Best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Traveling

If you are traveling somewhere and you do not have any headphones with you, then you are not doing it right. One option here might be taking the same headphones that you use while commuting to work or school every day, but we would not recommend that. You use those headphones for hardly 30 minutes a day. But when it comes to traveling, you don't know how long the journey is going to be. During that time, wearing the same headphones could be very uncomfortable for you. You would not be able to listen to your favorite song, watch a movie, or listen to a podcast while you are wearing them.

You are most likely to travel by either bus, a train, or an airplane. Trains and buses are loud. The cabin of an aircraft is even louder. In fact, while the plane is landing or taking off, the noise levels inside the cabin can go up to 105 decibels (dB). When the plane is in the air cruising, the noise levels are approximately 85 decibels (dB). The loud noise is precisely why the pilots of airplanes wear headphones. And here is where noise-canceling headphones come in. They are indeed a great invention of this century because they are capable of tuning out any unwanted noise. Moreover, they also increase the quality of the sound while canceling unwanted noise.

If you also want a good set of earphones for traveling, then you are going to find this list helpful. Here, we will be reviewing the top headphones that are ideal for traveling.

1. Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM3: Wireless Bluetooth Over the Ear Headphones with Mic and Alexa voice control - Industry Leading Active Noise Cancellation – Black

Sony has always delivered beyond expectations when it comes to bringing innovative technology, and these headphones are no exception. One of the most exciting features of these headphones is that it comes with built-in Amazon Alexa. All you need to do is to connect it with your phone by downloading the Sony | Headphones connect app.

Another exciting feature of this headphones is the Smart Listening. The Smart Listening feature automatically detects your surrounding and then balance the sound level accordingly. You could be walking through an airport, sitting in a noisy area, or at a quiet place- the headphones would balance the noise-canceling features. Moreover, the Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing would make sure that the music sounds great even if you are at a higher altitude.

While looking at this pair of headphones, one might think that they might not be comfortable to wear, especially if it is someone who wears headphones a lot throughout the day. However, that is not true. The brand has manufactured the headband and the earcups in such a way that they provide a comfortable experience to the person wearing them. They reduce the pressure on the ear and the weight of the headphones.

While these features certainly sound exciting, the earphones are not for those who do not have a high budget as they are expensive. But once you start using them and get to know about the quality, paying a high price for them sounds like a good investment.

2. Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones, Noise Cancelling, Alexa Voice Control - Rose Gold I Worldwide Version

One of the favorite companies in traveling headphones has to be Bose. The reason behind Bose's popularity among travelers has to be class-leading noise cancelation and the way they balance sound. Google Assistant is the first feature that is worth talking about these headphones.

You might not know this, but this pair of headphones were the first ones to introduce Google Assistant in a couple of headphones. With Google Assistant at your service, all you have to do is press and hold a button so you can interact with Google. Google Assistant means no more yelling 'Ok Google' to your devices. Furthermore, these headphones will also read your notifications for you, so you don't have to check your phone after every few minutes to check a notification.

If you have seen the previous generation of these headphones, then you are not going to find much difference in their design except for the latest Google Assistant button, which is happens to be on the left earcup of the headphones. The pads Bose has used in their headphones are of fantastic quality. They are so efficient that even when you have turned off the noise cancelation feature, they still manage to block out a lot of noise.

One disappointing thing that you are going to find about these headphones is the design. They are quite generic. If you wanted to use headphones that would have left an impression on others, then you are going to be disappointed.

3. Bose Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones 700, with Alexa Voice Control, Silver (Renewed)

A lot of people were not fans of the design of the QuietComfort line of the Bose headphones. The company, however, seems to have listened to the problems of the people and that is precisely why they have introduced a new design in the form of 700. At first glance, it might seem like both of these are similar, but the only thing common in their design is the earcups.

This time, instead of going for the generic look of the headband, Bose opted for a slimmed-down and a stainless-steel version. The looks are not the only thing in which the 700 improved. The new headband comes with a soft pad that makes them very comfortable to wear. The cushions on the earcups are leather-like and very smooth. This pair of headphones is slightly heavier than their predecessors, but because of their build quality, you would not be able to tell the difference. You could wear them for hours and still not feel a thing.

Another exciting feature of this pair of headphones is the noise-canceling feature. With 11 levels of noise-canceling, you can easily block out the sound that you do not want regardless of the environment you are walking in. Moreover, you can also talk to Alexa at any time you want. The adaptive four-microphone system allows you to talk to Alexa by isolating your voice from the surrounding sounds.

As compared to its competitors, the battery life is a bit lacking.

4. Koss KSC75 Portable Stereophone Headphones, Single, Standard Packaging:

After having a look at these headphones, if they come off as fragile, don't be alarmed. You can rest assured as they can withstand a lot of harsh handling. The build of the headphones is not their strongest point as the clips do come off every once in a while. But you should not let it bother you as they are quite easy to reattach.

The first thing you are going to notice about these headphones would be how lightweight they are. Since they are on-ear portable headphones, it makes them ideal for traveling regardless of where you are going. They can fit just about anywhere. They are compact enough to even fit in your pocket. The titanium-coated drivers are there to make sure that you get an excellent sound without having to worry about the outside noise.

While all these features indeed make this pair of headphones a worthy contender, where it truly takes the cake is the price. At such an affordable price, these headphones are very durable, comfortable, and offer impressive sound quality.

4. Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones, Apple Devices, Black

If you have always wanted to submerge yourself in the music you are listening to completely, then these headphones would be ideal for you. There is a reason why Amazon recommends these headphones, and it is because this pair of headphones is the first pair by Bose to offer in-ear noise cancellation. With these headphones on your ears, you can enjoy every sound, regardless of where you go.

If you want to take your experience even further a notch, then turn on the noise-canceling option, so it is just you and the sound you want to listen to. What's impressive about these headphones is the aware mode. Sometimes you need to hear what's happening around you, especially if you are crossing a busy street or sitting at the airport waiting for your flight announcement. For that, you just need to turn on the Aware mode, and you can hear the outside sound.

The StayHear+ tips make sure that you are comfortable, regardless of how long you wear these headphones. Moreover, all the functions would be right at your fingertips, including the aware mode, slim control module, and the music functions. You can easily connect them with any of the Apple devices, and you would be ready to hear your favorite music.

PeohZarr Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth Earbuds with Newest 4D HiFi Sound, Graphene-Enhanced and Double Moving Coil Driver, Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth 5.0, Dual Mic, IPX8 Waterproof, One Bud at a Time

Though this might be the only pair of earbuds on our list and that too from a relatively lesser-known company, that doesn't mean you should not look into the couple. They have become quite popular in a short period, and like all other products on this list, this one has its pros and cons as well. First of all, their Bluetooth transmission is very impressive. They manage to offer quite stable transmissions without any disturbance.

Secondly, they are sweat-proof. This means that you can wear the headphones while you are burning some calories in the gym or just enjoying the rain. They can comfortably fit in your ears without you having to adjust them after every few minutes. Since they are lightweight and have excellent ergonomics, they can easily fit in your ear regardless of the size of your ear. As they come in four different sizes, you can easily choose the ones that you find suitable for your ears. After some time, you would forget that there are earbuds in your ears.

Another exciting feature of these earbuds is that you can use on bud at a time. You can use the right or the left earbud independently thanks to the built-in dual microphones. With the help of this feature, you can use one of the earbuds to listen to calls or music while the other one is being recharged.

Aesthetically, these earbuds are rather bland. So if you are looking for something that stands out among other headphones, you will be a little disappointed.

So, there you have it. The list of the best noise-canceling headphones for traveling. While all of these headphones have their strengths and weaknesses, it all boils down to what you want to wear personally. If you ask our recommendation, overall, the best pair would be the Bose 700 as they are not only comfortable to wear but also very decent looking. However, if you are on a budget, then you would not find a better pair than Koss KSC75. The first thing that you should do is find out precisely what it is that you want. Whether you want a pair for regular usage or heavy usage. After you have cleared that out of the way, buying a pair of headphones would be much easier for you.