The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $200 - Spring 2020
Reviews

The best noise cancelling headphones under $200 we've tested so far are the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2. These headphones are great for a wide variety of uses thanks to their comfortable design, decent isolation performance, and well-balanced sound profile. These wireless ANC headphones also have great and easy-to-use controls.

Their sound profile is one of the most accurate we've measured so far, although there is a little boost in low-bass, which may add a bit extra thump and rumble. Their ANC feature blocks a good amount of mid-range noises like ambient chatter, but their bass isolation is slightly disappointing and might not be the best at reducing the deep rumble of a bus engine. On the upside, they have a great continuous battery life of around 30 hours that will last you a few days without the need to charge them.

Unfortunately, their ANC feature isn't the greatest, which might be due to the fact that these are using 2016 technology, unlike more recent products. They are also not the most stylish headphones and have an unusual design that sticks out a bit. Nevertheless, for under $200, you can't go wrong with their comfortable design and well-balanced sound profile.

The best on-ear ANC headphones under $200 we've tested so far are the Marshall MID ANC Wireless. These Bluetooth on-ear headphones are a bit smaller than over-ears and even if they don't cover your entire ears, they're decently comfortable. They have a nice and sleek design that's covered by leather coating, reminiscent of Marshall guitar amps. They feel well-built and durable, and they perform quite well overall.

Their sound profile is very well-balanced, although ever so slightly excited in a V-shape. There's a bit of extra bass and some might feel like they can get quite bright and piercing on some tracks, but they're still one of the most well-balanced on-ears we've tested. They also last about 17 hours on a single charge, which should be more than enough for most people.

Unfortunately, their noise isolation performance isn't as good as over-ears as they don't completely seal around your ears, so some noise will seep into your audio. Nevertheless, they still do a good job at blocking out mid and treble ranges, which should be fine to reduce ambient chatter or the noise coming from an A/C system. You can also keep using them wired if your battery dies in the middle of your commute, which is very useful.

The best noise cancelling headphones with an in-ear design that we've reviewed so far are the Amazon Echo Buds. These Alexa-enabled truly wireless earbuds have great battery life and are decently comfortable to wear for a while. They have touch-sensitive controls, but lack volume up and down, which might be a deal-breaker for some.

They're nicely built and their sound profile should please most people. They can be used for a wide variety of music genres, but some may notice a small lack of bass kick. These in-ear headphones truly shine when it comes to noise isolation. Their in-ear tips passively block a lot of noise to begin with, but you can also enable their active noise cancellation for a little extra help. They're a good option if you often commute and need headphones that can easily fit in your pockets.

Unfortunately, they do have very high latency, which won't be ideal for watching video content during your commute, and they strongly rely on their Echo app, even for pairing, so it's pretty much mandatory to download it if you want to use them. If you don't mind having the app, which also allows for customization via a Graphic EQ, then these are some of the best noise cancelling headphones under $200.