The 6 Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $200 - Spring 2020
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 two 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're 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 Pro 2 are more comfortable and their battery performs better.

The most customizable noise cancelling headphones under $200 that we've tested so far are the JBL Live 650 BTNC. These over-ear headphones are quite comfortable thanks to their soft padding, and feel well-built enough to withstand a few accidental drops or bumps. Their 22-hour battery life is very good, and they can even be used passively with a 1/8" TRRS cable if your battery dies, which is nice.

While their out-of-the-box sound profile is a bit bass-heavy, they're compatible with JBL's Headphones app which gives you access to EQ presets as well as a fully parametric EQ, so you can customize the sound of the headphones to better suit your own personal preferences. The app also allows you to control the headphone's ANC, which works decently well. Unfortunately, they don't do as good a job at blocking out the low rumble of bus or plane engines as some other options, but they will help keep you concentrated in the office, as they do a good job at blocking background chatter.

These headphones are even stable enough to wear while doing some light exercising, like jogging or running, and their on-ear control scheme is easy to use. Overall, these headphones are a good option if you're looking for a comfortable pair of over-ear headphones with ANC that allow you to customize their sound profile.

If you find over-ear headphones too cumbersome and prefer the portability of in-ears, check out the Amazon Echo Buds. These earbuds have outstanding noise isolation, largely due to the passive isolation provided by the snug fit. They're great for sports too, as they stay in the ears even during vigorous exercise and are rated IPX4 for water resistance.

The earbuds can be customized through a mobile app, and thankfully, it's one that some of us are already familiar with, as Amazon simply uses the same Alexa app rather than having to download a separate one. Within the app, you'll find options to tune the sound with a 3-band EQ, and a pass-through feature that lets you hear your surrounding without having to pause your music. You can also check the battery level of both the earbuds and the carrying case. In case you're wondering, the earbuds last a little over 5 hours of continuous playback and the case holds five additional charges.

The overall sound of these earbuds is decent. It can be characterized as well-balanced with a bit of extra bass, but the treble can sound harsh or sibilant at times. The wireless connection is good thanks to the Bluetooth 5.0 support, but there's too much latency to be usable for videos or gaming. If you spend a good amount of time commuting or traveling on airplanes, these headphones will keep you entertained.