Many noise reduction headphones are available today.
Some offering active noise cancelling, and some with passive noise isolation.
But which headphones have the best noise reduction rating (NRR)?
Here we will look at three different headphones which are able to cancel high levels of noise.
“It’s Tom here from Aeon Reviews.com and here we will look at which headphones cancel the most noise”
Which Headphones Cancel The Most Noise?
It is difficult to provide a conclusive list of headphones with the highest noise reduction rating. This is due to a number of factors.
For example, fit, material, open or closed back all may affect how well a pair of headphones cancel or reduce noise.
For this reason, manufacturers often will not state the noise reduction rating of a pair of headphones.
Fortunately however, in many instances manufacturers will give a decibel rating for the noise reduction their headphones offer.
In this article we will look at the highest rated headphones for both active noise cancelling, and passive noise isolation.
Are There Any Headphones That Cancel All Noise?
Whether a pair of headphones cancels noise completely will really depend on the levels of noise you are trying to cancel.
It is unlikely you will find a pair of headphones which cancel all noise in a particularly noisy environment.
Really you will be looking at a pair of ear defenders with built in Bluetooth if you require this level of noise reduction/cancelling.
A really good pair of noise cancelling or noise reduction headphones will reduce noise by around 30 to 40 dB.
So if you are in heavy traffic for example, it is unlikely you will be able to eliminate these ambient noises altogether.
But these noise levels can be brought down to a more tolerable level, such as the equivalent of a quiet whisper (70 dB traffic noise reduced by up to 40 dB equates to 30 dB, or equivalent of a quiet whisper).
But of course, if you are in a relatively quiet environment already, it may be possible to cancel out the vast majority of ambient noise.
What Headphones Have The Highest Noise Cancelling?
Here we will look at three different headphones which offer a high level of noise reduction.
We will look at varieties including active noise cancelling, and passive noise isolation. Including both over-ear and in-ear varieties…
1/ Sony WH-1000XM3 – Best Active Noise Cancelling
2/ Sennheiser HD 280 PRO – Best Passive Noise Isolation
3/ Shure SE215 PRO – Best Wired Earbuds With Noise Cancelling
Affiliate Disclaimer – aeonreviews.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
1/ Sony WH-1000XM3 Noise Cancelling Headphones
(Active Noise Cancelling Headphones With Highest Noise Cancelling)
Pros
Great For Comfort
Industry Leading Noise Cancellation
Smart Features Cons
Call Quality
Great For Comfort
Industry Leading Noise Cancellation
Smart Features
Call Quality
Noise Cancelling – Active Noise Cancelling
Noise Reduction (db) – Up To 40 db
Connection – Wireless (Bluetooth & NFC) & Wired (3.5mm)
Mic – Inbuilt
Item Weight – 255 grams
Materials – Synthetic Leather & Plastic
Sony just keep going from strength to strength with their Sony WH-1000 series.
Continually evolving to give you better and better audio, and almost unrivalled noise isolation.
A great pick for an active noise cancelling headphone, here we will take a closer look at the Sony WH-1000XM3.
What is The Sony WH-1000XM3 Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)?
In terms of noise reduction you can expect the Sony WH-1000XM3 to reduce sounds by around -30 to -40 db.
Key Features
The ‘Smart Listening‘ feature will detect and adjust the levels of ambient noise to automatically give you the best noise cancelling possible.
Due to the ergonomic design and comfortable ear pads, these are comfortable enough to wear for long listening sessions, or when on the move.
These headphones are packed with smart features.
For example the ‘Quick Attention Mode‘, which enables you to cover the right ear cup to turn down your music for instant, easy conversation.
Pros
The active noise cancelling on the XM3’s is simply outstanding.
The noise cancelling on these headphones is so precise that you will be able hear sounds like your family or workmates speaking near you, but sounds like an air con systems, traffic noise, and other persistent notes will be cancelled out.
You even have the option to set noise cancelling to be permanently on, even when not playing any music.
This is a great option if you simply need active noise cancelling to quieten the environment down (e.g. for a peaceful nap).
These headphones also come rated highly for comfort.
The weight contributes to this, with the XM3’s being 20g lighter than the previous generation.
Meaning it hardly feels like these headphones are on your head at all!
The earpads themselves are also generously cushioned and thick, and nicely follow the natural contour of the ear.
The touch sensitive controls on the right ear cup allow you to play/pause, change volume, skip tracks and even answer calls.
As well as the ‘Quick Attention Mode‘ which we mentioned earlier, hand gestures can also be used to activate voice assistants such as Siri and Alexa.
Finally the ‘Atmospheric Pressure Optimiser‘ is great for use on flights for example. This will improve the headphones performance at higher altitudes.
Sound
For the sound, the XM3’s deliver a really great atmospheric experience.
The soundstage is spacious and dynamic, meaning you will really feel like you are sharing the same room as the performance.
Each instrument comes through clearly, but at the same time you will be able to differentiate between the different sounds which are being delivered.
The bass is nice and deep, with an earthy richness. The bass on the XM3’s is arguably the best in the series.
Cons
The touch controls may feel fiddly at first to some, and will take some getting used to.
Certainly not the cheapest noise cancelling headphones you can buy. However, when you consider you are getting probably the best noise cancelling headphones on the market currently, this would justify the cost for me.
I do wish Sony would have been a bit more adventurous with the design of these. They do feel somewhat run of the mill in this department to me.
Finally, when using these for calls, you will find the call audio quality is just adequate.
Final Opinion
Overall, a superb set of headphones for sound cancelling, which are also extremely comfortable.
These also offer one of the highest noise reduction ratings in a pair of headphones.
The XM3’s aren’t just about the comfort and noise cancelling, as these really are a superb all round pair of headphones.
2/ Sennheiser HD 280 PRO
(Passive Noise Cancelling Headphones With Highest Noise Cancelling)
Pros
Impressive Passive Noise Cancelling
Great Value Cons
Looks Bulky & Large When Worn
Impressive Passive Noise Cancelling
Great Value
Looks Bulky & Large When Worn
Type – Over Ear Closed Back
Noise Cancelling – Passive Noise Isolation
Noise Reduction (db) – 32 dB
Connection – Wired (3.5mm & 6.3mm)
Mic – None
Item Weight – 285 grams
Materials – Synthetic Leather & Plastic
The Sennheiser HD 280 PROs are one of the go to studio studio headphones for artists, engineers, and podcasters.
The HD 280 PROs are great at passively reducing ambient noise significantly, and are able to reduce noise by an impressive 32db.
You can also expect both comfort, and accuracy from this budget friendly set of headphones.
Key Features
The 280 PRO are great at reducing ambient noise, but without the expensive of active noise cancelling technology.
These headphones are comfortable, lightweight, and ergonomic.
They are a great budget choice for someone wanting a quality, cost effective, set of noise reducing headphones, but by a trusted brand.
What is The Sennheiser HD 280 PRO Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)?
Despite only offering passive noise reduction, the Sennheiser HD 280 PROs achieve an impressive noise reduction of around -32 dB.
Pros
Due to the design of these headphones, you can expect the 280 Pros to cancel out 32db of noise (equivalent to the ambient noise in your average rural area).
In terms of comfort you will enjoy comfortable padding both with the ear pads and headband. This makes these great for long listening sessions.
The sound is neutral overall, but you will notice many details in songs which you may not have noticed before.
The bass is solid, but you will notice the highs also as the 280 PROs do not particularly favour one over the other.
Working at 64 ohms these won’t get incredibly loud, but will work well with anything from iPod or Android phones, up to tablets or PCs.
The build quality here is great , and these headphones are particularly sturdy despite having many hinges etc.
Want to know how sturdy these are? Check out the following video.
Cons
Be mindful that the low price of the 280 PROS means there is no active noise cancelling technology here.
Sounds here are suppressed by the ear pads themselves forming a seal around the ear.
You can expect decent noise reduction/suppression across the board, however don’t expect miracles with low frequency noises, such as engine noises.
You may feel these headphones are a little clampy when you first try them. This will improve over time, or you can speed this process up by stretching the headband yourself.
Finally these headphones do look somewhat large when worn, which is due to the headband design and how it sits on the head.
Final Opinion
Overall, a really great set of headphones for the price.
I’m blown away that these headphones offer 32 db of noise reduction, despite there being no active noise cancellation technology here.
The 280 PROs offer a comfortable listening experience for those long listening sessions (once you have broken them in!).
The Sennheiser HD 280 PROs are a great budget option with a reliable track record, and impressive noise reduction.
3/ Shure SE215 PRO Wired Earbuds
(In-Ear Earbud Headphones With Highest Noise Cancelling)
Pros
Outstanding Noise Isolation
For General Use or Studio
Great Value Cons
No In-Line Control
Outstanding Noise Isolation
For General Use or Studio
Great Value
No In-Line Control
Type – Closed Back Ear Bud
Noise Cancelling – Passive Noise Isolation
Noise Reduction (db) – 37 dB
Connection – Wired (3.5mm)
Mic – None
Item Weight – 130 grams
Materials – Plastic, Foam & Rubber
Believe it or not, but a good pair of in-ear headphones can offer noise reduction that rivals some of the best headphones with active noise cancelling.
And noise reduction is what the Shure SE215 PRO Wired Earbuds do REALLY well.
But noise isolation isn’t all that these earbuds do great. Read on to find out more.
Key Features
Offers detailed sound with enough bass to make these headphones a great choice for a range of applications, including studio monitoring to general use.
Comes with three ear bud covers to ensure a comfortable, customized fit which stay in your ears.
Engineered for professional wear and tear. And Shure are so confident in their product, that they include a 2 year warranty as standard.
What is The Shure SE215 PRO Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)?
These earbuds from sure promise to block out up to 37 db of noise.
This is a really impressive level of sound isolation considering these headphones don’t have active noise cancelling.
Pros
As mentioned, the noise reduction these offer is a real plus, and as a result there is minimal sound leakage here as well.
The sound is balanced overall, although the lower frequencies are slightly more emphasised.
The quality of the sound that comes through is quite remarkable, which is incredible really considering these only have a single, high definition driver!
I was also really surprised by the price of these, as they match other much more expensive earbuds in terms of performance.
Cons
This type of headphone (small closed back earbuds) suffers from a slightly reduced soundstage.
And you might find the vocals don’t sound as detailed as you would like.
The lack of in-line control is a slight disappointment. Although this might not be a consideration for many.
Final Opinion
The Shure SE215 PRO Wired Earbuds are just a really great set of earbuds overall.
The level of noise reduction is excellent, and surpasses many over-ear headphones with active noise cancelling.
When you consider that these also offer a great sound, decent bass, flexible applications, and great value for money, it makes these earbuds difficult to pass up.
Conclusion
So there we have it, three of the best headphones which cancel out the most noise.
Whether you want the convenience of active noise cancelling, or just passive noise isolation, the above headphones are all great choices.
If you liked this article, check out our other articles here, such as our seven most comfortable noise cancelling headphones.