The Best Bluetooth Headphones to Buy in 2024
Wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation are a great way to listen to your music in peace and quiet while isolating ambient noise. We reviewed and compared several Bluetooth headphones with ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) that are available in 2024. Between wireless headphones from Apple, Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser, we have come up with a recommendation for the best model to choose in 2024. Our judging criteria are based on audio quality, active noise cancellation, and battery life.
The best wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation in 2024
Table of Contents:
- What should you look out for in a wireless headphone with ANC in 2024?
- The best Bluetooth headphones with ANC
- The best wireless headphones with ANC: Sony WH-1000XM5
- The best alternative: Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Apple's best wireless headphones with ANC: Apple AirPods Max
- Wireless headphones with the best ANC: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
- Best-value wireless headphones with ANC: Soundcore Space Q4
- The best value-for-money alternative: Sennheiser Accentum Wireless
- The best value-for-money wireless headphones with ANC: Soundcore Life Q35
What should you look out for when buying wireless headphones with ANC in 2024?
Bluetooth headphones format: On-ear or Over-ear?
Before choosing one, it is important to determine which types of headphones suit you best. This selection involves models that cover the ears. This form factor provides better isolation from ambient noise and greater wearing comfort. At the same time, such headphones are relatively large and often make your ears feel unusually hot during summer when worn.
On-ear models may be a rarity in 2024, but they stand out for their more compact, portable format. On the other hand, they are inferior to other models in terms of sound quality and ANC since they filter out ambient noise. Sound from such models also tends to "bleed", allowing people around you to hear what you're listening to.
The primary advantage of on-ear headphones is that they are far more open. These headphones were designed for quiet, indoor use. There is enough air circulation to let your ears 'breathe'. However, the pressure exerted on the cartilage of your ears can also create a feeling of discomfort over a prolonged period. It all depends on the rigidity of the headband.
Bluetooth headphones audio quality
The audio quality of any headphones is always a highly subjective matter. It largely depends on your musical preferences as well as your equalization settings.
Hence, it is always best to try out the model you're interested in at the store. Based on that, you can already form an early impression simply by looking at the technical specifications. Here are the criteria I use for my purchases and reviews:
- Driver/speaker size: For wireless headphones in 2024, the average diameter measures around 40 mm. The larger the driver, the greater the amplitude (volume) of the sound. Take note that size is not synonymous with quality. A large driver will have difficulty reproducing high frequencies, for example.
- Frequency response: These generally lie between 20 and 20,000 Hz, representing the frequency range the headphones are capable of reproducing. If you prefer more bass in your music, headphones that can go down to 10 Hz may be a more interesting option. Above all, the wider the frequency response, the more room you have for sound correction via the equalizer.
- Bluetooth audio codec: With Bluetooth headphones, the audio signal is compressed. Compression is the enemy of audio quality. The choice of supported codecs is important because compression rates differ from one model to another. The most common supported codecs are SBC and AAC. These don't allow you to listen to music in "high definition". Additional HD codecs include Qualcomm's aptX or Sony's LDAC.
Sound signatures in Bluetooth headphones
All headphones have their own way of reproducing the same sound. This is known as the sound signature. Some headphones emphasize bass, others treble, others midrange, with some others bass and treble to the detriment of the midrange, and so on...
This sound signature can be observed via a frequency curve. Roughly speaking, a song can be broken down into three main types of frequency: bass, midrange, and treble. Depending on the type of frequency highlighted or not by the headphones, a curve will emerge.
A V-shaped signature is the most common, as it emphasizes both bass and treble frequencies, leaving the mids a little behind. The V comes from the shape of the frequency curve measured on the headphones in question.
In any case, for most models, you can "modify" the audio signature using an equalizer. However, you cannot correct everything to your liking. If your headphones are extremely heavy on bass, you won't be able to totally "erase" this character trait via the equalizer.
The essence of the musical message is found in the midrange (instruments, vocals). The ideal is to have headphones with the most neutral signature, since the reproduced sound will be the most faithful to the original.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) in Bluetooth headphones
Active Noise Cancellation, abbreviated as ANC, is available in most Bluetooth headphones. Here, the headphones pick up ambient noise via its microphones and play it back in your ear in reversed polarity. The so-called anti-noise cancellation compensates for the surrounding noise and you no longer hear it.
With a good pair of headphones, the ANC level can be controlled in a flexible manner, even fully automatically as an ideal, and there should also be a transparency mode.
This allows you to listen to the ambient noise using microphone support so that you are aware of your surroundings. The important thing here is how natural the surrounding sounds are. Oftentimes, there is a hissing effect and distortion that can be unpleasant.
Battery life
On average, a good Bluetooth headphones with Active Noise Cancellation should last between 20 and 30 hours with Active Noise Cancellation activated all the time. With normal use, this represents a little more than two or even three days' use.
The Bose QC Ultra Headphones (review) achieved 24 hours with ANC active. The Sony WH-1000XM5 (review) pushed its battery life to 30 hours with ANC and 40 hours without. The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4 (review) even managed to offer up to 60 hours of battery life.
Bluetooth headphones functions
This list is totally arbitrary and subjective, but here are some important features when considering Bluetooth headphones apart from audio quality and Active Noise Cancellation:
- Multipoint Bluetooth connectivity: The ability to pair your headphones to at least two devices simultaneously.
- Wear detection: The headphones can detect when you put it on and remove it from your head, and can automatically pause music or put itself to sleep, thus conserving battery life.
- IP rating: It is best to choose water- and dust-resistant headphones with at least an IPX4 rating.
- An application with an equalizer: A five-band equalizer is an ideal that is all too rarely offered. Yet, it allows you to personalize your audio experience.
- Microphone quality: For those who are likely to use your headphones to make calls.
The best Bluetooth headphones with ANC
The best wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation: Sony WH-1000XM5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the flagship of Sony's consumer audio headphones. Its predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4, and its predecessor, the WH-1000XM3 were considered the best references on the market.
The Bluetooth headset relies heavily on sound quality thanks to Sony's LDAC codec, but also on the effectiveness of its active noise canceling (ANC). The Sony WH-1000XM5 also marked a breakthrough in terms of design, with a more refined and streamlined look.
But I don't think Sony offers much in the way of innovation compared to the Sony WH-1000XM4. Where Sony really stands out, in my opinion, is the quality of its microphones for calls and some "comfort" features such as the port sensor and touch controls that cheaper models often lack.
The best alternative: Sennheiser Momentum 4
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review
When the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless arrived in the editorial office, I was torn. This is because the headphones were almost devoid of the value and charm of the previous model. Sennheiser has adapted strongly to the design of the competition—but has done the same with the features.
Priced at just under $350, the Momentum 4 Wireless proved in their test period that they offer extremely much at this price. The sound quality is excellent and Sennheiser does not have to hide in terms of ANC either. The ultra-long battery life of up to 60 hours is also outstanding. Overall, the Momentum 4 Wireless is recommended if the other models are too expensive for you.
Apple's best wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation: Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max is the most expensive wireless headphones in this selection. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the best model. If you're not into the Apple ecosystem, you'll have to give it a pass. Apple's headphones are too limited in functionality when paired with a non-Apple device.
But if you have an iPhone, an iPad, and/or a MacBook Pro, then the AirPods Max remains a very good choice in 2024, even almost four years after its debut.
Its Active Noise Cancellation is excellent, perhaps better than that of Sony and Bose. Its design is very elegant and uncluttered. Audio quality remains decent, although the headphones don't support lossless audio over Bluetooth.
Battery life is rated at 20 hours, but it's not possible to switch the headset off entirely. The absence of an IP rating is also a rather negative point for a headset that comes crosses the $500 mark.
ireless headphones with the best Active Noise Cancellation: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra review
The Bose QC Ultra is a very good pair of Bluetooth headphones with ANC. It's very comfortable to wear, all the features are there (except audio via USB-C), there's an HD codec, IPX4 rating, a full app, and excellent battery life.
Immersive sound is a bit of a gimmick, but it's easy to use and works well enough. We're still a long way from the quality of Apple's spatial sound, however.
At $429 a pop, these are very expensive headphones, and a good alternative to the AirPods Max for Apple fans. If price isn't an issue for you, I'd recommend the Bose QC Ultra if you value Active Noise Cancellation quality and comfort. ANC is great with these headphones. If audio quality is your priority, the Sony WH-1000XM5 would still be my favorite.
Best-value wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation: Soundcore Space Q4
If you want to have a good headset but don't have $300 to invest, the Soundcore Space Q45 is for you. The successor of the convincing Life Q35 has the same strengths, while improving its shortcomings, like the weak ANC. For its price of just $150, the Space Q45 has a balanced technical sheet that makes it the perfect headset for average users.
The design simply works, the battery life is excellent and the efficient ANC is pleasant to use in everyday life. The Space Q45 also convinces with its well-thought-out companion application and features like multipoint connection as well as LDAC and Bluetooth 5.3 support. All in all, Soundcore has succeeded in creating a pair of headphones with a very good price-performance ratio that only suffers from a sound quality that does not reach that of the models it is targeting.
The best value-for-money alternative: Sennheiser Accentum Wireless
Sennheiser Accentum Wireless review
The $149.95 Sennheiser Accentum Wireless is obviously not as good as the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4, which sells for $300, nor is it a flagship killer. It's simply a very good mid-range headset.
Active Noise Cancellation is more than adequate. Battery life is excellent. Audio quality doesn't break the ceiling, but it's very good for coffee sessions if you're listening to MP3s on Spotify, and you've got an HD audio codec with aptX HD. You've even got multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, and the Smart Control companion app is very comprehensive.
Its only real shortcomings are its non-folding form factor, the absence of a carrying case, and lack of wear detection. The headphone's physical controls aren't super-intuitive either. In addition, the Sennheiser Accentum lacks an IP rating for water and dust resistance.
The best value-for-money wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation: Soundcore Life Q35
If you're in the market for the most affordable pair of Bluetooth headphones possible, you should check out the Soundcore Life Q35 on Amazon. The successor to the Soundcore Life Q30, which we also reviewed, is now available for less than $110. The Life QC35 offers an accurate degree of ANC, good sound quality, and an especially good companion application.
The latter is crucial for the precise optimization of the sound profile which, after the adaptation of the equalizers, and that really puts you in a good mood. The battery life is particularly good (up to 60 hours) and important functions such as multi-pairing and port recognition are also available. So those looking for a good, inexpensive Bluetooth headset will be well rewarded here.
What do you think of this selection of the best wireless headphones with Active Noise Cancellation? Is ANC an important purchasing criterion for you, as it is for me? Which brand or model do you think deserves a place in this selection? Do you think we should review and compare more audiophile-centric models?
To find out more, take a look at our selection of the best wireless headphones to choose from in 2024 in addition to our complete guide to audio codecs.
THE ACCENTUM WIRELESS ARE BLUETOOTH 5.2 NOT 5.3
Fixed, thanks for noticing that!
beats, addition to good wearing comfort,
I have two pairs of Awei headphones, cheaper than anything seen here, and I am very happy with them
You left out any LDAC compliant headphones and so utterly failed at any definition of best. LDAC isn't true hi res but is is better than any of the other available codecs. If you are going to talk Bluetooth and sound quality, It starts in the codec and then the performance quality of the headphone.
I'm sorry, but this article was a failure because of ignorance.
I have a set of Samsung Gear Iconic X Earbuds, and yes the battery is a bit of issue, though considering the size of them it's not surprising. You can turn Bluetooth off and use the internal storage to play music which increases battery life.
That said everything else about them is faultless, they automatically sync, have a decent enough sound, the control pad is responsive. Fitness features (step/heart rate monitor) is easy to use and usually quite accurate.
The ambient sound feature works well (it allows you to hear sound from the microphones over the music, so you can hear a car for example/you can also use it with music off, which is like having super hearing. Everything you hear is enhanced).
They fit very well & look cool.
Unlike the Apple 💩 earpods, which look like a cheap pair of earrings.
Peace 🖖
I have IQ Buds and very happy with them.
I have Icon X 2017 and yeah battery life is extremely bad. Hope the 2018 version is much better in terms of battery life.
Dash ear buds are so darn good. I just love them.
I've never read anything about how long these things last (e.g. battery cycles) - are they good for two or three years? I have a decent corded headphone set for home use but long experience with corded on-the-go MP3 and phone headsets for active movement has been less than a year because of their fragility. Won't waste real money on that (setting aside how their sound quality is wasted on the street or with any ambient noise - acoustic snobbery on a subway train is ridiculous.)
Great Article
my problem with bluetooth headset is the latency. i use them mostly for gaming(csgo) and there it is a real problem. thats why i got the steelseries siberia v3 and im very happy with it
Fellow CS GO player here. I suggest you try some wired earphones (In Ear) for gaming. Bluetooth headset are not really made for gaming.
Would recommend you check out Pisen R-500 and add them to your list. They are cheap and sound way better than most earphones.
I'd like to try a pair of Apple AirPods with 24hrs of battery life and the W1 chip. It's priced at $159.00 which is on par with the icon X and the Dash ear buds