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The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds - Winter 2024 Reviews

Updated
Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds

Sometimes, we all need a bit of peace. If you use your headphones daily for commuting or while in the office, you may want something that will do a good job of blocking background noise. In the past, you needed large over-ears to get good active noise cancelling (ANC), but now even small and portable in-ears or earbuds have impressive noise cancelling features. You can also passively achieve great isolation with some in-ear headphones that don't feature ANC due to them physically blocking your ear canals.

We've tested over 315 earbuds and in-ears; below are our recommendations for the best in-ear noise cancelling headphones to buy. Check out our recommendations for the best earbuds and in-ears, the best Bluetooth earbuds, or the best noise cancelling headphones overall.


  1. Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds

    The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless are the best noise cancelling earbuds we've tested. They're the next generation of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless and have CustomTune technology, which allows the ANC to adapt itself to your environment and ear shape. As a result, they block out a significant amount of ambient noise, from the low rumbles of bus and plane engines to ambient chatter and the high-pitched hum of AC units and computer fans. With ANC on, the battery lasts for about seven hours continuously, and their carrying case holds an extra three charges for top-ups.

    These well-built buds have a very comfortable fit for most people, so you can wear them for long listening sessions without much fatigue. They're also certified IPX4 for resistance against being splashed with water. They have a stable in-ear fit, so they'll stay in place during runs and workouts. Their out-of-the-box sound is bassy, so your audio has extra rumble, punch, and boom. Their companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets if you prefer a different sound.

    However, despite their premium price point, they lack multi-device pairing. If that matters to you, try the Sony WF-1000XM5 Truly Wireless, which you can keep simultaneously paired to your phone and computer. These buds also have a slight edge regarding general noise attenuation, largely due to their memory foam ear tips. Since they form a solid seal in your ear, they reduce a lot of high-pitched noise, but you may not notice a significant difference in isolation between ANC on and off at other frequencies. The Bose's ANC blocks more sound across the range than when off, and they're more comfortable.

    See our review

  2. Best Upper Mid-Range Noise Cancelling Earbuds

    If you're looking for premium buds that aren't quite as expensive, the best noise cancelling earbuds are the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. These buds are usually cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless and have been on sale lately. Their ANC system isn't quite as powerful as the Bose's in reducing ambient noise like bus engines or office chatter, but it still delivers an excellent overall performance.

    Since they're an Apple product, they offer some iOS-specific features worth checking out if you already own a MacBook or an iPhone. Spatial Audio is a virtual surround sound feature meant to create a more immersive audio experience, and their H2 chip allows for seamless pairing with other Apple devices. With their ANC on, their battery lasts about six hours of continuous use, and their carrying case supplies an extra four charges. They have a comfortable fit, but the buds can wiggle out over time, so you may have to readjust every once in a while.

    Thanks to their adaptive EQ, they have a warm sound profile well-suited for genres like folk and jazz. They lack any sound customization features, so if that's important to you, you'll want to check out the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3, which have a companion app with an EQ and presets at a similar price point. Their ANC performance is comparable, but they're bulkier and less comfortable.

    See our review

  3. Best Mid-Range Noise Cancelling Earbuds

    The Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless are the best wireless noise cancelling earbuds we've tested in the mid-range. Their build quality is a step down from the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless'; they aren't as stable or comfortable for most people. However, they have a similar noise isolation performance and easily cut down sounds like the rumbles from plane engines and chatty coworkers. Their battery lasts for over seven hours with the ANC on, and you can top them up on the go, thanks to their case that stores almost two extra charges.

    They support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your phone and computer at the same time. They have a decently comfortable fit but are bulky and can pop out of your ears over time, causing a drop in bass. However, once you get a good fit, they deliver a touch of extra thump, rumble, and boom, while vocals and instruments are bright and sparkly. You can even fine-tune their sound using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.

    However, if comfort is a top priority, you'll want to consider the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless instead. Their smaller, more lightweight design ensures you can wear them for long periods without experiencing fatigue. Their ANC also offers excellent overall performance, but it doesn't block out as much of the low rumble of car engines as the Google earbuds.

    See our review

  4. Best Budget Noise Cancelling Earbuds

    Current Deal: The Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless has dropped in price by $40 at Amazon.com. Get Deal

    The best budget noise cancelling earbuds we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. Despite their more affordable price tag, they offer several features and an even better overall noise isolation performance than the Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless. Their adaptive ANC easily reduces bass-range noise like plane engine rumbles, making them a solid choice for travel. They also do an excellent job cutting out mid to high-pitched sounds, like background chit-chat or a humming computer fan. These versatile buds come with features like multi-device pairing and LDAC codec support, which is good for streaming Hi-Res content.

    They're well-built and have a warm default sound profile that you can customize via their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. They also last over eight hours continuously, which will get you through long days on the go, and their carrying case holds an extra four charges. Unfortunately, if you need to make calls, the integrated mic does a poor job of capturing speech clearly, so your voice sounds distant and sharp, which isn't very pleasant for the caller on the other end of the line.

    See our review

  5. Best Sounding Noise Cancelling Earbuds

    The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro True Wireless are the best wireless noise cancelling earbuds for sound quality we've tested. They have quite a neutral sound out of the box compared to other options like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. They deliver adequate punch and warmth to basslines, while vocals and instruments are natural and clear. As a result, they're versatile enough for a variety of genres and different types of content. Plus, if you don't like this sound, their companion app offers EQ presets for customization.

    Their ANC does an excellent job of blocking background noise across the range. It easily tackles rumbly bus engines to chatty coworkers so you can focus on your audio. Unfortunately, with their ANC on, they last for less than five hours of continuous use, so you have to recharge them more often than the similarly-priced Google Pixel Buds Pro Truly Wireless. Their carrying case holds an extra 2.6 charges, though. They also have a comfortable fit suitable for long listening sessions.

    See our review

Notable Mentions

  • Devialet Gemini II True Wireless: The Devialet Gemini II True Wireless are high-end buds. They can block out more background noise than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. However, while their ANC functions well in the bass range, the buds block out more mid to treble range sound passively than with ANC on. This isn't ideal as the ANC lets in more ambient sound from these ranges than when the ANC is off. See our review
  • Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless: The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless offer nearly the same level of noise isolation as the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless, but have an ear stem design in contrast to the A40's round body. Their sound is much more bass-heavy, but it muddies vocals and instruments. See our review
  • Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Truly Wireless: The Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro Truly Wireless are very similar in-ears to the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. They have a great noise isolation performance, but their continuous battery life of 5.5 hours isn't particularly long-lasting. See our review

Recent Updates

  1. Feb 15, 2024: We've updated the text for clarity, but haven't made a change to our recommendations.

  2. Jan 17, 2024: We've verified that the picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are in stock.

  3. Dec 20, 2023: We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock.

  4. Nov 24, 2023: We've replaced the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Truly Wireless with their successor, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. We've also removed the Skullcandy Sesh ANC Truly Wireless, as they've been discontinued and can't be found at a cheap price point anymore. We've also added the Devialet Gemini II True Wireless to Notable Mentions.

  5. Oct 27, 2023: Replaced the TOZO NC7 Truly Wireless with the Skullcandy Sesh ANC True Wireless since the TOZO are no longer widely available.

All Reviews

Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best in-ear noise cancelling headphones for most people to buy. We factor in the price (cheaper headphones win over pricier ones if the difference isn't worth it), feedback from our visitors, and availability (no headphones that are difficult to find or almost out of stock everywhere).

If you would like to choose for yourself, here is the list of all our reviews for noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears. Be careful not to get caught up in the details. There are no perfect headphones. Personal taste, preference, and listening habits will matter more in your selection.