Sony Headphones Review - The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones

The fifth-generation Sony noise cancelling headphones are a little different from the previous model however, they sound as good. The headphones are lightweight, comfortable, and feature various features, including Quick Attention mode and Speak-to-Chat. They also feature wear detection and AI-powered DSEE Extreme upscaling audio.

The ANC is powerful, reducing train noises to an ambient rumble. The pass-through option lets you to hear outside sounds when needed.

1. Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony's headphones are always among the top of the line in the market in the field of noise cancellation. The fifth generation of WH1000XM5s is not an exception. They provide one of the Best over ear headphones noise cancelling audio experiences that we've experienced. When you put on a pair and activating noise cancellation is like stepping into a symphony of silence: engine sounds as well as the whir of HVAC systems, creaking metal, even neighboring conversations are muted to an incredible degree.

The XM5s also excel on the audio front. Their expansive soundstage allows every element of a song to breathe and shine. On Billie Eilish's Bad Guy for example, the drums pound with a satisfying amount weight and drive and soaring vocals are a perfect fit throughout the mix.

Other features that make the XM5s stand out include their intelligent interactions with your smartphone. They can detect the moment they're taken off your head and pause music, they can detect that you're driving on a noisy road and automatically lower the noise cancelling levels, and they can connect to two devices at once to switch between them, depending on what you need urgently.

The WH-1000XM5s also are green. The WH-1000XM5s consist from recycled plastics and butadiene, acrylonitrile and styrene. Their headband is made of premium fabric. They come with a collapsible case that folds into itself, creating the compact pouch. Also included is an 3.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable so you can listen in a passive mode. The earcups are washable and removable for easy cleaning. The XM5s come with rechargeable batteries that provide up to 20 hours of playing time. They are equipped with a quick charging system that charges twice as fast as conventional USB headphones.

2. Bose QuietComfort 35

The Bose QuietComfort35 II/QC35 II Wireless with their comfortable fit with a balanced sound profile and ANC technology that blocks a significant amount of background noise they are more versatile than the Audio-Technica Wireless Headphones ATH-DSR9BT. The Bose headphones have a battery that lasts for 20 hours, they are much easier to charge and can be used with a mobile even when the battery is empty. This makes them an ideal choice for those who are looking for headphones that can be used as commuter or travel headphones.

These premium Bose headphones come with a Google Assistant button, which will allow the assistant to play music, respond to trivia and read notifications from your smartphone. These headphones have excellent noise cancelling capabilities. They are a bit outdated by the standards of 2020 but you can find great deals.

As with other Bose ANC headphones, the QC35s are capable of cancelling out ambient noise and noise reduction technology has improved over the years. However they're not the top ANC headphones out there particularly when compared to newer competitors, and audiophiles should look elsewhere to get better sound quality.

Similar to the Sonys the QC35s also connect to two devices simultaneously and "audio share" one of them with a companion, which is useful when you're looking to listen to music in one ear while conversing with another. They are also popular with frequent flyers, and have that classic Bose design that a lot of people love. If you're looking to dress up your QC35s with a touch of personalization, decal covers like SlickWraps and Skin Sticker are available for a reasonable price.

3. Sony WH-1000XM4

Sony's WH-1000XM4s don't offer much in the way of design or comfort improvements from the M3s, but its noise cancellation is a whole new beast. Sony has replaced the system-on-chip (SoC) for a brand new one that it claims allows it to more precisely listen and react to ambient audio in real-time, and reduce high- and mid-frequency sounds through its Dual Noise Sensor technology.

Two feedforward mics in each earcup absorb ambient sound, which is then processed by the QN1 noise-cancelling process to reduce it as fast as is possible without affecting the quality of your music. The result is a level of noise reduction that is comparable to the top headphones available at this price.

There's also a sensitivity knob which lets you alter the noise cancellation to your requirements. You may, for instance prefer to hear ambient sounds in public when you're at home, but you might prefer a more secluded off listening experience. This feature makes use of geo-location to determine the appropriate setting based on where you are.

The WH-1000XM4s can be utilized to make calls hands-free and wireless noise cancelling headphones come with an impressive 30 hours of battery life, with quick charging capabilities. They also have a powerful Bluetooth 5.0 connection with support for multipoint and NFC. In my testing I discovered that the remastering of Paul McCartney’s Flaming pie was lively and clear with rough mixes, and recordings from home also sound clear.

To get the most enjoyment of these headphones, it is necessary to download the companion Sony Headphones Connect app. You can adjust the EQ and enjoy convenience features like Bluetooth multipoint. Additionally, it unlocks cool new stuff, like Sony's 360 Reality Audio immersive sound mastering process.

4. Sony WH-CH720N

The Sony WH-CH720N headphones make a ideal choice for those looking to buy headphones that provide excellent active noise cancellation for affordable prices. They improve on their predecessor model, the 710N Wireless, with a better ANC performance and a better sound quality. They also feature an elongated design and up to 35 hours of battery life.

However, if you're expecting premium features like LDAC Bluetooth support and Smart Listening with voice assistant integration these headphones aren't made for you. Also, they do not come with a carrying case or auto-pause feature, and the earcups can't fold, which may make them difficult to travel with.

The quality of the construction of the WHCH720N is decent but not as impressive as a 1000XM5. The headband and earcups are made of plastic which is lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods of time but isn't built to withstand heavy use or the occasional tumble on hard surfaces. The design is a bit heavy and the earcups creak when you move them. The controls are simple to use, though they have tactile buttons that give excellent feedback via clicks. A single touch of the power button turns ANC on and off, whereas pressing and wireless noise Cancelling headphones holding the button prompts you to turn on Sony's Adaptive Audio Control feature. This feature lets you select a preset profile based on your location or how you use the headphones.

The WH-CH720N is one of the most affordable pairs of wireless noise cancelling headphones on the market. It offers excellent ANC for the price, plus lightweight comfort and up to 35 hours of battery life. If you're a frequent commuter, these headphones are worth considering.

5. Earfun Air Pro

The Air Pro is no different. Earfun headsets and earbuds are renowned for their high value. They're effective for calls and exciting for music, while their ANC blocks a good amount of noise, but doesn't make you feel as if your ears are drowned. They also come with numerous features that you can find in headphones that cost nearly twice as much.

The earbuds have an overemphasized bass range which adds rumble and punch to most tracks, while keeping instruments and lead vocals clear and clear. This makes them ideal for a range of music, even though they may sound a little too loud for certain. Their frequency response is very consistent, ensuring they sound the identical no matter the music you are listening to.

We cued up Missy Elliott's Get Ur Freak On, and the earbuds did a fantastic job of celebrating the song's bass-heavy intro with enthusiasm and zeal. Stormzy's Vossi Bop was a similarly agile listen with the treble shining through the layered vocals as well as percussion.

Voice quality is top-notch even in noisy environments. The earbuds are equipped with the most recent Qualcomm chip, which ensures that background noises, clicks and other distractions are kept at low levels. This is the case even when talking next to London Underground during rush hour.

The Bluetooth connectivity of the earbuds are also excellent, with only a few issues during our tests. They connect quickly and with minimal latency to iOS and Android devices. They are also IPX5 water resistant, so they're perfect for rain and exercise - though you shouldn't immerse them in water. They come with an enclosure that can hold two and a quarter charges. This is ideal for traveling.