If you’ve ever tried listening to your favorite playlist only to have it drowned out by chatty commuters, airplane engines or other distracting noises, you might want to consider some headphones with active noise cancelation (ANC). Whether you’re working in a bustling coffee shop, catching a flight, or just trying to focus at home, a good pair of headphones with ANC will block out those distracting outside sounds so you can fully immerse yourself in your music, podcasts, or that new audiobook you’ve been dying to finish.
Noise-canceling headphones are designed for all kinds of situations, and each model will be a little different. Some feature plush memory foam ear cushions and an adjustable headband for all-day comfort, ideal for long listening sessions. It’s also worth considering a pair of headphones that offer hours of battery life that will keep the music going from morning meetings to evening workouts. If you’re after high-end sound quality and smart features like customizable ANC, there’s a pair out there that will suit your needs.
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Best noise-canceling headphones of 2025
Connectivity: Bluetooth | ANC type: Hybrid Adaptive | Customizable ANC: Yes | Max battery life with ANC: 30 hours | Transparency mode: Yes
Read our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony opted for two audio chips on its 1000XM5 over-ear headphones, adding a V1 Integrated Processor alongside its QN1 HD Noise Canceling Processor chip to bolster distraction blocking. The company outfitted the M5 with eight total mics, doubling the number of microphones that detect distractions and help block unwanted background noise. On top of that, there’s an automatic ANC optimizer that adjusts in real time to ensure you always get the best listening experience even with changes in how the headphones fit and the level of clamor in your environment. The result is the best noise-canceling setup available in terms of pure sound blocking — and, thanks to Sony’s tweaks, the M5 is better in the frequency range that includes human voices.
Sony has been cramming its flagship headphones with features for years, so you get a lot of conveniences on the 1000XM5 that other companies don’t offer. Things like automatic pausing with Speak-to-Chat, Quick Attention mode, 360 Reality Audio support and compression-fighting DSEE Extreme audio upscaling. There are tools here that are available on other Sony headphones as well, like Adaptive Sound…