Travel. Vacations. Remember those? Frankly, we can’t wait for the pandemic declared finally over. All we want is to once again pack our bags and head for the airports — and we won’t forget our favorite noise-canceling headphones. Why? They are not just handy on international flights but indispensable when island-hopping in the Maldives or on safaris in Africa. So, which products strike the perfect balance of technology, style, and price? Read on.
Editor’s note: We may earn a commission for purchases you make through this post’s affiliate links. However, this will not impact the price you pay.
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Sony took the don’t-fix-what’s-not-broken approach with the direct descendant of their already excellent WH-1000XM3 headphones. Thus, both versions look the same; unchanged is also the 30-hour battery life. What’s new? The update we welcomed the most is the ability to pair with two devices at the same time, but Sony has also worked on its noise-canceling technology, making it better, e.g., in how the headphones deal with higher tones. The microphone array is improved, too, as it was somewhat disappointing in the M3s.
What’s hot: Sony has fixed the biggest gripe we had with the preceding WH-1000XM3 headphones, which was the ability to pair with only one device at the same time. Now you can easily switch from computer to your phone when receiving a call.
What’s not: The microphone has been improved on its predecessor, but it is still not the best on the market. Also, the speak-to-chat function, which suppresses the music as soon as you start speaking to someone, is a bit of a gimmick, and too often, it activates when not called for (e.g., when laughing with comedy podcasts).
Product image © SONY
The AirPods Max headphones come with plenty of smart features, such as seamless pairing with your iPhone or automatic pause when taking the headphones off your ears. We also love the tactile button for noise-canceling and the crown (borrowed from Apple Watch design) for volume. Stainless steel flexible frame and aluminum ear cups make for excellent build quality, and they are very satisfying to touch and operate. The mesh of the earcups feels nice and comfortable, doing a better job than faux leather. What’s more, the earcups are magnetic and detachable — this is very smart as you should ideally replace the earcups from time to time when they get dirty and worn off. Of course, you can buy extra/new earcups for $$. All this is very Apple!
What’s hot: Great listening experience. The sound and the noise-canceling are excellent, as is the “spatial sound” that detects your head’s position in relation to the “source” of sound. The “transparency mode” (where you let the ambient sound through) is the best on the market. It does an incredible job, even placing individual sounds at the right “place” and “distance” from you.
“The sound and the noise-canceling are excellent, as is the spatial sound that detects your head’s position in relation to the direction of music. Apple magic!”
What’s not: The hideous case design. Apple, what were you thinking? And you have to use the case — otherwise, the headphones won’t switch off when you put them away (as there is no manual Off button). Also, the metal used as the primary material makes the AirPods Max noticeably heavy, affecting the comfort of wear.
Buy on Best Buy or directly from Apple.
Product image © Apple
“Simply put, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have the best noise cancellation available, and they also come on top with the microphone performance”
These headphones are a great example of what happens when you keep a close eye on your competitors and listen to your customers. All the things that the older QuietComfort products lacked, the 700 have introduced or improved upon. The result is a product superior to its predecessors in every way. For example, they finally switched to the latest USB standard connectors (USB type c) and added touch controls (e.g., double-tap to pause). A unique feature is customizable noise-canceling levels, which you can control with buttons on the side of the headphones or from the excellent app. A great feature is also the ability to swap between two connected Bluetooth devices instantly.
What’s hot: Simply put, the 700’s have absolutely the best noise cancellation available, and they come on top with their microphone quality, too. They also beat most other headphones with the overall quality of the build.
What’s not: The minimalist design of these headphones comes at some cost, as the height adjustability feels a little clunky. And, no airline adaptor included in the case? Come on, Bose!
Or buy on Amazon.
Product image © BOSE
Rivaling the top items of this list when it comes to the comfort of wear, the beautiful PX7 from Bowers & Wilkins are also one of the few headphones that firmly reject the touch-n-swipe trend, opting instead for tactile buttons. The headphones have a few standout features. Among them is the wear sensor (for automatic pausing when you take the headphones off), as well as the sleep mode (for saving the battery when you put them away). Another one is that the USB type C port can be used not just for charging but also for the audio relay. By the way, when using Bluetooth, the sound quality should be slightly better for Android phone users (rather than Apple iPhone users). This is determined by support for the Android-specific Bluetooth codec used to transmit data (most casual listeners would not notice the difference, though).
What’s hot: The noise-cancellation is at least decent, but the true selling point of the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 is the tonal range and the sound quality. It’s almost an audiophile level. These headphones are very comfortable and highly durable, thanks to the carbon-fiber technology used in manufacturing.
What’s not: We’d like the buttons in Bowers & Wilkins PX7 to feel a bit more firm and sturdy. Their placement also takes some getting used to, as you are bound to press the buttons accidentally when taking the headphones off.
Product image © Bowers & Wilkins
This thing oozes luxury. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 stands out thanks to the fantastic quality and finish — e.g., the makers went for genuine leather. These headphones are also great to wear, despite not being the lightest on this list, and the rings (for volume and noise-canceling levels) are a great idea, even if, admittedly, borrowed from the Microsoft Surface headphones. Another borrowed thing? The Apple Airpods Max are not the only headphones that let you easily remove and replace the earcups. We don’t mind — these are all smart ideas packed into a superb product.
What’s hot: Superb craftsmanship, the uber-premium feel, fantastic sound quality — and the best battery life. The noise-canceling is up there with the best as well (it better be, given the eye-watering price tag!)
What’s not: These headphones are on the heavier side, which affects the comfort of wear after a while. Also, the mobile companion app is not great.
Or shop on Amazon
Product image © Bang & Olufsen
The excellent all-around performance and noise-canceling quality comparable to the then de-facto industry-standard Bose headphones made Sony M3s an instant hit when they were released a few years back. Many people preferred them over the QuietComfort headphones, thanks to the more meaty base tones. And if you don’t need to pair more than one device to your headphones, then Sony WH-1000XM3 are still an excellent choice.
What’s hot: Great dynamic range of sound and the overall ergonomy. They are also comfortably lightweight.
What’s not: Microphone quality could be better. Also, we never use the “quick attention” mode (when you touch the left headphone to suppress music and talk to someone) — it just looks too awkward.
Product image © SONY
Marshall Monitor II headphones sport a vintage design with a faux-leather look, but they offer modern features and excellent sound quality. They are pleasant to operate, too, with a well-thought-out ergonomy of the buttons and satisfying clicks when expanding the headband. The earcups can swivel in every direction, so the headphones are also very “collapsable” to a small size. Finally, the Marshall Monitor II have a low-profile ear cup design (meaning they don’t stand out on your head), but the inside of the earcups feels very spacious.
What’s hot: The best thing about Marshall Monitor II is how comfortable they feel, e.g., thanks to the generous amount of padding underneath the headband. They also have a visually low profile.
What’s not: A few nitpicks. There is no hardshell case (the flimsy bag offers little protection on your travels). They also do not cancel out as much noise as the top performers on our list, and surprisingly, given the low-profile design, these headphones are comparably heavy.
Buy now: Amazon.
Product image © Marshall Headphones
Yes, we are not kidding. Airpods have become the most popular wireless, noise-canceling in-ear headphones globally, and for a good reason. They get you most of the way towards noise-canceling, but without the bulkiness of large headphones. The sound may never satisfy audiophiles, but that’s not what you look for in these AirPods. For everyday use, they are great.
What’s hot: They will connect to your iPhone like magic, and the noise-canceling is pretty impressive.
What’s not: Small battery means short listening (around four hours). Putting them in the case and charging for a few minutes will get you another hour, but it’s a problem on longer flights. Good for short airplane hops, though.
Buy on Best Buy or directly from Apple.
Product image © Apple
Which will you pick for your next Mediterranean stay?
Sennheiser is a well-respected name, synonymous with quality, and this is reflected in the premium build and comfort of Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless. These headphones offer a few interesting features, such as allowing the USBc cable to transmit music from your smartphone. We also appreciate the design choice of using buttons rather than opting for touch surfaces (trendy, but hard to get right). There is off-ear detection (music stops as soon as you take the headphones off), but you can also turn this feature off — not always the case with some of the rival headphones.
What’s hot: Genuine leather! The build quality is just next level. It really stands out when compared with competitors. Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless also fit very well and are great to wear.
What’s not: The round case is soft-ish and a little difficult to open — so not ideal for traveling situations. The microphone and sound cancellation is OK, but the battery life is “up to 17 hrs,” with the typical usage closer to 14-15 hours.
Or buy on Amazon.
Product image © Sennheiser
Beats headphones can be hit and miss, but the Beats Solo Pro get most things right. The sound quality is good, so is the ergonomy of the controls, and the headphones turn on and off automatically, making for an intuitive experience. The noise isolation and canceling are very good too.
What’s hot: Good build and impressive sound quality.
What’s not: They are pretty rigid, and they can get uncomfortable over long periods of wearing.
Or buy directly from Apple.
Product image © Apple
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 offer the excellent design feature of the “rings,” for volume on one side and noise-canceling on the other (all fourteen levels of it). And the Microsoft design team has nailed the tactile feel of the rings, too — they are incredibly satisfying to use, and are certainly more ergonomic than swiping, which seems to be the trend with other headphones these days. Interestingly, Bang&Olufsen later copied from Microsoft but didn’t quite do as good a job with their version of the rings.
What’s hot: These win with overall comfort and design.
What’s not: The sound quality and noise-cancellation do not quite match some of the other products on this list. However, the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 also come with a smaller price tag.
Or buy on Amazon.
Product image © Microsoft
The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II are the pinnacle of the now-iconic QuietComfort series. For a while, they were the de-facto noise-canceling industry standard. You knew that if you wanted noise-canceling headphones, the “quiet comfort” was your best bet. Even today, they still can compete with many latest headphones — especially on price.
What’s hot: The Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II are noticeably lighter than some of the other top headphones, making them comfortable to wear.
What’s not: Compared to what’s on offer from the latest products, the QuietComfort 35 headphones lack features, and they look a little dated.
Or buy on Amazon.
Product image © BOSE
Editor’s note: We may earn a commission for purchases you make through this post’s affiliate links. However, this will not impact the price you pay.
Author: Travel+Style. Last updated: 28/10/2021
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