In our testing of the latest and most expensive noise-canceling headphones, we examined four of the best Bluetooth models available today in terms of noise cancellation, sound quality, battery life, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Bluetooth headphones with noise canceling function: Testing the noise canceling function

Bose caused a stir in 2016 with its first wireless headphones with active noise cancellation: The Quiet Comfort 35 not only delivers great sound, but also high-quality noise cancellation. Now the successor to the Quiet Comfort 35 II has entered the market, which in our test will compete for first place with the new Sony WH-1000XM2, Beats Studio 3 Wireless, as well as the Sennheiser PXC 550. this moment cost 20-25 thousand rubles.

The models tested have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): they are equipped with microphones that absorb ambient noise and create out-of-phase sound waves that best cancel out external sounds for the listener. Their advantage over regular headphones: you don't have to turn on music to block out external noise. Accordingly, such headphones promise real silence in the workplace or on the go. Of course, construction headphones also do a good job of this task and are cheaper, but NC headphones allow you to enjoy music with very low levels of external noise, since the noise reduction adapts the music signal accordingly. And since we are talking about quite expensive models, users can, of course, count on the highest sound quality.

From left to right: Beats Studio 3 Wireless, Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II, Sennheiser PXC 550

Noise reduction: this is how it works for all tested models.

To test active noise cancellation in conditions similar to a natural urban environment, we played typical external sounds, such as a moving train, a supermarket, and a playground, through the speakers in the test lab to test how the noise canceling of the headphones works without music.

Our test showed that the Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones cope best with this task, followed by the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II. The Beats Studio 3 Wireless came in last place for this indicator, with the Sennheiser PXC 550 in the middle of the list. But not a single model could achieve complete silence. Bass and deeper mids are barely noticeable, but voices (albeit much quieter) still come through the headphones. It follows that over-ear headphones are particularly well suited for use in cars and airplanes, as they cope well with monotonous low-frequency noise. Some people, however, react negatively to such unnatural silence, some perceive it as pressure on the ears, others think they hear a slight noise. Wind, which creates noticeable noise when blowing into the microphones, has a bad effect on sound transmission in such headphones. The tested models did not perform the best in cases where a person wore a hood over them, or was in a noisy bus. In these situations, the sound constantly changes and begins to twitch, which does not happen with regular headphones. Fortunately, in such situations, noise cancellation can be turned off on all four models.

Noise-Cancelling headphones suppress street noise not perfectly, but quite well (Headphones in the photo: Sony WH-1000XM2)

Noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones reduce battery life

If you turn off noise cancellation, battery life is extended, but the headphones start to sound worse. This is especially noticeable with the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II: the bass and mids become unclear and washed out. Unfortunately, the batteries of all four models are built-in, and you won’t be able to replace them yourself. We asked the manufacturers how much it costs to replace the battery, but we were only able to get a satisfactory answer from Beats. According to the information on their home page The cost of replacing the battery will be a little less than 6,000 rubles. Bose says the battery is not replaceable, and Sennheiser and Sony are willing to provide cost estimates on a case-by-case basis. It is very unpleasant that headphones costing 20,000 rubles because of this threaten to become somewhat of a disposable product.

Name	Sony WH-1000XM2	Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II	Sennheiser PXC550	Beats Studio 3 Wireless
Sound	Rich, pronounced bass, generally warm, lacks a bit of definition	Clear and crisp but cold at times, good bass	More subdued bass, natural midrange response, highs dominate	Not very wide range and not very high detail, but warm and pleasant
Time battery life battery with ANC enabled	33:50 h	18:01 h	19:49 h	23:45 h
Battery life with ANC disabled	45:11 h	20:37 h	23:09 h	42:47 h
Battery charge time	169 minutes	96 minutes	165 minutes	76 minutes
Bluetooth connection stability	Very good	Satisfactorily	Very good	Great
Wearing comfort	Great	Great	Fine	Very good
Noise reduction	Great	Great	Fine	Satisfactorily
Voice signal quality when talking on the phone	Fine	Fine	Very good	Fine
Cable connection without Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Operate via cable connection when the battery is discharged	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
You can change the battery yourself	No	No	No	No
Foldable	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Travel case	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Control	Touch	Mechanical buttons	Touch	Mechanical buttons
Connection via NFC	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audio codecs	SBC, aptX, aptX HD, AAC, LDAC	SBC, AAC	SBC, aptX	SBC, AAC
Construction type	Full size	Full size	Full size	Full size
Weight	275 grams	310 grams	227 grams	260 grams
Price	24,000 rub.	21,000 rub.	RUB 20,200	RUB 19,900

Overall, the Sony WH-1000XM2 headphones performed best, the successor to a very similar one. Sony models MDR-1000X: In addition to good sound, they feature top-notch noise cancellation, stable Bluetooth connectivity, excellent battery life, and a very comfortable fit. With noise cancellation turned on and music constantly playing, they lasted almost 34 hours - the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II lasted for similar conditions only 18 o'clock.

We liked the sound overall, but it does have a bit of a bass bias, so we found it a little lacking in clarity and definition. The headphones are not very suitable for listening to high-quality sound, but when working in the office or on the go, they will definitely please you with good meaty sound. Those who are not satisfied with “bass” headphones should pay attention to the Sennheiser PXC 550. The bass forms an excellent basis for the sound, which adds zest to electro, pop, and hip-hop tracks, as well as movie soundtracks (for example, Running Man by blade 2049), but still the sound in the headphones is a little blurry, and tends to go into the mid-range. In the high-frequency range, the 1000XM2 headphones could use a little more clarity. For example, guitars, cymbals and tambourines are heard more openly and clearly in the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II, while the Sony's are a bit muted by comparison.

The Sony WH-1000XM2 has a mechanical button to change the strength of the noise reduction. Otherwise, you can control them using taps and swipes on the right earbud.

The Sony WH-1000XM2 fits very well, with soft, pleasant-to-touch ear pads that fit your head well. The hidden touch controls on the right earbud take some getting used to: swiping back or forward lets you change tracks, and up and down to increase or decrease the volume. It seems that everything is simple, but in practice it’s a different matter; more than once, trying to simply change the volume, we switched to another track. In general, after a short period of getting used to, the controls no longer seem so difficult. The Bluetooth connection is quite stable and does not drop when the user moves to another room.

The WH-1000XM2 sits very comfortably on the head. However, from time to time the plastic creaks a little.

Testing the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II

Compared to the Sony WH1000XM2, the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II has two significant disadvantages. Problem #1: Bose headphones were the most unstable in our test bluetooth connection. Already at a distance of three meters, the music began to go astray during testing if between mobile phone and the earphone was on the wall. Even with a line-of-sight connection, we were able to cause short disconnects simply by placing our hands on the headphones. When listening to music in these headphones, you will no longer be able to move freely around the apartment (of course, a lot depends on the thickness of the walls). Even with the Galaxy S7 and headphones close together, sudden interruptions occurred while on the go.

Problem #2: Battery life with active noise cancellation enabled. And here the Quiet Comfort 35 II showed the worst result, lasting only 18 hours in our test.

But the noise cancellation itself works just fine and fights external noise very effectively. Voices can be heard through the headphones, but very quietly, without disturbing at all. But in our test, Sony headphones performed better in this regard. Both of them can be considered almost a standard option in terms of this indicator. The disadvantage of Bose is that people standing nearby can hear quite well what music is playing in the headphones, starting at medium volume.

The sound of the headphones is very pleasing: compared to the model from Sony, the sound of the Quiet Comfort 35 II is clearer and crisper, but at the same time colder and harsher. Listen to jazz with them and classical music we really liked it, but the metal wasn't so much, we didn't have enough volume of sound, which prompted us to lower the volume. The dynamic range of sound is excellent and low frequencies well defined, without blur.

The Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II does not fit very tightly to the head, but it sits very comfortably.

Quiet Comfort 35 II sits very comfortably on the head, not quite tightly, but this does not interfere. However, when you turn your head quickly, they slide off. The fact that Bose still relies on mechanical buttons may seem a little outdated, but we liked it. True, some people are already unaccustomed to the fact that to switch a track you have to press the button two or three times, but you definitely can’t go wrong when pressing pause or changing the volume. By the way, Quiet Comfort 35 II allows you to work directly with Google Assistant, which makes it possible to control your phone using voice commands. This is a nice bonus, but it is unlikely to be a reason for many to buy these headphones. The Sony WH-1000XM2 will have this feature with an update.

What's quite annoying is that the Bose app shares user data and information about your music preferences by default. Those who do not want this should disable this feature.

We found it quite convenient to work with the control buttons on the earphone. The large button on the left controls Google Assistant or adjusts the intensity of noise cancellation.

Sennheiser PXC 550

The Sennheiser PXC 550 is an excellent purchase for fans of clear and rich sound, but compared to other models we tested, these headphones are too dominant in the heights for us, and the sound sounds somewhat dry. Bass sounds okay, but models from Bose and Sony deliver it better. Depending on the track, we were either impressed by the Sennheiser basses, because they sounded less intrusive, or not so much, since they sometimes lacked materiality and conviction. The headphones convey mid-tones and voice quite pleasantly and naturally. But when listening to quieter passages, we noticed a slight background noise that was missing from other headphones. The noise reduction system of the Sennheiser PXC 550 works, in general, quite well, but still worse than that of the Sony WH-1000XM2 and Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II. In the office, voices are heard through these headphones more clearly than with other models. Overall, we rate the noise cancellation system's performance as Good. When testing the battery, the headphones lasted 20 hours on a single charge, a good result. When measuring the charging time, the headphones showed themselves differently: when using only power supplies, they charged very slowly, a full charge took more than 20 hours, we replaced the power supply, everything was the same. When we managed to select a more suitable device for power supply, the entire process of 100% charging took only 165 minutes, this is a completely acceptable result.

The Sennheiser PXC 550 look very serious, but they are not very comfortable to wear due to their somewhat awkwardness and rather narrow ear pads.

In the Wearing Comfort category, we would give preference to other models, although the PXC 550 fits the head quite well. But there is relatively little foam material on the ear pads, and therefore the headphones do not fit perfectly, for our taste. Sennheiser PXC 550 as well as Sony WH-1000XM2 are controlled using hidden touch buttons. The problem is that to activate Play/Pause here you only need to press once on the back of the right earbud (twice on Sony), which leads to frequent errors when using touch controls. In addition, two editors accidentally typed the last one typed telephone numbers, because they accidentally activated the corresponding function (swipe and hold) when putting on headphones. Our conclusion is that the controls of these headphones still take some getting used to. Additionally, this Sennheiser model has a proximity sensor, so the headphones automatically pause music when you take them off and start playing when you put them on.

Unfortunately, this feature didn't work very well when we put the hood on top, even though the headphones were on the whole time, they would occasionally stop playing a track when the wearer turned their head.

Plus: Like other headphones, the Sennheiser PXC 550 can be folded for travel.

Beats Studio 3 Wireless Headphones

The sound of the Beats Studio 3 Wireless is decent, but compared to the other three models it sounds rather unremarkable, a little flat and not particularly wide-ranging. Unlike BOSE's QC35 II, these headphones sound equally good at music of any kind, their warm sound conveys music in a slightly less detailed and more subdued manner, but it never irritated us with any track of any genre, even at high volume levels . The Studio 3 Wireless may sound a little closed, but they can be called excellent universal headphones for travel and work.

The Beats Studio 3 Wireless has the worst noise cancellation performance of any model we tested, but it still gets a "Fair" rating from us for this feature. In our testing, the difference was especially noticeable compared to models from Sony and Bose, which handle external noise much better. But when listening to music at the lowest volume, the difference ceases to be so noticeable. Like the other models tested, these headphones should not be worn in windy conditions, because the microphones transmit the wind as a rather pronounced rustling sound.

The Beats Studio 3 Wireless sounded warm, with a slight tendency to emphasize bass, but I wanted more range and clarity in the sound.

We really liked the way the Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones fit, they are very comfortable and comfortable on the head. But the ear pads themselves could be a little larger, the inner fabric padding touches the ears, and after a while they get hot. People with long hair should also be careful when wearing these headphones; the narrow connection between the headband and ear pads in testing showed that it can tear out hair quite well. Beats is controlled using mechanical buttons on the outside of the left earpiece. We quickly got used to their control and didn’t make any mistakes.

The Beats ANC headset relies on button controls instead of touch controls. Management works well.

In testing, Studio 3 Wireless showed the best stability of the Bluetooth connection, and took second place in terms of battery life: they worked for almost 24 hours on one charge. In addition, the developers equipped Beats headphones with a special Bluetooth chip optimized for connecting to Apple devices: W1.

Noise-cancelling headphones are aimed at listeners who want to isolate themselves from the outside world and immerse themselves in the world of music. These headphones can cancel out the noise around you so you can listen to your favorite albums or audiobooks, or just enjoy the silence.

We've rounded up 5 active noise canceling headphones and below are our recommendations for the best options you can buy today.

Rating of the best headphones with active noise cancellation

The best noise canceling headphones are the Sony WH-1000XM2. They're just as good at canceling noise as the MDR-1000X in loud environments, outperforming the Bose QuietComfort 35 in this department.

The WH-1000XM2 boasts several improvements over the previous model: a more consistent sound profile, softer ear pads, and app support for plenty of customization options. Yes, they are not as comfortable or practical for everyday use as the QC35, but this model offers the best noise-canceling performance of any on-ear headphones.

If comfort is one of your top priorities, then consider buying the Bose QuietComfort 35. They're more comfortable than the Sony WH-1000XM2, and delivered excellent performance in most test categories, making them a versatile headset for everyday use in noisy environments.

They don't boast as much noise isolation as the WH-1000XM2, and the supported app doesn't offer the same number of customization options, but they're much easier to use and provide a better overall experience.

In the middle price category we can offer you headphones Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2. They are cheaper and have better overall performance than the JBL Elite 700. They also beat the Sennheiser HD 4.50, but don't offer the same noise isolation.

They are able to suppress noise in moderately loud environments, and they are also the best option in terms of price-quality ratio.

If you need the most best headphones with active noise cancellation, then you need the JBL Everest Elite 700. They provide better noise isolation than the Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 and come with one of the best companion apps.

The app is easy to use and intuitive, and provides control over noise cancellation and audio quality.

If you are very tight on budget but still want active noise canceling headphones that provide decent isolation and sound quality, then we recommend the Cowin E7.

They don't offer the best noise isolation, but they sound good and come at a relatively low price for wireless noise-canceling headphones. The Bluedio T4s have slightly better performance when it comes to sound quality and build quality, but the battery life leaves a lot to be desired.

Interest in noise-canceling headphones in Russia is emerging very slowly; many generally look at accessories with disdain, saying that it’s all a stupid waste of money. I bought a smartphone, I need to spend money on the rest. This approach can be compared to how novice drivers calculate the cost of a car, they say, here’s a car, it costs (let’s say) one hundred thousand. I can afford it. But what about the cost of gas, maintenance, insurance, parking, fines? You need to think about this right away. It's the same story with accessories. If you're a frequent flyer, it's important to take care of your brain. What destroys it? It is destroyed by noise. Children are crying, adults are talking or singing songs, a neighbor is trying to communicate. Noise-canceling over-ear headphones are perfect protection. You make it clear to your neighbors that you don't want to talk. You are escaping the noise. You good mood, the brain is saved. So is this worth spending money on? Certainly! Let me note that such headphones will save you not only on an airplane, but also in the office, on public transport, and at home, if you need to listen to music in peace, even if neighbors on all sides are starting renovations. And I’ll say right away that even the best headphones with an ANC (Active Noise Control) system will not be able to perform miracles and completely protect you from very high volumes, something will leak out. But in any case, your ears and head will suffer much less.

And one last thing. I personally tested all of these headphones and recommend them all to you - noise reduction will come in handy during New Year's trips. By the way, this is also a good, useful gift.

Headphones

Parrot Zik

Parrot has already shown the second generation Zik, I had a chance to see this model live, listen to it, it’s impressive - however, I can’t say anything about the start of sales. But it's not too late to buy the first generation Zik. The model is extremely successful and will be especially interesting for those who are looking for advanced solutions. At the end of the day, the Bose QC25 are just headphones, nothing more. And Zik is a software and hardware complex, sensors for controlling playback with finger touches, applications for iOS or Android, connection via Bluetooth or using a cable. I recommend reading the review if you are thinking about buying, this applies to other headphones too.

pros: design, effective noise reduction system, excellent quality sound, interesting application for smartphones, comfortable to wear for a long time, touch control and so on - you can find out more in the review.

Minuses: These are quite large headphones, but that's hardly a big drawback.

Price: 12,500 rubles.

Bose QC25

The most modern headphones of the Quiet Comfort series, a review will appear on the site very soon. I have only positive impressions, I think that these are the best noise-canceling headphones on the market - the AAA battery life is about 35 hours, all scary sounds are perfectly cut out on the plane, a convenient remote control, excellent sound quality and delivery set. But you probably won't like the price. Not entirely obvious advantages include the durability of the headphones; the ear pads and cable can be changed, so the QC25 will last you for years. This applies to QC15 too.

pros: design, sound quality, excellent performance of the noise reduction system, operating time, delivery set, work with any devices. Well, the Bose QC25 are also very comfortable!

Minuses: not found.

Price: 14,000 rubles.

Bose QC15

Good old headphones that replaced the very popular QC3 model. Classic Bose design, excellent noise reduction system, very comfortable, even if you wear them for several hours without taking them off, you won’t feel tired. But the sound quality here is not the most outstanding - not bad, but without frills. With prolonged use, you can change the ear pads and cable; these parts are removable. Nice kit supplies.

pros: The most important thing is that these are good noise-canceling headphones for the money, comfortable and simple, and will work for years until you get tired of them.

Minuses: If the battery is low and there is no spare, the QC-15 can be put back into the case.

Price: You can find it on sale for 11,000 rubles, or even cheaper.

Bose QC20

There was an interesting story related to QC20. One day we were filming videos on Taganka, and a friend came to see us. During the break, he asked for help with choosing in-ear headphones - he said that, in principle, he hated headphones, listened to music at home on speakers or in the car, and that it was unlikely that I could surprise him. And he said that he would fly to Vladivostok tomorrow on business. The flight is long. I decided to recommend QC-20, I opened the package myself, showed and told everything - the sellers had already left. Then the magic began, the friend walked around the store with his mouth open, did not hear anything, did not respond to his name. Then he enthusiastically began to tell us what a cool model it was, and how quiet everything was, and how he didn’t hear our voices, music, or anything at all. And it’s great that these are not large on-ear headphones. In general, I bought it. And I said a long time ago, even in the review, that the QC-20 has no analogues.

pros: miniature size, long battery life (16 hours), excellent sound quality, noise reduction system works great, works with any device.

Minuses: alas, the battery is located in a separate unit, the unit is on a cable, some may not like this - although it weighs little and is not too noticeable.

Price: 15,000 rubles.

Plantronics BackBeat Pro

An extremely interesting model in terms of price-quality ratio, Plantronics managed to make something in between Bose and Parrot, adding its own look to this narrow niche. One of the main features is that there are Play/Pause sensors, when the headphones are on your head and the music is playing, as soon as you take them off, the music stops playing. Rotating jog wheels on the cups will help you adjust the volume and rewind the track. The noise reduction system works great, the sound quality is not bad, but for me, Studio 2 has more interesting music. But these are personal impressions, BackBeat Pro may be ideal for you.

pros: long operating time (24 hours), good sound quality, effective noise reduction system, Bluetooth 4.0 support, cable connection possible, work with any device. I like the unique feature of muting the microphones, when you begin to clearly hear everything that is happening on the street - it was designed specifically to talk to people without removing the headphones.

Minuses: impressive size (but otherwise it was impossible to combine everything described above in one).

Price: about 10,000 rubles.

Beats Studio 2/Beats Studio 2 Wireless

Many people disparage Beats, but at the same time they didn’t even spend ten minutes listening to Studio 2 - and it’s worth doing. Unlike the Bose QC15, the sound quality here is really interesting. But the noise reduction system is not as effective. The operating time is about 20 hours, you will need to charge microUSB cable(as for some other models this year) and two hours of time. There is a wireless model, it costs a little more, but it can be used with or without a cable. Yes, one more thing, these are the most famous headphones in the world at the moment.

pros: Great design, foldable design, comfortable to wear, long working time, good sound quality, wireless version can be used in two ways, with or without cable.

Minuses: There are too many fakes on the market, buy only from trusted places.

Price: about 13,000 rubles.

Sony Xperia Z3/Z2 + Sony MDR-NC31EM

In this article it was impossible to do without this set; you can use the MDR-NC31EM headphones with any Sony equipment with a 5 pin connector, the current one is Sony Xperia Z3, Z3 Compact, Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. Don't forget to turn on the noise reduction system in the settings. Powered by the phone's battery, but this has little effect on the operating time; you will hardly notice that the headphones are eating up time. But what you will notice is the silence.

pros: compact, noise reduction system works well, good sound quality.

Minuses: The noise reduction system only works with Sony devices; not everyone likes to stuff ear tips into their ears.

Price: about 3,000 rubles.

Well, don’t forget about the easiest way to combat noise - earplugs are sold at any pharmacy. Just fifty rubles and you can sleep peacefully during the flight.

Today, almost half of the assortment in the audio department of any store is equipped with an active noise reduction system. Some say that this is the best invention since the advent of headsets, while others are sure that this is just another ploy to pump out money.

Let's figure out together whether you need to pay attention to such a feature when choosing headphones.

What is it and how does it work

Active Noise Cancellation is a way to eliminate unwanted noise by overlaying specially generated sound.

Active noise reduction works as follows. The system captures the noise you want to cancel through an external microphone and emits a sound wave with the same amplitude but a mirror image of the original sound's phase. The noise wave and the generated sound mix and cancel each other out.

This method of dealing with noise when listening to music allows you to abandon complete sound insulation or excessively increase the volume. These two methods were previously actively used to suppress unnecessary sounds.

The first patents in this area began to appear back in the 30s of the twentieth century, but it came to real application only half a century later. Active noise cancellation technology was originally used in the aviation and defense industries. Only a few years ago it entered the consumer market.

Is it effective

Many people mistakenly consider the active noise reduction system a marketing ploy. Yes, the system will not protect you from all noise, but it performs its direct function properly.

It is generally accepted that a person is able to perceive sounds in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Most modern noise cancelers cope well with noise from 100 Hz to 1 KHz. This is quite enough to save the listener from conversations of other people, traffic noise and wind.

We perceive fluctuations in the range below 100 Hz not only with the ear, but also with the body; here, no noise reduction in headphones will help. As for the upper range, the system is capable of turning high-frequency squeaks or whistles into a calm hiss.

With good noise-canceling headphones, you can feel like you are in a quiet room, even if you are on a noisy street.

Useful features of active noise cancellation

Manufacturers thought, since the headphones are equipped with an external microphone, why not provide the ability to use it for its intended purpose.

Some models allow you to temporarily disable noise reduction and broadcast sound “outside” to your headphones. This way you can communicate with your interlocutor, move safely, or simply perceive information from the outside world without removing your headphones.

Another advantage of models with active noise reduction is the presence of a built-in amplifier. It is with its help that “anti-noise” is generated for the operation of the system, but in addition to this, the amplifier is capable of producing higher quality sound.

Is everything really that smooth?

The active noise reduction system also has its drawbacks. The main one is that these headphones are not suitable for everyone. Don’t worry, the percentage of those for whom the technology is contraindicated is quite low. About 3% of users, when using active noise reduction for a long time, begin to complain of headaches.

Their cause is active noise suppression system intolerance syndrome. It is similar to seasickness, when our brain thinks that the body is at rest, but the vestibular system sends opposite signals.

Likewise, when suppressing noise, it seems to the brain that we are in a quiet place, and the senses send signals that are unusual for this.

Another negative factor is increased pressure on the eardrums, because in addition to music and noise, “anti-noise” enters our ears. This can cause disruptions in the nervous system and lead to headaches.

What are the alternatives?

At the moment, active noise reduction is the most technologically advanced solution. This feature cuts out up to 95% of extraneous sounds when listening to music. In this case, a whole chain of additional elements is used and this affects the cost of headphones and headsets with active noise suppression.

As a counterbalance to this technology, you can use passive noise reduction. It is achieved by sealing the human ear from external noise through massive ear pads in over-ear headphone models or flexible ear pads that can take any shape in vacuum models.

All other things being equal, such headphones are cheaper and simpler in design, which means they are more reliable in operation.

What to choose in the end

First, you need to go to the nearest electronics store with exhibition samples and visually verify the operation of the active noise reduction system. A simple comparison of headphones with and without such a system will immediately give results.

To avoid falling into the so-called “risk zone,” it is better to ask a friend or acquaintance to test the model.

This is how yet another technology, previously in service with the military, is deeply penetrating our lives.

With active noise cancellation they cost like premium models compared to regular headphones. But if you commute to work every day by public transport, then they are worth it. Even the gloomiest morning on the subway doesn’t seem so unbearable when you can enjoy a couple of your favorite tracks without distracting extraneous sounds. Plus, you won't have to turn up the volume at maximum volume, which negatively affects your hearing, to drown out the noise.

Fortunately, the sound quality of active noise-canceling headphones has improved significantly over the years. last years. Now you don't have to choose what is more important to you - good sound or absence of annoying noises.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST ACTIVE NOISE CANCELING HEADPHONES

If you decide to purchase such headphones, then you need to immediately pay attention to several points.

The first thing you need to decide is: do you want an in-ear model (noise-canceling earbuds), large full-size or on-ear headphones, or maybe you are looking for exactly bluetooth headphones. In-ear headphones contain all the elements necessary for noise cancellation in a special housing, which is attached to a wire in wired models or attached behind the neck and to the collar in wireless models. In full-size models, such as the company's popular headphones, the elements that provide noise cancellation are located in the headphones themselves. It's much more convenient.

One of the features of the headphones was that unless you turn on the noise canceling, there would be no sound. Thus, when the battery runs out, the headphones become useless. Fortunately, the new wireless model has been improved. Now, when the battery is low, you can connect the headphones via cable and continue listening to music, but without noise cancellation. Some other models have the same features, while others do not. Keep this in mind if you know that you often do not have the opportunity to recharge your headphones during the day.

Battery life has also increased. These days, you can easily find a model that lasts up to 20 or even 50 hours on a single charge. Many models come with branded charging blocks, while others run on good old AA/AAA batteries.

Some headphones are equipped with technologies that allow you to hear what's going on around you when necessary: ​​you can temporarily turn off noise cancellation or reduce its intensity. On headphones like , you can adjust the level of active noise cancellation, while others, like , have smart mode, which will allow you to hear the sounds of the surrounding world using a special microphone.

Active noise-canceling headphones use microphones that monitor surrounding sounds. Then, using some technical devices, the headphones create a wave with an inverted phase. During the interference process, the waves mix into a new wave and cancel each other out. The result cannot be called 100%, but this technology can significantly eliminate repetitive sounds. The system targets sounds such as airplane noise, air conditioning or fan noise, and to a lesser extent the sound of traffic. If you use active noise cancellation in combination with music, you will not hear most surrounding sounds.

The sound quality and comfort levels of the latest active noise-canceling headphones have reached new level. IN early models there was a strange and irritating hissing sound and an unpleasant pressure was felt. The sound quality of the latest models is comparable in brightness and energy to the sound of headphones without noise reduction.

1 place.

Main characteristics:

• Over-ear headphones;
• Adjustable active noise cancellation;
• aptX Bluetooth.

The Sony MDR-1000X are the best active noise canceling headphones currently available. They block out most of all surrounding noise. Moreover, they are wireless and support aptX Bluetooth. Smart technologies allow you to adjust the level of transmission of ambient sounds so that, for example, you do not miss an important announcement at the airport. Particularly noteworthy is the “Quick Listen” mode, which temporarily mutes the music and transmits ambient sounds into the headphones. Now you don't have to take off your headphones every time to chat with a friend. Control is carried out with one touch of the cup. They are comfortable and the battery lasts a long time. The sound quality of the MDR-1000X is simply excellent.

2nd place.

Main characteristics:

• Over-ear headphones;
• Active noise cancellation;
• Bluetooth.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 offers the same excellent active noise canceling quality as the QuietComfort 25, but with the added benefit of being a wireless model with Bluetooth support. This makes the QuietComfort 35 even more convenient, and the battery lasts a decent amount of time.

3rd place.

Main characteristics:

• Over-ear headphones;
• Active noise cancellation;
• Passive listening mode.

Sony MDR-100ABN h.ear on Wireless combine modern urban design, functionality and excellent quality active noise reduction. Their price is quite affordable, so they have already pushed out many competitors. These on-ear headphones cover your ears completely, but are also very comfortable. They support Bluetooth aptX and their own LDAC codec, which is useful if you use a player or . The battery lasts for 20 hours, which is a lot, and if the battery runs out, you can connect headphones using a cable and a 3.5 mm jack.

4th place.

Main characteristics:

• Over-ear headphones;
• Active noise cancellation;
• Passive listening mode.

The latest commuting headphone, the AKG N60, is definitely worth a look. Noise suppression is good. In addition, they are compact and convenient. Some may find them overpriced, but when compared to their competitors, it all makes sense.

5th place.

Main characteristics:

• Over-ear headphones;
• Active noise cancellation;
• 24 hours battery life.

Plantronics BackBeat PRO is an excellent pair of full-size headphones, the battery of which lasts for 24 hours of continuous use, and if you turn off noise cancellation, the headphones will delight you for up to 60 hours. The sound quality of this model is excellent, the noise cancellation is effective, and the controllers are easy to use. The only drawback is convenience. The cups could be made softer.

6th place.

Main characteristics:

• Over-ear headphones;
• Active noise cancellation;
• 3-button remote control remote control for iOS and Android.

The Bose QuietComfort 25 are a great pair of noise-canceling headphones, especially for city dwellers. They have a more youthful design than most models in the QuietComfort collection, and the noise cancellation works well. However, they don't compare well with the AKG N60.