The 6 Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $200 - Fall 2019
Reviews

The best noise cancelling headphones under $200 that we’ve tested so far are the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2. They’re well-built, comfortable wireless over-ear headphones with an impressive battery. They have a great control scheme that’s easy-to-use, with physical buttons, and they can pair to up to 2 devices at the same time.

They have an exciting bass-rich sound which fans of EDM and hip-hop are sure to love. Their battery lasts for an impressive 30 hours before needing to be charged again, and they have an auto-off feature to prolong the battery life even further, which is great for road trips and long flights. They take a little over 2 hours to charge, but you can still use them while they are charging and even passively without ANC when the batteries run out.

Unfortunately, they’re not compatible with a companion app, so if you don’t like their more bass-heavy sound profile, you may be disappointed. They also don’t isolate noise as well as some of the more premium ANC headsets we’ve tested. You may want to consider the Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 Wireless if you prefer a more stylish design and neutral sound profile, but the BackBeat Pro 2 are more comfortable and their battery performs better.

If you want a pair of headphones with a fully customizable sound profile, then get the JBL Live 650 BTNC Wireless. They're well-built, comfortable over-ears that are compatible with a good companion app that lets you tweak the way they sound. They have a good 22-hour battery life and can be used passively with their provided audio cable once they're out of power.

These headphones have a bass-rich default sound profile that's well-suited to genres like hip-hop and EDM while still sounding balanced enough to be suitable for pop or rock music. Where they really shine, however, is in their app, JBL Connect. It gives you access to a fully parametric EQ so you can change the way they sound to better suit your needs.

Although they isolate an okay amount of noise in the bass range, their noise cancelling is mediocre overall. Thankfully, they don't leak too much sound, so you can raise your listening volume a bit to mask out more noise without having to worry about bothering those around you. All things considered, the JBL Live 650 are a solid choice if you're looking for decent customizable noise cancelling headphones under $200.

If you want noise cancelling headphones that are easier to travel with than bulky over-ear headphones, get the Jabra Elite 65e. They’re wireless noise cancelling earbuds with a lightweight, flexible neckband design that feels well-built. Their earbud design is quite comfortable and they come with a decent soft case to help protect them in your bag.

These headphones can isolate a decent amount of noise and are especially good at blocking out speech. Their leakage performance is also excellent, so you shouldn’t have to worry too much about bothering those around you with your music, even if you like to listen to your music at higher volumes. They also have a surprisingly decent in-line microphone for wireless headphones, which makes them a decent option for phone calls. Their battery provides 8.5-hours of playback, which is alright, and you can use them while they charge.

Unfortunately, they don’t have the best sound quality. They have great bass but don’t sound very balanced out-of-the-box. Thankfully, they’re compatible with the Jabra Sound+ app, so you can tweak their sound profile to your needs with its graphic EQ. They’re decent noise cancelling earbuds overall and provide fairly good value for their price.