The truly wireless earbuds segment is overflowing with options for major and minor brands. I, as an avid audiophile, can understand the perplexity involved while choosing the best noise cancelling earphones. Most earphones generally come with some form of noise cancellation but that is just useless and cannot stand up to the expectations of the best noise canceling earphones.
Noise cancelling earphones are a little harsh on the battery but alienate you from the outside disturbance. It is the primary reason why noise cancelling earphones are hot selling audio peripherals. In this post, I will explore the following aspects of buying the best noise cancelling earphones.
Which are the best noise cancelling earphones?
Detailed Comparison and Review of the best noise cancelling earphones.
What are their pros & cons?
Which best noise cancelling earphones you should buy?
To help you better understand the attributes of the best noise cancelling earphones, a detailed buyers guide awaits you. Please read it to learn more about the noise cancelling earphones.
Air Pods Pro remains a stellar choice in our lineup of the best noise cancelling earphones. I don’t have a plausible explanation other than you have to try them to find out if they are worthy of the crown even after so much evolution in the TWS industry.
Air Pods Pro is supposed to be a design improvement and they are different from its predecessor. The Air Pods Pro has a shorter stem and a tiny design, which is much smaller than any noise cancelling earphones in the market. The case is slightly flattened to avoid the ridiculous bulge. At 5.4 grams weight, each earbud is exceptionally light, and combined with the case, the weight doesn’t exceed 57 grams.
Sound Quality:
Audio output is phenomenal. Air Pods Pro has perfected the audio fidelity with the new H1 chip but noise cancellation is our main concern. It is able to cut out the ambient noise and even has a transparency mode to allow the exterior noise to flow into your ear. The Air Pods Pro has three microphones that provide a better calling experience while actively cancelling the background noise.
Battery:
The Air Pods Pro is tiny so the battery is quite less as compared to the other options for the best noise cancelling earphones. With active noise cancellation enabled, 3to 3.5 hours is the maximum that you can expect. The case holds an additional battery life of 4 charge cycles. The case charges via a USB type C cable or a wireless charging dock.
Verdict:
Air Pods Pro is a little pricey but is a marvelous piece of audio equipment. They are light as a feather and curb the external noise like a pro. If you are an iOS user, the choice is a no-brainer.
Sony WF-1000XM3 is the brand’s solution to the best noise cancelling earphones dedicated to android users. It tries to claim the crown for the best noise cancelling earphones from the Air Pods Pro and is even successful at it.
Sony WF-1000XM3 is a tacky and protruding set of wireless earphones. They do not try to hide and weigh 8 grams each, making it almost twice as heavy as the Air Pods Pro. The case is severely flattened out and can mask the Bluetooth signal when the buds are inside it. Dimensions wise the case is slightly bigger but that is great news for battery life.
Sound Quality:
Sony WF-1000XM3 is the tiny version of its very successful headphones lineup. The earbuds have a 24-nit processor as opposed to the 32 bit on the Sony headphones but the audio quality is quite good. Rock and Pop are the two genres that are exceptionally good to hear and the app allows you to adjust the equalizer too. Noise cancellation works like a charm but the not-so-snug fit due to the large design induces some sound leak into the ears.
Battery:
The battery life of the Sony WF-1000XM3is is quite good. Far better than the Air Pods Pro. It can last up to 6 hours with ANC active, and it is a promising number. The case delivers up to a 3 charge cycle and also supports fast charging. If you want to charge the case, the only option is a USB Type-C cable. The case supports reversible charging so it can double up as a tiny power bank.
Verdict:
Sony WF-1000XM3 is not a subpar product. They sound good, cut the noise well, and have exceedingly good battery life. The case is big and can even charge the phone if you need a quick boost. They deserve to share the same spotlight as the Air Pods Pro.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds tries to reclaim the noise cancellation crown from the above-mentioned contenders. The earbuds offer stellar noise cancellation combined with decent battery life, which are the two reasons for it to feature in our list of the best noise cancelling earphones.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are not dainty at all. They are comparatively bigger than the Air Pods Pro and weigh around the same as the Sony Earbuds mentioned above. It is a rather quirky design that is more comfortable to wear due to a small silicon frame that adjusts into the ear ridge. Its charging case is quite beefy and is among the largest of them all.
Sound Quality:
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds come with Active EQ that fine-tunes the melodies before entering the ear canal. The music output is nothing to complain about while the noise cancellation earns our recommendation. The earbuds are among the very few to come with incremental levels of noise cancellation. It gives you more control over what you want to block and what not to.
Battery:
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds promise a battery life of up to 6 hours on a single charge with varying levels of ANC enabled. The case contains two additional charge cycles worth battery life and charges via the USB Type-C port.
Verdict:
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are a huge step up from the last year’s Soundsport free. They demand a higher price than the Air Pods Pro but actually come with the absolute best ANC that you can find on the market right now.
“Bose QuietComfort Earbuds have varying levels of adjustable ANC.”
Pros
Good ANC implementing
Long battery life
Fifteen minutes fast charging for 2 hours playback
Jabra Elite 85t is the newest in the lineup from the elite series and packs a lot of punch in the noise cancellation department. It is a heavy yet worthy upgrade of its predecessor, the Jabra Elite 75t, and deserves to be on the list of the best noise cancelling earphones.
Build quality of Jabra Elite 85tis quite obnoxious. To pack in the adjustable ANC features, the earbuds have become very thick. For a user with a small-sized ear canal, the Jabra Elite 85t can pose a fit problem. The case design is not very elegant yet not very obtrusive. Despite weighing just 7 grams, which is a lot lighter than the son
Sound Quality:
The new tech incorporated into the Jabra Elite 85t is mostly devoted to the ANC but that doesn’t mean you get subpar audio. Its bass production is astounding and the vents place on the outside of the earbuds relieve the pressure built inside the ear canal. This makes you hear ambient noise slightly but that doesn’t interfere while playing tracks. Overall, I would quantify the sound quality as just perfect, as it balances the highs and lows pretty well.
Battery:
The beefy chassis allows for a larger battery accommodation. The Jabra Elite 85t can also up to 5 hours on a single charge with an additional 25 hours of battery life built into the case. Take note that it is with ANC enabled and is quite higher than the Air Pods Pro.
Verdict:
Jabra Elite 85t are a step forward from the predecessor if you go by the ANC performance. It offers comparable noise cancellation as compared to the Air Pods Pro but is nothing compared to the Air Pods Pro, design-wise.
Jabra Elite 85t is a great alternative to the Air Pods Pro but slightly expensive.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro comes with features worthy of being called a pro but still needs to work a lot to catch up with Air Pods Pro or the Sony Earbuds. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro makes our list for having the bare minimum qualifications for being the best noise cancelling earphones.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro adopts the identical design of the Jabra Elite 85t but is a tad bit better in terms of visual appearance. The case design remains unique to the Samsung Buds and is a tiny, pocketable case overall. The earbuds are lightweight as compared to the Jabra, Bose, and Sony Earbuds mentioned above but possess a protruding design that is far from being perfect.
Sound Quality:
If you are an audiophile that can dissect out every minor detail, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is a not-so-good choice. The audio is tuned by AKG but it lacks the detail that you get with a slightly expensive product like the Air Pods Pro. Noise cancellation is a slight upgrade over the bean-shaped Galaxy Buds from the last ear, especially the wind cancellation. Still, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is far from perfect if you are keen on audio quality and ANC, combined.
Battery:
ANC chugs a lot of battery and brings the battery life down to 5 hours. After that, the buds can be charged twice in the case. With ANC off the battery life improves significantly.
Verdict:
The battery is a massive letdown from the original Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus that lasted around 11 hours. Active noise cancellation is a battery hog and combining that with the Bixby assistant makes it last only five hours. If you love the Samsung ecosystem and love the find my device feature, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is made for you.
Edifier NB 2 is certainly a well-crafted design. Certainly different than the metallic shimmer that was prevalent on the Edifier NB. The earbuds are IP54 certified, so dust and dirt will not pose a problem in the long run. The earbuds clearly did a great job on the aesthetics as you get a more elongated design like the Air Pods Pro. Even the top part of the case has a textured finish so that it doesn’t slide from your palms every time you hold them.
Sound Quality:
I didn’t expect the Sennheiser buds quality, from economically priced earbuds like these, but the audio fidelity underwent a major overhaul from the last iteration. Still, it does a better job at handling frequencies and is loud even at 50 percent volume. The ANC on the Edifier NB 2 deserves a major applaud because of an identical performance if you compare them to the Air Pods Pro. You can swiftly cut down on background noise and make your conversations a lot clearer with ANC enabled.
Battery:
Edifier NB 2 is fairly slim and the battery life is improved, compared to its predecessor. You can expect 7 hours of playtime with ANC enabled which is the highest in our lineup of the best noise cancelling earphones. The case delivers a battery life of more than two life cycles.
Verdict:
If you want a slightly cheaper noise cancelling earphone, the Edifier NB 2 is your best bet. The earphone application needs a major improvement. It doesn’t do anything to improve the quality of noise and crashes abruptly.
Edifier NB 2 comes with remarkably good ANC for a fraction of the price.
Pros
ANC is remarkably good
Premium exterior finish
IP54 certified
Cons
The application is absolute trash
No wireless or quick charging feature
Final Words
If you are seeking the best noise cancelling earphones that the industry has to offer, Sony and Bose remain my ultimate recommendation. Apple Air Pods Pro is good but from a noise cancelling earphone’s perspective, they can improve. Lastly, if you cannot spend a ridiculous sum for the best noise cancelling earphones, Edifier NB 2 is your best bet.
General FAQ
Is it worth buying noise Cancelling earphones?
Yes. Bose QuietComfort Buds are one of the best noise cancelling earphones that subdue the outside noise.
Are there any earphones that cancel all noise?
No. Hundred percent ANC in such tiny form factor is difficult to achieve even if you have the best noise cancelling earphones.