Ask HN: Best Noise Canceling Headphones

If you're after a very good set of budget noise canceling headphones, I would recommend Plantronics BackBeat PRO 2.

In terms of reliability and support I would say whatever Bose's latest NC headphone is in the QC line.

Apparently in tests the new Sony’s are slightly better NC than the Bose, but I tested them in a store and preferred the audio quality of my Bose QCs and couldn’t personally tell a difference in NC.

I couldn’t live without my Bose QCs and they go everywhere with me. You don’t realise how much noise there is in day to day life until you’ve worn some good NC headphones around for a while then forgotten to take them with you one day.

I've had Sony WH-1000XM2 for two years now.

Bought it just before boarding for a 7-hour flight, and it was great. Even after a dozen flights since then, I'd still recommend it anytime. Its noise cancelling is amazing (source: I've tested it in comparison with Bose QC35, everyday in the shop before going for this one).

The XM3 has been released a while ago (minor update IMHO), has good reviews and is regularly discounted. With Black Friday almost there, you should get good deals on it.

I personally don't feel the need to buy it since I have the XM2, but I could get it for my wife.

I use both inner ear and over ear Bose. I find noise cancellation feeling is more prominent to the point of distraction on the inner ear QC 30s. I find the QC 35 over ear provide better experience. Sony's 1000 seems to edge Bose out in noise cancellation. However I have been impressed with the 700, and I think Bose is now back on top. Either of them are cracking noise cancellation headsets.

If you're going for Bose, their latest Headphones (NC 700) is something you should look at. Sony came a close second, but that was before Bose updated the QC35.

Sony WH-1000XM2 can be had for a steal occasionally - given that it's last gen model.

Definitely over ear for flights. Combined with foam plugs you can pretty much sleep in silence on overnight flights

I have done extensive testing and review reading. You have two options: sony xm3 or bose 700.

Just start reading at the Wirecutter:

https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-noise-cancelling-head...

Over hear are the best in my opinion, but now that it's winter I regret that it's difficult to use a hat and over hear headphones at the same time.

I have a pair of Bose QuietComfort 32 II, which are quite lightweight and absolutely love them. However before the new 700 model came out, Bose released a firmware that reduced the noise cancelling impact on the QuietComfort 32 II (although they swear that the firmware upgrade shouldn't change impact noise cancelling it was measured by independent parties and it is indeed reduced).

Wirecutter[0] always has the best in-depth reviews for headphones (of every type). I have the Bose QC35's (older generation, they were just refreshed) and they are great. I would recommend over the ear, especially if you are using them on flights or a noisy office.

[0] https://thewirecutter.com

Hey,

I'm using WH-1000XM3. I bought it couple of months ago. I think it is good. But, it also depends on your music taste. I mean if you are bass-heavy, WH-1000XM3 might not be enough for you.

I have the QC35 and the WH-1000XM3.

The Sony have punchy sound. If you're a bass head, you are going to love them. The application that goes with them also gives you a lot of control. However, after playing with all the settings for a few days, I found myself not touching them ever again.

For noise cancellation on airline flights, the Bose do a better job. Even after adjusting the Sony to the aircraft pressure level. Maybe the Sony are better at canceling other people's voice, but they are not as good as the Bose to cancel the noise of the aircraft engine.

The Airpods Pro also do a surprisingly good job at canceling the noise of the engine. During my last flight, I used the Airpods Pro and the Sony on top of them. Not very comfortable, but noise cancellation was amazing :)

When it comes to comfort, the Sony tend to hurt the top of my head after a while. The Bose are more comfortable.

I'm using the Bose QuietComfort 25 wired headphones right now. I've been using them for years. Every time an ear cushion wears out or falls off, I buy new ear cushions and replace the old ones. I've now resorted to even using Gorilla glue to keep them attached (because the base isn't in good shape any more). They're still perfect in sound quality and really, really comfortable.

I tried buying beyerdynamic headphones a couple weeks ago, but the comfort didn't compare - at all. They were too tight and the cushion wasn't nearly as soft.

I'd strongly consider comfort as one of your metrics. There are a lot of nice over-ear headphones with good sound quality, but the cushion padding and stretch of the bridge matters too. Bose uses really nice cushions. I've heard good things about Sony's as well.

Sony XM3, Bose QC 35 or Bose 700 - try them all and pick whatever is most comfortable. Noise cancelling in all 3 is good enough that you're unlikely to be able to tell the difference.

I purchased the BOSE QuietComfort 35's - and they felt nice, were lightweight, cancelled noise well. They did not give me a headache, etc. For my personal taste, I found the bass lacking. I like to listen to dubstep when it gets noisy at work (something that I can just zone out to and not have lyrics to listen to, etc). And the lows just didn't hit hard enough for me.

Shortly after, I returned them and got Sony WH-XB900N -- after reading many reviews on both headsets. They are also lightweight, do not give me a headache, and were easy to set up / pair. The bass in them is amazing. If I'm ever distracted, throw them on, turn on some dubstep and just feel the music. It's a totally different experience. I feel much more immersed in the sound with them.

I should say that prior to purchasing either of the above, I only used the stock earbuds that come with the iphones. They weren't so compatible with the shape of my ear canal though, and my ears would start to hurt around the 30 minute mark.

I don't have much experience from a NC perspective, but I recently got the Sony WH-1000X MK3 for office & travel and I greatly enjoy them. From a an amateur audiophile perspective, they sound pretty good, they're pretty comfy, and the touch controls are pretty nice.

One nice feature that I found out about digging around the manual is that if you touch your whole palm to the right side (the touch control side) the sound quiets and the ambient noise is amplified, kinda like taking one ear out. It's a nice little touch.

I had to return by Bose because the NC gave me a weird pressure like feeling and it was uncomfortable to listen for more than 20 minutes at a time. Funny enough, the Sony 1000XM3 don't give me that feeling at all, I can listen to it all day no problem. I highly recommend the Sonys.

I bought a pair of Sony MX3 earlier this year, or maybe late 2018 and at the time I did a lot of research on them. I think it boils down to a choice between the MX and the QC and the best option for you is probably going to be a tad personal. I know people who swear by the the QC, my wife included, but the MX fit me (and my rather sturdy glasses) much better.

There may be a few technical favours either way as far as version goes, the MX3 has an advantage when I bought them, but having tried my wife’s QC for a week they certainly do the job as well.

The hand control features/gestures on the MX suck by the way, so don’t take those as a selling point. Solely go for long term comfort.

Beoplay H9. Had QC35 for years until they broke and have tried Sony’s, but like H9 the best so far.

Cost a few dollars more though.

I really like the performance of my Bose QC-35. The problem is the slide switch: it broke with days left on the one year warranty so I called Bose expecting an ordeal but within five minutes a “new or refurbished” QC-35 unit was on the way — with the warranty extended out another year - along with a return shipping label to send back the broken pair. It’s been a couple years since the warranty swap and the slide switch on the replacement QC-35 has also broken. I simply set the auto-time-off to five minutes and use the pause/play button to turn them on after auto shutoff. The only problem is pairing the headset with another/new device as the slide switch needs to be gingerly manipulated in just the perfect manner, something you’re not going to do while driving.

All of that to say that when I saw the details on the model 700 I smiled when I saw there was no more slide switch on the device. I’m patiently waiting for my QC-35 to die completely before buying the model 700 as a replacement.

On a plane, I double up. Either my Shure in-ear (noise-insolation) or my Bose QC30 in-ear (noise-cancellation) with my older Bose QC15 (noise-cancellation) over-ear on top. Seems to work really well for me. Obviously, if I have any music/film on then the in-ear are the ones plugged in.

For my commute (train+tube/bus+walk) I use my Bose QC30. Full-on noise cancellation on the train/tube, then I dial it down to 50/50 on the noise passthrough when walking in London to avoid being crushed by a bus or cyclist. (And also in-ears are harder for moped based thieves to steal off your head)

I love my PSB M4U 8s. Great sound, replaceable batteries. Been using them for about a year.

I'm using Sony WH-1000XM3 and I'm extremely satisfied. Before I was using some JBL in ear. Expecially in an open office, the additional passive noise cancellation of good over ear headphones is important for me. I find the Bose QC 35II at the same level (and now cheaper) but the Sony look better :)

I owned a few (sony, beats, Samsung, and others - all over the ear) and settled with Bose. My QC35 was great and worked for years, but recently I upgraded to a Bose 700 and can say that, if you're looking specifically for Noise Cancellation, you can't go wrong with it.