This is a ranking of noise-canceling headphones that best block out the noise of the subway, transport, streets, office, and surrounding voices. The ranking includes the best wireless headphones with noise cancellation in three popular form factors: over-ear models, true wireless earbuds, and in-ear models. For all Bluetooth headphones in the ranking, we have a full review.
Based on our experience, the best wireless headphones with noise cancellation come from: Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser. These companies invest heavily in developing active noise cancellation systems and software updates. As a result, wireless headphones with active noise cancellation from these top brands consistently rank highest each year, and their price reflects that. Chinese companies, which often adopt developments from other manufacturers, follow the leaders. Such headphones with active noise cancellation block less noise, while their price is 2-4 times lower.
We test all noise-canceling headphones in two ways: outdoors and indoors. Outdoor testing along a busy road simulates real-world use. Indoor testing simulates the cyclical noise of an office or a room at home. We conduct all measurements based on our hearing. Our noise cancellation testing methodology will be available later.
How to get high-resolution codecs in wireless headphones: LDAC, LHDC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, etc.?
Learn moreClever phone manufacturers like Huawei, Samsung, Realme, Apple, and others do everything they can to pull us into their ecosystem. When it comes to headphones, this manifests as a ‘proprietary’ codec, which is only available on a proprietary smartphone (usually the top-tier, meaning expensive) and offers additional functionality. It all boils down to a simple message: ‘Want maximum sound quality and maximum features? PAY!’ Huawei has L2HC 4.0, Samsung has SSC and SSC-UHQ. Among the more common ones, Realme, Oneplus, Oppo, and Xiaomi use LHDC 5.0.
If your headphones support the required codec, but your phone, tablet, or PC doesn’t, you can use a USB adapter. A device the size of a Bluetooth adapter connects to your phone or PC’s port. Then, your headphones connect to the adapter and receive the signal with the appropriate codec.
Which adapter to choose?
- QCC Dongle Pro2 – if you need it all at once. The adapter supports: LHDC 5.0, LDAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Lossless; LE Audio and Auracast are declared.
- FiiO Air Link – a universal adapter, just cheaper. Codec support: SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, LDAC, and aptX Lossless.
- 1Mii B03Pro – a desktop option with a transmitter and receiver. Supports: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX LL, aptX Adaptive.
- UGREEN BT701 – a compact universal option. Codec support: Classic Bluetooth: SBC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive-LL, aptX Adaptive-HQ. LE Audio: Auracast, Unicast-Low Latency, Unicast-Lossless.
- UGREEN BT501 – a simplified version of the BT701. Supports: SBC, aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive.
See our ranking for more details on USB adapters — Best Bluetooth Adapters for Computers and Headphones.
More details on the LDAC codec, relevant for all low-compression codecs: compatibility, real quality improvement, where the codec works, etc.
Learn moreThe LDAC codec was developed by Sony and is used in most of the manufacturer’s proprietary audio equipment.
Compatibility. The LDAC codec is the second most accessible audio codec on Android after AAC and SBC. With the LDAC codec, the sound is less compressed and more detailed, and the best sound quality is achieved with the ‘quality’ preset at a bitrate of 909/990 Kbps. The codec appeared in Android 8.0 and is supported by all phones and tablets, except for some models where the manufacturer has removed the codec from the system or the codec is hardware-locked. Therefore, in 99.9% of cases, an Android source is compatible with headphones that have the LDAC codec.
Impact on Sound, Expectation vs. Reality. Often, some potential owners of headphones with the LDAC codec mistakenly believe the codec’s presence guarantees high-quality sound. The formula ‘source with LDAC’ + ‘headphones with LDAC’ = ‘quality sound’ doesn’t always work. The codec acts as a ‘data packer,’ and the better the codec’s parameters, the fewer data losses during unpacking. The sound system plays a key role: type and number of drivers, driver design, DACs and amplifiers, acoustic design, and other hidden parameters – software and hardware. If any element in this system doesn’t work correctly – due to cost-saving components or design flaws – the codec’s efficiency decreases. How else could it be? If the sound system can’t handle it, the codec won’t help.
Where does the LDAC codec work? Usually, the codec doesn’t work in headphones under $50, or the quality improvement is minimal. A noticeable improvement is more often found in headphones priced at $100+.
The quality improvement, and don’t be surprised by this, is more often noticeable in mid-range models and above. This is because the lower the production cost, the more limitations there are. At the same time, a high price for headphones is not always an objective indicator of potential quality; there are models with cheap production and high markups. And this markup usually goes into the pockets of the company’s shareholders or is distributed among famous personalities from the music and film industries. Therefore, there are exceptions in models that are cheaper or more expensive.
Real Improvement with LDAC Codec. Based on our experience with tested headphones with different driver types and designs, the improvement ranges from 1-3% to 15-20%. This is an approximate value, as tests rely on hearing. I haven’t encountered any measurement devices for quality yet. At least, none that I’ve come across.
It’s important to understand two main points. First, with the LDAC codec, you get an improvement in detail retrieval. Naturalness doesn’t improve, nor does the soundstage. The sound balance also doesn’t change.
Second, the percentage improvement varies for each pair of headphones. A 15-20% improvement in headphones with an overall score of 5-6 out of 10 is nowhere near comparable to a 3-5% improvement in headphones scoring 8-9. Therefore, when you notice a significant improvement with the codec, it’s worth checking the overall sound score.
Which codec is better – LDAC or LHDC?
Learn moreLDAC is better in terms of availability, LHDC is better in terms of capabilities.
| Maximum bitrate | Up to 990 kbps | Up to 900 kbps (V 3/4), up to 1000 kbps (v5) |
| Maximum frequency / Bitrate | 24 bit / 96 kHz | 24 bit / 96 kHz (v3/v4), up to 24 bit / 192 kHz (v5) |
| Bitrate control | 330 / 660 / 990 kbps, adaptive bitrate – 330-990 kbps. | 400 / 500 / 900 / 1000 kbps, adaptive bitrate – 128-1000 kbps. |
| Audio latency | ~160–200 ms | ~200 ms (there is an LLAC / LHDC LL mode with low latency up to 30 ms |
| Integration into Android | Native support with Android 8.0+ | Basic structure in AOSP with Android 10, native support v5 with Android 17 |
| Lossless mode | No | LHDC 5.0 claims lossless |
The characteristics of both codecs are comparable, with more in favor of LHDC. More parameters are available for adjustment, higher sampling frequency, and there are switches for LHDC lossless and audio latency reduction.
However, LDAC is far ahead in terms of prevalence. The codec appeared on Android version 8.0+, so you don’t have to worry about compatibility. More headphones on the market support LDAC across various price categories. More USB adapters support LDAC. For comparison, there are only 2 USB adapters for LHDC, and only one works without issues. Although, in the future, LHDC may catch up to LDAC in prevalence and even surpass it. More flexible licensing and minimal royalty fees will quickly popularize the LHDC codec among manufacturers.
In terms of signal stability, both codecs are on the same level.
In terms of sound, both codecs provide the same quality, and you’ll have to listen closely to discern the difference. This is if the headphones support both LDAC and LHDC. Therefore, you should focus on the sound system first, and then the codec. More on codecs.
Which codec is better – aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, or aptX Lossless?
Learn moreComparative table of main codec parameters:
| Launch year | < 2009 | 2016 | 2018 | 2021 |
| Bitrate | 352 kbps | 576 kbps | 279–420 kbps (dynamic) | ~1.1–1.2 Mbps (dynamic, up to 860 kbps lossy + lossless layer) |
| Bit depth | 16-bit | 24-bit | 16 / 24-bit | 16 / 24-bit |
| Sampling frequency | 44.1 / 48 kHz | 44.1 / 48 kHz | 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz | 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz |
| Compression type | Lossy (4:1) | Lossy (4:1) | Lossy (5:1–10:1, adaptive) | Lossless CD (16/44.1) + lossy Hi-Res |
| Signal latency | ~150–200 ms | ~150–200 ms | ≈ 50–80 ms | ~80 ms |
| aptX Voice | No | No | Yes | Yes |
From the table, it’s not hard to understand that aptX Lossless is the best codec. However, aptX Lossless is not a standalone codec but an add-on for aptX Adaptive. There is no choice of sound quality parameters in Android settings, and aptX Lossless itself only activates under specific conditions:
- Support for Snapdragon Sound by both the phone and headphones.
- Clear airwaves – no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interference.
- aptX Lossless option enabled – if such an option exists in the phone’s settings.
If the conditions are not met, and having only one SoC with aptX Lossless support is insufficient, then the audio is transmitted via the aptX Adaptive codec. The aptX Adaptive codec also activates in the presence of interference. Often, neighboring Wi-Fi networks in apartment buildings are enough.
More on audio codecs.
EMMA — Experts + Methodology + MyChoozers + Algorithm.
Every model goes through identical tests; the score is calculated automatically with fixed weights — a spot in the rating cannot be bought.
TOP-15: Best Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (2026) – Ranking
1. Sony WH-1000XM6 8.11Best wireless headphones with noise cancellation in 2026
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Sony WH-1000XM6 – the best wireless headphones with noise cancellation in 2026. Key selling points: reference-level noise cancellation and transparency, good low-frequency sound, and a convenient proprietary ‘find my EQ’ feature that simplifies sound customization to a couple of clicks. With the LDAC codec, we get up to a 10-12% improvement in overall sound quality. Downsides: the earcups press on the ears, causing discomfort from the first minutes of use; the hinges are not durable and require careful handling.
In the Sony WH-1000XM6, the noise suppression algorithm is more effective compared to in-ear models, which are sensitive to the tightness of the ear tips’ seal. The mode primarily suppresses low-frequency hum and partially mid-frequency noise. When the mode is active, there are no parasitic overtones or white noise, nor is there a feeling of pressure on the eardrums. At the same time, with noise cancellation active, the bass slightly intensifies during playback.
- Reference-level noise cancellation and transparency
- Detailed microphone
- Low-frequency sound without excessive bass
- Earcups press against the ears
- Hinges require careful handling
- Lack of detail retrieval
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 10 Mostly suppresses low-frequency noise, with minimal mid-range noise suppression. There is no white noise or spurious sounds when the mode is running.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.48 Low-frequency sound, similar in signature to the WH-1000XM4. Vocals sound close, timbres of low and high-frequency instruments are distinguishable. Soundstage processing is mostly in width, with no noticeable artificiality or distortion. Comfortable sound without significant downsides. There is only a slight excess of bass, a lack of transparency in the mids, and a shortage of brightness. Although even this can be fixed in the built-in equalizer in a “couple” of clicks.Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.68 The headphones feature reference-level active noise cancellation and transparency among over-ear models. Battery life in the series remains unchanged – 30-40 hours with noise cancellation enabled. Controls are mostly touch-based for music and calls. The companion app is useful, though the multi-level menu structure is awkward, and with the “find your EQ” feature it’s easier to tune the sound out of 4-5 options of different tonality. The signal is stable at distances up to 10 m using the LDAC codec at the Quality bitrate setting.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 6.33 Awkward, the headphone clamping force is stronger than the previous generation. My maximum time in the headphones is an hour, then I need to take a break. No complaints about build and materials. The weak spot of the headphones is the hinges, which break under heavy use. Design is nice and neat. Choice of 3 colors.Read more.
2. Sony WH-1000XM5 8.14Best Over-Ear Headphones with Noise Cancellation Under $250
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Sony WH-1000XM5 — the best wireless over-ear headphones with noise cancellation among over-ear models. Key selling points: reference-level noise cancellation and transparency, proprietary low-frequency sound, detailed microphone, and comfortable fit. With the LDAC codec, we get up to a 15% improvement in sound quality. Downsides – the hinges cannot withstand intensive load and break.
- Reference-quality noise cancellation and transparency.
- Signature low-frequency sound
- Detailed microphone and comfortable fit
- Best automatic EQ tuning
- Fragile hinges
- Fingerprint-attracting coating
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9.7 Blocks up to 60-70% of low-frequency noise. There is no white noise or spurious sounds.Read more.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.13 The headphones feature a low-frequency, all-encompassing sound signature typical of the headphone series. The main pluses of the sound are the soundstage, natural timbre, and detail retrieval. There is no artificiality or grain, and there is clear instrument and spatial effect separation. The main downside of the sound is the lows. There is a slight excess in quantity, giving the sound a bassy tint, and bass-heavy tracks sound a bit boomy. Plus, the vocals lack transparency.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.00 In quiet conditions: 8 In noisy conditions: 6 The headphones feature 8 microphones, though only 4 are used for calls. In quiet environments, the recording is detailed, the first words are muted, and faint clicking sounds can be heard. In noisy environments, the recording quality is noticeably worse, but you can still make out the words.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.53 Active noise cancellation and transparency are of reference-quality. Playback time in our tests is 33 hours, against the claimed 30. Controls are a mix, mostly using touch gestures on the earcup. There is a companion app with awkward navigation and a convenient EQ.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.60 The headphones are comfortable, the earcups apply minimal pressure to the ears, and you’ll want to take a break after about 2 hours. No complaints about build and materials. Only the coating is a fingerprint magnet and requires daily care. The weak spot in the design is the hinges, with frequent breakages at the earcup swivel point. The headphones look good, choice of 5 colors.Read more.
3. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 8.10Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones 2025 — Comfortable, Excellent Low-Frequency Sound
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds — the best noise-canceling headphones of 2025 among in-ear TWS models and a benchmark on mychooz.com. Key selling points: reference noise cancellation, pleasant bassy sound, comfortable fit for sports, and the best spatial audio mode. With the aptX Adaptive codec, sound quality improves by up to 15%. The drawbacks are poor microphone noise cancellation and an inconvenient proprietary app.
- Reference-quality active noise cancellation (ANC) among true wireless earbuds
- Top-tier low-frequency sound
- Best Spatial Audio performance
- Comfortable fit for running and sports
- Poor microphone active noise cancellation (ANC)
- Clunky app
- IPx4 dust and water resistance. No case protection.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9.5 Reference-quality active noise cancellation (ANC) among true wireless earbuds. Suppresses up to 90% of low-frequency noise.Read more.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.26 Bass-heavy, with a slight excess of bass and mids. You can tweak the sound in the app EQ to get a comfortable listening experience. Vocals and instruments are clear, with no noticeable digital processing or grain. The soundstage only feels somewhat enclosed, just a bit wider than your head. Still, you get width and depth with good instrument separation.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.50 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 4 Each earbud has 4 microphones and features active noise cancellation (ANC). In a quiet room, recordings are detailed and clear, with a slight echo. In noisy conditions with a handheld vacuum cleaner, the voice is unintelligible, as the ANC struggles. An additional road noise test will follow later.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 7.92 The earbuds feature reference-quality active noise cancellation (ANC), and the transparency mode is on par with the reference. Claimed battery life is 6 hours and 24 hours with the charging case. Controls are convenient, allowing you to perform basic playback actions. The app is clunky, and features are duplicated 2-3 times. Connection stability is solid, though with aptX Adaptive, occasional dropouts happen at a distance of 8-9 meters.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.00 The earbuds fit snugly in your ears and do not fall out while running or working out. After 2-3 hours of use, minor fatigue sets in. No complaints about materials and build quality, except for the glossy finish which is a fingerprint magnet and gets dirty quickly. The earbuds look good, though they do not spark any particular excitement.Read more.
4. Nothing Headphone (1) 8.22Good Over-Ear Headphones with Noise Cancellation – Design, Comfort, and Features
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Nothing Headphone (1) – 2025 headphones with fantastic noise cancellation. Key selling points: top-tier ANC and transparency mode, reference-level microphone, most comfortable controls among over-ear models, most beautiful design, and 80 hours of battery life. The model has no critical drawbacks – the only downside is that the sound is at the level of models costing $100-150, but with EQ adjustments, it reaches 8/10 or higher.
- Good and even sound with EQ
- Microphone – top-tier
- Active noise cancellation and transparency mode are top-tier.
- Controls and app – top-tier!
- Battery life – top-tier!
- Build – beautiful with nuances.
- The sound requires EQ tuning, out of the box it’s at the level of sub-$100 models.
- Minor flaws: the bass adjustment feature in the app didn’t work.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9.5 (❗️reference Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones). Noise cancellation is magnificent, on par with the TOP models. The key feature is that passive isolation, without active noise cancellation, is very good, and the housing is sealed. And the ear pads also play their part. Noise cancellation has 4 modes: low, medium, high, adaptive, adjustable in the app.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.33 Roughly this result is what I expected. You can hear that the headphones are capable of playing, that there is potential. But the sound was tuned a bit incorrectly. I hope the default EQ gets fixed via firmware updates. In this model, EQ tuning is simply a must. Which we will handle shortly. It is not difficult, you do it once and forget it.The main plus of the sound is naturalness and responsiveness to EQ. If the EQ did not fix the situation, this model would be an underdog. With tuning, you can safely add +1 point out of 10 to the final score. The main downside of the sound is that EVERYTHING lacks just a little bit. Bass, mids, highs. Because of which a lot is lost in detail retrieval, plus the soundstage is a bit pushed back. This is sound behind a wall in the next room. And you want it to be right in front of you.
Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.50 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 7 In noisy conditions, it handles not ideally, but well.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.17 Top-tier noise cancellation, made it into the TOP 5 among all models. Transparency mode is also excellent, allowing you to freely talk to a companion without taking off the headphones. Battery life is excellent, up to 54 hours of playback with the LDAC codec and up to 80 hours with the AAC codec. Controls are very convenient, reference-quality, and moreover they are physical, button-based, and feature a wheel. The app is also reference-quality, with a convenient equalizer.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 9.00 Comfortable, you can wear them for 2-3 hours without discomfort, and build quality is also great, even though the coating is a fingerprint magnet. The design is unique, but in person they look MUCH better than in photos.Read more.
5. Apple Airpods Pro 3 8.64Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones with "Stems" – Ideal for iPhone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Apple Airpods Pro 3 are the best TWS headphones for Apple devices. Key selling points: near-flagship sound; reference microphone, active noise cancellation, transparency, and controls. The model has no critical flaws – it might not fit everyone, and some features only work with Apple devices.
- Near-flagship sound quality — vastly superior to the 2 Pro.
- Microphone is a benchmark
- Noise cancellation and transparency mode operate at benchmark levels.
- Controls are benchmark-level
- Battery life increased by 2 hours, reaching up to 8 hours with ANC active.
- Comfortable and sleek design
- Comfort has improved across the model line, though it won’t suit everyone.
- The app and other features work exclusively on Apple devices.
- Minor drawbacks: the case scratches very quickly.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9.5 Offers reference-level noise cancellation on par with Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds; I debated for a long time over who deserves a 10 out of 10, ultimately ending up with equally high quality. It beats the Apple AirPods Pro 2 by 1 point.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.50 With EQ tuning, you can push the score up to a 9. You get excellent sound quality on par with top models from Sony, Sennheiser, Bose, and others. The strong suit is a significant boost in detail retrieval, soundstage, and naturalness. The tuning closely resembles the AirPods Pro 2, but it’s as if the window you’re looking through has been enlarged and thoroughly cleaned. Finally, you get a sound profile you don’t have to feel ashamed of. That’s a huge leap of +1.5 points compared to the Pro 2. It still doesn’t quite reach the level of the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, Huawei Freebuds 4 Pro, or the reference Technics EAH-AZ100, but it’s getting close.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.00 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 8 The microphone delivers simply stunning quality, setting a new benchmark. At first, I thought I had accidentally recorded sound using the iPhone instead. The “voice isolation” feature is available, which improves voice quality in noisy conditions by cutting out background sounds.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.00 Active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and controls all match reference-quality. Battery life reaches up to 8 hours for the earbuds and up to 24 hours with the charging case when you turn off ANC and spatial audio. There is no app; all features are built directly into the OS, so Android users will need to configure the earbuds through third-party apps.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.43 The earbuds offer an ideal fit with zero fatigue even after 5 hours of use. However, the design won’t suit everyone, so it’s a good idea to try them on before buying. Build quality draws no complaints, just like previous generations, but the glossy plastic scratches immediately. You’re better off putting a case cover on right away. The design is minimalist with nothing extra.Read more.
6. ANKER SoundCore Liberty 5 Pro 8.51BEST TRUE WIRELESS EARBUDS by Functionality – Top for Noise Cancellation
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
In the SoundCore Liberty 5 Pro, the main focus is on features comparable to reference models in each aspect. Collectively, the model ranks among the leaders, following the Liberty 5 Pro Max. Therefore, if features are your priority, the Liberty 5 Pro or 5 Pro Max will suit you. The sound is not bad, just unremarkable. Comfortable background sound for everyday listening. The improvement compared to the Liberty 4 Pro is minimal, and the results of the 3 Pro are simply unattainable.
- Comfortable balanced sound.
- Reference functionality.
- Comfortable fit.
- The sound is marginally better than the previous generation.
- The companion app consumes up to 1.9 GB of RAM.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9.5 Active, works with a single earbud. There are 5 amplification steps for manual adjustment, airplane and car modes, and a “wind noise protection” toggle. The mode is comfortable and does not press on eardrums. Compared to Liberty 4 Pro and 5, the boost is felt up to roughly two times in the low-frequency range. And desktop fan noise is suppressed by about 90% – a level close to Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Sound blocking in the mid and high-frequency range increased by up to 30-50%. This is well noticed by pressing keyboard keys and nearby people’s voices.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 8.25 Traditionally with a bass emphasis, although the amount of lows is smaller compared to past generations. Out of the box, the sound is not boring and not harsh. Comfortable background sound for everyday listening. Moderately detailed and natural. And pulling the score down are a lack of clarity and soundstage. This is roughly like coming to a concert and listening to the performance backstage or sitting in the very last side seats. Ordinary sound without critical flaws, moderately pleasant and melodic, particularly with EQ tuning. Liberty 5 Pro – enter the silver league of MyChooz.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.75 In quiet environments: 9.5 In noisy environments: 10 In quiet conditions the voice is detailed and distinct, distortion is minimal. In noisy conditions with a handheld vacuum cleaner in the background, the voice is unnatural, more processed. At the same time background noise is isolated, and speech is distinct.Read more.
Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.19 A strong point of the wireless earbuds and by all parameters minimally inferior to the references. The only cons are the RAM usage by the proprietary app – up to 1.9 GB, on average 1.5 GB. That is a lot, for comparison the app for Noble wireless earbuds uses approximately 110 MB.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.17 Durable and free of visible flaws, right on par with the previous generation. The wireless earbuds have less gloss and show fewer fingerprints, though the charging case screen picks up smudges much more easily. The wireless earbuds are comfortable, don’t press against your ears, and sit snugly. Both the charging case and wireless earbuds look good—I liked the design.Read more.
7. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro 8.99Best Wireless Headphones – Top for Noise Cancellation
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro is a highly successful update to the 3 Pro. Key selling points: reference sound, reference functionality, and a very comfortable design. All three aspects are top-notch. This applies not only to flagship Samsung devices but to all Android and Apple devices. Reference transparency mode and excellent noise cancellation. Excellent microphone. It’s like AirPods, but with enhanced sound and for all ecosystems.
The downsides include artificial ecosystem limitations for non-Samsung devices: only basic codecs with a 15% quality drop, no low-latency mode, no translator or voice assistant, no spatial audio, Auracast, or seamless device switching. There are minor sound flaws in the highs. Everything else is simply TOP.
- Top-tier sound, reference-grade with the proprietary SSC UHD codec.
- Includes a translator, voice assistant, spatial audio.
- Reference-grade transparency, activation by saying your name.
- The SSC UHD codec, translator, voice assistant, and spatial audio only work on Samsung flagship devices.
- No companion app for Apple.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9 Gorgeous quality, a significant jump after the 3 Pro. Not a reference like the Apple AirPods Pro 3, but a solid 9. The operation mode is soft, with no pressure on the ears. You can enable single-earbud noise cancellation in the settings.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 9.13 A wide soundstage, cool punchy bass, prominent vocals that separate cleanly from other instruments, and gorgeous detail retrieval. The main downside of the sound is perhaps the highs, which felt slightly lacking for me in both quality and quantity. The main plus of the sound is everything else, the soundstage is absolute reference material at 10 out of 10.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.50 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 9 Gorgeous quality, it has gotten better than the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It fell just a hair short of the Huawei reference.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.25 Noise cancellation is excellent—9 out of 10, falling slightly short of the AirPods Pro 3 reference. It handles street noise, laptop hum, and PC fans well. Transparency is reference-level with a slight digital processing feel. Battery life in our tests on base codecs is 8-10 hours. Touch controls, plus voice control for the player and calls. The companion app is user-friendly and only for Android devices. Moreover, some features are only available on Samsung devices.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.25 The earbuds are very comfortable, the case is compact. After a couple of hours of use, only minor fatigue. The build is sturdy and reliable, though the finish is a fingerprint magnet. Available in 3 colors: gray, white, and rose gold. Personally, I liked the design, while parts of our team didn’t. What about you?Read more.
8. VIVO TWS 5 Hi-Fi 7.85Best True Wireless Earbuds for Noise Cancellation Under $200
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
These headphones are interesting for their active noise cancellation and battery life – on par with top manufacturers. The microphone in noisy conditions is also on par with reference models. They feature triple multipoint, LHDC, and LDAC codecs. The sound in the headphones is present; it’s advisable to burn them in and fine-tune with an equalizer. However, the headphones have average detail retrieval and a narrow soundstage, which cannot be fixed with sound adjustments.
- Low-frequency sound.
- Top-tier active noise cancellation and battery life
- Triple multipoint
- Microphone in noisy conditions on par with reference models
- Low detail retrieval and narrow soundstage
- Poor transparency mode
- Fingerprint-prone glossy plastic
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9 Software-based, works with a single earbud. There are 4 amplification modes, including an adaptive mode. The suppression depth is enough to drown out an air conditioner, a noisy PC, or a server. White noise is minimal, scaling up as ambient noise increases.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.56 With an emphasis on lows and highs. Strengths – accented highs without noticeable artificiality or grain. Also, intimate and clear vocals, good naturalness. Weaknesses – detail retrieval: lacks clarity, and it’s hard to discern texture. A narrow soundstage with sound practically inside your head. Some of the drawbacks can be corrected with an equalizer, and you can achieve pleasant, engaging sound. The VIVO TWS 5 Hi-Fi falls into the bronze league, and with sound improvements, it approaches the silver league.Learn more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.40 In quiet conditions: 8.8 In noisy conditions: 10 Vocals are clear in quiet environments, with faint clicking sounds audible in some spots. In noisy environments with a handheld vacuum cleaner, the microphone isolates the voice without degrading vocal quality. There is a significant quality upgrade compared to the previous generation.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.34 An optimal and modern feature set that includes everything necessary, such as 3-device multipoint. The standout feature is active noise cancellation (ANC), which outperforms the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Soundcore Liberty 5. The microphone noise cancellation suppresses loud noises without distorting speech, performing at the level of reference models. Battery life matches the top tier. The weak points are transparency mode and controls, which perform at the level of $50-60 models.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.83 Just like other earbuds in this price category. Standard design, with no complaints regarding build quality and construction. However, the glossy plastic is excessively fingerprint-prone and slippery.Read more.
9. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 7.73Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation – Ideal for Work and Office
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones – wireless headphones with active noise cancellation for use in noisy environments. Key selling points: best noise cancellation under $200 – suitable for use in the office or at a PC at home, reference-level transparency, and a reference spatial audio mode. The aptX Adaptive codec provides approximately up to a 20% improvement in overall sound quality. Downsides: the earcups press on the ears and low microphone noise cancellation. Out of the box, the sound is at the level of models costing $100-200, and it’s important to adjust the sound with an equalizer.
- Best active noise cancellation under $200
- Reference-level transparency
- Top-tier wired sound
- Reference spatial audio
- EQ tuning required for best sound
- Weak microphone noise suppression
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9 Low-frequency noise is blocked effectively. Wind noise reduction adjusts the active noise cancellation level automatically, and the mode feels comfortable without generating pressure on the eardrums or white noise.Read more.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.58 The sound leans heavily on bass emphasis. A lack of transparency and airiness leaves the audio somewhat muffled and insufficiently bright, yet the artist sings right in front of you as if standing close. The sound remains natural and free of glaring artificial timbre, apart from a touch of grain on the cymbals. Detail retrieval suffices to render texture, and the soundstage boasts good instrument separation and width.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.00 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 5 Recording in quiet environments stays clear, while noisy environments see poor suppression of background noise.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.13 These headphones pack top-tier active noise cancellation and transparency alongside a detailed microphone for quiet environments and weak suppression of loud noise. Battery life stretches up to 18 hours with maximum active noise cancellation enabled. Controls are convenient thanks to volume swipe gestures, and the companion app is decent enough to warrant downloading for EQ and ANC adjustments, while the connection remains stable within 10 m.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.50 The ear cups clamp down tightly, prompting you to take a break after an hour. Dust and water resistance isn’t stated, the build looks sturdy and reliable, and the finish acts as a fingerprint magnet that proves difficult to clean, though they are available in 5 colors.Read more.
10. Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro 7.57In-Ear Headphones with Noise Cancellation – Good for Android
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Key selling points: top-tier active noise cancellation, top-tier microphone in quiet conditions, and a built-in voice recorder. Downsides – sound is slightly above average and controls are inconvenient. The translator and enhanced bitrate only work on some Xiaomi phones. Also, the charging case feels like it’s worth $20-25.
- Top-tier active noise cancellation
- Top-tier microphone in quiet conditions
- Built-in voice recorder
- Sound quality is slightly above average
- Inconvenient controls
- Translator and several other features are only available on select Xiaomi devices
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 9 Suppressing up to 80-85% of noise. Comparable to reference models. The strength of the noise cancellation can be adjusted manually, and there is an adaptive mode that automatically adjusts to your surroundings.Read more.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.25 The earbuds feature decent mids and highs, natural timbre, and detail retrieval. The main drawback of the sound signature is a heavy emphasis on the lows and a narrow soundstage. The sound is somewhat unnatural with a bass-heavy tone. This can be partially fixed using the EQ.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.75 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 6.5Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.00 Active noise cancellation is top-tier and falls just slightly short of reference models. The transparency mode is worse, though you can still have a conversation. Battery life in our tests reached up to 8 hours and 48 minutes for the earbuds and 42 hours with the charging case. Controls support 5 actions per earbud, executed via pinch gestures on the stem — which is inconvenient. The companion app is not overloaded with junk features and includes useful ones, such as a voice recorder.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.73 The earbuds are comfortable with the included ear tips. Fatigue sets in after a couple of hours. Build quality and materials are solid — though the case feels a bit “flimsy”, and the materials clearly feel cost-cut. The earbuds look good without causing any particular excitement.Read more.
11. Anker Soundcore Liberty 5 7.46Best Budget Noise-Cancelling Headphones Under $100
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Key selling points: a bass-focused model with variable sound settings in the proprietary app. Top-tier noise cancellation and battery life, and the microphone is on par with the top models. Features a proprietary voice assistant and translator. Downsides – mediocre sound at the level of budget models.
- bass-heavy model with customizable sound settings in the companion app
- Top-tier noise cancellation and microphone
- Top-tier battery life
- Mediocre sound on par with budget models
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 8.5 At an excellent level, suppressing up to 80% of low-frequency noise. There’s a manual mode and an automatic mode.Read more.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 6.50 The earbuds feature clear vocals and highs. There’s some artificiality and grainy treble, but it isn’t as accentuated during background listening. The impression is spoiled by the bloated bass. Low frequencies are overly accentuated, and vocals and instruments sound unnatural.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 8.25 In quiet conditions: 9 In noisy conditions: 7.5Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.58 Noise cancellation is on par with top models. You can converse in transparency mode. Battery life in our tests reached up to 12 hours for the earbuds and 48 hours with the charging case, taking the codec into account. Stem-pinch controls feature rare false triggers and occasional glitches with play/pause operation. The app is convenient and slightly overloaded with features.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.17 Comfortable and does not cause fatigue after a couple of hours of use. No complaints about build quality and materials, with the only weak point being the sliding case lid. The plastic of the earbuds and the case is a fingerprint magnet, easily collecting smudges. The earbuds look good and are available in 4 colors.Read more.
12. Sony WF-1000XM5 7.98True Wireless Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation — Low-Frequency Sound and Features
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Sony WF-1000XM5 — true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation, without stems. You get the best active noise-cancelling headphones if you choose the right ear tips. If the included ear tips don’t fit, you’ll get performance on par with mid-tier models in this ranking.
- Top-tier low-frequency sound
- Top-tier active noise cancellation and transparency
- Battery capacity hasn’t changed in 2 years
- Without properly fitted ear tips, noise cancellation works worse
- The bud form factor may not fit everyone
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 8.5 On par with top models, provided you pick the right ear tip size. Otherwise, you get a poor fit in the ear and a drop in quality. That aside, the earbuds effectively suppress low-frequency noise. Suitable for use in the office, outdoors, and on the subway.Read more.
The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.97 Bass-heavy, moderately bright, spacious, and soft. They predominate without overpowering the mids and highs. The bass is tight, pleasant, and velvety. Vocals are easily readable and require no effort; everything sounds upfront, natural, harmonious, and pleasant. High frequencies lack a bit in quantity. Detail retrieval is excellent, making every instrument easy to distinguish. The soundstage is wider than your head, and the sound is natural with no artificial timbre or grain.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 7.00 In quiet conditions: 8 In noisy conditions: 6 Good, same as in Sony WF-1000XM4, with zero sound differences.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.00 Active noise cancellation is on par with top models, and with the right ear tips, these earbuds can compete with reference models. The transparency mode is convenient, making it comfortable to chat while wearing the earbuds. Battery life in our tests reached up to 10 hours with the codec enabled and 29 hours with the charging case. Touch controls offer 4 actions for the left earbud and 5 actions for the right earbud. The app is feature-rich with useful settings, though the menu structure is illogical and takes time to learn.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 8.00 The earbuds are comfortable, and a couple of hours without discomfort is guaranteed. That said, it is important to choose the right ear tips since the primary fit in the ears relies on them. No complaints about build quality, though the finish is a fingerprint magnet and scratches easily. The earbuds look nice, without being particularly exciting. Available in 3 colors.Read more.
13. Huawei Freebuds 5 Pro 8.21Wireless True Wireless Earbuds with Reference Microphone, Top Functionality, and Good Sound
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Key selling points: good and non-offensive sound, reference-level microphone, convenient controls. Good noise cancellation and top-tier transparency mode. Downsides: sound is above average, and most features are tied to the proprietary HarmonyOS firmware – translator, voice recorder, voice assistant, etc.
- Nothing in the sound is off-putting.
- Reference-level microphone.
- Good noise cancellation and an excellent transparency mode.
- Comfortable build, pleasant design.
- Third-league sound (7-8 points) at a first-league price of $200.
- Voice assistant, translator, voice recorder, hearing protection, and other proprietary features are only available on HarmonyOS devices.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 8.25 It got slightly better. The changes are barely noticeable (+0.25), but they are there.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.21 Huawei FreeBuds 5 Pro — bass is a bit lacking, highs too, mids are pushed back, and none of these issues are critical. Listening to music is generally enjoyable, and you only start noticing flaws in the sound when doing a direct comparison with the 4 Pro or reference models like the Technics EAH-AZ100 or Noble FoKus Rex 5. The strong point of this model is probably that nothing in the sound strains you, but nothing excites you either. At $200, you expect first-league performance (9-10 points), or at least second-league (8-9). But here we get the third bronze league (7-8 points), the level of $50-100 models. If this model cost $50 — take my money, but more for the features than the sound. But $150-200… No, thanks. And yes, compared to the Huawei FreeBuds 4 Pro, this is unfortunately a step backward in sound quality.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.75 Quiet 9.5 Noisy 10 Microphone quality has not changed at all, top-tier level.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 9.13 Noise cancellation is good, becoming slightly better compared to the 4 Pro. Transparency mode got 1 point better, making conversations comfortable. Battery life increased to up to 9 hours of playback and up to 38 hours with the charging case. Controls are reference-grade, featuring touch and pinch gestures. The app is good, and inside it I recommend choosing the LDAC codec and setting up the EQ using my example.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 9.33 The model is comfortable, allowing 2-3 hours of use without discomfort, and durability is excellent. The design is unique, with the case now resembling the OnePlus Buds 3 Pro and looking worse in my opinion than the 4 Pro. The earbuds themselves have become slightly nicer and more compact.Read more.
14. Apple AirPods 4 ANC 8.05Best Open-Fit Earbuds with Noise Cancellation – Ideal for iPhone
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Apple AirPods 4 ANC – the best open-fit earbuds for noise cancellation, rated 6 out of 10, which is an incredible level. Not all in-ear models block noise as well as these open-fit earbuds without ear tips. Of course, these models are ideal for iPhone and Apple devices. You get good sound, spatial audio, and adaptive EQ. The headphones have good battery life and a high-quality microphone.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 6.5 This is the best active noise cancellation (ANC) for open-fit earbuds. Among all true wireless earbuds models, including in-ear ones, it is simply solid, with a tangible effect. Read more about how active noise cancellation (ANC) works.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.56 Among open-fit earbuds, this is first-class sound. Soft, voluminous, enveloping, and comfortable, allowing you to relax and lose yourself in your favorite music. I really liked the sound. If we take the current reference like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 or the previous Huawei FreeBuds 6, those models edge ahead slightly in points. The main plus of the sound is the spaciousness and overall harmony; it is soft and pleasant, you never get tired of it, and it draws you in. The main minus of the sound is that naturalness could be better, and vocals closer. However, this is not critical.Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 9.00 In quiet conditions: 10 In noisy conditions: 8Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 8.00 Noise cancellation is at a reference level for open-fit earbuds, feeling almost like in-ear earbuds. An unbelievable level. Transparency mode is perfect and reference-grade, making it feel as if you aren’t wearing earbuds. Battery life is poor: 5 hours and 30 minutes without ANC, and 4 hours and 20 minutes with ANC is low. Controls are convenient via stem pinches, but there is no volume control through swipes. The app is great for iOS, but there is no app for Android.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 9.33 They are very comfortable for 2 to 3 hours without discomfort. Durability is fine overall, except the earbuds scratch very easily. The design follows the Apple style and looks beautiful. The charging case is the smallest I have ever seen, and the earbuds themselves are miniature. I have no complaints about the build quality.Read more.
15. HAYLOU Flowbuds N55 6.98Best Affordable Headphones with Best Noise Cancellation Under $20
Drivers are the drivers in your headphones that are responsible for creating sound.
DD + PM + BA – means that there are several different types of drivers in these headphones.
DD – “Dynamic Driver” dynamic driver (deep bass, natural sound).
PM – “Planar Magnetic Driver” planar driver (wide soundstage and fast response).
BA – “Balanced Armature Driver” armature driver (accuracy and detail retrieval).
BC – “Bone Conduction Driver” or bone-conduction driver, which transmits vibration to the body of the headphones, transmitting sound through the bone/cartilage to the inner ear.
LDAC – high quality, high speed (Sony).
SBC is the basic Bluetooth standard, low quality.
AAC – Apple standard, good quality, low latency.
aptX – Qualcomm standard, good quality, low latency.
LC3/LC3plus – new Bluetooth LE Audio codecs, efficient compression.
Codecs are audio compression formats that affect sound quality and latency.
Headphone battery life is the playback time without recharging, measured in hours. Manufacturers measure without active noise cancellation (ANC), at medium volume (50-70%) and usually with the AAC codec, as these parameters affect battery consumption. Actual time may vary from 1% to 50%, depending on volume, active noise cancellation features enabled, codec (LDAC or other) and environmental conditions (cold, hot). It is important to consider not only the claimed playback time, but also the charging time and fast charging support.
Bluetooth is a wireless data transmission standard.
Support for new audio technologies.
Improved connection stability.
Reduced power consumption.
Key selling points: active noise cancellation on par with $50 models, good sound after firmware update, 13.5 hours of battery life with AAC codec, functional LDAC codec. Reasons not to buy: poor transparency and mediocre proprietary app.
- Active noise cancellation on par with $50 models
- 13.5 hours of playback using AAC
- The LDAC codec delivers a sound upgrade
- Background noise on the default firmware
- Poor transparency mode
- Mediocre companion app
- Poor microphone performance in noisy environments
Active noise cancellation (ANC) lets headphones use microphones and signal processing to cut out external noise like traffic, street hum, or office chatter, so you can hear your music or calls better without cranking the volume. Good ANC significantly cuts low-frequency hum from things like engines or air conditioners, barely presses on your ears, and minimally distorts the sound. Weak ANC, on the other hand, only removes some of the noise or creates an unpleasant “vacuum” effect and artifacts.
. 7.5 Software-based, on par with models under $50. There are 5 intensity levels. Outdoors near a busy road, noise cancellation scores a 7 out of 10 compared to the reference Apple AirPods Pro 3. It adds a noticeable layer of comfort. In an office or at home, it scores an 8 out of 10, cutting out low-frequency noise and hum, easily handling air conditioner noise, noisy PC fans, or charging stations. There is no white noise, though you do feel pressure in your ears and eardrums.The final sound score is calculated using this formula:
Frequency balance + Detail retrieval + Soundstage + Natural timbre / 4 = Final Sound Score.
. 7.04 The overall sound presentation surprised me. The strongest points are mid-range transparency and vocal intimacy; this is genuinely on par with the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro. And it is unattainable for other budget models even under $50. Bass is a bit lacking, but sufficient. Treble quality is average, overly bright, and features a lot of artificial timbre. Naturalness is average, and instruments are recognizable, but you have to make an effort to figure out what low-frequency instrument is playing; treble intelligibility is slightly better, but has a lot of digital sheen. Detail retrieval is decent, with good audibility of parts and sound, but they have nowhere to stretch out as the sound is congested.And now we come to the main drawback of the sound, which is the soundstage — it is very narrow. Instruments in a busy mix get mashed together right on top of each other, and their spatial positioning is poorly defined. This impacts detail retrieval and the overall sound impression. A constrained soundstage is what comes to mind. Fortunately, you get used to the sound, and after 1-2 tracks, it stops bothering you.
Read more.
Microphone – We assess speech transmission quality by testing the microphone in two main scenarios: quiet and noisy environments.
Quiet environment – This involves recording indoors with minimal background noise. Noisy environment – This means recording outdoors near a six-lane road with maximum traffic noise.
. 6.75 In quiet conditions: 7.5 In noisy conditions: 6 In quiet environments, the microphone sounds decent, but it struggles in very noisy conditions.Overall feature score — this is the overall score for all device features. This score comes from individual feature ratings (battery life, controls, app, connection stability, and others) and shows how easy and smart the device is for daily use.
. 6.75 Noise cancellation is on par with models under $50, and it is deep enough to cut through low-frequency hum. Transparency mode is useless and not suitable for actual use. Battery life in our tests reached 13.5 hours / 36 hours with the charging case. Touch controls support 8 gestures with occasional misfires on triple-taps. The app is not the most user-friendly, but it comes in handy for enabling the LDAC codec and remapping controls.Read more.
Final build quality score is the overall score for build quality and materials: comfort, durability, and design. It shows how nice the device is to hold and use, and how long it will last.
. 7.17 You can wear the earbuds for a couple of hours without discomfort using the stock ear tips. The materials are budget-oriented, yet the build feels sturdy. The experience is spoiled by the fingerprint-magnet glossy finish, and it is awkward to pull the earbuds out of the case. They look ordinary, and the design is uninspiring. Available in black and white.Read more.
⚖️ Which wireless headphones with noise cancellation to buy?
The best wireless headphones with active noise cancellation are over-ear models. If you want the maximum, get them. True wireless headphones with ANC are fewer, and they are slightly worse than over-ear models in noise suppression. But in-ear headphones, even without technical tricks, provide good passive sound isolation. By the way, check out the best in-ear headphones for good passive noise cancellation. There are few open-fit headphones with noise cancellation, and their noise cancellation is more for show and offers almost no benefit.
What is ANC and how does noise cancellation work?
ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) – active noise cancellation in headphones works based on the principle of noise inversion, which allows it to suppress the surrounding environment. In simple terms, noise is captured by a microphone and the sound wave is mirrored (inverted) into the speakers to cancel it out. The best headphones with active noise cancellation systems always include a high-quality microphone, and sometimes even 2 or 4, which capture noise and invert it.
The main drawback of headphones with noise cancellation
The main drawback of headphones with noise cancellation lies in personal intolerance. 10% of people may experience discomfort when using active noise cancellation: headaches, dizziness. Reasons: if you suffer from motion sickness, you definitely won’t be able to use headphones with ‘noise cancellation’ normally.
To avoid sudden headaches and nausea, you should listen to headphones with noise cancellation for 2-3 hours before purchasing. If everything is fine, you can confidently buy them.
