducing background noise, with my voice coming through relatively clearly. They're an all-around good performing set of buds for the money, and they offer a strong feature set, including ear-detection sensors and wireless charging.
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Pros
- Very good noise canceling
- Robust feature set
Cons
- Voice calling could be better
Battery Life Rated up to 7 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistance IPX4
Full Review Read full review
You should expect a lot from earbuds that cost $300 -- and yes, that's still a lot to pay for headphones, even if plenty of people seem to be willing to pay upwards of $450 for the likes of Apple's AirPods Max headphones. Overall, Panasonic has done a nice job of creating an all-around top-performing set of buds that offer an improved fit with terrific sound, very good noise canceling and a robust feature set.
Voice-calling capabilities are decent but don't quite live up to their billing (yet). Hopefully we'll see some firmware upgrades that improve the voice-calling experience in noisier environments. Despite that caveat, as long as they fit your ears well, the Technics EAH-AZ80 are right up there with the best wireless earbuds on the market right now.
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Pros
- Great sound and improved battery life
- Good noise-canceling and voice-calling capabilities
- Wireless charging case turns into a Bluetooth transceiver
Cons
- Pricey
- Same Qualcomm chipset as in the previous model
- Missing some features typically found on premium buds
Battery Life Rated up to 5 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistance IPX4
Full Review Read full review
Bowers & Wilkins has upgraded its fantastic-sounding PI7 noise-canceling earbuds. The new S2 model has better battery life and Bluetooth range, now up to 25 meters (double the previous range). Additionally, the buds now integrate into the new Bowers & Wilkins Music app for iOS and Android and have a much improved setup experience.
While not a major upgrade from the originals, the PI7 S2s, which feature a dual-driver design, are easily among the very best-sounding true-wireless earbuds. The step-down PI5 S2s, which have a single driver design, don't sound quite as good but are more affordable.
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Pros
- Very good sound and a more comfortable fit
- Good noise-canceling and voice-calling capabilities
- Assortment of extra features for Galaxy device owners
Cons
- Somewhat pricey
- Some key features only work with Samsung devices
- No true multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Battery Life Rated up to 5 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX7
Full Review Read full review
The Galaxy Buds 2 Pro offer improved noise canceling along with very good sound and voice-calling performance, plus support for high-resolution wireless audio streaming if you're a Galaxy device owner with the right setup. That said, their biggest upgrade may be their new design and smaller size, which make them a better fit for more ears. Aside from their somewhat high price tag, their only drawback is that some of their key features only work with Samsung Galaxy devices.
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Pros
- Tapered design allows for secure, discreet, comfortable fit
- Good sound, noise cancellation and voice-calling performance
- Robust feature set for Android users
Cons
- No support for aptX or LDAC audio codecs for Android users
- A few features not available for Apple users
Battery Life Rated up to 11 hours
Noise Canceling Yes (ANC)
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
The Pixel Buds Pro are Google's first earbuds to feature active noise canceling. While it's nice that they finally have a feature that a lot of true-wireless earbuds have had for a while, what ultimately sets the Pixel Buds Pro apart and makes them worth considering -- particularly for Android users -- is their distinct design and winning fit. That helps enhance their performance on both the sound quality and noise-canceling fronts. While not quite elite for voice-calling, they did perform well as a headset for making calls. A couple of features were missing at launch -- spatial audio and a five-band equalizer -- but both have now been added with firmware updates.
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Pros
- Great voice-calling
- Secure ear fit
Cons
- No in-ear detection
- Transparency mode could be better
Battery Life Rated up to 8.5 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX5
Status Audio's earbuds aren't exactly the sleekest or most attractive earbuds you can buy, but if you don't mind their utilitarian look and giant stems, you are getting an excellent sounding set of earbuds. The Between 3ANC, the company's first noise-canceling earbuds, also do a good job muffling ambient sound, though they aren't up to the level of the Bose QuietComfort 2 earbuds for noise-canceling prowess. They did perform very well in my voice-calling test, reducing much of the background noise around me in the streets of New York while picking up my voice clearly, or so callers told me.
While they have multipoint Bluetooth pairing -- you can pair them to two devices simultaneously -- they are missing a few features, including ear-detection sensors, and they only support the AAC audio codec (they're equipped with Bluetooth 5.2), not LDAC or aptX. Some people with Android devices that support those codecs may not be thrilled with that, but, as I said, they sound quite good using AAC, offering clean sound with punchy bass and good clarity. That's in part due to their driver design, and why the buds are on the larger side -- they feature two balanced armature drivers, plus one 10mm dynamic driver in each earbud.
Despite being heavier than earbuds like Apple's AirPods Pro 2, they fit my ears comfortably and securely. Their case charges wirelessly and battery life is very good at up to 8.5 hours with ANC on. There's also a transparency mode that sounds only OK, not great (a physical button on the earbuds activates it) and they have an IPX5 water-resistance rating, which means they can withstand a sustained spray of water. The companion app for iOS is fairly basic, but you can upgrade the firmware and tweak the sound profile with a customizable EQ option.
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Pros
- Excellent sound
- Improved noise canceling and voice call performance
- Small, rubberized fins help create a secure fit
Cons
- May not fit those with very small ears
- Apple, Bose and Sony offer superior noise canceling
Battery Life Rated up to 7 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
Featuring excellent sound, improved noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well a smaller, more refined design that includes stabilizing fins (so the earbuds stay in your ears more securely), the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 were among the best new true-wireless earbuds of 2022. They remain one of the best true-wireless earbuds overall, although the newer AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5 buds are arguably superior, so only look to buy the Momentum True Wireless 3 when they are significantly discounted.
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Pros
- Embedded touchscreen to control playback and access key settings and features
- Good sound, noise canceling and voice-calling performance
- Strong battery life and robust feature set
Cons
- Sound could be slightly better for the price
- No head tracking for spatial sound mode
Battery Life Rated up to 8 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX5
Full Review Read full review
JBL's Tour Pro 2 earbuds have received a lot of attention for bringing something new to true-wireless earbuds: a full color touchscreen display embedded in the case that allows you to access the earbuds' key features and control playback as well as adjust volume levels. It's a bit of a gimmick but also useful.
While the buds could sound slightly better for their list price, overall the JBL Tour Pro 2s are very good earbuds that offer a good fit, a robust feature set, strong battery life, plus solid noise canceling and voice-calling performance.
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Pros
- Lightweight, compact design with comfortable fit
- Impressive sound and good noise canceling
- Support Sony's LDAC audio codec and Speak-to-Chat feature
Cons
- No wireless charging
- Not great for making calls from noisy areas
Battery Life Rated up to 9 hours
Noise Canceling Yes (ANC)
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX4
Full Review Read full review
Unlike the "open" LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips you jam in your ears. They're more compact and lighter than Sony's former flagship WF-1000XM4 and also feature Sony's V1 processor (Sony has since released the more compact WF-1000XM5). While their sound and noise canceling don't quite measure up to either XM4's or XM5's, they're still quite good. They're the Sony buds for people who can't afford Sony's flagship earbuds but want 80% of those buds' features and performance for significantly less.
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Pros
- Very good sound and a comfortable fit
- Good noise canceling and call quality
- Multipoint Bluetooth pairing
Cons
- Included ear tips might not get you a tight seal
- Chrome accent on stem is a bit gaudy
Battery Life Rated up to 8 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX5
Full Review Read full review
Over the years, JBL has put out some decent true-wireless earbuds, but nothing that really got me too excited. That's finally changed with the arrival of the Samsung-owned brand's newLive Pro 2andLive Free 2buds. Both sets of buds -- the Live Pro 2 have stems while the Live Free 2 have a pill-shaped design -- offer a comfortable fit along with strong noise canceling, very good sound quality and voice-calling performance, plus a robust set of features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing, an IPX5 splash-proof rating and wireless charging.
The Live Pro 2 and Live Free 2 are equipped with the same 11mm drivers, six microphones, oval tubes and oval silicon tips. Aside from the design, the biggest difference between the two buds is battery life; the stemless Live Free 2 is rated for up to seven hours, while the Live Pro 2 is rated for 10 hours. The Live Pro 2 is available in four color options.
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Pros
- Premium look and feel
- Spatial audio is fun
Cons
- Noise canceling could be better
Battery Life Rated up to 39 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint No
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IP55
The OnePlus Buds Pro 2 have a lot to like about them. They've got a more premium look and feel than many AirPods Pro 2 clones and feature a dual-driver design and very good sound quality with just a bit of bass push (by that I mean they're slightly bass heavy at their default sound setting). Equipped with Bluetooth 5.3, they also have support for a good range of audio codecs, including AAC (iPhones), LHDC 4.0, SBC, and LC3 (the successor to SBC). OnePlus says an upgrade to LHDC 5.0 will be available via a firmware upgrade (LHDC stands for low-latency high-definition and it's supposed to be close to on par with Sony's LDAC audio codec).
I found the noise-canceling to be good but not up to the level of what you get with Apple, Sony and Bose earbuds. Voice-calling performance was also above average with decent though not fantastic noise reduction on the streets of New York. (Callers said they could hear me well despite some background noise so the microphone quality seems good.)
Owners of the new OnePlus 11 smartphone can take advantage of the buds' spatial audio feature. (Other smartphones may support spatial audio with the Buds Pro 2 in the future but for now, it's exclusive to the OnePlus 11.) The buds are rated for 6 hours of battery life with noise canceling on and are IP55 splashproof. The compact charging case supports wireless charging with a little more than four extra charges in the case.
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Pros
- Solid ear fit
- Good noise canceling
- Solid voice calling
Cons
- Battery life could be better
Battery Life Rated up to 5 hours
Noise Canceling Yes
Multipoint Yes
Headphone Type In Ear
Water Resistant IPX57
Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EX buds are the company's best true-wireless earbuds yet. They feature a comfortable, secure fit (except perhaps for those with really smaller ears), top-notch build quality, great sound, good noise canceling and improved voice-calling performance over B&O's EQ buds, with three microphones in each earbud they help with reducing background noise while picking up your voice. While they're out of most people's price range, they're arguably the best earbuds out there with stems and offer superior sound to the AirPods Pro (1st gen) with better clarity, deeper more powerful bass and richer, more accurate sound.
Battery life is rated at 6 hours at moderate volume levels with noise canceling on and there's an extra 14 hours of juice in the brushed aluminum charging case (wireless charging is supported). The buds have an IP57 water-resistance rating, which makes them waterproof and dust-resistant. They feature Bluetooth 5.2 and multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect to two devices at the same time, such as a computer and smartphone. You can use a single bud independently and the earbuds have ear-detection sensors so your music pauses when you remove them from your ears.
The buds support AptX Adaptive for devices like Android smartphones that support Bluetooth streaming with the AptX HD audio codec (AAC is also supported). They're available in the gold tone pictured as well as a graphite color.
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Other noise-canceling wireless earbuds we've tested
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2: Available in four colors, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 noise-canceling headphones don't feature as good sound or noise canceling as the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but they're compact (15% smaller and 20% lighter than the earlier Buds Plus, they barely stick out of your ears) and cost significantly less. Because they sit more flush with your ears -- and have that curved design -- they also pick up less wind noise. They're IPX2 sweat-resistant while the step-up Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are fully waterproof (IPX7).
Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4: While their sound isn't quite up to the level of higher-end buds likeApple's AirPods Pro 2and theSennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3that cost significantly more, the Soundcore by Anker Liberty 4 earbuds have a strong set of features, including a spatial audio mode with head tracking, multipoint Bluetooth pairing, up to nine hours of battery life, wireless charging and support for Sony's LDAC audio codec that can offer sound improvements if you have the right setup.
Sennheiser CX Plus: The Momentum True Wireless 3 are Sennheiser's flagship true-wireless earbuds. But if you can't afford them, the CX Plus, which feature very good sound and decent noise canceling, are a good alternative for a lot less money. The step-down CX, which have no active noise canceling, cost even less.
Factors to consider when choosing noise-canceling wireless earbuds
Budget
Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on new earbuds. Value-priced earbuds continue to improve, so you can find good "cheap" buds for not too much money (less than $60). But if you're looking for premium buds from Sony, Apple and Bose, be prepared to spend a lot more.
Fit
It's key that the earbuds you buy fit your ears well. They should offer a comfortable, secure fit. If you don't get a tight seal with noise-isolating earbuds, sound quality and noise cancellation can be dramatically affected for the worse. Open earbuds don't have that issue, but they should be comfortable to wear and sit securely in your ears.
Return policy
Because the fit of your earbuds is so important, it's critical to buy your buds at a retailer that has a good return policy. That means you can return the buds if they aren't a good match for your ears.
How we test noise-canceling earbuds
We test noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds based on six key criteria, comparing similarly styled and priced models. These criteria includedesign,sound quality,noise-canceling performance,voice-calling performance, featuresandvalue.
- Design: Evaluating design, we assess not only how comfortable the headphones and earbuds fit (their ergonomics) but their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. When it comes to earbuds, we also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.
- Sound quality: We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing the earbuds to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
- Noise-canceling performance: We evaluate noise-canceling performance by wearing the headphones in the same spot indoors near a noisy HVAC unit to see how well they do at muffling lower frequencies. Then we head out to the streets of New York to test the headphones in a real-world environment where we see how they do muffling not only street noise but people's voices.
- Extra features: Some great-sounding workout headphones and earbuds aren't loaded with features, but we do take into account what extra features are on board. These include everything from quick-access awareness to transparency modes (your music pauses and the headphones open up to the outside world so you can have a conversation) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears. We also take a look at the companion app for the headphones if there is one and how user friendly it is.
- Voice-calling: When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls in the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the headphones or earbuds reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear our voice.
- Value: We determine value after evaluating the strength of the headphones and earbuds against all these criteria and what they're able to deliver compared to other models in their price class.
Noise-canceling earbuds FAQs
Does noise canceling drain the earbuds' battery?
When noise canceling is engaged, it does tend to have an impact on battery life. This is more of a factor with earbuds, which tend to offer anywhere from five to eight hours of battery life with noise canceling on and seven to 12 hours with it off. Full-size headphones can offer 25 to 30 hours of battery life with noise canceling on and up to 40 to 50 hours with it off.
Does noise canceling impact sound quality?
Active noise canceling can have a small adverse effect on sound quality, especially if the noise canceling isn't all that good (noise canceling can create a faint background hiss). It can mess with the purity of the sound quality so it's tricky to create a noise-canceling headphone that sounds really good. As a result, often high-end noise-canceling headphones that tout fantastic sound quality don't have as powerful noise canceling (the noise canceling feels lighter).
Does noise canceling block all noise?
Noise-canceling headphones and earbuds have traditionally been good at blocking out lower frequency sounds such as the rumbling you hear while traveling on a plane. They haven't been so good at muffling higher frequencies (a baby screaming, for example) and even people talking around you. But companies like Bose, Sony and Apple have improved the technology in the last year or two so their noise canceling works across a wider range of frequencies. It still can't muffle all noise but top noise canceling is now doing a better job tamping down more noises that live in midrange and higher frequencies.
Is it noise-canceling or noise-cancelling?
Short answer: both. Either spelling is correct, as "canceling" is more common in American English while "cancelling" is more common in British English. CNET uses "noise canceling" since the company is based in the US, but the noise is canceled just the same, regardless of spelling.
Can noise canceling cause pressure in your ears?
Some people are very sensitive to noise canceling and end up feeling some pressure in their ears. As a result, some people can't use noise-canceling headphones or ear buds. That said, earbuds and headphones manufacturers have done a better job venting earbuds in recent years, relieving that pressure sensation.
