True wireless earbuds were everwhere at CES 2020, and more and more manufacturers are adding active noise-canceling (ANC) to their products. The list of true wireless earbuds with proper ANC technology onboard is still relatively short, but here are the best pairs you can buy today.
Shortcuts:
- Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
- Sony WF-1000XM3
- Apple AirPods Pro
- Libratone Track Air+
- Mobvoi Ticpods 2 Pro
- 1MORE True Wireless ANC
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
Fans of the legendary German audio brand have been waiting for Sennheiser to dive into the true wireless earbuds with ANC market, and the wait is over. Available since April 2020, our very own Antoine was not disappointed when he reviewed them. The build quality is just as good as we have come to expect from this brand, and feature-wise all boxes are ticked here.
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 IPX4, support three high-def audio codecs (although sadly not aptX HD) and sound fantastic. They come in a rather nice carry case covered in fabric and there’s a handy smart control app to give you more power over the earbuds’ behavior when listening. They are pricey at $300, but you often get what you pay for in this business.
Key facts:
- Audio codec: SBC, AAC, and aptX
- Battery Life: 28 hours (7 hours in the earbuds, 21 hours in the carry case)
- Price: around $300
Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony’s over-ear ANC headphones are market leaders, and noise reduction is one of the brand’s main strengths. It was quite exciting, then, when Sony decided to bring ANC to its true wireless earbuds range. Don’t be expecting comparable ANC on the WF-1000XM3 to the WH-1000XM3, but for true wireless earbuds, the former do a good job of reducing ambient sounds around you.
The design will not be for everyone, especially those who favor sleek earbuds or who long for an AirPods-style stem design. They’re also reasonable weighty at 8.5 grams compared to something like the Libratone Track Air+. Yet, the QN1e chip in these, a miniaturized version of the QN1 chip found in the over-ear big brothers, makes these the best true wireless earbuds on the market in terms of the quality of the ANC.
Key facts:
- Audio codec: SBC and AAC
- Battery Life: 24 hours (6 hours in the earbuds, 18 hours in the carry case)
- Price: around $230
Apple AirPods Pro
It is safe to say that the Apple AirPods Pro are already a huge hit with consumers. Apple addressed a lot of things fans of the product were calling for with the latest iteration of the infamous white earbuds, adding ANC among other new features.
The design and build quality will be familiar to most, but Apple has now added a ventilation duct to prevent that unpleasant feeling of pressure in your ears that you can sometimes get with in-ear headphones. An outer microphone now captures ambient noise and the inner microphone is used to dynamically adjust the sound. Apple says that the sound image can be adjusted up to 200 times in one second, and as a result the active noise cancellation is successful. The AirPods Pro’s H1 chip is a huge advantage for iPhone and Mac users when it comes to quick pairing and connection stability too. If you are an Apple user, you really don’t need to look past these, and few hardcore fans of the Cupertino brand will.
Key facts:
- Audio codec: AAC
- Battery Life: 24 hours (4.5 hours in the earbuds, 19.5 hours in the carry case)
- Price: around $250
Libratone Track Air+
Libratone has built a strong reputation amongst those who report on the mobile industry and the Track Air+ could be seen as the brand’s biggest innovation. When we reviewed these back at the end of 2019, our man Shu thought they were better than Apple’s AirPods.
The design is all about wearing comfort, and at 5.6 grams per earbud, the Libratone Track Air+ are very lightweight. They also come with IPX4 certification against water damage. Most of all, though, it’s the clever ANC that impressed us. Not only do you get active noise cancellation, but the microphones in the earbuds can also be used to bypass passive noise reduction, meaning that a double-tap on the touch-field and your music disappears discreetly and you can perceive your surroundings again.
Key facts:
- Audio codec: AAC and aptX
- Battery Life: 24 hours (6 hours in the earbuds, 18 hours in the carry case)
- Price: around $219
1MORE True Wireless ANC
Launched at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, the 1MORE True Wireless ANC In-ear Headphones are a relative newcomer amongst the bigger and more established brands. Don’t write them off just for that though, there’s a lot of technology packed in here, including ANC. 1MORE calls its system ‘hybrid active noise cancellation’, but basically dual microphones work with the dedicated Digital Signal Processor to analyze and block out environmental and in-ear noises respectively. This means that you can choose between two levels of active noise cancellation and there’s also an ambient mode called pass-through, which you can access with a single tap on the earbuds.
Key facts:
- Audio codec: AAC and aptX
- Battery Life: 18 hours (5 hours in the earbuds, 13 hours in the carry case)
- Price: around $199
Mobvoi Ticpods 2 Pro
True wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation don’t have to cost a fortune. The budget pick on our list comes from the Chinese brand, Mobvoi. We’ve been impressed with the true wireless efforts from this company over the last couple of years, and the Ticpods 2 Pro offer an affordable way to get into ANC on your true wireless earbuds.
In terms of ANC, the Ticpods 2 Pro feature dual-mic noise cancellation sensors on both earbuds They’re also great for calls, as the mics focus on your voice and tunes out ambient noise. There are no rubber tips on these though, so you won’t benefit from any passive noise cancellation as you would with some other in-ear headphone designs.
Key facts:
- Audio codec: aptX, AAC, and SBC
- Battery Life: 24 hours (4 hours in the earbuds, 20 hours in the carry case)
- Price: around $125
What are your favorite true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation? Share your tips in the comments section below.
