While Bose’s new flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones may not be a huge upgrade over the company’s Noise Cancelling 700 headphones, they feature a more premium design along with Bose’s new Immersive Audio feature, which delivers some sound-quality enhancements. Along with excellent sound and great noise canceling, the QC Ultra Headphones are also superb for making calls, with top-notch background noise reduction. All that adds up to the best new noise-canceling headphones of 2024 and a worthy adversary to Sony’s highly rated WH-1000XM5 and Apple’s AirPods Max.

Why I like them

We reviewed Skullcandy’s wired Aviator Roc Nation headphones all the way back in 2011. Now Skullcandy’s brought the Aviator design back in a wireless noise-canceling model called the Aviator 900 ANC headphones. They kind of surprised me because Skullcandy is better known for its Crusher headphones, which deliver bone-rattling bass but are not so-called premium-sounding headphones. However, the Aviator 900, developed in partnership with THX, deliver surprisingly impressive sound. They’re not so great out of the box, but after you make some tweaks to the EQ in the app and turn on the THX spatial audio, the sound improves dramatically and is arguably more exciting than the new Nothing Headphone (1)’s sound and more fun to listen to.

Like the Nothing Headphones (1), the Aviator 900 ANC list for $300 and have a translucent theme. However, the Aviator 900 are lighter (289 grams) and more comfortable to wear. Plus, they not only fold flat but fold up into a well-designed crossbody travel bag (you can remove the strap) and have some nifty physical control buttons. I also liked the integrated mini LED display, though its value is dubious because you can’t see it while you have the headphones on. The Aviator 900 offer good noise-canceling and voice-calling performance, though the Nothing Headphone (1) may have a slight edge in those departments. Even so, I slightly preferred Skullcandy’s headphones for their fit and sound, especially after a firmware upgrade fixed an early issue that some people experienced with the sound distorting at higher volumes.

Reasons to buy

The Aviator 900 ANC headphones offer a comfortable fit and strong overall performance in a unique, eye-catching design. They also seem to regularly go on sale for $200, which makes them significantly more affordable than the Sony WH-1000XM6 and other premium noise-canceling headphones.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The headphones are fairly pricey, so you may want to wait for them to go on sale. They’ve dipped to as low as $200 during Amazon Prime Day, and I suspect we’ll see them sporadically discounted to near $200 as we head into the holiday buying season.

Why I like them

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 technically aren’t the company’s flagship headphones (the PX8 are), but they’re arguably better than the more expensive PX8s, offering improved sound quality and superior noise canceling in an upgraded, slimmer design (300 grams) that fits my head more comfortably. The drivers aren’t the same as the PX8’s carbon cone drivers, but the redesigned 40mm biocellulose drive units have an improved chassis, voice coil, suspension and magnet that, according to B&W, deliver “lower coloration and distortion, improved resolution and superior dynamics.” Additionally, for the first time in a set of B&W headphones, the drive units are powered by a dedicated, discrete headphone amplifier that provides more “scale and energy to the sound.” I did think their sound was more revealing and open compared to the earlier S2e, and they are more exciting and fun to listen to. At the default setting, the treble may be a touch aggressive for some folks (a tad too much sizzle), which can lead to some listening fatigue. But you can play around with the five-band equalizer in the companion app for iOS and Android to smooth things out and give the headphones a slightly warmer sound.

While these are pricey headphones, at least they look like premium headphones and are made with premium materials. In my tests in the noisy streets of New York, I found that the noise canceling is significantly improved — it’s better than PX8’s — though it’s not quite up to the level of what you get with Sony’s and Bose’s flagship noise canceling headphones. I also thought the voice-calling performance has been upgraded — the headphones have eight microphones total, four in each ear cup.

While callers said that the background noise reduction wasn’t quite as good as what they heard when I was talking to them on Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones, they said they could hear my voice well with minimal background noise.

It’s also worth noting that these headphones have USB-C audio for a lossless wired connection (and they also come with a 3.5mm analog cable that stows away nicely in a compartment inside the headphone’s hard case). Android users should note that they have support for Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless audio codecs that can help improve sound quality when listening wirelessly over Bluetooth to high-resolution tracks from music streaming services like Tidal, Amazon and Qobuz. However, very few mainstream Android smartphones support aptX Adaptive or Lossless (more support Sony’s LDAC audio codec).

Reasons to buy

The sleekly designed, swanky Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 are excellent noise-canceling headphones that are a clear improvement over their predecessor. That said, the biggest reason to buy these over Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones, which carry the same list price, is that you like their look better. They also feature USB-C audio, while the XM6 doesn’t.

Reason to skip/keep looking

From an aesthetic standpoint, I prefer the design of the PX7 S3 to the Sony WH-1000XM6’s. But I can’t say the PX7 S3 is any more comfortable or sounds better; I slightly preferred the sound of the Sony, in fact. And the Sony offers slightly better noise canceling and voice-calling performance, along with some extra features such as Speak-to-Chat and Quick Attention mode. If you already own the earlier PX7 S2e, it’s probably not worth shelling out full price for PX7 S3. The same is true if you own Bowers & Wilkins’ flagship PX8, which could get the S2 treatment in 2025. The PX7 S3 sounds more exciting than the PX8, but it’s debatable whether it sounds better. I would give the slight nod to the PX8, but that’s just my personal taste.

When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they’ve improved with each generation.

Over the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, but nothing as dramatic as what it’s done with the WH-1000XM5. Other than the higher price tag, most of those changes are good, and Sony’s made some dramatic improvements with voice-calling performance, as well as even better noise-canceling and more refined sound.

Why I like them

A lot of people expected Sonos’ first headphones to be able to stream lossless audio over Wi-Fi in your home and then use Bluetooth outside your Sonos home network. However, Sonos reps told me that listening to music over Wi-Fi would greatly reduce the headphone’s battery life and the company opted to leave that feature off. So even though they’re equipped with a Wi-Fi chip so you can tap into a Sonos sound bar at home for private late-night viewing (Sonos refers to this as the TV Audio Swap feature), they’re not really Wi-Fi headphones and are first and foremost noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones — and I was mostly quite impressed by them. Read my Sonos Ace review.

Sleekly designed, at 312 grams, they’re not as light as the 254-gram Sony WH-1000XM6s or the 253-gram Bose QuietComfort Ultras, but they’re considerably lighter than the 385-gram AirPods Max and I found them quite comfortable to wear, with a relatively small gap between the headband and my head (they hugged my head nicely with just the right amount of clamping). I also appreciated tat their chrome metal yoke allows the headphones to swivel in multiple directions — the hinge is hidden – and the ear cups adhere magnetically like they do on the AirPods Max and are replaceable, which is good.

All in all, the Sonos Ace headphones perform very well across the board with strong noise canceling, excellent sound quality and very good voice-calling performance. Well balanced, they’re clean sounding with nice detail and sparkle in the treble along with punchy, powerful bass that doesn’t get boomy. Vocals sounded natural and the headphones have a relatively wide soundstage. It’s also good to see that the headphones have USB-C audio support (wired listening with a USB-C cable) and spatial audio with head-tracking.

Reasons to buy

The Sonos Ace are one of the top noise-canceling headphones on the market, rivaling flagship models from Sony, Apple and Bose. Now that they’ve been out for more than a year, we’re seeing some good discounts on them, which makes them a better value, and a potential alternative to Sony’s new WH-1000XM6 headphones. While you don’t have to be an owner of Sonos speakers to buy them, Sonos soundbar owners can leverage the TV Audio Swap feature for private late-night viewing (the Ace delivers virtual surround sound in this mode).

Reasons to skip/keep looking

You can make the argument that Sony’s new WH-1000XM6 are slightly better overall for around the same price (I’m talking list price — and yes, they’re too pricey for some folks). But with the Ace selling for as low as $330, they’re an easier sell.

Why I like them

Sony’s improved entry-level noise canceling headphones, the CH-720Ns, have a bit of a plasticky budget vibe, but they’re lightweight (only 192 grams) and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised, as these headphones offer good overall tonal balance with punchy bass, decent clarity and a fairly wide soundstage (the headphones are suitable for a variety of music genres. They also offers decent noise canceling and good voice-calling performance.

No, they don’t sound as good or perform as well as Sony’s WH-1000XM5 or new WH-1000XM6 headphones. But they sound more premium than they look — and feel — and their overall performance is a step up from their predecessor, the CH-710Ns. Are they worth $150? Maybe — or maybe not. But the good news is that, like the CH-710N and WH-XB910 before them, these frequently are discounted to closer to $100, which makes them a good value.

Reasons to buy

Budget-conscious buyers seeking Sony quality at an accessible price point will find these offer a significant step up from truly entry-level headphone options.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The main reason not get these is that you simply want a more premium noise-canceling headphone that not only offers better build quality but better overall performance along with more advanced features like ear-detection sensors, LDAC audio codec support and Sony’s Quick Attention and Speak-To-Chat features. Sony also leaves out any sort of carrying case or pouch with these headphones, which is slightly disappointing.

When Sony’s WF-1000XM4 earbuds came out in 2021, we awarded them a CNET Editors’ Choice. And while they’re excellent, we had some quibbles — they’re on the large side and aren’t a good match for certain ears. Clearly, Sony took those gripes to heart when it set out to design its next-generation WF-1000XM5 flagship noise-canceling earbuds. Not only are the XM5s smaller, but they also offer improved performance pretty much across the board, with better noise canceling, great sound quality and voice calling. Are the XM5s perfect? Not quite. At $300 — $20 more than their predecessor — they’re costly too. Overall they’re really impressive; among the very top earbuds on the market.

The AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are powered by Apple’s new H2 chip, which delivers more processing power while being more energy efficient, according to Apple. The new chip, combined with new low-distortion drivers, allows for improved sound that offers better clarity and depth. The noise canceling is also improved — Apple says the new AirPods have “double” the noise canceling of the original AirPods Pro. Additionally, the new AirPods add an extra hour of battery, up from five to six hours with noise canceling on. Plus, a speaker in the case that emits a sound that helps locate your buds via Find My should they decide to hide from you.

Why I like them

Love ’em or hate ’em, Beats Studio headphones are among the most popular headphones of all time, launching as a wired headphone back in 2008. This is the fourth generation of them, and they carry the same list price as their predecessor and look very similar on the outside but have some big changes on the inside that make them significantly better headphones. I’m tempted to describe them as more affordable plastic versions of the AirPods Max. However, that’s not quite accurate due to a choice in chipsets and one notable missing feature. But read my full review to find out what makes this a very good headphone with some small caveats.

Reason to buy

The Studio Pros are the best Beats over-ear headphones, geared toward both Apple and Android users. Android users get multipoint Bluetooth pairing with automatic switching between devices linked to your Google account, while Apple users link to their iCloud account but have to manually switch between devices. For Apple users, there’s spatial audio with head tracking when watching videos and hands-free Siri access. IThose who prefer a more exciting, forward sound signature over more laid back options will find these appealing, and they should work well with a variety of music genres.

Reason to skip/keep looking

The one big miss here is the lack of ear-detection sensors — most $350 over-ear headphones have this feature, meaning your music doesn’t automatically pause when you take the headphones off. I also think it was a mistake for Beats not to power these with Apple’s H2 chip, as going forward you won’t get feature upgrades designed for that chip. Android users don’t get spatial audio with head tracking or hands-free Siri. 

Why I like them

Earfun has made some very solid budget earbuds, and now it’s entered the full-size ANC headphone space with a few different over-ear models, including the Wave Pro (add the code EWPROCNET at checkout on Amazon to receive an additional 10% off). While they may not sound as good as premium noise-canceling headphones from Bose or Sony, they’re comfortable to wear, feature decent sound with punchy bass (they’re a bit lacking in clarity and bass definition compared to more expensive models), and they offer respectable noise canceling (you can toggle between two levels of ANC) and voice-calling performance. The headphones do come with a cable for wired listening — you can plug into an inflight entertainment system — but the noise canceling cuts off when you’re in wired mode, which is unfortunate.

Reasons to buy

For less than $60, you’re getting decent sounding headphones with effective noise canceling that are comfortable to wear and have long battery lfie. They’re also one of the few budget headphones that come with a carrying case.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

If you’re a critical listener, these probably aren’t for you as these headphones lack the treble clarity and bass definition found in higher-end models.

Why I like them

When Bose released its new flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones in late 2023, it also replaced the QuietComfort 45s with a new, slightly updated model simply called the QuietComfort Headphones. Like the QC 45s, this model carries on the very comfortable tried-and-true legacy QuietComfort design that’s been around for a few generations that a lot of people continue to love. The QC Ultra Headphones add Bose’s new Immersive Audio feature and have a more refined design with some metal parts (they also have Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.1). But the QuietComfort Headphones still feature very good sound (the Ultras offer a small step up in sound quality), excellent noise canceling and strong voice-calling performance.

As for differences between these and the QC45s, Bose says it adjusted some of the electronics to improve battery life (now 24 hours vs. 22 hours) and adjusted the logos to make the products “visually distinguishable and more in line with its latest design language.” It also added an inline microphone to the auxiliary cable to “help with some users who may prefer a plug-and-play solution rather than Bluetooth pairing.” There’s also a Wind Block feature and some additional small performance improvements due to software upgrades. Finally, the headphones come in several new color options, including pink. Some colors may only be available at bose.com.

Reasons to buy

If you’re a fan of Bose’s earlier “iconic” headphones design starting with the QC35 (or maybe even the QC25), this is the Bose headphone for you. Cheaper than the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, they also regularly go on sale for $250 or less, marking them a more attractive value.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are better headphones overall with improved all-around performance and a more premium design.

Why I like them

Sennheiser’s previous-generation Momentum Wireless headphones have always had a pretty distinct look that was part retro, part modern and stood out for the exposed metal on their headband. For better or worse, that’s all gone now, and the new Momentum 4 Wireless, Sennheiser’s flagship noise-canceling headphones, look a bit more subdued and also a bit more like some of their competitors.

The Momentum 4 Wireless offers superior performance over the Momentum 3 Wireless in every regard, although the biggest gains are with noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well as battery life, which is outstanding — up to 60 hours at moderate volume levels. There’s also a transparency mode that allows ambient sound in, and they have the ability to create a custom sound profile in the Smart Control app for iOS and Android using the built-in EQ, sound modes and a new Sound Personalization feature that “assesses the user’s listening preferences and adjusts the listening experience according to their taste.” 

Equipped with 42mm drivers, Sennheiser says the Momentum 4 Wireless offers “best-in-class” sound, which is debatable. I’d say the Momentum 4’s sound quality is right there with other models in this price range — they sound excellent, with the requisite well-defined, punchy bass, relatively wide soundstage (they sound pretty open) and smooth treble that brings out some of the finer details in well-recorded tracks. They’re a pleasure to listen to.

Reasons to buy

The Momentum 4 Wireless costs less than flagship models from Sony, Bose and Apple and offer excellent sound and good build quality.

Reasons to skip/keep looking

While I’m fan of the Momentum 4 Wireless and like their sound a lot, they’re noise canceling and comfort level isn’t as good as what you get from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony WH-1000XM5 or WH-1000XM6.