Hello everyone, I am currently looking for good quality noise cancelling hedphones for travel for my own use. My budget is flexible and i my opinion price does’nt matter quality matter. I am looking for your recommendations. Thanks a lot!
My choice is not exactly what you were asking for, Etymotic ER 2 SE. Very isolation that work really well for flight,train or bus travels. Good sound for all types of music except EDM but with a fit that needs getting just to. Some are OK with it others hate it. I have used them many years for travels. Looks ugly are low tech but works just fine.
Mike
While the choices for “good quality noise cancelling” have gotten better over the years, you still have compromises.
Reasonable quality → Sennheiser Momentum 4 or 5
Good quality → Focal Bathys (The standard, not the MG)
More consumer tuning - some people like → Sony WH-1000XM6
I don’t expect a lot from travel wireless noise cancelling. I have the Sennheiser Momemtum 4. I’ll probably use Airpods Pro instead, or if I want good sound, wired Audeze LDIi4 - sort of earbuds, no longer available.
2 Likes
If they’re for travel, I strongly recommend IEMs instead of over-ear cans. The ANC of Bluetooth IEMs is starting to rival that of over-ears, and the convenience and portability factor are so much better.
If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, I recommend the AirPods Pro 2 if you can still find them. Great with phone calls and podcasts. Not bad for music. About the closest Apple has gotten to audiophile sound even if there’s still too much bass bloat.
As usual, I agree with @pk500
But you asked about cans.
And sometimes I just don’t like things in my ears.
1 Like
If by travel you mean flying, try the AirPods Max. I keep a pair specifically for this purpose, and seldom otherwise use them as the AirPods Pro are more convenient. Their ability to reduce the Airplane Drone is unmatched once you experience it you cant go back.
If you mean travel as in something lightweight for road trips or trains, then a true wireless IEM might work better. I concur with the recommendations here.
If the headphones will primarily be used for travel and not necessarily for much critical listening, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 takes the cake for me. They’re lightweight, travel well due to the compact case and still sound good after using the EQ built into the app. Their noise cancellation is top notch too - still best in class IMO.
I have used Sony WH 1000 MX4 for years, never seen the need to goto 5 or 6. V7 is coming soon so there should be bargains on the MX6
I also have the WF 1000MX4 earbuds which are equally good
Depends a lot on how much you use. Battery life is good on both
Why not the Bathys MG? They are what I use for travel.
Nothing wrong with Bathys MG. I haven’t heard them. And they are expensive. When traveling, there is always the chance of loss. And most travel environments - especially noisy ones are not great listening environments, even with great headphones.
It’s probably just me - and the fact that despite reasonable disposable income I think twice when I spend a grand or more. If I’m spending that kind of money, it’ll be for one of my office or home stacks where I will hear the difference. OTOH, I don’t travel nearly as much as I used to - that could factor in.
Hi Ryan_Harper,
I have been in the market for a long time trying to choose the best noise cancelling headphones for travel. I also researched tech websites and compared features like noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, sound quality, and overall reliability. After comparing several options, these are the products I have chosen for myself and my family.
For Travel:
- Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Premium Noise Canceling Headphones
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
For frequent flights I would shortlist the Momentum 4/5 and Focal Bathys, then choose after trying both. The Sennheiser is lighter and easier to treat as travel gear; the Bathys sounds more refined but is bulkier and more expensive. ANC performance, comfort after two hours and microphone quality are probably more useful deciding factors than a short showroom sound comparison.