AIRPODS MAX VS SONY XM5 PLUS

If you want less noise cancellation or need to hear your surroundings at times, you can customize the ANC and the hear-through mode in the app. This set is unique in that it effectively reduces a wider range of frequencies, from low rumbling airplane noise up to human speaking range, so it creates the closest we’ve experienced to a personal cone of silence.

If you prefer earbuds to headphones, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II set has the best noise cancellation of any earbud pair we’ve measured-and it’s priced accordingly.

They aren’t entirely without flaws, however: The sound quality is good but not as crisp as that of our favorite everyday audiophile headphones, the app can be vexing, and the battery life isn’t the longest we’ve seen-though at 20 hours, it’ll still get you through a very long flight. They fold flat for easy storage in the supplied case, too. Plus, you can use them in wired mode with the ANC engaged if, for example, you want to access an in-flight entertainment system. They also have a lightweight design that is comfortable to wear for hours, and they feature an easy-to-use combination of touch controls and physical buttons that you can access without looking. You can adjust the level of the active noise cancellation (ANC) on a scale from 0 to 10, so if you find that intense noise cancellation causes a feeling of pressure or discomfort (what we call “ eardrum suck”), or if you just want a little more sense of your surroundings, you have more flexibility to find a level of ANC that works for you.

AIRPODS MAX VS SONY XM5 PLUS

These headphones offer the superior noise cancellation that Bose is known for, plus more adjustability than on any other set of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones we’ve tested. These headphones are expensive, but they’re worth the investment for the frequent traveler who puts a high premium on performance and comfort. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is the best set of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones that Bose has ever released.

Airpods max vs sony xm5