Active noise-cancelling headphones: 9 active noise-cancelling headphones for music and movies
Find your moment of musical and movie Zen wherever you are with these stylish active noise-cancelling headphones for any budget.
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Active noise-cancelling headphones help reduce ambient noise, making it easier to focus on your favourite movies and music. Photo: Unsplash/Dushawn Jovic
Finding your moment of musical or movie Zen on the daily commute can be tough when you have to compete with noise from traffic, trains and travellers. Enter tech’s gift to entertainment buffs on the move – active noise-cancelling (ANC) headphones.
They help to significantly reduce background noise. This reduces the need to crank up the volume, protecting your hearing in the long run. They can also help you focus better on work and studies, and make music, movies and gaming more immersive.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING ANC HEADPHONES
Noise cancellation quality: Effective ANC headphones can handle a wide range of ambient noises.
Sound quality: Some headphones only sound their best when ANC is activated. This means that you’ll still need to switch on noise-cancelling even in a quiet environment, affecting battery life. Look for models with a consistent sound profile when ANC is activated.
Comfort and fit: Look for models with adjustable headbands, cushioned ear cups, and lightweight designs, especially if you listen for extended periods.
Battery Life: How long can these last on a single charge, with and without ANC?
Additional features: While not must-haves, voice assistant integration, touch controls and multipoint connectivity could be useful advanced features for you.
Portability: Can the headphones be folded so they take up less space? Do they have a sturdy carrying case?
Discover the ultimate noise-cancelling experience with our selection of active noise-cancelling headphones. Whether you're enjoying music or movies and whatever your budget, these picks offer exceptional audio quality, comfort and noise cancelling.
CONTENTS
- Sennheiser Accentum
- Creative Zen Hybrid Pro
- Anker Soundcore Space One
- Sony WH-CH720N
- Philips PH805
- Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Sony WH-1000XM5
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless
- Apple Airpods Max
ACTIVE NOISE-CANCELLING HEADPHONES
The Sennheiser Accentum offers a balanced sound profile and decent active noise cancellation. It provides up to 50 hours of playback with ANC and its light weight makes it comfortable for extended use. It supports advanced aptX and aptX HD codecs for higher-quality audio streaming and its companion app includes equaliser presets and adjustable EQ.
Pros: 50 hours battery life with ANC, light weight, supports advanced aptX and aptX HD codecs
Cons: Mostly plastic build quality, no carrying case, ANC good but not great
2. Creative Zen Hybrid Pro (S$109; Usual Price S$149)
Creative has built a reputation for making audio products that punch above their weight and these Zen Hybrid Pros are no different. Apart from powerful, immersive sound, the headphone’s party trick is its long playback time – up to 80 hours with ANC switched on (100 hours without ANC). This makes it a good companion for long trips, or if you want to just charge it once at the start of the work week. Fast charging is supported – a five-minute charge provides five hours of battery life. Hybrid ANC reduces ambient noise by up to 35dB and ambient mode keeps you clued in to what’s going on around you.
- 80 hours playback time with ANC
- Fast charging support: Five-minute charge provides five hours of battery life
- Pros: Supports high quality Bluetooth LE Audio, 80 hours playtime with ANC, light, SXFI Technology simulates multi-speaker system.
- Cons: Plastic build lacks premium feel, ear cups can feel warm with extended use
3. Anker Soundcore Space One (S$127.99; Usual Price: S$199.99)
Anker has earned kudos for its Soundcore line of earbuds and headphones like the Space One. This pair offers up to 40 hours of playtime with ANC and 55 hours without. It supports the LDAC Bluetooth Codec, an audio standard that allows more data to be transmitted via Bluetooth for clearer audio. Adaptive ANC detects external sounds and auto-calibrates to optimise noise reduction. It’s also Hi-Res Audio certified, so listeners can enjoy the full range of their Hi-Res Audio files.
- 40 hours of playtime with ANC
- Hi-Res Audio certified
- Pros: Effective ANC, balanced sound, 40 hours playtime with ANC, supports high-quality LDAC codec
- Cons: Plastic build, soft carrying pouch offers less protection than hard case
4. Sony WH-CH720N (S$142.01; Usual Price: S$249)
The WH-CH720Ns benefit from trickle-down technology – the V1 integrated processor – from Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones. It offers up to 35 hours of battery life with ANC switched on (up to 50 hours without). Thanks to multipoint connectivity, it can be paired with two Bluetooth devices – like your smart TV and laptop – simultaneously for greater convenience. If you need to answer a call outdoors, its Precise Voice Pickup technology, a beamforming mic and Wind Noise Reduction Structure will help ensure everyone hears you loud and clear. Its Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) helps to recover lost audio detail that’s common when listening with the compressed audio files often used on streaming apps.
- 35 hours battery life with ANC
- DSEE helps recover lost audio detail
- Pros: Balanced sound, effective ANC, 35 hours battery life with ANC, light, multipoint connectivity
- Cons: Plastic build, non-folding design, ear cups can get warm with extended use
5. Philips PH805 (S$103.16; Usual Price: S$169.67)
If you’re in the market for a decently priced, understated pair of headphones offering good ANC performance and sound reproduction, these cans from Philips could be what you need. It offers up to 30 hours of playtime with ANC on (25 hours without it) and rapid charging. Charge them for five minutes for another two hours of playtime or 15 minutes for an additional six hours. Its Hi-Res Audio-certified, meaning you’ll be able to hear the added detail from Hi-Res Audio tracks – which are recorded at a higher sample rate than CDs – with a wired connection. The 40mm neodymium acoustic drivers help reproduce fine details and provide punchy bass.
- 30 hours playtime with ANC
- Hi-Res Audio certified
- Pros: Good sound quality, decent ANC, light weight, 30 hours playback with ANC
- Cons: ANC good but not great, non-folding design, app lacks customisable EQ settings.
6. Sennheiser Momentum 4, white (S$301.71; Usual Price S$499)
Sennheiser’s venerable Momentum series of over-ear headphones continue to impress, over 10 years since the original Momentums were released. The Momentum 4s offer long playback time – up to 60 hours with ANC and Bluetooth activated. The padded leather headband and exposed metal sliders of the three previous generations of Momentum over-ears have given way to a plainer aesthetic which features a wider headband with extra padding for a more comfortable fit. It supports aptX Adaptive, a higher-quality Bluetooth audio codec, but is compatible with older standards like aptX and AAC. It is also Bluetooth 5.2-compliant, which means you can connect to several Bluetooth devices, like your phone and laptop, at the same time.
- 60 hours playtime with ANC
- Connects to multiple Bluetooth devices
- Pros: Excellent sound quality, battery life, comfortable design, premium build, comfortable
- Cons: Non-folding design, ANC good but not great, premium price
7. Sony WH-1000XM5 (S$399; Usual Price: S$575)
This is the fifth generation of Sony’s popular 1000X series of premium headphones. It offers up to 30 hours of playtime with ANC and Bluetooth activated. Its quick-charging support will help you out in a pinch – three minutes of charging provides up to three hours of playback. Two processors controlling eight microphones handle ANC duties, while an Auto NC Optimizer automatically adjusts noise-cancelling levels based on ambient noise levels. Sony says its revised 30mm carbon-fibre drivers offer improved sound clarity, especially at higher frequencies. If you don’t want to stretch for the WH-1000XM5 but still want that Sony premium goodness, there’s a viable alternative in its predecessor, the WH-1000XM4 (S$299; Usual Price S$499), which still sounds great.
- 30 hours playback time with ANC
- Quick charging support
- Pros: Excellent sound quality, effective ANC, comfortable, touch controls, voice assistant integration, customisable in-app EQ settings
- Cons: Non-folding, premium price
8. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless (S$508.00; Usual Price: S$599)
Another mainstay among premium ANC headphones, the Bluetooth 5.3-compliant Bose QuietComfort Ultra offers up to 24 hours of battery life with ANC on. Its Immersive mode creates a wider, more immersive soundstage, though battery life drops to 18 hours. Its well-padded headband and ear-cups help spread pressure evenly across your head, minimising discomfort during extended listening sessions. If you want to stay alert for potential hazards while walking around, Aware mode lets you hear your music and environmental noise. If you want to catch up on your favourite shows while the kids are asleep, SimpleSync allows you to sync with a Bose smart soundbar so you can listen at your own volume.
- 24 hours battery life with ANC
- Immersive mode offers wider, more immersive soundstage
- Pros: Good noise cancellation, good sound, adjustable EQ, comfortable, supports aptX high-quality audio codec
- Cons: Premium price, no IP rating
9. Apple Airpods Max (S$749)
If you’re firmly embedded in Apple’s ecosystem of devices and services, then the Airpods Max will almost be a no-brainer, bar the price. These premium headphones offer up to 20 hours of playback with ANC and spatial audio activated. Apple’s H1 chip is installed in each ear cup and takes ample care of computational audio duties. It helps provide effective ANC and makes movies more immersive. To access its full range of features like Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking though, the Airpods Max is best used within Apple’s ecosystem of devices and services.
- 20 hours playback with ANC
- Supports Personalised Spatial Audio with compatible products
- Pros: Good sound quality, effective ANC, premium build, seamlessly integrates into Apple ecosystem
- Cons: Premium price, some advanced features not available to non-Apple users, non-folding
HOW ANC WORKS AND AFFECTS SOUND QUALITY
ANC headphones have built-in microphones that pick up environmental sounds. These sounds are fed into an ANC chipset, which generates an inverse signal that is played through the headphones to neutralise or “cancel” the external noise.
This is most effective at cancelling consistent, low-frequency noises like traffic or an aircraft’s engine. It is usually less effective against sudden or high-frequency sounds like a vehicle horn or your better half demanding to know why you’re tuning them out.
On some ANC headphones, especially budget models, the noise-cancelling process can change the sound profile. Activating ANC may affect bass and treble response or change the overall sound profile. Some ANC headphones sound best only when ANC is activated. This means users need to activate ANC even in quiet environments, affecting battery life.
If you want to toss a pair of headphones into your bag and not worry about charging them constantly, the Creative Zen Hybrid Pro and Sennheiser Accentum are good mid-range options thanks to their long battery life.
Mid-range offerings – like the Anker Soundcore Space One, Sony WH-CH720N and Philips PH805 – represent a happy middle ground for value-conscious buyers. They perform close to their premium sonic brethren at a fraction of the cost. If you’re able to stretch your budget or if you truly value sonic quality and style, premium cans like the Sennheiser Momentum 4, Sony WH-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless and Apple Airpods Max will help take the stress out of your commute or next flight in style.
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