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Upgrade Your Listening Experience with These Noise-Cancelling Headphones

Our top tech picks for audiophiles

The morning commute, the long car ride home and the moments in between: some lulls during the day are just better with a little listening aid.

Whether it’s a soundtrack to zone out to, an audiobook on your listening bucket list or a podcast to leave running in the background, once you get in the zone, the idea is to stay there. And there’s nothing quite like muffled external noise getting through to ruin the moment for you.

If it’s pure, uninterrupted sound and that I’m-safe-in-a-bubble vibe you’re looking for, regular earphones obviously won’t cut it. This kind of upgraded listening experience calls for noise-cancelling headphones. These guarantee a full auditory extravaganza—HD surround sound, the bass and treble just right and sans having to turn the volume way up to compensate for sound quality.

But before you shop around for the auditory clutter-eliminating gadget for you, it pays to read up and do research first. Something that’s made exponentially easier by the roundup ahead.

Below, we list our top picks for noise-cancelling headphones that guarantee crisp, clear sound and not a trace of outside noise to bother you; it’s just you and your playlist from here on out.

Sony WH-1000XM2

This one may be on the pricey side, but the Sony WH-1000XM2 (P17,999) is the premium pick perfect for true-blue music junkies. What makes this particular pair extra special is its sound customization feature through the Sony Headphones Connect app. Here, users are given the added option to modify noise isolation, room effects and sound profile down to codec settings, so that they can match sound quality based on what they’re listening to.

With this kind of extraordinary sound production, this pair of over-ear wireless headphones (bonus: they can be wired in, too) also better optimizes its noise-cancelling capabilities through two unique modes found on the left ear cup. The Ambient Noise mode will only let in mid-to-high frequency tones (like an announcement over a loudspeaker), while the Quick Attention mode will let in all outside noise without having to take the device off. Another thing worth noting is the battery of the Sony WH-1000XM2, which can last up to 30 to 40 hours. Meanwhile, the Quick Charge feature ensures 70 minutes of battery life from a speedy 10-minute charge.

JBL Everest Elite 750NC

A favorite among Pinoy music lovers, JBL’s Everest Elite 750NC (P13,990) is a bass-forward, over-ear device with ultra-comfortable padded ear cups for comfortable listening. It also pairs with an app for customized equalization where users can switch between Jazz, Vocal, Bass, or Custom EQ. They alternatively can turn off these settings altogether if they prefer an overall balanced sound.

The 750NC also comes with adaptive noise-cancelling that’s easily adjustable via the Awareness setting on the app. With this on, listeners can control the amount of ambient sound being let in, which comes in handy when they need to talk to someone in person.

As far as battery life is concerned, the 750NC can run for an impressive 15 hours.

Bose QuietControl 30

Bose is well-known for its extensive line of noise-cancelling gadgets (audiophiles know there are too many to choose from), but the QuietControl 30 (P20,000) gets a special nod for its earbud tip and unique neckband style. This makes it portable, lightweight and easy to carry around.

The earbuds that come with Bose's Stay-Hear+ ear tips are guaranteed to stay fit and secure in the ear, providing maximum comfort even during strenuous activities like running. In addition, the QuietControl 30’s sound quality is consistently well-balanced and noise-cancelling is excellent with very low leakage. You can even adjust the QC30’s noise canceller with an inline remote or through the Bose Connect app to further mask ambient noise and turn up the music volume without distracting people in close proximity.

Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2

While this American electronics brand is better known for its headsets, Plantronics equally deserve some love for throwing a pair of top-notch noise-cancelling headphones in the lineup.

The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 (P10,995), AKA the second gen of the BackBeat Pro, is a much lighter version that retains the over-ear form and the dynamic its predecessor became famous for: a well-balanced sound output that’s comparable to the premium noise-cancelling headphones currently available in the market.

Nifty new features include the built-in headphone sensors: these automatically pause music when the headphones are taken off and resume when they’re put back on. The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2’s additional side-tone feature also allows listeners hear their voice through the headphones while they speak. Lastly, this inexpensive pair features a battery life of up to 24 hours, which makes it a perfect companion for long commutes.

Now you can enjoy your favorite tracks, audiobooks, podcasts and more—undisturbed and in excellent, uncompromising quality. Itching to keep hunting? Scroll through the Globe Shop for earphones and headphones you can shop right here and now.