Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones 2026

I've been wearing noise-cancelling headphones almost every day for the past decade. On planes, on the subway, at my desk while my upstairs neighbor decides 10 AM is the right time to rearrange furniture. So when I say this generation of ANC headphones is the best we've ever had, I mean it. The gap between "good" and "great" has never been smaller, but the differences still matter depending on how you listen.

Over the past four months, I rotated through five pairs of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones during cross-country flights, daily commutes on the L train, and long work sessions at home. Here's what I found.

Our top picks at a glance

Best overall: Sony WH-1000XM6

Sony brought the foldable design back. That alone would have made me happy, but the XM6 does a lot more than fold up nicely. The new QN3 processor is a genuine upgrade, running seven times faster than the QN1 chip in the XM5 and feeding data from 12 microphones to cancel noise in real time. In practice, the difference is noticeable on planes. Low-frequency engine drone vanishes almost completely, and higher-pitched sounds like crying babies and keyboard typing get reduced more effectively than before.

Sound quality out of the box leans warm and bassy. I'd recommend going into the Sony Headphones Connect app and pulling back the bass by 2-3dB while nudging the upper mids up slightly. Once you do that, these sound fantastic. Instrument separation is clear, vocals sit forward without being aggressive, and the soundstage is wide for a closed-back headphone. LDAC codec support means you're getting genuine hi-res audio on Android, which the Bose and Apple options can't match.

The foldable hinge mechanism means the XM6 packs down smaller than the XM5 ever could. The carrying case is more pocketable now. It's the kind of practical detail that matters when you're cramming headphones into an already-full backpack.

Battery life hits 30 hours with ANC on and 40 hours off, which is enough for even the longest international flights with room to spare. Quick charge gives you 3 hours of playback from a 3-minute charge.

If I could only own one pair of noise-cancelling headphones, this would be it.

Best noise cancellation: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Nobody does noise cancellation like Bose. The 2nd Gen QC Ultra takes their already-dominant ANC and refines it further. I wore these on a flight from JFK to LAX and genuinely forgot I was on a plane for about two hours. That eerie, vacuum-like silence is still Bose's party trick, and nobody else has caught up.

The big upgrade over the 1st Gen is battery life. Thirty hours with standard ANC is a significant jump from the original's 24 hours, and it makes the Bose much more competitive against the Sony. You lose some of that if you use Immersive Audio mode (23 hours), but that spatial audio effect is genuinely impressive with the right content. Movies and live concert recordings sound noticeably more three-dimensional.

Where Bose falls a bit short is raw sound quality. The default tuning pushes bass too hard, drowning out midrange detail. You can fix this in the app, but even dialed in, the QC Ultra doesn't resolve fine detail the way the Sony or Sennheiser does. It's a "fun" sound signature rather than an accurate one.

Comfort is outstanding. The ear cushions use a soft protein leather that doesn't build up heat the way some competitors do, and the headband distributes weight evenly. I wore these for a six-hour editing session without any pressure spots.

If noise cancellation is your number one priority and you're willing to pay for it, the Bose is the answer. For everyone else, the Sony gives you 90% of the ANC at a lower price with better sound.

Best for Apple users: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C)

Let me be honest: the AirPods Max are overpriced for what they offer on paper. At $549, you're paying $150 more than the Bose and $150 more than the Sony for less battery life, more weight, and no wireless hi-res audio codec. On specs alone, they lose.

But specs don't tell the whole story. If you live inside the Apple ecosystem, the experience of using AirPods Max is unmatched. They pair instantly when you put them on. They switch between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac without you touching anything. Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking is the best implementation of spatial audio on any headphone, full stop. And the build quality is in a different league. The aluminum ear cups and stainless steel headband feel like they'll last a decade.

The USB-C update finally added lossless audio over wired connection, which sounds excellent with an Apple Music subscription. Plug them into your MacBook and you get full 24-bit/96kHz lossless playback. Wirelessly, though, you're stuck with AAC, which caps out at 256kbps. In 2026, that's disappointing.

Weight is a real concern. At 386 grams, the AirPods Max are over 130 grams heavier than the Sony or Bose. I felt them on long listening sessions. After three hours, the top of my head started to notice the pressure.

Battery life at 20 hours is fine for daily use but the weakest in this roundup by a good margin. And that Smart Case? Still doesn't cover the headband. Still looks like a handbag. Still baffling.

Buy these if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem and value build quality and spatial audio. Otherwise, the Sony does more for $150 less.

Best sound quality: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is the headphone I reach for when I want to actually listen to music rather than just block out the world. The 42mm transducer system produces audio that's a step above everything else here. Acoustic guitars have texture. Orchestral recordings have genuine depth. Vocals sound natural and present without any artificial boosting. If you care about fidelity, this is your headphone.

Battery life is the other headline: 60 hours. That's not a typo. I charged these once and used them for almost two full work weeks before they died. Even if battery life degrades over time, you'd still have more than any competitor. Fast charging gives you 6 hours of playback from just 10 minutes on the charger.

The trade-off is ANC. Sennheiser's adaptive noise cancellation works fine in an office or coffee shop, but it doesn't create that wall-of-silence effect that Bose and Sony deliver. On a plane, you'll still hear a noticeable amount of engine noise leaking through. For some people that's a dealbreaker. For me, it's an acceptable compromise given how good the sound is.

Build quality is solid with a mix of leather, metal, and high-quality plastic. The folding mechanism works well and the included case protects them properly. At $350, they undercut the Sony by $50 and the Bose by $100.

The Momentum 4 is the headphone for listeners, not commuters. If your priority is hearing your music the way it was mixed, nothing else here comes close.

Best value: Sony ULT WEAR

The Sony ULT WEAR is what happens when Sony takes their flagship technology from a generation ago and puts it in a more affordable package. The V1 processor (from the XM5) powers the noise cancellation here, and while it's not on the same level as the XM6's QN3, it still outperforms most headphones at this price.

The ULT button on the left ear cup is the defining feature. Press it once for ULT1 mode, which adds deep sub-bass rumble. Press it again for ULT2, which pushes bass even harder. For hip-hop, EDM, and action movies, it's genuinely fun. It's not subtle, but it's not trying to be.

With the ULT modes off, the sound signature is still warmer than neutral. These aren't reference headphones. But for $200, the balance of features is hard to beat: 30 hours of battery life, functional noise cancellation, Bluetooth multipoint, a foldable design, and a carry case. That's a lot of headphone for the money.

Build quality is the biggest compromise. The plastic feels lighter and less premium than the XM6 or Bose. The headband cushion is thinner. These are headphones that look and feel like they cost $200. But they perform like they cost more, and that's the point.

If you want Sony's noise-cancelling ecosystem without spending $400, the ULT WEAR delivers.

How we tested

I used each pair of headphones as my daily driver for at least two weeks, rotating through them over a four-month period. Testing covered:

• Flights: Four cross-country flights (JFK to LAX, JFK to SFO) to test ANC in the worst-case scenario
• Commute: Daily subway rides on the NYC L and 6 trains, where screeching metal and announcements test ANC across frequency ranges
• Office/desk use: 6-8 hour work sessions to evaluate comfort, battery life, and sound quality for music and calls
• Music variety: Everything from Radiohead and Kendrick Lamar to classical orchestral recordings and jazz, testing across genres and dynamic ranges
• Phone calls: At least 10 calls per headphone to test microphone quality and noise isolation for the caller
• Battery life: Real-world drain tests with ANC on, Bluetooth connected, volume at 50%

All headphones were tested at their latest firmware versions as of January 2026.

Who should buy what

You want the best all-around headphone? Sony WH-1000XM6. It wins on the combination of ANC, sound, comfort, battery, and price. Nothing else balances all five as well.

Noise cancellation is everything to you? Bose QC Ultra 2nd Gen. It creates the deepest silence of anything on this list. If you fly constantly or work in a loud open office, this is the one.

You're locked into Apple? AirPods Max. The ecosystem integration is worth the premium if you own a Mac, iPhone, and iPad. If you don't, skip them.

You're an audiophile first? Sennheiser Momentum 4. The best sound on this list, and that 60-hour battery means you'll forget what a charger looks like.

You want great headphones without spending $350+? Sony ULT WEAR. It's the best noise-cancelling headphone under $250, and it's not particularly close.

If I had to buy just one pair today with my own money? The Sony WH-1000XM6. The ANC is nearly as good as the Bose, the sound is better, the battery lasts longer, and it costs $50 less. That math works for me.

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