buying guide: The best noise-cancelling headphones available today
<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/headphones/SonyHearOnMDR-100ABN/sony-hearon15-470-75.jpg" alt="buying guide: The best noise-cancelling headphones available today"/><h3>Best noise-cancelling headphones</h3><p>When it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, there are two types to look out for: active and passive. Passive means that when the headphones are pressed against your head, some sound is cut out in the process of closing your ears off to the world outside. It's not high-tech. Lots of headphones claim that this is some sort of advanced technique, but it's nothing more than a few layers of foam trying their darndest to keep sound out.</p><p>Active noise cancellation, on the other hand, involves some pretty interesting processes to cancel out sound. Along with the padding which passively blocks sound, microphones planted in the ear wells of headphones actively analyze the ambient noise level and reflect sound waves back into your ear that work to zap the outside noise. The goal is to hear nothing but the music, or whatever it is you're listening to. </p><p>Now that you know, you're ready to choose a set. Let's take a look at the best noise-cancelling headphones around.</p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Philips/philips%20fidelio%20NC1/philips-fidelio-nc1_10-420-90.jpg" alt="Philips Fidelio NC1" width="420"></img></p><h3>1. Philips Fidelio NC1</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Executive looks and great sound reproduction</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> .74 pounds | <strong>Cable length:</strong> 3.9 feet | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> 7-25,000Hz | <strong>Drivers:</strong> Two 1.5" Neodymium drivers | <strong>Driver type:</strong> Dynamic | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> 107 dB | <strong>Impedance:</strong> 16 ohm | <strong>Battery life</strong>: 25+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> N/A | <strong>NFC:</strong> No</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Philips%20Fidelio%20NC1 deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fphilips-fidelio-nc1-1284427%2Fprice-comparison"><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/philips-fidelio-nc1-1284427/review">See all prices</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Brilliantly balanced sound</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Great build quality and battery life</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Some sound leakage</div><p>Philips presents an elegant noise-cancelling solution with its NC1. These on-ear headphones aren't wireless, but that's hardly a reason to knock them. Coming in at $299, the same price as Bose' QuietComfort 25, the NC1 are a more compact set that's high on comfort and battery life. </p><p>You get a lot for the money here. In the box comes the headphones, a hard case for storage and the headphones rock a rechargeable battery that provides noise cancellation for close to 30 hours. But best of all, the sound performance is extremely well balanced and warm.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/philips-fidelio-nc1-1284427/review">Philips Fidelio NC1</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Bose/QuietComfort%2035/QC%2035%20Hero-420-90.JPG" alt="Bose QuietComfort 35" width="420"></img></p><h3>2. Bose QuietComfort 35</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Bose has cut the wires off its flagship noise-cancellers with great success</p></div><p>Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.68 pounds | Cable length: 3.94 feet | Frequency response: N/A | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 20+ hours | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Bose%20QuietComfort%2035 deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fbose-quietcomfort-35-1322715%2Fprice-comparison "><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-35-1322715/price-comparison">See more Bose QuietComfort 35 deals</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Broad and clear soundstage</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Amazing noise cancellation</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Active EQ an acquired taste</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Boring looks</div><p>Bose has finally brought its fantastic noise-cancelling technology to a pair of wireless headphones and it's done so without any of the traditional drawbacks of wireless headphones. They sound great, and their battery life is long enough for all but the longest of flights. </p><p>At $349.95 (£289.95 / AU pricing tbc) the QC35s sit firmly at the premium end of the spectrum, but if you want the best noise-cancelling headphones available right now then you can't get any better. </p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-35-1322715/review">Bose QuietComfort 35</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Sennheiser/Momentum%20Wireless/review/sennheiser-momentum-wireless-pose-420-90.jpg" alt="Sennheiser Momentum Wireless" width="420"></img></p><h3>3. Sennheiser Momentum Wireless</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Incredible audio fidelity backed by a serious price</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> N/A | <strong>Cable length:</strong> 4.6 feet | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> 16-22,000Hz | <strong>Drivers:</strong> N/A | <strong>Driver type:</strong> Dynamic | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> N/A | <strong>Impedance:</strong> 28 ohms | <strong>Battery life</strong>: 25+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> 30+ feet | <strong>NFC:</strong> Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Sennheiser%20Momentum%20Wireless deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fsennheiser-momentum-wireless-1284754%2Fprice-comparison"><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/sennheiser-momentum-wireless-1284754/review">See all prices</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Best-in-class sound</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Everlasting battery life</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Finicky multi-function button</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Terribly pricey</div><p>If an exceptional set of noise-cancelling headphones is something you're prepared to shell out for, consider the excellent Sennheiser Momentum Wireless.</p><p>Where to start? The audio performance is killer, only helped by the supreme comfort of the leather-coated memory foam earpads. Active noise cancellation kicks on automatically to help keep out noises from the outside world.</p><p>Finally, these headphones feature a 22-hour battery life, which is long enough to get you through a flight overseas, and some. The only kicker? These are $499, which is a lot to swallow. But for what you're getting here, it's worth it.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/sennheiser-momentum-wireless-1284754/review">Sennheiser Momentum Wireless</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Parrot/Zik%202/review/parrot-zik2-hero-420-90.jpg" alt="Parrot Zik 2" width="420"></img></p><h3>4. Parrot Zik 2.0</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>App-powered Bluetooth headphones with many features</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> .59 pounds | <strong>Cable length:</strong> N/A | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> 20Hz-22kHz | <strong>Drivers:</strong> Two 1.5" drivers | <strong>Driver type:</strong> N/A | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> N/A | <strong>Impedance:</strong> N/A | <strong>Battery life</strong>: 6+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> 30+ feet | <strong>NFC:</strong> Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Parrot%20Zik%202.0 deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fparrot-zik-2-0-1288066%2Fprice-comparison"><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/parrot-zik-2-0-1288066/review">See all prices</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Expansive soundstage</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Deep customization via app</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Expensive</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Iffy battery</div><p>You'll be hard-pressed to find a set of headphones that defies convention more than the Zik 2.0. They're bold in design, but where they really go off the beaten path is their app-centric approach to delivering features.</p><p>Coming in at $399, these headphones pack incredible sound and oodles of app-powered features for the price. One of the cooler features made possible with the app is the noise cancellation, which is fully customizable. It's up to you to decide how much sound you want to tune out of your listening experience. I've never had that much freedom with a set of headphones before.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/parrot-zik-2-0-1288066/review">Parrot Zik 2.0</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Plantronics/BackBeat%20Pro/review/Backbeat%20Pro%20review12-420-90.JPG" alt="Plantronics BackBeat Pro" width="420"></img></p><h3>5. Plantronics BackBeat Pro</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones with plenty of features</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> .74 pounds | <strong>Cable length:</strong> N/A | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> N/A | <strong>Drivers:</strong> N/A | <strong>Driver type:</strong> N/A | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> N/A | <strong>Impedance:</strong> N/A | <strong>Battery life</strong>: 24+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> 330+ feet | <strong>NFC:</strong> Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Plantronics%20BackBeat%20Pro deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fplantronics-backbeat-pro-1271167%2Fprice-comparison"><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/plantronics-backbeat-pro-1271167/review">See all prices</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Fantastic 24 hour battery</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> impressive sound</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Slightly pricey</div><p>The Plantronics BackBeat Pro are a slick, professional looking option with the beat to back it. The BackBeat Pro is easy to recommend based on looks alone, but more importantly, it speaks for itself with some seriously sweet features like 24-hour battery life, great sound and noise cancellation.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/plantronics-backbeat-pro-1271167/review">Plantronics BackBeat Pro</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Bose/Bose_Quiet_Comfort/bose_QC_37-420-90.jpg" alt="Bose QuietComfort 20i" width="420"></img></p><h3>6. Bose QuietComfort 20i</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Bose brings noise cancellation to the earphone form factor</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> .09 pounds | <strong>Cable length:</strong> 4.3 feet | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> N/A | <strong>Drivers:</strong> N/A | <strong>Driver type:</strong> N/A | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> N/A | <strong>Impedance:</strong> N/A | <strong>Battery life</strong>: 16+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> N/A | <strong>NFC:</strong> No</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Bose%20QuietComfort%2020i deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fbose-quietcomfort-20i-1156991%2Fprice-comparison"><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-20i-1156991/review">See all prices</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Extremely comfortable</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Available for all major mobile OSs</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Expensive</div><p>Huh, Bose is on our list again. We're not biased here, it's just that Bose has had a consistent presence in the space of making ANC headphones for some time. It's just that with the QuietComfort 20i, they've brought earbuds to the discussion.</p><p>Similar in price and function in almost every way to the QC 25, the QC 20i offer a more discreet option to enjoy your content. And because those of us who prefer earbuds are on-the-go, Bose included "Aware Mode" which allows you to dampen the effect of the ANC at at a moment's notice, perfect, as our reviewer put it, to ask for that "all-too-important Jack and Soda" when the flight attendant comes around. We also enjoyed that the in-line controls extend support to every major mobile OS.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-20i-1156991/review">Bose QuietComfort 20i</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/gaming_accessories/Creative%20ZxR/PS_EVO_ZxR%20Main-420-90.jpg" alt="Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR" width="420"></img></p><h3>7. Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>An all-around headset offering quality sound and noise cancellation</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> N/A | <strong>Cable length:</strong> N/A | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> 20Hz-20kHz | <strong>Drivers:</strong> Two 1.9" drivers | <strong>Driver type:</strong> N/A | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> N/A | <strong>Impedance:</strong> N/A | <strong>Battery life</strong>: 8+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> 33 feet | <strong>NFC:</strong> Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Creative%20Sound%20Blaster%20EVO%20ZxR deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fcreative-sound-blaster-evo-zxr-1209820%2Fprice-comparison"><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/creative-sound-blaster-evo-zxr-1209820/review">See all prices</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Noise cancellation</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Works with modern game consoles</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Expensive</div><p>If the design of the Bose QuietComfort 25 is a little too tame for you, check out the Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR. The name of these headphones is a bit of a tongue-twister, but you'll get equally tripped-up running down the exhaustive list of features found in them too.</p><p>Active noise cancellation helps keep your immersion at an all-time high with support for listening over Bluetooth. You can even tap an NFC-enabled device for a super-quick wireless connection. But if you feel like keeping things wired, connecting a 3.5mm cable opens up support for PS4, Mac and PC. As mentioned earlier, the design is bold, but it matches the feature-set packed into the offering.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/creative-sound-blaster-evo-zxr-1209820/review">Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/SonyHearOnMDR-100ABN/sony-hearon11-420-90.jpg" alt="Best noise-cancelling headphones" width="420"></img></p><h3>8. Sony H.ear On MDR-100ABN</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Sony's H.ear headphones look great and, more importantly, sound great too</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> 1.9 pounds | <strong>Cable length:</strong> 3.94 feet | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> 5-40,000 Hz | <strong>Drivers:</strong> 1.57 inch | <strong>Driver type:</strong> Dynamic | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> 103 dB/mW | <strong>Impedance:</strong> 32 ohms | <strong>Battery life:</strong> 20+ hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> N/A | <strong>NFC:</strong> Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Sony%20MDR-100ABN deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fsony-h-ear-on-mdr-100abn-1321289%2Fprice-comparison "><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/sony-h-ear-on-mdr-100abn-1321289/price-comparison">See more Sony H.ear On MDR-100ABN deals</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Brilliant Hi-Res Audio functionality</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Exceptionally comfortable</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Lack of low-battery warning</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> No touch controls</div><p>Lovely to wear, great to look at and fantastic for sound, the Sony H.ear On MDR-100ABNs would be a fine buy for anyone looking for noise-cancelling wireless headphones with the added bonus of Hi-Res Audio.</p><p>At £220/$350 (around $AU480) they'll certainly be at the higher end of most budgets – but I wouldn't hesitate to hand over that sort of money for headphones that have enough tech in them to last years.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/sony-h-ear-on-mdr-100abn-1321289/review">Sony H.ear On MDR-100ABN</a></p><p><img src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/art/headphones/Samsung/Level%20On%20Pro%20Wireless/Samsung%20Level%20On%20Pro%20Wireless%201-420-90.JPG" alt="Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones" width="420"></img></p><h3>9. Samsung Level On Pro Wireless Headphones</h3><div class="subtitle _hawk"><p>Samsung crashes the wireless noise-cancelling party</p></div><p><strong>Acoustic design:</strong> Closed | <strong>Weight:</strong> .7 pounds | <strong>Cable length:</strong> 3.6 feet | <strong>Frequency response:</strong> 20Hz to 20kHz | <strong>Drivers:</strong> 40mm Dual-Layered Diaphragm | <strong>Driver type:</strong> Dynamic | <strong>Sensitivity:</strong> N/A | <strong>Impedance:</strong> N/A | <strong>Battery life:</strong> 8 hours | <strong>Wireless range:</strong> 30 meters (98ft) | <strong>NFC:</strong> Yes</p><div class="hawk-widget-insert _hawk widget_type:price model_names:Samsung%20Level%20On%20Pro%20Wireless%20Headphones deals_link:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techradar.com%2Freviews%2Faudio-visual%2Fhi-fi-and-audio%2Fheadphones%2Fsamsung-level-on-pro-wireless-headphones-1325209%2Fprice-comparison "><p><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/samsung-level-on-pro-wireless-headphones-1325209/price-comparison">See more Samsung Level On Pro Wireless Headphones deals</a></p></div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Comfy faux-leather earpads</div><div class="icon icon-plus_circle _hawk"> Extra features for Samsung owners</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Plastic, fragile bridge</div><div class="icon icon-minus_circle _hawk"> Short-range wireless</div><p>The Samsung Level On Pro Wireless are one of the few headphones I've tested that feel like they're meant as a package deal for another device. Yes they'll work with every Bluetooth and 3.5mm jack-equipped handset on the market, but you're better off sticking to a Samsung device in order to squeeze every ounce of aural goodness from the UHQ audio codec.</p><p>It's one of the comfiest pair of cans on the market, and one of the best noise-cancelling, too. If it had a better sound quality for the vast majority of cell phone users it would be an easy recommendation but, as it stands, really makes the most sense at checkout when purchased alongside Samsung's Next Big Thing.</p><p><strong>Read the full review: </strong><a href="http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/hi-fi-and-audio/headphones/samsung-level-on-pro-wireless-headphones-1325209/review">Samsung Level On Pro Wireless Headphones</a></p><p>We're constantly reviewing new noise-cancelling headphones, but let us know if there is a set that you'd like us to take a look at in the comments below.</p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/techradar/allnews/~4/pJ8DTl1NZvc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>
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