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To get the most out of noise cancellation headphones, (and to make sure you're not getting ripped off at retail) it helps to have a better understanding of how the technology works.
When it comes to noise-cancelling headphones, there are two types to look out for: PNC (passive noise cancellation) and ANC (active noise cancellation). Passive noise cancellation is not high-tech. It's the dampening effect that the foam padding built in headphones has on your ability to hear ambient noise. It translates roughly to the same effect you experience when you place your hands over your ears. The effectiveness of passive noise cancellation depends wholly on the density of the foam padding.
Active noise cancellation, on the other hand, involves a pretty interesting process to cancel out sound. Along with the padding that passively blocks a little bit of sound, microphones planted in the ear wells create a sound wave that zaps out the rest of the ambient noise level. The goal is to hear nothing but the music, or just plain silence if you're using them to drown out an airplane. Now that you know, let's take a look at TechRadar's top-ranking noise-cancelling headphone reviews.
Bose QuietComfort 25
Fans of the Bose QuietComfort 15 will be right at home with the new and improved Bose QuietComfort 25. For those who don't know what all of the fuss is about, Bose has been in the business of making noise cancellation headphones for quite some time and the QC 15 were some of the best sounding ANC (active noise cancellation) headphones on the market.
Only to be outdone by itself, the new QC 25 earned top marks and our "Editor's Choice" award. Compared to the executive style of the QC 15, the new model stopped taking things so seriously with a fresh design. For $300, these headphones offer awesome sound and ANC that runs for days on a single AAA-battery. The only downside compared to others in this guide is that the QC 25 offers no wireless options at the moment.
- Read our Bose QuietComfort 25 review
Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR
If the design of the Bose QuietComfort 25 is a little too tame for you, check out the Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR. The name of these headphones is a bit of a tongue-twister, but you'll get equally tripped-up running down the exhaustive list of features found in them too.
Active noise cancellation helps keep your immersion at an all-time high with support for listening over Bluetooth. You can even tap an NFC-enabled device for a super-quick wireless connection. But if you feel like keeping things wired, connecting a 3.5mm cable opens up support for PS4, Mac and PC. As mentioned earlier, the design is bold, but it matches the feature-set packed into the offering.
Plantronics BackBeat Pro
It's hard not to fall for these upon first sight. The Plantronics BackBeat Pro boasts a dead-simple design that makes way for some cool, reliable functionality.
Not only do these headphones pack ANC, they also bring 24-hour battery life and stellar sound quality to the table. If you're leaning toward a wireless set of headphones that pack all the same great features seen in the industry's best, check these out.
- Read our Plantronics BackBeat Pro review
Bose QuietComfort 20i
Huh, Bose is on our list again. We're not biased here, it's just that Bose has had a consistent presence in the space of making ANC headphones for some time. It's just that with the QuietComfort 20i, they've brought earbuds to the discussion.
Similar in price and function in almost every way to the QC 25, the QC 20i offer a more discreet option to enjoy your content. And because those of us who prefer earbuds are on-the-go, Bose included "Aware Mode" which allows you to dampen the effect of the ANC at at a moment's notice, perfect, as our reviewer put it, to ask for that "all-too-important Jack and Soda" when the flight attendant comes around. We also enjoyed that the in-line controls extend support to every major mobile OS.
- Read our Bose QuietComfort 20i review
Astro Gaming A38
Similar to the Creative Sound Blaster EVO ZxR, the Astro Gaming A38 headset has its feet firmly planted in the gaming pool, offering great sound and a microphone to accommodate PC and Mac gaming.
At $229, these aren't cheap, but we really dig the signature Astro style on top of the functionality we all expect in set of modern wireless headphones. A few issues that caused our reviewer to stomp his feet were the lack of 3.5mm input and battery indicator.
- Read our Astro Gaming A38 review
We're constantly reviewing new noise-cancelling headphones, but let us know if there is a set that you'd like us to take a look at.
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