Over the last few months, we’ve seen a widespread ‘democratization’ of active noise cancellation (ANC), with a number of affordable headphones launching with the feature. You can now buy a pair of active noise canceling true wireless headphones for under Rs. 3,000 and necklace-style wireless options with ANC are usually available for under Rs. 2,000. There are quite a few budget TWS options with ANC from brands like Realme and OnePlus.
For those who regularly travel by air, the active noise cancellation technology in the headphones is a boon. It helps reduce the strain on your ears by blocking out the loud noises of airplane engines, and it also makes it a lot easier to hear sounds through your headphones. While the technology tends to work best in an airplane cabin, there are plenty of other use cases for it, such as when riding a train or bus, in an office environment, or even at home. sound from ceiling fans or airplanes. conditioner can be distracting.
Naturally, the best ANC performance is often found on high-end products, with brands like Sony, Apple, Samsung and JBL dominating the space of late. This feature is also not largely restricted to over-ear headphones anymore; We’ve seen some really impressive in-ear and wireless headphones with active noise cancellation recently, including the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.
What is active noise cancellation?
Before getting to the list, we should start with an explanation of the technology itself and how it works. Active noise cancellation works by picking up the sounds of your surroundings and creating ‘inverting’ frequencies to cancel them out. Headphones emit sound with the same amplitude but opposite phase from the original sound. This combines with the waves of the background sound, to form new waves in a process called ‘interference’, which effectively cancels the sound entering your ears.
As a result, you hear less ambient ‘noise’ and in some cases with good active noise cancellation you may not hear at all. It works best with sounds with stable pitches, as the microphone can pick up and invert these frequencies much better without affecting what you actually want to hear. Unusual sounds such as voices, car horns, and anything else that are inconsistent will not be canceled very effectively. Therefore, active noise cancellation is not the same as soundproofing; it simply reduces the noise in certain environments rather than blocking it out completely.
Why should you buy active noise canceling headphones?
The best way to enjoy music is when there’s no other sound in the background, so you can focus on what you’re hearing and capture finer details in a track that might otherwise be drowned out. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, especially with headphones; Outside sound will filter and take away the experience, no matter how good the passive noise isolation. Noise cancellation aims to remedy this by removing noises that can get through even the best padding and isolation.
It’s also a good way to get a good night’s sleep in a noisy environment. Many people regularly claim that headphones with active noise cancellation, but this technology also works well for many situations on the ground, such as if you need to focus on something in a noisy environment .
Here are our top picks of some of the best active noise canceling headphones and earphones in the Indian market.
Best Active Noise Canceling Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5
Part of the critically acclaimed 1000X product line, Sony WH-1000XM5 are the newest and best wireless over-ear noise canceling headphones you can buy right now, in our opinion. With a more comfortable and efficient design, along with improvements in sound quality and active noise cancellation, the WH-1000XM5 delivers class-leading performance that truly sets itself apart from other competitors. competitors.
Active noise cancellation on the Sony WH-1000XM5 works well both indoors and outdoors, and is particularly effective at combating wind noise. Even when playing music at low volume, not much ambient sound can be heard.
Sound quality is also an important factor, with the Sony WH-1000XM5 supporting the Bluetooth LDAC codec in addition to SBC and AAC. This makes it especially suitable for use with Android smartphones, and Sony’s tweaks to LDAC and the headset itself have greatly improved connection stability.
There are some downsides on the WH-1000XM5 compared to the previous XM4; The new design no longer allows you to fold it into a more compact form, and the improvements don’t necessarily justify the higher price tag. However, objectively, there is no better pair of wireless active noise-cancelling headphones than the Sony WH-1000XM5 at the moment.
Runner-up – premium experience: Apple AirPods Max
Active noise-cancelling headphones are rarely considered a luxury product, but Apple AirPods Max hope to change that. The official price is Rs. 59,900 – significantly higher than many similarly positioned competitors – AirPods Max are expensive, but promise a lot if you’re already in the Apple ecosystem. This includes easy and fast connectivity including seamless switching between other Apple products, customization features, good sound, and very effective active noise cancellation.
The entire experience brings luxury with Apple AirPods Max, from the use of premium materials and build quality, to the great sound and versatility that can be quickly adjusted to create any genre. Good sound. Active noise cancellation is strong and largely on par with best-in-class devices. Where the ANC falls short is due to its lack of adjustment capacity; it’s either at full intensity or off.
There are some other negatives worth noting, besides the obvious high price and reliance on Apple’s source devices, such as quirky power controls, below-average battery life, and a decent bundled Smart Case. silly. However, the overall experience is good, and the excellent active noise cancellation makes these a pair of headphones worth owning if you have a high-end iPhone and other Apple devices.
The best rest: JBL Tour One
If you’re looking at options beyond what Sony and Apple have to offer, JBL Tour One are a good pair of active noise canceling headphones to consider. Valuation at Rs. 24,999The JBL Tour One looks good, is very comfortable, and has a great app with lots of customization options. In particular, the beautiful form factor sets this headset apart from the competition.
Active noise cancellation, while decent, isn’t quite as impressive as on the flagship headphones from Sony and Apple, and the touch controls are a bit clunky. Still, it’s an option worth considering if you’re looking for a well-balanced and enjoyable sound, and a more reasonably priced alternative to the Apple AirPods Max, if you intend to use headphones. listen with iPhone.
Best true wireless noise canceling headphones: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
While the original Apple AirPods Pro are still incredibly relevant even today, our recommendation for the best true wireless earbuds is of course. AirPods Pro (2nd Generation). While the new headphones don’t look much different, there are significant changes under the hood that make the 2nd Gen variant just as good.
The biggest change is the H2 chip that powers the headphones and delivers better active noise cancellation performance, sound quality, and quick connectivity. It’s also worth noting that the charging case itself also has some improvements, including a built-in speaker and the ability to monitor and view battery level information from your iPhone.
In addition to the excellent ANC, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also features an improved transparency mode that ensures sound comes through as naturally as if you weren’t even wearing the headphones. The only real drawback here is that the AirPods are only worth considering if you have an Apple iPhone to use them, as Android users won’t be able to use all the available features.
Best mid-range active noise canceling headphones: Sony WH-XB910N
Sony’s excellent active noise cancellation also works for lower-priced models and WH-XB910N delivers decent ANC performance in the mid-range segment. Valuation at Rs. 14,999 wonThe Sony WH-XB910N is quite a match with the excellent noise isolation of the fit and cushioning of the earcups for good use.
In addition to ANC, the headphones also offer Sony’s unique ‘Extra Bass’ tuning, making this the go-to noise-cancelling headphone for bass lovers. Powerful and powerful sound is complemented by a good level of detail, thanks to support for the Bluetooth LDAC codec on the Sony WH-XB910N. The headphones also have very good battery life, which is a worthy option for good ANC under Rs. 15,000.
The most affordable active noise cancellation: OnePlus Buds Z2
While there are more affordable options with active noise cancellation, OnePlus Buds Z2 is one of the most affordable options to provide really good performance with ANC. Valuation at Rs. 4,999OnePlus Buds Z2 offers a good level of noise cancellation, both indoors and outdoors, thereby providing a better experience with music and calls.
Sound quality on the headphones is also decent, with the OnePlus Buds Z2 pushing out a punchy, bass-friendly sound that’s enjoyable to listen to with the right kind of music. There’s also good battery life and fast charging, although some of the features on this headset like Dolby Atmos and low latency gaming mode only work with OnePlus smartphones. Even if you don’t have a OnePlus smartphone, the Buds Z2 are worth it.
How we chose these noise-cancelling headphones
We’ve limited our picks for this guide to what we consider the best options for active noise cancellation. While there are also more affordable options with this technology, we’ve only selected the highest-rated products in our main picks, based on our reviews and experience with them. .
Active noise cancellation is still an expensive technology, and the best options are still relatively expensive compared to most conventional headphones. Affordable options still exist, but don’t quite make for a good experience in our opinion and it’s better to save and invest in a good option later, rather than simply buying. technology for its sake, with a sub-par headset.
However, we’ve covered some other options in the categories below that are also worth considering.
Also consider
Sony WH-1000XM4: Although the Sony WH-1000XM5 is newer and better, the Sony WH-1000XM4 is still a headphone with active noise cancellation and is often sold at a discounted price.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: While the active noise cancellation on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 isn’t the best there, it’s still pretty good. Sound quality is also decent.
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro: Samsung’s latest true wireless earbuds have some big improvements, especially with ANC and sound quality.
Sony WF-1000XM4: the Sony WF-1000XM4 offers the company’s class-leading active noise cancellation, as well as support for the Bluetooth LDAC codec in the form of TWS.
Nothing Tai 1: Among the most heavily advertised launches in the true wireless segment, Nothing Tai 1 largely met expectations and delivered a good overall experience, with good active noise cancellation for the price.
OnePlus Buds Pro: Among our top picks for 2021 in the headphone segment, OnePlus Buds Pro offers active noise cancellation and sound quality under Rs. 10,000.
