The best noise cancelling headphones of 2025, widely regarded as top-tier by experts, are the Sony WH-1000XM6. They offer outstanding noise isolation with advanced active noise cancellation (ANC) that blocks a wide range of ambient sounds, including airplane rumble and office chatter. They provide comfortable wear with a wider, flatter headband, up to 31 hours of battery life with ANC on, multi-device pairing, and customizable sound profiles via a companion app. The WH-1000XM6 also supports advanced features like next-gen Bluetooth (LC3, LE Audio), spatial audio with 360 Reality Audio, and have improved call quality with beamforming microphones.
Other notable headphones include:
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: Known for very effective noise cancellation and superb comfort, slightly less noise isolation than Sony but excellent sound quality.
- Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2: Strong ANC, great battery life, and studio-quality sound with a neutral profile and app EQ customization.
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3: Stylish with excellent sound but ANC slightly inferior to Sony and Shure.
- Dali IO-8: Premium audiophile choice with excellent noise cancellation and musical sound, long battery life but no companion app.
- Sony WH-1000XM5: The earlier generation still highly capable, with superb noise cancelling and comfort at a lower price point.
For wireless earbuds with ANC in work environments, Sony WF-1000XM5 and Nothing Ear 2 are well-regarded options.
In summary, if seeking the absolute best noise cancelling headphones overall, the Sony WH-1000XM6 are the top recommendation for 2025. For a balance of ANC performance, comfort, and sound quality, Bose QuietComfort Ultra and Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 also merit strong consideration.
