The best noise-cancelling headphones, tried and tested

{{#items}} {{#image}} {{#imgUrl}} {{/imgUrl}}{{^imgUrl}} {{/imgUrl}} {{/image}} {{title}} {{#starRating}} {{/starRating}} {{prettyPrice}} Buy now{{#isExternal}} {{/isExternal}} {{/items}} Sign up to our free weekly newsletter for insider tips and product reviews from our shopping experts Sign up for our free IndyBest email These days, almost every pair of wireless headphones and wireless earbuds claim to be noise-cancelling, but active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t equal across every brand. Headphones with good ANC will drown out the screeches of the London Underground with ease, while others with poorly implemented ANC will let in every high-frequency sound, making the noise-cancelling feature worthless. Picking headphones with good quality noise-cancelling is a must but as there are two types of noise cancellation – passive and active – it can be hard to know where to star. Firstly, we have to distinguish between passive noise cancellation (PNC) and active noise cancellation. While the former is a physical element, whereby the shape of the headphones dictates how much ambient sound can sneak in, ANC brings tech into the equation. More on that later. Either way, these noise-cancelling techniques can heighten your listening experience. Although, as ANC senses external frequencies and negates them by matching them in your ears, this can have an effect on the music you’re listening to: after all, tracks will most likely have frequencies that match with the outside world. No headphones cancel out all noise (yet), but to most ears, this doesn’t really matter – it’s an odd sensation to look down at yourself typing, only to hear nothing coming back at you. And the less said about people sneaking up on you, the better. There are many brands that now offer genuinely good noise cancellation, including headphones aimed at kids , as well as quality sound output. After hours of testing, and getting sick of at least three of our favourite albums, we’ve put together a list that’ll please any ear. How we tested When testing noise-cancelling headphones, it’s important to try each pair in a variety of scenarios, some more obvious than others. Yes, we tested them in busy cafes and beside main roads, but we also took care to test ANC (where applicable), for instance, in a quiet room. This is due to ANC’s tendency to sometimes emit a small hiss when working, something that could begin to grate on your nerves after a while in an empty office. We tested each pair of headphones by accosting them with a smorgasbord of different audio sources: from the deep rumbles of Billie Eilish’s Bury a Friend , to the complicated delicacy of Jacob Collier’s Flow Freely , with Yo-Yo Ma, Childish Gambino and Kaho Nakamura thrown into the mix. We made sure to listen to our favourite podcasts to check for vocal clarity, and rang friends and family so much to test microphone quality that nobody wanted to FaceTime us for a month. The best noise-cancelling headphones for 2023 are: Best noise-cancelling headphones overall – Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones: £334.98, Amazon.co.uk Best noise-cancelling headphones for ANC performance – Bose noise cancelling headphones 700: £349, Amazon.co.uk Best noise-cancelling headphones for sport – Beats fit pro noise-cancelling headphones: £168.30, Amazon.co.uk Best budget noise-cancelling headphones for call quality – Nokia clarity rarbuds pro Noise-cancelling headphones: £74.99, Amazon.co.uk Best value noise-cancelling headphones – Sony WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones: £248.50, Amazon.co.uk Best noise-cancelling headphones for sound – Apple AirPods max noise-cancelling headphones: £499, Amazon.co.uk We looked for options for all budgets and styles while considering ANC power The Independent Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Already subscribed? Last year’s WH-1000XM4 headphones were marginally pipped to the post by the Bose NC 700s (£349, Johnlewis.com ), but the marginal gains made by Sony’s latest world-beating cans means there’s a new pair at the top. The WH-1000XM5s provide smaller improvements when compared with the stunning evolution of the XM4s, and there’s a design refresh that won’t be to everyone’s taste (the omission of hinges that would enable the headphones to fold up like the XM4s is a personal bugbear). However, ‘smaller improvements’ doesn’t mean you won’t discern the leap – there’s a precision with the XM5s that builds on the previous generation’s class-leading clarity and gives it a nitrous boost, taking them to the top spot on this list. Continue reading… £334.98 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} Thanks to the Bose NC 700s, the brand is still the king of ANC. The noise cancellation capability is the best on the list, and noise is impressively dampened even at half power. Cleverly, input microphones also work alongside the ANC to reject background noise and isolate your voice during phone calls. The sound from the NC 700s is among the best we tested, too, and the look of the headphones matches the sophistication found inside. If you’re in the market for lightweight wireless headphones with supreme noise cancellation, you’d be hard-pressed to find better. Continue reading… {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} Beats has long left behind its reputation as all-talk-no-trousers sort of audio brand. Gone are the days when flashy advertising and nice looks were all you got from a pair of Beats – the solo pros have done plenty to shake off this image. But another pair are continuing the revolution, this time on the earbud side of the market. The Beats fit pro are characteristically sleek, yes, but deliver a considered, sophisticated experience alongside. They’re potentially the most comfortable earbuds we’ve ever worn, thanks to the ergonomic shape and clever little wingtips that you place inside instead of around the ear (trust us, it works). The most important aspect – the sound – is joyously full, especially for earbuds, and the class-topping ANC saps away even the loudest alpha grunts in the gym. Continue reading… £168.30 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} Nokia has joined the earbud game with its Clarity Earbuds, offering some high-end features at a slice of the price. The base clarity earbuds offer echo cancelling and noise suppression, meaning close to crystal clear chats alongside a solid performance when it comes to music and audio reproduction. While echo cancelling and noise suppression sound impressive, our advice would be to stump up the extra fiver for the earbuds pro, which offer proper ANC at a tempting price. Continue reading… £74.99 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} These are brilliant headphones: in fact, one of the best examples of wireless headphones we’ve ever tested. The sound profile is delicate and impressive, with options for EQ tweaking in the corresponding Sony app if you want a little more oomph, and the battery life is a massive 30 hours. The PNC does a lot of heavy lifting itself, but the ANC is supreme, immediately shutting off almost all ambient noise, and leaving you with your own thoughts and your music. If you’re a fan of Sony audio, or want more control over your listening experience, then it’s a no-brainer. Continue reading… £248.50 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} Apple’s first over-ear product doesn’t disappoint. These are among the best NC headphones out there. From the super-premium build and feel, to the intricate, stunning audio, to the impressive ANC, the AirPods max really do head straight to the top of the tree. They’re pricey, the accompanying case is laughably pointless, and as always, you’ll ideally need an Apple product to pair with, but as this is all we can come up with against them, you can tell that we’re struggling. A technically superior pair of headphones, with the best sound on the list. Continue reading… {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} The Philips fidelio L3s are among the most sophisticated Bluetooth headphones available. The brand, formerly known as Philips Electronics, might’ve dropped the second half of the name in 2013, but its fidelio range of headphones is a strong standard bearer for its technological heritage. They’re high-end, cultured headphones, looking the part for any would-be Business Class passengers. They deliver, too: from the impressive range of listening options, both in terms of multiple EQ options and elite ANC, to the intuitive touch controls and supreme comfort (thanks to the cloudy cushioning of memory foam). Basically, the L3s tick the boxes the top end of the market now rightly insists upon. Philips might be more in the healthcare game these days, but its audio department has a worthy champion in the fidelio L3s. Continue reading… {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} The tune 750s are the definition of good value. There are headphones on this list that have better sound, more versatile and powerful ANC and a sturdier, more premium feel. However, to the majority of listeners, the tune 750s are bang on the money. They’re light, fit nicely over the ears, and the ANC is much more effective than we were expecting. The sound is a little bass-heavy, but mightily impressive for how much you’re paying. Battery life comes in at around 15 hours, which is paltry when compared to higher-end models, but we can cope with a little more forward planning as a payoff. Continue reading… £58.55 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} Sennheiser’s reputation for the very best audio precedes it every time the brand releases a product, and each time, that reputation is entirely justified. It’s no different with the momentum 3 wireless headphones. They produce a level of audio intricacy not seen elsewhere at this level, they look like a classic pair of Eighties cans, and the ANC is almost second to none – especially the ‘anti pressure’ mode that lessens the vacuum effect. Well worth the investment, especially for those who want old-school looks with new-age tech. Continue reading… {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} The HX headphones are perhaps the best-looking on the list, with a slimline sophistication, amazingly lightweight feel and chrome finish, alongside a massive 35-hour play time. They also happen to produce one of the best sounds around. The flip side of this is that the ANC, when switched on, doesn’t block out as much as other premium models here: however, if we had to choose between blocking out every sound around us and getting to listen to Bang & Olufsen’s class-leading audio performance, B&O would win out every time Continue reading… {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} The PX7s have a joyful sound to them. Everything is finely balanced, dealing with complicated tracks easily, especially when it comes to pairing treble with bass. The design is also unique, and a refreshing take on wireless headphones. Noise cancellation works very well, and is super versatile, with three levels of NC available. They look and feel great, with a sophistication not seen often, even at the upper end of the market. A formidable pair of headphones. Continue reading… £169.99 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} A subsidiary of Panasonic, Technics is most noted as a brand that produces some of the best turntables in the world, most notably the industry-standard SL-1200. The company has taken its turntable and audio knowhow and put it into the EAH-AZ70W, a pair of earbuds that produces phenomenal sound, full of character and scale. The EAH’s noise cancellation works wonders, with two different options, and the controls are as easy as a few taps. A worthy investment if you’re looking for an in-ear ANC competitor. Continue reading… £217.58 Amazon.co.uk Buy now {{#hasItems}} {{#items}} {{merchant}} {{price}} Buy now {{/items}} {{/hasItems}} The RZ-S500W offer noise cancellation to rival many over-ear efforts. The trade off for this is that they’re quite big and bulky for earbuds, jutting out pretty significantly, but that’s a minor iss