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If you want to listen to music these days, one of the most popular options are earbuds. But for a truly optimal listening experience – you’ll want to get the best noise cancelling earbuds.
These earbuds not only play your favorite tunes – they help get rid of all the noise surrounding you. Whether this is on a plane, in a car, or even in school – you’ll be able to focus much better when the noise around you is dissipated.
Of course, with the popularity of the iPhone (and their attached earbuds) – there have been a flood of these products on the market. So we aggregated millions of customer reviews, and tested the top models. Whether you want premium earbuds, a budget pair, or something in between – we’ve got you covered.
Our Top Pick
Sony WF-1000XM3 Wireless Earbuds
When it comes to headphones and earbuds, it’s difficult to beat Sony. While not the cheapest pair of earbuds on our list, we believe this set of earbuds offers the best sound, as well as the best noise cancellation.
As a bonus, they look very slick and stealth, which we definitely appreciate. While choosing the best headphones, earbuds, or any audio equipment is always subjective – with thousands of perfect customer reviews – the opinion on this pair is unanimous. Easily our top pick.
Other Great Picks
Bose QuietComfort 20 Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Bose is known for their high-quality audio products, and this pair of noise cancelling earbuds is no exception. While not a budget pick, we think this pair is worth the extra money, and we think you will too.
These earbuds slipped into our ears easily, and stayed there without causing any discomfort at all. And when it comes to sound quality – it’s always hard to beat Bose. Highly recommended.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus
With thousands of great customer reviews, these earbuds from Samsung are the answer to Apple’s AirPods. With the latest features, a good price point, and excellent sound – they’re definitely a formidable opponent for Apple.
We found these buds to sit nicely in our ears, and on par with the AirPods. While we have lots of other great picks on our list, these are another spectacular choice.
Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Wireless Earbuds
Anker has been making great earbuds for a while now, but some still don’t know the brand. These wireless earbuds were a delight to test, and we snagged a pair for our later office use (at full price).
With thousands of great ratings, and a good price point – we’d recommend them to anyone. If you don’t want to shell out for a bigger brand name – but still care about quality – these are the noise cancelling earbuds for you.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds
Sennheiser is well-known for some of the best quality in the audio industry, and this pair of wireless noise cancelling earbuds is no exception to that rule. Of course, being Sennheiser, these are not a budget choice.
However, if you don’t mind spending a little bit more to get some of the best earbuds on the market – these are well-worth your hard earned cash. With a plethora of great customer reviews, and completely flawless performance in our testing – we definitely give this pair of earbuds two thumbs up.
Master & Dynamic MW07 Wireless Earphones
This luxury pair of earbuds is certainly not cheap – but they are definitely worth the higher price tag. Put simply – these are some of the best headphones (or earbuds) we’ve ever worn.
The sound quality is precise, the comfort is high, and noise cancelling is flawless. If you have some extra money to spend (or you’re not on a tight budget to begin with), we definitely recommend this impeccable pair of earbuds.
Mpow Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds
Want a budget pair of noise cancelling earbuds? This is one of the best picks on the market.
For the cost of barely more than 2 large pizzas, you can get years of great wireless listening. With thousands of stellar customer reviews, and every luxury feature (all packaged within a budget box) – these earbuds are pretty much unbeatable. Our favorite budget pick.
TaoTronics Noise Cancelling Headphones
We weren’t familiar with TaoTronics as a brand before testing these earbuds, but we were pleasantly surprised with their performance and quality. Despite being a budget pick, they have some great sound, and these buds sat comfortably in our ears.
With a myriad of 5-star customer reviews, we’re far from the only ones who think these headphones are great. If you want great sound and performance – but want to save money – make these earbuds your next purchase.
Boltune Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds
With deep bass, thousands of great buyer reviews, and a budget price point – these earbuds are a great sleeper pick. While Boltune is not a hugely influential name within the audio industry, this pair of earbuds may bring them some attention (as well as clout).
We honestly couldn’t believe we were listening to a pair of headphones that retailed for so little, when we listened to music with these on. If you are on a tight budget, or just want to take a chance with a new brand, these are a stellar little pair of noise cancelling earbuds.
Tozo NC9 Wireless Earbuds
Another great budget pair of earbuds, this model from Tozo also has thousands of stellar customer reviews. Of course, we loved the comfort, as well as the price point.
While we didn’t know Tozo very well as a brand, we’ll be looking out for more products from them in future product reviews. A nice surprise, and truly another great pick.
Apple AirPods Pro
Apple’s earbuds have come a long way since they were first released. This model – the AirPod Pro – offers superior sound, great battery life, and extreme comfort.
Many consumers love the unique white branding of Apple’s earbuds, so this pair looks sleek as well. If you want to stay true to Apple, or you just need to replace a pair that came with your iPhone – check these out.
What Are Noise Cancelling Earbuds?
Earbuds are simply smaller versions of traditional headphones, that fit right inside your ear, rather than over the outside. The noise cancelling variation of earbuds allows you to block out any extraneous noise, resulting in a much better listening experience.
While not noise cancelling, the most popular earbuds today are easily the ones included with the Apple iPhone. Although the newer iPhones have removed the headphone jack, the newer AirPods are simple upgrades that connect via Bluetooth – without any wires at all.
Noise cancelling earbuds are definitely an upgrade from these Apple earbuds, as they produce frequencies which block out all outside noise. This allows for a great versatility of use cases, as you can even use the earbuds to allow you to sleep, without playing any music at all, if you put them on in a noisy situation.
Noise Cancelling vs. Noise Isolation – Is Noise Cancelling Better?
Noise cancellation tech actively blocks out frequencies, while noise isolation technology does not. Essentially, isolation utilizes the physical design of the headphones (or earbuds), to stop noise from entering the eardrum.
By contrast, noise cancellation technology broadcasts frequencies to cancel out outside noises. This is particularly effective against low and middle frequencies, which is the spectrum in which most outside noise resides.
What Does Active Noise Cancelling Up to 95% Actually Mean?
95% noise cancellation refers to negation of 95% of lower frequency sounds. These sounds cover everything but birds chirping, and some of the higher pitched human voices – so as soon as you put them on, the outside world sort of just drifts away.
Can Noise Cancelling Headphones Hurt Your Ears?
Noise cancelling headphones cannot hurt your ears – at least the noise cancelling part can’t. This may be slightly confusing, as playing music in your headphones too loudly, for too long a duration – can actually hurt your ears.
Without getting too technical, a good rule to follow is to still be able to hear outside noises, while playing music. This means setting the volume first, before activating the noise cancelling technology.
Is ANC Dangerous?
No, active noise cancellation is not in any way dangerous. There is no radiation, no harm to your ears, and no risk involved.
In fact, there is more risk from playing your music too loudly in your headphones, than from utilizing any noise cancelling technology. In fact, since noise cancelling technology allows you to play your music at softer volumes – ANC is actually a technology that makes listening to your headphones safer.
Is 95% Cancelling Real?
There is a bit of a trick in the name here. 95% canceling doesn’t mean 95% of noise is canceled out.
It simply means that roughly this amount of noise is filtered out when you utilize noise canceling technology. Depending on the frequencies making noise, you could cancel out all of it (usually the case) – or just some of it.
Noise cancelling headphones work best at getting rid of low frequencies, and low volumes. So if you’re walking through a construction zone, for example, some noise cancelling technologies may temporarily be a little less than perfect.
What Are The Benefits Of Noise Cancelling Headphones?
There are a few benefits of noise cancelling headphones. Mostly, these headphones block out all lower and middle frequencies – which eliminates plane noise, machine noises, bass sounds, and most voices.
However, they aren’t quite as effective against very high pitched sounds (like birds chirping). Since ANC (active noise cancelling) technology emits a frequency to cancel out outside sounds, the first time you put a pair of noise canceling earbuds in, you’ll likely be astounded by how quiet the world suddenly gets.
Can You Sleep With Noise Cancelling Headphones?
Yes, you can definitely sleep with noise cancelling earbuds in. However, you should make sure that they are small and comfortable, otherwise they may give you some problems or issues.
Are Waterproof Earbuds Really Waterproof?
This ultimately depends on the brand, as well as the specific model you acquire. Some earbuds will only be water resistant (which means they’re okay in the shower), while others will be waterproof in the truest sense.
Check with the manufacturer, to verify how waterproof your earbuds truly are. And when in doubt, assume that the earbuds are on the lower end of resistance, just to be safe.
Do Galaxy Earbuds Have Noise Cancellation?
Older models of Galaxy earbuds do not have noise cancellation. However, the newer models do, pitting them directly against the AirPods Pro model from Apple.
Can You Wear Galaxy Buds In The Shower?
No, Galaxy Buds are not waterproof – so you need to keep them out of the shower. The Galaxy Buds are not even water resistant – so you should be doubly careful.
If you do get them wet, try to dry them as fast as possible. Let them sit for a few hours after, just to be sure that they are fully dry, and then hope that they have not been water damaged.
Are AirPods Noise Cancelling?
AirPods are one of the most popular models of earbuds on the market. Unfortunately, the basic pair of AirPods are not noise canceling – which is why we recommend the AirPods Pro model instead.
These tiny earbuds will block out any and all noise – plus you’ll look cool while doing so. Apple’s wireless earbuds also have excellent battery life and sound quality, so you will truly have all of your bases covered.
Some customers have noted, however, that AirPods are lacking slightly in the bass department. So if you want a pair of noise cancelling earbuds that work great (and don’t mind a little bit of a loss in bass) – AirPods may just be for you.
The Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds
There you have it – our top picks for the best noise cancelling earbuds on the market. Whether you want extra bass, high quality fidelity, or just a budget pair that will let you focus better during your workout – we’ve got you covered.
While you can opt for over-the-ear headphones instead of earbuds, we love the portability and versatility of the small earbud models. And just a reminder that if you liked this list, be sure and check out some of our other headphone reviews.