The Best Noise-Canceling Headphones of 2024

Just Buy This (All Around Best)

Bose QuietComfort Ultra

$349 at Amazon $349 at Best Buy $347 at Adorama.com

TL;DR: Bose is yet again king in the noise canceling department, and now the QuietComfort Ultras bring style and polish to the modern landscape.

Why We Recommend These

If you're interested in noise cancellation for your headphones, first and foremost, Bose is likely already on your radar—and the brand has taken its prowess to the next level with the QuietComfort Ultra headphones.

To my ears, the sound quality is a little heavy on the lower mids, but it makes up for it with richness and definition at the top end.

But the bass isn't heavy-handed, and I found it particularly effective when listening to my go-to folk and roots music playlists. It provided enough body for a driving groove and enough detail for soft, acoustic instruments.

I also like that the Bose app offers customization, where you can focus on the higher-end definition, boost the bass, and more. Considering that the modern Bluetooth version at play here comes with Qualcomm aptX Adaptive compatibility, it's pretty clear that sound quality is a crucial focus for the QC Ultras. 

But Bose is also known for a whole suite of other bells and whistles, and I find these to be the real kicker for me when sliding the QC Ultra headphones to the top of the list. Bose is always known for premium design and build quality.

Still, something about the Ultras feels truly premium—from the no-click, sliding headband adjustment to the mega-plush earcups and delicate clamping force, all the way to the eye-catching two-tone design.

The battery life is proper in the middle of the road, affording up to about 24 hours of use on a single charge.

The padding itself feels just a bit stuffy during long listening sessions, but the look, feel, sound, and precious silence offered by these headphones make them a no-brainer for the ANC-focused buyer. 

• Who else recommends it? The Sound Guys, Wired, and What Hi-Fi all give the Bose QC Ultra high marks for its premium quality and noise-cancelling prowess. 
• What do buyers think? Nearly 1200 Amazon customers have praised the Bose QC Ultra headphones' comfort, style, and sound quality (including noise cancellation).

Also Great

Beats Studio Pro Wireless Headphones

$180 at Amazon $300 at Walmart $180 at Best Buy

TL;DR: Beats by Dre is back on the top with their full-featured, decidedly "flagship" Studio Pro headphones—with solid noise cancellation.

Why We Recommend These

Beats by Dre has earned its place in the history of over-ear headphones, popularizing their original Studio headphones' design and punchy performance. While there were several years in there where Beats hadn't released a true competitor to the top dogs in the ANC space, the Studio Pros are an impressive return to form.

Though not the absolute pinnacle, the noise cancellation on deck provided a nice, pleasant soundstage. While many high-end AND headphones can deliver an uncomfortable, pressurized feel to their ANC, the Studio Pros felt natural—even if they let a bit more transient background noise, such as low talking or car horns, pass through.

I was also surprised to hear the stock sound quality onboard was decidedly even, bucking the trend that Beats headphones = bass.

What takes that sound up a notch is that the Studio Pros' USB-C port doubles as both the charging input and a USB-based DAC for lossless audio on compatible computers and smart devices. Beats has even baked in three EQ adjustments on the USB-C DAC mode that let you mold the sound for bass, even response, and spoken word.

While the Beats don't feature the official Apple chip for AirPods-level connectivity, they sport certifications for both Apple and Google Fast Pair. 

The Studio Pro's look and feel are familiar, harkening back to that OG design language known and loved by early Beats fans. While I got my hands on a pair of black colorways, the deep brown and navy blue options seem particularly striking.

What I liked about the form factor is that the Studio Pros fold up to about the smallest I've seen in a modern headphone and come with an ultra-portable neoprene pouch; not as protective as a hardshell case, but undeniably more portable.

In short—while the Studio Pros are a touch muddier, a touch less capable on the ANC front, and have a clamping force that's slightly less pleasant than competitors—for its full array of wired and wireless connectivity and its excellent portability, I think many listeners will be pleased.

• Who else recommends it? YouTubers like MKBHD and LTT's Mac Address love the Beats Studio Pros, and other publications like Engadget and CNET also recommend them.
• What do buyers think? Nearly 6,000 Amazon customers have awarded the Studio Pros an impressive 4.5+ stars for their design and build quality.

Easiest on the Budget

Soundcore Space One by Anker

$99 at Amazon $95 at Walmart $100 at Best Buy

TL;DR: Solid noise cancellation and impressively balanced sound make the Soundcore Space One headphones an excellent choice in the budget category.

Why We Recommend These

Soundcore has made an impressive name for itself in the affordable audio space, with a solid lineup of Bluetooth speakers and headphones. The Soundcore Space One headphones present a pretty impressive package for any price point, let alone the budget level.

First, the active noise cancellation was perfectly serviceable for most of my day-to-day uses—even if it didn’t do quite as well at suppressing voices and louder background sound. I found the sound quality to be reasonably solid, especially for the price, particularly working well for folk music mixes, with plenty of detail and balance.

One really impressive bright spot is the battery life on offer here.

I also found the color choices pretty refreshing. I got my hands on a pair of the Sky Blue colorway, which isn’t a shade I’m familiar seeing on virtually any other noise canceling headphone in the space. 

It’s not all 100% positive, though. As you might expect with a budget-friendly offering, the build quality of the Space Ones is a bit plastic-y. The plush leathery pads do feel nice to wear over time, but folding and opening the headphones does feel a little creaky and may succumb to stress points over time.

While I am pleased that there’s a carrying pouch included, it’s just a simple, neoprene-style bag so it won’t protect the headphones during heavy drops. But all of the shortcomings are acceptable thanks to the pleasantly low price point.

Who else recommends it? The Sound Guys, RTINGs, and What Hi-Fi all find the price-to-performance ratio to be appropriate for a wide array of listeners and genres.

What do buyers think? A 4.5-star review from nearly 5,000 ratings on Amazon proves that the Space One headphones make sense for a lot of people.