Noise-cancelling technology is very unique. Unlike noise-isolating headphones, noise-cancelling headphones do not eradicate outside noise by physical insulation. Within the ear cups, they have a mini microphone that picks up the outside environmental noise. It then triggers a frequency entirely opposite to the outside ambient noise. Thus, canceling out most outside ambient sound.
However, are there noise cancelling headphones with a built-in microphone on the market? The answer is yes. There are a plethora of choices on the market.
Everyone has different needs, requirements, and budgets for their headphones. We narrowed it down to the 9 very best noise cancelling headphones with Microphone. Each one of these provides exceptional call quality and active noise cancelling. We also made sure to pick headphones in every budget range!
In Short, Here Are The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones With A Built-In Microphone For Phone Calls (Every Budget)
- Bose QuietComfort 35 II
- Sony WH-CH700N
- Sennheiser PXC 550
- Sony WH-1000XM3
- Jabra Elite 85h
- Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC
- Silensys E7 PRO
- Plantronics Pro 2
- Skullcandy
1. Bose QuietComfort 35 II
We decided to start off with the King Kong of the over-ear headphones. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is the highest quality over the ear Bluetooth pair of headphones on the market. As a matter of fact, I decided to keep this pair for myself. In my opinion, it gets a 10 out of 10 for durability, sound quality, functionality, longevity, comfort, active noise-canceling, and built-in microphone quality. The only downside is it’s priced at $349. However, it is well worth every penny and more!
The sound quality is absolutely brilliant. It automatically adjusts the EQ levels depending on what type of music or audio you’re listening to. I wouldn’t change a thing about the sound, even if I could. Every single instrument and frequency are nicely separated without any cluster. In terms of the active noise canceling and comfort, these headphones are unbeatable.
It has a very reliable built-in microphone for just about any application. You will not have any problems with phone calls regardless of how noisy or windy of an environment you’re in.
Built for longevity, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II is one of the most well-designed and durable headphones I have ever used in my life. You can pull it as hard as you can without a peep or squeak. If you’re looking for the absolute all-around best pair of Bluetooth headphones with a built-in mic on the market, look no further than the Bose QuietComfort 35 II.
Users Say: “Overall, they’re very comfortable to wear for long periods of time, the noise cancellation is pretty good, better when I’m actually listening to something and they look gorgeous. The sound quality is a big step up from my earbuds, though I’m not sure I like the bass. I’m very happy with my purchase since I primarily bought them for talking on the phone and they are perfect for that – the microphone is very decent.”
Detail & Tech Specs
- Flawless noise-canceling (possibly best on the market)
- Extremely comfortable for just about any head type.
- Comfortable with glasses
- Google assistant located on the left earcup
- App has a “find my headset app”, therefore you will never lose your investment.
- Built-in microphone
- Very intuitive controls
- Bluetooth
2. Sony WH-CH700N
If you’re looking for a technologically advanced pair of noise-cancelling headphones, the Sony WH-CH700N is an excellent choice. Not only you can change songs with the controls on the headphone cups, but it also comes with Alexa voice control.
Previously selling for $199, now they are currently priced well below $150. You can either get these headphones in black or a vibrant blue. Something I like about them is their light-weight and flexibility. You are able to stretch them vigorously without it breaking for added longevity over time. The ear cups rotate up to 180 degrees. Another thing I find unique is its ability to hold firmly on your head while remaining very comfortable.
In terms of sound quality, I thought these headphones were superb. The bass response was strong, and the mids/highs were very clear. I was overall very pleased with the audio. With 35 hours per full charge, it has great battery life. It’s relatively compact and lightweight for easy travel. For active noise cancellation, press the button labeled NC on the earcup. The noise cancelation is suitable for travel but doesn’t cancel out the human voice too much.
Details & Tech Specs
- Digital noise-cancelling
- Voice assistant: Alexa voice-control
- Built-in microphone
- 35 hours of battery life
- Rotatable ear cups
- 40 feet wireless Bluetooth range
- Tough build
- Strong bass response
- Unfoldable
- Unnoticeable latency
- Rotatable ear cups
- Flexible
3. Sennheiser PXC 550
Next up, the German company Sennheiser was one of the very first companies to open up in Germany after World War 2. Founded in 1945, Sennheiser excelled in audio gear innovation. They created the very first open headphones in 1968 and continue to revolutionize headphones today.
The active noise-cancelling Sennheiser PXC 550 is a great pair of headphones with a built-in mic. It comes with a soft case that is compact and very convenient for travel. Sennheiser claims the PXC 550 is designed for travel.
They provide an excellent battery life of 30 hours. These headphones are very well-designed, durable, and have a robust feel. For those who prefer the headphone earcups with more space, you will absolutely love the comfort of the PXC 550. Earcups with more space such as this pair tend to have better passive noise-cancelling abilities.
It is expandable and fits very nicely for just about any head type. Since they are foldable and the ear cups are rotatable, PXC 550 is very convenient to travel with. Something really cool about them is they power off instantly by folding both earcups inward. They also automatically power back on when folding the ear cups to the regular position.
Like all Sennheiser headphones, the PXC 550 produces very good sound quality. As a matter of fact, they possibly produce the very best sound quality in this price range. The audio is natural and clear. I’m also a big fan of the call quality. For most, you can have a pleasant conversation even in very noisy environments.
The active noise-cancelling works extremely good, as well for the price. Do not expect the ANC to be as good as the Bose or Sony nearly double this price. However, it definitely blocks out a significant amount of noise.
The only downside I noticed about the Sennheiser PXC 550 is the max volume isn’t as loud as I’d like them to be. Keep in mind, I am a part-time musician and DJ. There’s a high chance my ears are just slightly shot. Besides that, these active noise-cancelling headphones are an incredible pair with a microphone. They are great for travel by bus, walking, or plane. We definitely recommend these. They are a phenomenal choice for the price.
Users Say: “I didn’t buy these headphones on Amazon but I do own them and I’ve compared them side-by-side to the Bose QuietComfort 35 and the Sony 1000’s and I can report back that they are the best headphones that you can buy. The comfort is similar to the Bose QuietComfort 35 and sound quality is comparable to the Sony. Their internal microphone for calls is incredible! In my opinion, the 550’s are must buy headset.”
Detail & Tech Specs
- Foldable
- Oval earcups
- Battery life: 30 hours
- Rotatable
- Built-in microphone for phone calls
4. Sony WH-1000XM3
The Sony WH-1000XM3 is one of the few top-tier over-ear headphones on the market with a built-in microphone. It has incredible noise-cancelling abilities which help entirely eradicate outside noise environments. The built-in microphone works exceptionally well in just about any condition for a high-quality phone call.
These headphones are trendy and very highly rated across the board. Something I found very beneficial was its mix of high-quality design, comfortability, and extremely lightweight.
In terms of sound quality, here is yet another pair of headphones that produce near-flawless audio. It has a great balance between all of the frequencies. The instruments are separated extremely well without losing any vital EQ from compression.
Another great feature is its really long battery life of 30 hours. Overall, the Sony WH-1000XM3 is one of the few high-grade most professional active noise-cancelling headphones on the market. They cover the full ear and have wireless capabilities. If you’re looking for quality headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM3 is an outstanding choice for the money.
Users Say: “Excellent sound quality, unsurpassed noise cancelation… Blows away my wired Audio Technica M50x’s all around! Amazing technology! Enjoy.”
Details & Tech Specs
- Active noise-cancelling
- Built-in Alexa voice control
- 30-hour battery life
- Great sound quality
5. Jabra Elite 85h
Coming with pro-grade built-in microphones, the Jabra Elite 85h is one of the top-tier Bluetooth headphones on the market. Not only is it fantastic for the money, but it also has near flawless call quality where 6 out of the eight built-in microphones block out unwanted background noise.
Jabra’s unique Smartsound Audio feature automatically adjusts your audio for the best possible sound and ANC, depending on your environment. However, whether you use the Smartsound Audio feature or not, the active noise canceling abilities are terrific. Active noise-canceling is a feature that some headphones have that, once initiated, the outside ambient sounds are significantly reduced using negative waveform technology.
Outside of some of the Jabra Elite 85h features, these headphones have an incredible sound quality, robust build quality, and are very comfortable. Given the fact that these headphones are not cheap, less than stellar across the board is off the table. The sound quality is phenomenal, to say the least. They are incredibly comfortable for hours on end, but what surprised me the most was the build quality.
The Jabra Elite 85h is one of the most durable pairs of headphones I have ever tried. Not a piece of it feels cheap. They are built for longevity and vigorous traveling conditions under various circumstances. Imagine happily running through the rain with your headphones without having to worry about water damage.
While most of us never freely run through the rain, a lot of us have run into situations where we scramble to protect our technological gear from water damage. Luckily, the Jabra Elite 85h is entirely water and sweat-resistant. Unlike many headphones, there are no repercussions for sweating too much at the gym with these headphones.
Another fantastic feature is its incredibly long battery life of 36 hours. With only 15 minutes of charging, you get 5 hours of battery life. Overall, the Jabra Elite 85h is one of the top-of-the-line headphone pairs with a built-in mic on the market. If quality is what you’re going for rather than a cheaper price, these headphones are a great choice.
Users Say: “Perfect headphones for anyone working in an open office environment and or commuting on public transit. The microphones are great for taking calls (I love being able to hear my own voice). The noise cancelling works well enough for the office and a noisy bus or train as well.”
Details & Tech Specs
- Bluetooth capabilities
- Great sound quality
- Tough build quality (built to last)
- 36-hour battery life
- Near flawless phone call quality with technologically advanced built-in microphones
- Water and sweat-resistant
- Active noise cancelation
6. Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC
The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC is a fantastic pair of Bluetooth headphones. It gives you the option to use it wireless with Bluetooth or wireless with an auxiliary. They sound excellent with a great balance between the lows, mids, and highs. Sennheiser created an app called CapTune that comes with the purchase of these headphones.
It allows you to better EQ the headphones to find your exact taste of how you want it to sound. While I’m more than impressed by the flat EQ sound without the app, Captune certainly has a setting to fit just about anyone’s needs.
To activate the noise cancellation mode, you must hold both volume buttons at the same time. While it’s a bit harder to activate the ANC than most headphones, it’s most definitely worth it. The noise-cancellation one of the best on this list. After all, this is also one of the more expensive pairs on the list.
In terms of comfort, I give these a 9 out of 10. They were not the most comfortable at first. After about 30 minutes, they loosened up and felt like nothing was there. These Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC are overall a great pair of headphones that used to be running for $200 but now below $150. I highly recommend them.
Details & Tech Specs
- Bluetooth 4.50
- Comes with a travel case
- Wired or wireless option
- Incredibly comfortable
- Wireless range is roughly 20 feet
- Great sound quality
- Charges by USB
- Free Sennheiser App “Captune app” for great EQ
- 20-hour battery life
7. Silensys E7 PRO
With an integrated microphone, the Silensys E7 PRO is the safest overall choice for the low cost. They are very well priced, running below $100. When I first used these, they were much better than I was expecting for the low-price. Don’t let the picture fool you. They are much smaller and compact in person. There are two different ways to turn the headphones on; Either Bluetooth mode or active noise-canceling mode.
In terms of how these headphones sound, it is overall pretty good for the low-price. One thing I noticed was when the volume was turned to the max without noise-cancelling, the audio got a bit boomy. Around 90% volume and down, the sound quality was very good with great bass response.
The noise cancellation works very well at blocking out a great deal of outside noise. However, when the active noise-cancellation is turned on, the music sounds a bit more hollow and loses some of the mids /highs. This issue was quickly fixed with a bit of EQ.
Lastly, the comfort gets a 9 out of 10! The soft top headband works very well, while the earcups feel like clouds. I can definitely see why these are one of Amazon’s best-selling headphones with incredible ratings across the board.
Details & Tech Specs
- Bluetooth
- 30-hour battery life
- Great built-in mic
- Well-built
- A bit heavy around 1 pound
- Comfortable
- Controls; Bluetooth, off, ANC switches
- Flexible
- Rotatable cups
- Comes with a carry case, auxiliary cord, and micro USB charging cord
8. Plantronics Pro 2
Amazingly, the Plantronics Pro 2 is currently on a massive price cut of 33%. Although we’re unsure if this discount is permanent or temporary, we believe they’re, either way, a superb value. Coming with the purchase is a nice carrying case, micro USB charger, and 3.5mm auxiliary cord.
The battery life is very good at roughly 24 hours. However, the wireless range is phenomenal, with 70-100 feet of range. Better yet, the sound quality is fantastic. The bass-response is near perfect to my ears while the highs are sparkly with a punchy midsection. I give the sound quality a 9 out of 10.
Something that I find unique about the Plantronics Pro 2 is its automatic pause to music once the headphones are taken off. I also like the multifunction button on the right ear cup as it allows you to access the virtual assistant and answer phone calls. On the left ear cup are various controls as well, such as the pause/play, skip a song, previous song, volume, and ANC switch.
The active noise-cancellation is very good. In my experience, the noise-cancelling abilities are good enough to block out most chatter, office work, coffee shops, and a vast amount of airplane travel. However, it is not enough for a busy subway or train ride. Overall, the Plantronics Pro 2 is an incredible pair of noise-cancellation headphones for the money.
Users Say: “These headphones are incredible – they meet or exceed all (more expensive) competitor headphones in their sound quality and abilities to block noise. I like the way I can plugin or use Bluetooth, and I can take calls or listen to someone talk to me by turning on a microphone. They are also very attractive and great for smaller heads and ears.”
Details & Tech Specs
- Comes with a carrying pouch
- Ambient sound mode
- Very nice built-in controls on the ear cups
- Rotatable ear cups
- Non-foldable
- Great bass-response
- 24-hour battery life
- Built-in microphone for phone calls
- 70-100 feet of wireless range
- Headphones controls; pause, play, skip song, previous song, volume, and ANC switch
- Multifunctional button on the right ear cup
9. Skullcandy
Last but not least, the stylish Skullcandy is a fantastic choice of noise-cancelling headphones with a built-in microphone. They are incredibly affordable and an excellent bang for the buck. Between the build quality, ANC capabilities, comfort, and great sound quality, this is yet another pair of headphones that’s too good for its low price. The sound quality is suitable for the price point.
The noise cancellation works much better than I was expecting for headphones at this price range. It blocks out the majority of lower frequencies while reducing mid to higher frequencies. In other words, they work great for traveling since most engine noises and ambient sounds are at lower frequencies.
Many people claim these work incredibly well for office use. Considering it blocks out most of the annoying lower frequencies for better focus, you can still hear somebody if they need to speak with you. However, it still reduces the background chatter by a decent amount. With its built-in mic, you can also make and receive phone calls. Overall, I highly recommend these for people in need of noise-canceling headphones for an office at the lowest price.
Detail & Tech Specs
- Built-in mic
- Rapid Chargeing
- Lightweight
- Oval earcups
- Built-in mic produces good quality for phone calls
- Ambient Mode
- 22-hour battery life
- Flexible
Quick Recap
Here Are The Best Noise Cancelling Headphones With Microphone
- Bose QuietComfort 35 II
- Sony WH-CH700N
- Sennheiser PXC 550
- Sony WH-1000XM3
- Jabra Elite 85h
- Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC
- Silensys E7 PRO
- Plantronics Pro 2
- Skullcandy
The 6 Things To Lookout For When Purchasing A Pair Of Headphones
1. Sound Quality
Especially for music listeners, the overall quality of sound is a massive factor in finding your perfect pair of headphones. There are various factors that impact a pair of headphones’ sound quality.
2. Comfort
The ability for headphones to remain comfortable for extended periods of time without itchiness, annoyance, pressure, or ear pain. Considering many people use headphones for commute, air travel, or work; Comfort is a vital factor.
3. Build Quality
What good are your amazingly sounding headphones if they break in a few months? The overall durability and longevity are crucial for any investment you make. Especially for those who need headphones for commute, it’s important they’re able to withstand vigorous traveling conditions consistently.
4. Noise Isolation/ Active Noise Cancelling
Don’t be confused between active noise cancelling and noise isolation headphones. They are both entirely different. Noise-cancelling technology is very unique. Unlike noise-isolating headphones, noise-cancelling headphones do not eradicate outside noise by physical insulation. Within the ear cups, they have a mini microphone that picks up the outside environmental noise. It then triggers a frequency entirely opposite to the outside ambient noise. Thus, canceling out most outside ambient sound.
5. Battery Life
Battery life is an overlooked subject when speaking about over-ear headphones. Obviously, the only headphones that have a battery life are those which are wireless. Many headphones on the market do not have wireless capabilities. But for those who do, a more extended battery life becomes a convenient factor.
6. Added Features
A few examples of added features headphones offer can be Bluetooth capabilities, built-in AI assistant, headphone controls, built-in microphone for phone calls, flexibility, rotatable ear cups, etc.
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