Best Noise Isolating Bluetooth Headphones?

July 15, 2021 11:53 AM

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a pair of Apple's Powerbeats Pro headphones. The sound is great, but the noise isolation is terrible to non-existent. (I also find them very difficult to put on.) I’m going to give them to my husband because he works from home and doesn’t care about noise isolation, but I need a new pair. What are my options?

I live in NYC and commute on the subway, and I also have some sensory issues, so I need pretty good noise isolation. I don’t actually need noise cancellation, but I’m not against it. I would strongly prefer not using the over-the-head style of headphones. I use an iPhone. Are the Air Pods Pro pretty much my only option here? And if so, how’s the noise isolation/cancellation on those?

I did try changing the tips of the Powerbeats Pro. The noise isolation is a hair better, but really only a hair. I think they just don’t sit in my ear very well.

Thank you!

posted by holborne to Technology (13 answers total)

Have you considered / tried the Airpods instead?

I have a pair of the AirPods Max, which are (I am sad to admit) amazing. They are silly expensive and since they're over the ear not what you want - but I expect that the Airpods Pro are equally good if you like the in-ear experience. Slightly more expensive than the Powerbeats but I'd bet that they are more what you're looking for.
posted by jzb at 12:00 PM on July 15, 2021

A little while back, I got my wife some UE Fits (these are the "consumer" products from a brand that otherwise caters to the recording industry). She's got really hard-to-fit ears. The silicone in these molds to your ears and then sets (and can't be remolded), so they're finicky, but the isolation seems to be quite good. Or she's ignoring me on purpose.

I think it's fair to say that if you use an iPhone, nothing is going to beat an Apple product in terms of convenience
posted by adamrice at 12:10 PM on July 15, 2021

I have the Jabra Elite 75t earbuds, which I like a lot. I use an iPhone and haven't had any issues.
posted by neushoorn at 12:15 PM on July 15, 2021

I commute on public transit and have an older pair of Sony WH1000 sitting next to me right now. I have many headphones and these are my favs. In part because they can be re-trained on a different noisy environment in about 6 seconds. Comfy. Battery lasts. Pairing works great. I don't bother with the Sony app, the cup controls seemed like a gimmic but I use them all the time and I should note a general dislike of Sony.

If they broke I would get another pair, starting with the WH1000xm3, which is the oldest model I would go with and is still available for a discount as new/old stock.
posted by zenon at 12:43 PM on July 15, 2021

After hemming and hawing I bought a pair of AirPods Pro, and I really like them. They work pretty seamlessly with my devices, and the noise cancellation works well for me. I recently took a flight and sat near an unhappy toddler--I was glad to have the noise cancellation feature and found it to be effective. Besides the price, I was hesitant because the old wired Apple ear buds were VERY uncomfortable to me, to the point of being painful, so I never used them. I find the AirPods Pro much more comfortable (though still not perfect), and they stay in fine while just walking around. You didn't ask, but I've never used them while I was working out or jumping around or anything so I am not sure about that. All that said, I don't think AirPods Pro are your only option, but they're a good option in my opinion.
posted by kochenta at 12:43 PM on July 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

I enjoy my airpods pro and am generally pleased with the noise cancellation. But all noise cancellation has its limits. It works well for steady-state, low frequency noise.

If we want really good passive isolation that will do a better job of blocking speech, transients, etc., your best option are deep-insertion custom earphone tips. You can have them made by an audiologist for basically any earphone you want. For example, I have them fit for a pair of Etymotic HR4s and they are awesome. You hear very little from the outside world. They would probably cost you around $100, plus the cost of the earphones.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:25 PM on July 15, 2021

I was very doubtful about noise-cancelling headphones, but I got a pair of Sony's WH-CH700N headphones for Christmas and have grown to love them: https://www.soundguys.com/sony-wh-ch700n-review-22439/
posted by MrJM at 1:40 PM on July 15, 2021

I've used the Bose quiet comfort 35's for a while now (Not the IIs, the original, bought em refurbished)

Definitely the most expensive paid of headphones I've ever bought, but they've got great sound muffling and last all day on a quick charge. Pair easily with anything and work a room over. Would recommend.
posted by wafehling at 1:48 PM on July 15, 2021

Sony WH1000XM4 or XM3. Better than Bose, IMO (though of course tastes vary). My wife and I both used them while working together in the living room of a small 1br apartment in 2020-early 2021, and we're still married, so that says something positive...
posted by Alterscape at 2:03 PM on July 15, 2021

You need headsets with "ANC" or active noise cancellation. That test set you have does NOT have this feature.

The best "earbuds style" with ANC is Sony WF-1000XM3 or XM4 and/or Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, and the AirPods Pro.
posted by kschang at 3:50 PM on July 15, 2021 [1 favorite]

To anyone recommending Sony WH1000xm3 - I have a pair, they're amazing, but they are over-the-head, which the asker doesn't want. I'd hope the WF-1000XM3 (which are earbuds) are as good. The Sonys I have come highly recommended by a lot of musician friends.
posted by altolinguistic at 6:08 AM on July 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

Myself, I was a fan of the original Parrot Zik (1), over the ear, bluetooth, noise-cancellation - even replaceable/rechargable battery packs (which were the same ones used by their original drone). But, reviews of subsequent releases seemed to show a worse build-quality. Prior to that, I used to use earbud (with tips) - Sony or Senheiser, I cannot use the stock Apple earbuds as they just fall out of my ears.

Last November, I got AirPods Pro... And have not open my Parrot case since... Their noise cancellation is top-notch, they are convenient and lightweight. Sound good to me (am now old, with some minor hearing loss).

My only complaint is that they still will fall out of my ears if I am doing mild/moderate activities... (Even cleaning the house, bending, moving around and they will pop-out... Snow shoveling - even just walking) So, I have to keep pushing them back in, tried all the tip sizes, but it happens with all of them.
posted by rozcakj at 9:44 AM on July 21, 2021

>My only complaint is that they still will fall out of my ears if I am doing mild/moderate activities... (Even cleaning the house, bending, moving around and they will pop-out

You need these "wings" which keeps them in your ears by fitting into your ear's inner curve
posted by kschang at 12:28 PM on July 22, 2021 [1 favorite]