Tried and tested: The best noise cancelling earbuds

From Google’s new Pixel Buds Pro to Bang & Olufsen’s premium pair, we’ve put them to the test and these are the best earbuds for tuning out distractions.

Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EX earbuds feature adaptive noise-cancellation technology and waterproofing.

The right earbuds can make or break your day and these five models are ready to eliminate distractions.

BANG & OLUFSEN BEOPLAY EX

The Rolls Royce of the earbuds market, with quality to match

$650, bang-olufsen.com

PROS

Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay EX earbuds feature adaptive noise-cancellation technology and waterproofing.

– Superb sound quality

– Aluminium and glass form

– Waterproof construction

CONS

– Higher price than most

– No voice assistant

– Fit snugly in the ear

From their look to their materials, their sound quality to their price, you can tell that these Bang & Olufsen earbuds are at the top end of the portable audio market. And what do you get at the top? Serious bass delivered by 9.2mm drivers, noise cancellation that adapt to your environment, earbuds featuring aluminium, glass and polymer, waterproofing, wireless charging, and eight hours of battery life (or six if you cancel noise). Their AirPods-like design also brings their microphones closer to your mouth and, using a companion app, you can set how loud your voice or other noises should be on calls.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

GOOGLE PIXEL BUDS PRO

Google’s best and most feature-packed earbuds to date

$299, store.google.com

PROS

– Improved, comfortable design

– Better sound and call quality

– 11-hour battery life

CONS

– Earbuds larger than some

– No virtual surround sound at launch

– Limited touch controls

These newly launched earbuds are a big step up for listeners and a giant leap for Google. The company’s best audio gadgets to date feature a new, ergonomic design to block sound, noise-cancellation and transparency modes to control distractions, and an improved battery life of 11 hours, or more than double their Apple equivalents. They also measure and adjust to pressure in the wearer’s ear canal for comfort and feature touch controls for playback and volume. Users will have to wait for spatial audio and equaliser settings to launch, however, and must choose between summoning Google Assistant with a tap or changing sound modes.

VERDICT: ★★★★

SONY LINKBUDS S

Some of the lightest and most comfortable earbuds you’ll find

$268, sony.com.au

PROS

– Seriously small and light

– Adaptive noise cancellation

– Smart assistant at a tap

CONS

– Sluggish touch controls

– Audio lacks punch

– No wireless charging support

These Sony earbuds are probably more comfortable than the ones you wear now. The LinkBuds S earbuds weigh just 4.8 grams each and they’re expertly design to sit inside your ear folds and stay there (their catchphrase is “never off”). They also offer active noise-cancellation and ambient sound modes, plenty of touch controls, support for Hi-Res audio, and steal some of the smarts from Sony’s big-name headphones. Speak to Chat, for example, will turn off noise cancellation automatically when you talk. Their audio is not as bright as some and they won’t charge wirelessly but those who listen for long sessions will appreciate their design.

VERDICT: ★★★★

JBL TOUR PRO+ TWS

Capable portable sound machines that tick the right boxes

$329, jbhifi.com.au

PROS

– Decent noise-cancellation

– Customisable sound in app

– Supports wireless charging

CONS

– Large, chunky form

– Plastic body and case

– Rounded case won’t stand

JBL’s latest Tour earbuds do what most users demand: they’re packed with noise-cancellation technology for your commute, touch-sensitive controls for answering calls or playing songs, will summon a voice assistant to answer questions, and they’ll play music for up to eight hours at a time. But users can unlock extra features inside its app, customising sound with equaliser settings or turning on a “smart audio” mode to suit your settings. These earbuds are quite large and won’t support high-res audio formats but what they do, they do well.

VERDICT: ★★★½

BELKIN SOUNDFORM IMMERSE

Capable but basic earbuds with decent noise cancellation

$300, belkin.com.au

PROS

– Noticeable noise-cancellation

– Equaliser settings in an app

– Support Apple Find My app

CONS

– Chunky, large earbuds

– Average sound quality

– Missing some features

Belkin’s newest wireless earbuds do a lot for their price, even though they’re one of the more basic options. These earbuds offer capable active noise-cancellation that will turn down the din of your commute, touch-sensitive controls, and a button to hear the outside world again. They also offer seven hours of battery life, enough water-resistance for sport and, in case you lose them, they can be located with Apple’s Find My app. Their audio quality is average, though can be tweaked with an app, and they don’t match the polish of some of their rivals.

VERDICT: ★★★

Originally published as Tried and tested: The best noise cancelling earbuds