When you are listening to your favorite songs, if it gets interrupted by outside noise, anyone would feel annoyed. But you can get a perfect music experience using one of these best Noise Cancelling Headphones for Under $200.
Headphones are essential these days for when you are traveling. But traveling can be quite noisy and headphones cannot push back all of it. Some noise is bound to leak in unless you use Noise Cancelling Headphones. So we chose and reviewed the best Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones under $200 for you.
Music has become a vital part of our lives. Not only that, digital audio itself is a major part of how we live these days. Smartphones turn radio waves into digital sound and that is how we can receive calls; so sound clarity matters a lot!
Whether it is for watching movies or listening to music, headphones do a great job of delivering audio. Not only that, people often prefer watching movies with headphones to understand the dialogue more clearly.
But outside noise can often impede your understanding of sound; which is exactly why Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones exist today. They can block out noise either passively or actively, and help you get clear audio.
But how does noise-Cancelling work? Let’s look a bit deeper into the science of noise cancellation.
How Do Noise Cancelling Headphones Work?
Basically, there are two kinds of noise cancellation mechanisms. One is the most basic form of noise-Cancelling techniques, which is passive noise cancellation. This works by sealing out space entirely to keep sound out.
The second way of noise cancellation is active, which is a technology used in headphones these days. This is the technique that makes Noise Cancelling Headphones so useful.
How it works is that the headphones detect the noise coming from the outside and produce the same frequency of sound. And as everyone knows sound travels in waves, so when two waves collide they negate each other.
So the headphone is negating or cancelling out the noise coming from the outside. That is how active noise cancellation works.
What to Lookout for in Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones?
Build
Headphones these days are built with flexible and durable material. This makes them strong and the flexibility allows for the headphones to flex without breaking. This can help them stretch out without snapping when used on different head sizes.
Using metal in the adjustment sliders and headband also plays a vital part in this. But when we are talking about Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones, they need to be made of material which passively cancels noise. So the material that can block out sound is preferred for the ear cups.
Ergonomics
If you buy headphones that are not comfortable even with the best noise cancellation features, you are wasting your hard-earned money. To avoid that always make sure to wear the headphones beforehand. Make sure to check out the clamping force of the headphones if they are over the head ones.
Also, the ear pads should have breathable material covering them. Velour is a much more preferred material in this regard as it is a breathable material. This allows for your ears to get some air but also lacks the ability to block noise. Leatherette is warmer but blocks out noise better.
In the end, if you are not comfortable with something, you will not use it for too long. So comfort is an important aspect regardless of the kind of headphones.
Compatibility
So headphones these days come with USB input as well as the traditional 3.5mm one. There are also wireless headsets available in the market with noise-Cancelling technology.
Bluetooth wireless headphones can connect with anything that has Bluetooth connectivity. A USB input is a bit uncommon but not unheard of, and most computer headphones have these.
But a 3.5mm wired input can work on any device that has a 3.5mm jack on it. But devices such as the modern iPhone do not have one; so your best bet would be Bluetooth wireless connection.
Best Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones under $200
1. Sony WHCH710N Noise Cancelling Headphones
There are only a few companies that do it as well as Sony does audio. The Sony WHCH710N Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones just shows why. The Noise Cancelling on these headsets is pretty good; but of course, the higher-end models do it even better.
First of all, the design is pretty comfortable. The ear cushions are plush and soft, so they do not feel uncomfortable. The clamping force is just right and you get the best audio quality. Or at least the best you can get from 30mm drivers.
Now the ANC or Active Noise Cancellation on these is pretty good. With a push of a button, you can toggle the noise cancelling feature. By long pressing the same button, you can open the external microphones to enable ambient mode. This allows you to hear outside noise without taking the headsets off.
The swivel design allows you to rest these on your shoulders when you don’t want to wear them. It also has a 35-hour battery life which can last you a week without hassle.
Pros
- NFC for a quick wireless connection without pairing
- Long Battery Life
- Tap to take calls
- Good sound clarity
Cons
- Not as comfortable as higher-end models
- ANC better on higher-end models
2. Sennheiser HD 4.50 Bluetooth Wireless Headphones with Active Noise Cancellation
Sennheiser HD 4.50 headphones are the direct competition for the Sony WHCH710N in the market. They come with Sennheiser’s proprietary NoiseGard active noise Cancelling technology reducing ambient sound.
They do not have the same battery life as the Sony ones; but a 19-hour battery life is not that bad. Also, they are quite comfortable on the ears as the ear cushions are very soft and plush. It uses Bluetooth 4.0 which is not the latest technology but it works great.
It uses a 32mm dynamic sound driver in each ear cup for clear crisp sound. Audio-wise Sennheiser is one of the pioneers when it comes to audio innovation. We have yet to find bad audio in most Sennheiser products out in the market. Also, they cost less than the competition, making it a good buy.
The NFC allows for an easy and smooth connection to your phone. And other than that we also have easy to figure out on-ear controls to take calls, enable and disabling NoiseGard ANC, and volume control.
Pros
- Comfortable Fit
- Proprietary Sennheiser Audio Quality
- NFC Wireless Connection for Easy Pairing
- Better Priced Than Competition
- Foldable for Better Portability
Cons
- Better Battery Life on Competition
- Not Best Fit for Bigger heads
3. Razer Opus Active Noise Cancelling ANC Wireless Headphones
Razer is the biggest gaming brand in the U.S. with most sales in gaming peripherals. The Razer had very edgy and powerful gaming headsets in the market; but the Razer Opus is designed for the non-gamer audience. These headsets have great ANC; in fact it’s so good you hardly hear noise from outside.
So Razer is famous for comfort when it comes to their headphones. They use quite plush cushions in the ear pads and the Opus is no exception. It is one of the most comfortable feeling headphones we reviewed. Also, they are durable and the metal sliders reinforce the strong build.
The flexibility allows for these to stretch for people with bigger heads. Also, you can wear your glasses with these, no issues there whatsoever. They have a smart sensor, just like Sony ones, which turn off the music when you take them off your ears.
If we had any complaint with these headphones, it would be the microphone. The microphone is just plain muddy sounding. But not bad for Razer’s first attempt at ANC headphones for the general audience rather than gamers.
Pros
- Amazing Noise Cancellation
- Comfortable Fit
- THX Certified Audio Quality
- 40mm Drivers
Cons
- Very Bad Microphone Sound
- Opus App Needs Work
4. Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
Anker seems to be targeting the budget audience with its Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones. These cost less than $50 on Amazon and deliver some good performance. Of course, with the price cuts, you can expect some manner of compromises.
Anker is slowly gaining an audience and becoming one of the best brands in the U.S. The Anker Soundcore headphones are quite popular as a budget choice and the Q20 is keeping that spirit alive with its low price.
The Noise Cancellation is not the best in the market, but it does the job fine. As far as comfort goes, they are great for the price. But we would have liked to see more comfortable and plush ear cushions. Also, the clamping force could be better as well.
The audio is great, and the headphones sound amazing. The battery life on these things can go on and on without charge. The battery is 40-hours long with all the features activated. Without the features, you get up to 60-hours battery life. Shows Anker’s prowess in power bank products.
Pros
- Incredibly Affordable Compared to Competition
- Battery Life is Best
- On-ear Sound Controls with LED Indicators
- 40mm Drivers for Great Sound
Cons
- ANC Could be Better
- Earcups are not Breathable and get Warm
5. Plantronics Pro 2 Wireless Noise Cancelling Backbeat
Plantronics is another rising brand in the U.S. with amazing audio quality products. The Plantronics Pro 2 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones are not as cheap as the Anker Soundcore, but still affordable. They have a rather unique design compared to all the other picks in our review list.
There is a battery life indicator LED on the ear cups and on the other ones we have volume and track control options. There is also a slider toggle for ANC and power on/off. The headband is pretty padded and the design is comfortable as well.
The ear cups do trap heat though, and the battery life is not as great. Other competitions have a bigger battery timing. The ANC is good but not as great as Sennheiser or Sony gives in their headsets. But, with the price cuts, you have to expect some features to be not as great. Even with that, it is still pretty good and not bad, overall a great pair of headsets by Plantronics.
Pros
- Great Design
- Comfortable Headband
- Easy Volume/Track Control
- Great Audio
Cons
- Average Battery Life
- ANC Could be Better
Disconnect from outside distractions and focus on the music
You can find Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones in the $50-$500 price range. But we were able to provide the best ones just within $200. With so many brands it might be confusing on which ones to pick up; but these are clear cut winners in our eyes, each of them has different traits and benefits.
These all stand out from each other, and some features are better on ones than the others. But all of these will do the job for you without any problems, so pick one of these without hesitation!
