Listen to your favorite music without noise and disturbing noises: headphones with active noise reduction ensure peace and impress with great sound. Stiftung Warentest tested headband headphones and in-ears. We present the test results.
For a long time, headphones with active noise cancellation were particularly useful in open-plan offices or when travelling. The clever technology eliminates monotonous noise on the train, plane or anywhere else. The headphones are also practical in the home office and isolate you from domestic noise and other residents. Well-known models come from major manufacturers such as Apple, Sony and Sennheiser. And even small in-ears are available with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).
In the “test” issue 03/2022 Stiftung Warentest took a close look at current Bluetooth headphones. We show the best in-ears and over-ears with active noise cancellation. These are the test results:
Noise-cancelling headphones in the test: over-ears and in-ears are convincing
Stiftung Warentest has tested 240 headphones since 2018, 92 of them with active noise cancellation. For the “test” issue 03/2022, 16 new models with active noise canceling (ANC) were tested.
The headphones are examined according to the criteria of sound, wearing comfort, interference, Bluetooth and durability. Possible pollutants and the data protection of the associated apps are also checked. All models are wireless and are connected to a cell phone or tablet via Bluetooth.
Headphones with noise reduction: These are the test winners
The headband headphones offer the best noise suppression of the headphones currently tested Quiet Comfort 45 from Bose with the “test” quality rating “good (2.0)”. The model is also the best over-ear model in terms of sound. Also with a “good (2.4)” overall rating Philips Audio TAH9505BK convince.
The best active noise canceling among the in-ear headphones are the rather inexpensive ones Samsung Galaxy Buds2 with the final grade “good (2.1)”. Thanks to better rated sound and a “good (1.9)” overall rating, the JBL Reflect Flow Pro however, the best model among the in-ears.
Maximum noise reduction: Bose Bluetooth headphones Quietcomfort 45
The test result: The Bose Quietcomfort 45 headband headphones have the best noise cancellation of all Bluetooth headphones tested in 2022. With an overall rating of “good (2.0)”, it only takes second place among over-ear headphones, but it achieves the top rating of “good (1.6)” for noise canceling. The model also surpasses the test winner from Audio-Technica, which does not provide noise suppression, when it comes to sound, which is probably the most important evaluation criterion.
Product Details: The sound specialist Bose convinces with its latest model with a lifelike sound, strong bass and optimal noise suppression. Easily fade out or fade in ambient noise and use the Aware mode to listen to music, talk to friends or take in the surroundings at the same time.
Particularly practical: the ANC headphones come with an audio cable. So you decide for yourself whether you want to listen indefinitely with a cable or up to 24 hours wirelessly. With a 15-minute quick charge, the battery lasts for another three hours.
Preistipp ANC-Bügelkopfhörer: Philips Audio TAH9505BK
The test result: The ANC headband headphones from Philips convinced the Stiftung Warentest with the “test” quality rating “good (2.4)” and consistently good partial ratings. The noise suppression was also rated as “good (1.8)”.
Product Details: Clear sound, custom sound control and music without distraction – that’s what the headband headphones from Philips offer. The Active Noise-Cancelling fades out background noise if desired. If you want to hear your surroundings again, simply cover the right earcup to activate the awareness mode. Further control is also carried out by tapping or voice assistant.
The over-ear headphones from Philips are foldable and therefore easy to store. It has a playback time of up to 27 hours with a charge time of four hours. Alternatively, they get power for another five hours with the 15-minute quick charge function.
Stylish price-performance winner: Samsung Galaxy Buds2
The test result: With the overall grade “good (2.1)”, the in-ears from Samsung are also convincing. They score “good” to “very good” in all categories and have the best noise cancellation of the in-ear headphones tested.
Product Details: The wireless Galaxy Buds2 from Samsung impress with powerful sound and a compact design in four modern colors. The noise suppression hides disturbing ambient noises, background noises are also filtered out when making calls.
Operating the Ear Buds is easy: tapping on the earphones jumps to the next track or pauses the song. The included case increases the battery life of the five gram light ANC headphones to a total of 20 hours.
Test winner in-ear headphones with ANC: JBL Reflect Flow Pro
The test result: Test winners of the in-ear headphones are the Reflect Flow Pro from JBL with the “test” quality rating “good (1.9)”. They convince with “good (1.7)” sound and “good (2.0)” noise reduction.
Product Details: Rich bass and high sound quality: The wireless JBL Reflect Pro Ear-Pods ensure a unique sound with active noise cancellation. So you can listen to music, podcasts and audio books in peace. Background noise is also suppressed when making calls so that you can be clearly understood – even if you are listening to music at the same time.
The headphones can be operated with a fingertip or voice assistants. They have a battery life of up to 30 hours and are waterproof enough that you can wear them for sports and even for surfing and sailing.
Conclusion on the test: Almost all headphones are “good”
Listen to music in peace or simply block out noise and not play any songs at all: The headphones with active noise cancellation bring clear advantages on the go and also in the home office and almost all of them got “good” grades in the test.
the Bose Quietcomfort 45 over-ear headphones achieves the highest mark in active noise cancellation and is therefore our recommendation if you want to optimally block out your surroundings. If you are looking for in-ear headphones with high noise cancellation, we recommend our stylish price-performance winner, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2.
Things to know about noise canceling headphones
How does ANC work?
ANC stands for Active Noise Canceling and suppresses disruptive outside noise. There are also microphones on the headphones that pick up noise. A processor inside then generates an anti-sound that cancels out the noise. This technique works best with monotonous outside noise, such as on an airplane or train.
Only with Active Noise Canceling (ANC) is the noise canceled out with anti-noise and is significantly more effective than passive noise cancelling, where only particularly thick ear pads are used.
On-Ear, Over-Ear, In-Ear: What’s the Difference?
The different variants describe the design of the headphones. Over-ear models completely enclose the ear. This is the best way to block out external noise. In summer, however, it can sometimes get warm under the upholstery. On-ear headphones rest on the ears. With these models, it is particularly important that they fit perfectly and do not pinch. In-ear headphones are the little buds that you put in your ear.
What should you look out for when buying headphones?
A comfortable fit of the headphones is crucial. This is not only important for comfort, the sound quality also decreases with a bad fit. Practical features include a long battery life and individual noise reduction settings. Most models allow you to adjust the strength of the ANC.
The personal perception of sound, on the other hand, is different. Therefore, check what is important to you and what music you listen to: Do you prefer particularly strong bass or clear hearing?
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