If you’ve ever tried to get work done in a busy café you know how difficult it can be to drown out all that extra noise. Unless your headset is equipped with noise cancellation technology you’re kind of stuck with turning the volume up to some obscene volume. What you really need is a set of headphones you can take anywhere and will block out the noise. For that we have noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones. The best noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones give you superb sound quality no matter what’s going on around you.
Our comprehensive buying guide will help you decide which Bluetooth-capable noise-cancelling headphones are right for you. We’ll discuss important points to look for, supply several reasonable options, and provide a detailed review of our best three choices.
Top 10 Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones Chart
[ws_table id=”101″]Consider for Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
- What Is Noise Cancellation. The term “noise cancellation” is often used interchangeably with the term “noise isolation” but they aren’t the same.
Noise isolation results from a physical barrier. Properly fitted earbuds and around-ear headphones do a good job isolating noise. The suction and padding keep sounds from escaping.
Noise cancellation requires more than a good fit. It needs extra hardware and programming inside the headphones. It hears the environmental noise such as heavy wind then eliminates it from within your headphones.
Noise cancellation technology will affect your battery usage; you generally get less use out of each charge. Luckily some units can still be used a regular headphones even after their battery is depleted.
- Understanding Bluetooth Connection. Bluetooth is what wirelessly connects devices together. It works over relatively short distances and can connect several devices.
We’ve become accustomed to wireless devices such as remote controls, but a Bluetooth connection is different. A remote control will only work when the devices are face-to-face. But Bluetooth connections only require that the devices be near each other; not facing each other.
It’s possible to have several devices connected via Bluetooth at once. That means you can have a laptop, printer, and headset on one network and able to communicate with each other instantaneously.
3 Best Noise-Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones Reviews
1. Bose SoundLink around-ear
Bose’s SoundLink was one of the first headphones to combine Bluetooth capability and noise-cancellation. This platform continues to be one of the best Bluetooth noise-cancelling headsets on the market.
SoundLink’s solid rigid frame is lightweight and comfortable. Both the headband and earcups are adjustable so there’s no problem creating a good fit, even around accessories like glasses. We really appreciated its memory foam padding during long sessions. It transports safely in its own padded case, though we still wouldn’t recommend haphazardly stuffing it in the bottom of a suitcase.
SoundLink can be used wired but you probably won’t have to with fifteen hours of use per charge. Its convenient voice prompts alert you of battery life so you won’t randomly draw a blank. That’s a really nice feature for those of us who travel often and sometimes forget to recharge.
We found SoundLink intuitive and easy to use. Bluetooth pairs quickly and will do so automatically for the two most recent devices in its memory. Voice prompts notify you when it’s connected. It also notifies you of who is calling.
Switching between calls and other audio wasn’t a problem. And calls sounded clear on both ends. The dual microphone keeps background noise down. Office, home, and café noise disappeared when using Bose SoundLink.
SoundLink delivers a true Bose sound experience. Reproduction is near perfect, and very well balanced. Classical and jazz genres really shine; hip-hop and rock are full but not boosted.
SoundLink lives up to the Bose name. It’s the best noise-cancelling Bluetooth headset for business and pleasure.
2. Samsung Level Over-Ear
Samsung has out-done itself with creation of its Level series. Level Over features phenomenal sound and a couple cool toys you’ll only find on them.
The structure of Level Over is slightly reminiscent of Beats. Its got a smooth plastic frame who’s lines are sleek. Both have large flat-looking earcups and a wide headband. Samsung didn’t make Level Over travel friendly though; it doesn’t fold or collapse for transport. Nonetheless the unit is extremely lightweight thanks to that plastic frame.
The controls on Level Over are novel, and invisible. Instead of traditional buttons you find a touchpad on the right panel. Playback and volume are controls by swiping gestures. It’s fairly easy to do things accidentally, but it just feels cool to use. Functions for power, noise cancellation, and Bluetooth pairing are still normal buttons.
Level Over sound crisp and bright, but never harsh, throughout all genres. Its near subwoofer balance makes hip-hop and rap thunderous. And even deep vocals maintain their natural bass characteristics.
What’s especially nice about this setup is that the noise cancellation circuitry and software didn’t interfere with audio. The noise cancellation did a good job eliminating droning sounds and left only a slight hiss.
Samsung’s Level Over is a definite win. It’s the best noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphone alternative to the Beats style and sound.
3. Plantronics BackBeat PRO
BackBeat PRO has the easiest controls and longest lasting battery life if you’re not looking for pristine sound.
Rings around each earcup act as controls. Plantronics separated volume control and track selection making the device easy to use. There’s an optional auto-pause feature that automatically stops audio when you remove them.
Twenty-four hour battery life is definitely achievable, and can be stretched to well over fifty hours if you don’t use the noise cancellation.
These are aggressive sounding headphones, not as refined as Bose but still enjoyable. Activating noise cancellation slightly muffles any audio but with such a long battery life it’s a good trade-off.
BackBeat PRO is the best noise-cancelling Bluetooth headset if you want something enjoyable that needs infrequent charging.