Best Noise Canceling On-Ear Wireless Headphones

The wireless headphone market has never been hotter. Looking for a new set of on-ear wireless headphones with noise canceling? Here’s a roundup of four of the top sets available in late 2022, plus pros and cons for each.

After selecting your perfect headphones, don’t forget to protect them with an affordable extended headphone warranty plan.

Now, on to the reviews!

Apple’s AirPods Max are huge contenders on this list. They were originally released in early December 2020, and they are still fantastic headphones. Overall, they're Apple’s first real foray into the upper end of the headphones market. Beats, owned by Apple, has some moderately expensive sets, but audiophiles tend to avoid them due to heavy bass sounds.

AirPods Max are a notable entry, for sure, with impressive audio quality, craftsmanship and design. Additionally, they have great tech enhancements including spatial audio and computational audio. The competition doesn’t have additions quite like these, and some buyers will find the price difference worth it.

Many reviewers love the sound but struggle with the lack of power button and 3.5mm jack. Also, the included case - required for putting the headphones into ultra-low-power mode - is bizarre.

Bose has made a name for itself as a go-to for business travelers and others looking for a quality noise-canceling set of headphones. Their current QuietComfort 45 on-ear wireless headphones are an impressive entry as well, with some interesting tech and 24 hours of battery life.

Bose uses a proprietary system for its noise canceling called Acoustic Noise Cancelling. In the QuietComfort 45, Acoustic Noise Cancelling offers three levels of noise canceling. Some Bose users in the past have complained about an uncomfortable pressure from the aggressive noise canceling, so this leveling ability is a welcome addition. There’s also voice assistant integration on board here, plus a volume-optimized EQ. The latter doesn’t achieve the same level of magic as the AirPods Max, but it’s a nice touch nonetheless.

One big advantage here is price: they retail for $329. That’s a big savings over Apple’s offering.

To continue, this set from Sony has great tech and good sound. Seriously: they are loaded to the hilt with impressive-sounding features. In fact, 91% of reviewers on Sony's site recommend them. Many of the features touted on Sony’s site don’t seem like the sorts of things most listeners are going to notice or care about.

Another negative: these on-ear wireless headphones aren’t very attractive, and the touch controls can be a bit frustrating. That said, the price is moderate at $399.99.

If you want a truly premium product that looks and sounds the part,  Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless headset is a serious contender.

Sennheiser is a German company that exclusively makes audio products, and they’ve made quite a name for themselves among the audiophile community. Yet their products have always been surprisingly affordable.

These are premium headphones, with up to 60 hours of music playtime via Bluetooth and with ANC. They also have a unique look, one that will turn some heads.

Like Apple’s AirPods Max, Sennheiser offers something called Transparency mode, allowing you to bypass the noise cancelation and hear some ambient noise. And like Bose’s entry, the active noise cancellation can be toggled between three modes (though Sennheiser refers to them as being “tailored to different environments” rather than simply being low, medium and high).

Momentum Wireless includes Tile tracking technology built in, allowing you to find your headphones using the accompanying app. There’s also one-touch voice assistant access.

For a deeper dive on this set, check out a thorough review from Sound Guys.

Ultimately, all of these headphones offer an impressive experience. The choice for many comes down to personal preference and budget. But one thing’s certain: whichever set you choose, choose peace of mind by pairing your purchase with an extended headphone warranty from Upsie. There’s no need to worry about what will happen should your headphones become damaged or defective. Upsie’s coverage is affordable and comprehensive. Get protected today!