Best Budget Noise Cancelling Headphones | 2022 Ultimate Buyer’s Guide

One of the most important things to know about noise-canceling headphones is that they aren't quite the same thing as soundproof headphones. While the former definitely helps to block out sounds, that's all they do — block.

Noise-canceling units, on the other hand, work to actively cancel out the background noise that you're hearing. These are not headphones that are meant to totally insulate you from every sound, but rather to get rid of those noises to which you don't want to listen. Doing so requires some fairly peculiar technology that is a bit more complex than most listeners might expect.

Technology of Noise-Cancelling in Headphones

Noise-canceling headphones work by canceling out soundwaves. The most important tool here doesn't have anything to do with padding - instead, it's all about the microphone. These headphones make use of a built-in microphone to measure the ambient noise that's around the wearer. The headphones then take this data and create an opposing wave-form that 'cancels' the sound.

It should be noted, though, that this is only half the work that noise-canceling headphones do - because the process of canceling out higher-frequency noises requires much more sophisticated technology, most noise-canceling sets tend to rely on more traditional soundproofing in order to provide the kind of experience that their users expect.

Trusted Brands. What Is the Difference Between Models From Trusted Manufacturers?

When it comes to noise-canceling headphones, there are really only a handful of truly trusted brands. The vast majority of high-end users are going to look at either Sony or Bose when they want something that's absolutely going to work in most situations.

In truth, the reason that users tend to go with these two brands is that their noise-canceling features tend to work easily well. The actual noise-canceling technology in both brands work very similarly, so when you're looking for dividing lines between the two, you're really looking at the other features that tend to make headphones stand out.

Bose tends to be the choice among those who are looking for sound quality above all else. While Bose might not necessarily be the absolute top of the line insofar as audiophiles are concerned, the company has a strong reputation and its noise-canceling headphones tend to have an amazing level of sound quality.

Sony comes close, of course, but it tends to specialize more in user experience. Sony's headphones work better with smartphones and tend to have more 'modern' features, though Bose still does a great job in terms of both of those factors. It's honestly the little things that really tend to separate these two brands.

Expensive vs Budget Noise Cancelling Headphones: Can Budget Ones Be Equipped With True Noise Cancellation Capabilities?

The truth is that there really are some good noise-canceling headphones out there that are available on a budget. In fact, some of them can do the noise-canceling part almost as well as the expensive brands. What you have to remember, though, is that cheaper headphones are going to have to drop something in order to keep the price down.

The reason that users go for expensive headphones is that expensive headphones do it all - they've got good sound quality, good noise-cancellation, and they work well. It makes sense to go with something cheaper if you only care about one of those factors, but spending more is generally going to get you a better product.

Noise Cancelling Headphone Reviews

Let’s compare five noise cancelling headphones at a price ranging from $350 to $60 so that you could see the difference and make sure that budget headphones are worth buying.

1. Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3 | Best Headset with Alexa Voice Control

Sony's WH1000XM3 is definitely one of the most surprising audio products to come out in quite some time. It's not necessarily that Sony makes bad headphones by any stretch of the imagination, but the fact that these noise-canceling headphones actually stand up to the brands that tend to dominate this category with such ease. While most audiophiles are going to point to a handful of boutique brands that tend to be at the top of the hill, Sony's made an incredibly convincing case for itself with this unit.

This category-leader really does it all. The noise-canceling quality here is out of this world, both in terms of active and passive noise blocking. Sound quality is also really good - not quite at the top of the heap, but so good that the average user won't know the difference. The big selling points, though, come in terms of how well it integrates with other technology. Alexa-enabled and equipped with a very useful app, this is the kind of noise-canceling setup that users who love technological toys are going to want.

Sony: Check the current price

2. Bose Quietcontrol 30 Wireless Headphones, Noise Cancelling | Best Lightweight

One of the real downsides of working with noise-canceling technology is that you generally have to suffer through using over-ear headsets in order to get the most from the effect. This isn't a big deal when you're at home listening to music, but it's not always very useful for those who want to block out city sounds when they are trying to work out. Fortunately, Bose's Quietcontrol manages to combine some surprisingly solid features together with a small size that makes it an ideal fit for those who want an in-ear noise-canceling option.

The Quietcontrol is a real standout in terms of overall quality. Though you are going to have to use a neckpiece with the headphones to get all the features, it's still significantly lighter than almost everything else on the market. This doesn't hurt the sound quality too much, though, and it certainly makes using the headphones a much easier proposition. Comfortable and easy to wear, it's also a headphone set that's remarkably easy to use thanks to Bose's smartphone app. An excellent choice for those who want over-ear quality without having to deal with over-ear size, this is a spectacular noise-canceling option for many.

Bose Quietcontrol 30: Check the current price

3. Bose Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones 700 | Best Comfortable

While some are looking for the next big thing in noise-canceling, there's still something to be said for sticking with the gold standard. Bose's noise-canceling headphones have long been among the best on the market and the 700 shows just why that reputation has managed to stick around for long. Not only is this legitimately one of the best sets of headphones for canceling noise out there today, but it's also an incredibly solid set of headphones from both an ergonomic and audio standpoint.

One thing that this headphone setup does remarkably well is giving users control. These headphones have eleven different noise-canceling settings, allowing users to determine exactly how much noise they want to let in. The unit also has an incredible set of onboard assistants, so users never have to take their phones out to change settings or access data. The headphones also managed to really keep the typical Bose level of sound quality, so you're not just paying for the noise-cancellation - you're also getting a pair of headphones that are going to reproduce sounds with a remarkable level of fidelity. If you're looking for the best internal tech, this is the pair of headphones with which you'll want to start.

Bose Noise Cancelling 700: Check the current price

4. Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless | Best for Travel

Anker has become one of those companies that have become surprisingly dependable when it comes to budget electronics. Though it never quite reaches the highs that you'd associate with the best of the best, the company has managed to create quite a few products that can give users on a budget some great options. One of the best is definitely Anker's Soundcore Life Q20 headphones.

Are you going to get the same kind of experience from Anker that you'd get from Bose or Sony? Definitely not. The noise-cancellation features here are, however, quite solid and the sound quality is much better than you'd expect from headphones that retail for under seventy dollars. While you might not get an absolutely perfect experience from these headphones, you're going to experience something that is significantly better than what you'd find from most that are twice this unit's price.

Anker: Check the current price

5. COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Bluetooth Headphones | Best Budget Option

Coming in at around the same price point is the COWIN E7. This is another one of those budget headsets that really deserves a lot more praise than it is likely to get from those who take audio seriously, but still one that's going to impress the average user. With professional-grade noise-canceling and some neat audio features, it's a good fit for those who want good headphones but who are unable or unwilling to spend the big bucks.

These headphones are chunky but ultimately quite comfortable, using comfortable padding and a swivel design to ensure a good fit. The noise-canceling tech used within is on par with what you'd find in Anker's products - not quite the best, but remarkably close. Sound quality is also solid here, though it still doesn't quite match up with industry titans like Bose. Still, this is an ideal headset for those who want a little peace and quiet but who also want great audio quality at the same time.

COWIN: Check the current price

14 Best-Selling Budget Noise Cancelling Headphones Comparative Table