I’m looking for noise canceling headphones, I am admittedly not an audiophile and listen to more podcasts than music, but want something for the gym, plane and train. I was looking mostly at Sony, Senheisser and Bose flagship models, but would be open to considering some of the value priced like the Senheisser 450BT, Soundcore Anker Q20 or Sony WH-CH720N. I care about noise cancellation first and foremost, then battery life.
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Bose QC 35 I have them and they are pretty good although to be fair I have never tried a different pair. Mine have held up extremely well I've had them for like 3-4 years and the only thing that is a problem is that the cups are worn down from so much usage but I'm about to get some new cups and the replacement cost was only like $35 for new ones.
Sony WH-1000XM5 are one of, or if not the best headphones in the market. Noise cancelling is unreal- recommend checking out some YouTube videos of best headphones and no doubt the Sony’s mentioned will be near the top of every list
Agree. Have the older xm3s and they’ve lasted me forever. Sound quality is insane.. try listening to something like bohemian rhapsody with a lot of highs lows and mids and you’ll be shook. Noise cancelling top notch too.
Will say though, they’re not meant to be gym headphones (I.e. not water resistant). Though I have used them a few times and they’re fine…
I have the XM4s and they are amazing for noise cancelling and of course sound quality. Noise cancelling was my top priority when researching and trying to find the best headphones for that and they have not disappointed.
I honestly advise you to get a separate set for gym and plane / work. The Senheissers are a really great, affordable model (I have a pair and love them for their price range - I'm an absolute sucker for forgetting / not taking care of stuff, so I never invest in anything too valuable). That said, unless you don't break a sweat at all in the gym, they aren't a good choice (nor are any over-ear headphones in my view). I'd buy a pair for plane / etc., and something else for the gym.
Happy to be corrected, but I don't think that anything that works in a gym setting will have the same noise-cancelling capabilities as over-ear headphones WITHOUT spending a bunch.
I, for the record, use Shokz OpenRun for working out, but they're not the best I'd guess for noise-cancelling, if that's your priority. Personally though I listen to a lot of podcasts and think they work absolutely fine for that in a gym setting. I just prefer something more noise-cancelling when I'm on a plane watching a movie and have my attention totally focused on that.
A lot of runners enjoy the bone conducting headphones, but I think I'd go crazy using them in the gym, its just a little too noisy without ANC. The Airpods Pro have excellent noise cancellation (for earbuds) but are admittedly very expensive.
Do you use an iPhone? If so, think about the Airpods Max. Those things are crazy and you can go test them out in an Apple store. Otherwise, consider the XM4/XM5 by Sony, excellent audio quality and battery life, the noise cancellation is fantastic but the transparancy mode comes nowhere near what Apple's headphones can do. This is all presuming you're looking for over ears, if you want earbuds buy the Airpods Pro, end of story.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I thought the Airpods Max were way too heavy for long-term usage.
They are built pretty heavy, would encourage OP to test them out in the Apple store before buying
I have both the Bose QC25 and AirPods Pro. QC25 is the older, wired version of the QC35, but I think the ANC is better.
AirPods Pro ANC is fantastic - I personally believe the sound quality is great, and the good sound quality combined with great ANC is tough to beat in public settings.
On planes I’ll wear the AirPods Pro and put the QC25’s over my ears - pretty quiet and can listen to audiobooks / podcasts without cranking up the volume.
Adding for AirPods Pro, getting Comply foam tips drastically improves the listening experience. Just don’t wear them at gym as they’ll soak up the sweat and deteriorate faster
2nd this - Airpods Pro’s 2 ANC is truly incredible. I will say Soundcore’s ANC sucks generally so I would avoid those.
Bose QC35 II are incredible!
I use the Sony wh-1000xm3. The noise canceling one these headphones is ridiculously good. Instead of the (older) xm3 you could also opt for the xm4/xm5. Since these are newer I assume they are on par/even better than the xm3.
I have a friend with these, and i can speak to the durability. They've survived rain, snow, fat asses sitting on them at frat parties, being thrown across the room. Idk how but they are the most rugged headphones I've ever seen. But the bass is shit sorry to say
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To be fair I haven’t stress tested my headphones that hard lol. And I genuinely don’t know if has a good or bad bass since I don’t know how to tell the difference between a good or bad bass. I mostly cared about the noise canceling feature when I bought them.
I absolutely love how you come to WSO with a post like this 😭😭😭
Bose quiet comfort 35s are your best option tho
Also, I personally use the Beats Studio 3’s for the gym which work okay (am gonna switch to Bose QC when they die (but the beats probs won’t die for a while I actually really like the quality)). And for the gym when I start sweating I take my studios off and switch to my powerbeats pro cuz I think sweating in headphones is disgusting
Where else would he get a truly prestigious opinion?
Are you picky on over-the-ear phones, or would in-ear work too?
I’m more afraid of losing them, I’ve been debating just buying in ear for the gym and over the ear for travel.
Sony Walkmans. Pair nicely wearing a thick, wool overcoat turning up late into work post boxing training,
Bose QC35 II for anything not involving sweat - incredibly durable, and frankly can even be used in the gym with the understanding you'll need to replace the pads sooner ($35 from Amazon, sold by Bose, and 5 mins of effort).
Air Pods pro for anything involving sweat or work where you don't want a hair indent from the over-the-ear Bose.
QC35 for over-ear, and the flagship Bose earbuds (I think they are also QuietComfort) if want headphones
Never understood people who take bulky headphones to the gym, do you really want to take your same sweaty headphones to the office, in the plane, etc? Personally, I’ve got some Bose QC 35 II and AirPods Pro for the gym, highly recommend them
I use Bose 700's for work and gym (although I workout at home so I don't have much noise to block out... just my grunting). I've heard good things about the WH-XM series from Sony and the Bose QC 35's. The only problem with the 700s is they don't fold down, so carrying them can be a pain in the backside sometimes
I fly frequently and recommend the Bose QC 35 IIs as well - they're a bit quieter than I'd like but still do a fantastic job on planes and trains. The QC 45s were released relatively recently and I haven't tried them, but it's led to some solid deals on the 35s.
Bro just get Airpods Max firstly they're actually very good quality secondly you'll look drippy af
I’ve had my Bose QC 35 for 6 years. Great sound, the bass has depth and it’s clear. The charge is quick and battery holds well over 20 hours. Haven’t had a problem with them, worth the money to invest in a good pair.
i have both the Bose QC 35 and the Bose earbuds II's. havent used anything better and believe these are top of the line (outside of the crazy expensive niche headphones), both work really well for travel / flights.
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