The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds - Fall 2024

The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 True Wireless are the best noise cancelling earbuds we've tested. Their superb ANC attenuates noise across the whole frequency spectrum, from the low rumbles of a train engine to the high-pitched whirring of a nearby fan. If you wear them walking down a busy street, even sharp sounds like car horns will be greatly reduced in level. With ANC on, they last about eight hours continuously, and their carrying case holds an extra three charges. You can also use their carrying case as a Bluetooth LE transmitter, which might come in handy for hooking up to the in-flight audio on plane trips.

These buds have a stable, sports-oriented design. Their coating helps them to stay in your ears even on sweaty runs, and their IP68 rating means they'll survive being dropped into puddles or a long hike on a dusty road. Their out-of-the-box sound is well-balanced. The bass and mid-ranges are virtually flat which ensures instruments and vocals are rendered accurately and with plenty of detail. Their treble range is mostly flat, apart from a narrow peak in the mid-treble that can make cymbals sound a touch piercing at times. That said, their great companion app includes a graphic EQ and presets so you can tailor their sound to your preferences.

The Jabra support the SBC and AAC codecs, but they don't support low latency codecs like aptX Adaptive (Low Latency). If that's important to you, consider the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Truly Wireless. The Bose's ANC performs almost as well as the Jabra's, and some people may find them more comfortable to wear. However, they don't support multi-device pairing like the Jabra, they have a worse microphone, and their bass-heavy default sound won't be to everyone's tastes.

Although not quite as good at blocking out noise as the newer Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 True Wireless, the Jabra Elite 10 True Wireless still provide excellent ANC performance at a slightly lower price point. The Elite 10 do an impressive job isolating you from real-world environmental noise, like chatty coworkers in an office. You'll hear a little more engine rumble and fan whine than you will with the newer Elite 8 Gen 2 pair, but they're still a great choice, and very low-pitched noise will often be masked by the audio you're listening to anyway.

The Elite 10 have a generally neutral sound profile that represents everything from basslines to vocals naturally and with detail. You won't hear unnaturally honky vocals or overly boomy kick drums with these. One downside is their treble accuracy. With a big peak in the mid-treble, the Elite 10 can be a little harsh, especially with high-pitched sounds like sibilants. Fortunately, you can customize them to suit your preferences using their companion app. With their ANC on, they last 7.5 hours on a single charge, and their carrying case supplies a further three charges. They also support Dolby Spatial Sound, which makes your audio feel wider and deeper, and Dolby Atmos, a surround sound format. You'll need special Dolby Atmos files in order to use the Jabra's Atmos support.

The Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless are the best earbuds with ANC in the mid-range we've tested. Their build quality is a step down from the Jabra Elite 10 True Wireless, but they have a similar noise isolation performance, easily cutting down sounds like plane engine rumbles and chatty coworkers. Their battery lasts for over seven hours with the ANC on, and you can top them up on the go, thanks to their case that stores 2.3 extra charges.

They support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your phone and computer at the same time, while their small, lightweight design ensures a comfortable fit for long periods. Their overall frequency response is a bit more subdued than the Jabra, with a little less rumble and thump in the low end and a little less clarity in the treble region. However, instruments and vocals are still present and detailed if a touch recessed. The Sony have a slightly underemphasized treble, which can leave sibilants and cymbals sounding dull and lispy. That said, you can fine-tune their sound using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.

The best earbuds we've tested with ANC in the budget category are the Anker Soundcore Space A40 Truly Wireless. Despite their more affordable price tag, they offer an even better overall noise isolation performance than the Sony LinkBuds S Truly Wireless. Their adaptive ANC easily reduces bass-range noise like plane engine rumbles, making them a solid choice for travel. They also do an excellent job cutting out mid- to high-pitched sounds, like background chit-chat or a humming computer fan. These versatile buds come with features like multi-device pairing and LDAC codec support so that you can stream Hi-Res content.

They're well-built and have a warm default sound profile that you can customize via their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. They also last over eight hours continuously, which will get you through long days on the go, and their carrying case holds an extra four charges. Unfortunately, if you need to make calls, their integrated mic does a poor job of capturing speech clearly, so your voice sounds distant and sharp, which isn't very pleasant for the caller on the other end of the line.

If you're looking for premium buds at a lower price point, try the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless. These buds are usually a little cheaper than the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 True Wireless and have been on sale lately. Their ANC system isn't quite as powerful as the Jabra at reducing ambient noise, but it still delivers an excellent overall performance. Since they're an Apple product, they offer some iOS-specific features worth checking out if you already own a MacBook or an iPhone. Spatial Audio is a virtual surround sound feature meant to create a more immersive audio experience, and their H2 chip allows for seamless pairing with other Apple devices. With their ANC on, their battery lasts about six hours of continuous use, and their carrying case supplies an extra four charges. They have a comfortable fit, but the buds can wiggle out over time, so you may have to readjust every once in a while.

Thanks to their adaptive EQ, they have a warm sound profile that's well-suited for genres like folk and jazz. However, their sound customization features are only available to iOS users, so if you're a cross-platform user, you'll want to check out the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4. These similarly priced headphones have a companion app for both Android and iOS that has an EQ and presets. Their ANC performance is comparable, but they're less comfortable, and their touch controls are located directly outside your ear canal rather than on the stems like the AirPods, which makes them a bit harder to use.