The Four Best Noise Cancelling Headphones

Whether you are travelling for business or simply want to take a break from your hectic home life, some peace and quiet goes a long way. It seems these days that our brains are constantly hardwired into some form of distraction, entertainment or concentration – all of these aspects are necessary in everyday life but can go a long way toward increasing stress levels and leaving us irritable. Noise cancelling headphones, however, can be an oasis in an otherwise tumultuous sea of activity. Because you deserve some solitude, we’ve put together a list of the four best noise cancelling headphones on the market for you to consider as a gift for yourself or someone you know.

The Four Best Noise Cancelling Headphones

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint

The best entry level solution when it comes to noise cancelling headphones, the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC1 are remarkably well priced ($79), compact and extremely lightweight. Perfect for traveling, the QuietPoint series allows you to operate with or without the noise cancelling option being activated and they even come complete with cushy, soft ear pads to give your ears a sense of relaxation like no set of earphones ever could deliver. We found it a bit disappointing that the headband is somewhat thin and could break in the long run, but overall, these headphones are a steal and perfect for someone’s first noise cancelling pair.

Soul Ludacris SL300

Another great mid-level set of noise cancelling headphones, the Soul Ludacris SL300 combines a superior element of design with adequate performance to give listeners an ample amount of noise cancellation while enjoying deep, rich bass. While not the most premium solution out there, the price range of these headphones ($150) combined with the quality of construction make them a tempting and stylish addition to your audio experience. Wow those around you with the light-up earpieces, and give your ears a cushy break with the comfortable foam ear pads.

Bose Quiet Comfort 15

Known universally as the harbinger of premium sound, Bose has created a great product in the newest contender in its Quiet Comfort line, the Quiet Comfort 15 ($299). Definitely not for the faint at heart or those who have never experienced noise cancellation before, the Bose 15 has a super comfortable design and excellent noise cancelling programming to allow it to outperform virtually every other market solution. While not tiny, the headphones can be folded into a rather compact fashion for carry-on luggage or an office drawer. Even better: Bose gives you a full 30 days to try these: if you don’t like them, send them back for a full refund.

Harman Kardon NC

The unique design of the Harman Kardon NC headphones ($299) is enough to make anyone stop and stare, but that is only the beginning. With optional noise cancellation built in (battery powered), an in-line remote designed to work flawlessly with iOS products and a microphone to allow it to function as both an output and input device, these headphones are yet another premium solution to an age old problem. The one issue we disliked was that charging the included battery requires a special cable (included) rather than microUSB, but that really is a minor issue when evaluating the excellent sound quality that these headphones deliver.

This article was submitted by Jenny Wadlow; she works as a blogger for Autex, provider of noise control products and equipment. She is a fun-loving person and her Twitter id is JennyWadlow.