I get it; right now it’s all summer days, driftin’ away, and you don’t want to think about heading back to school, uni or college, thank you very much.
But that day will come, friend, and there’s no better way to shut yourself off from challengingly loud accommodation and parties than with a solid set of noise-cancelling over-ear headphones. If you want earbuds, I’ve got a mini-roundup of back to school earbuds too, but for me, nothing says “I’m studying or just uncommunicative right now, please don’t approach” like a nice big pair of headphones.
Problem is, the best ones are expensive, right? Well, these options aren’t, but they’re very, very good. We know because we’ve tested every single pair here, and compared them against the competition, so you can buy safe in the knowledge that if we didn’t like ’em, you won’t be seeing them here.
Snap up one of these pairs of student-savvy cans and we promise that your love for the music, movies and podcasts they deliver will still be strong, after the boys of summer have gone.
1. 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51
Try to see past 1More’s odd naming strategy here (no, doesn’t sound like a set of headphones to me, either) and you’re getting strong sound quality, solid ANC and a battery life of up to 65 hours with ANC on, or 100 hours without it – I know!
All of this for around $89 / £99 / AU$130? Hard to find better value for money, I’d say.
OK, they may not be capable of truly top-tier audiophile-grade output and this isn’t the most durable build quality we’ve ever worn – but for sub-$100 cans, you’ll struggle to find headphones as complete, decent-sounding and fully featured as this.
Read our full review of the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 for a more detailed verdict.
2. Sony WH-CH720
I’m not going to sugar-coat it, if your budget’s a little stretchier or there’s a birthday coming up, you might want to look to the iconic and still class-leading Sony WH-1000XM4 (yes, even though the newer WH-1000XM5 and Sony WH-1000XM6 are now with us), but not everyone can afford those prices and believe me, I hear you.
That’s where these likeable Sonys come in. You still get access to the Sony Headphones app for many (though not all) of the company’s flagship features, and what’s important is that they’re a comfortable, enjoyable, energetic listen. Also, the ANC does a strong job at lowering outside noise and if you’re a fan of drum ‘n’ bass music, you’ll love the sound straight from the box – although you can tweak it.
Our full Sony WH-CH720 review is the place to go for the full scoop.
3. Earfun Wave Pro
One of the things I love about these Earfun headphones is that although they’re big and everyone will know you’re wearing them, they fold up neatly into the headband (and from there into their case), so you’ll easily fit them in your bag.
There’s also a whopping 80-hour battery life (or 55 if you’re listening with ANC toggled on) which is only beaten at this kind of price-point by the 1Mores at the top of this list – but they’re actually quite a bit cheaper than those.
Sound-wise, you’re getting emotion and zeal, with treble and bass frequencies up in the mix from the box – although there’s an equalizer in the app to tweak it to your tastes, along with five levels of ANC depending on how much extraneous chatter you want to cut, and how much you might still want to overhear…
Check out our Earfun Wave Pro review for our full verdict.
4. Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
I know they’re pricier, but hear me out! If you (or the student in your life) really cares about audio quality, this is the most cost-effective way to get the best from a wireless design. They’re certainly not as expensive as flagship alternatives from Bose, Sony or Sennheiser – and the sound quality is easily as good (and to my ears, it’s actually a touch better).
The ANC is also very good, the stamina is 100 hours (ANC off) or 60 hours (ANC on) and if you’ll deploy the ‘Southwark’ option in the app’s audible feedback tab, you get the incomparable Matt Berry telling you when you’ve paired, turned on noise cancellation, and so on. It never fails to cheer me up after a long and taxing day.
Consult our Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review for more information.