Noise-cancelling earbuds have emerged as a crucial tool in today’s world and across budgets, there are multiple options to choose from. They are essential whether you’re working in an office, a hybrid environment, or from home. The presence of numerous distractions in both home and office settings makes owning a quality pair of ANC earbuds a game-changer. Modern noise-cancelling headphones are highly efficient at reducing background noise, helping users avoid disturbances and interruptions. Wireless earbuds with noise cancellation provide the freedom to concentrate on work without being physically connected to their devices.
At Digit, we use a variety of tests to assign score to each aspect of the TWS in-ear earbuds that come in for testing. We have elaborated on that below. To ensure that we give you the best recommendations, each earbud is put through our rigorous testing process and we ensure that there is no reviewer bias creeping in by keeping most of the testing objective and maintaining a firmly standardised testing process for each product. To curate this list, here are some of the criteria that were considered –
Most of the earbuds that we have included in this list have been tested at the Digit Test Centre, and the scores are available on their review pages. If you have any queries about the recommendations, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@digit.in.
With that out of the way, let’s dive into this list of Bluetooth noise-cancelling earbuds available for purchase in India.
Deliver an immaculate music-listening experience | Sony WF-1000XM5 |
Excellent-sounding acoustic cocoon | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds |
Well-balanced sound signature and ANC performance | Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) |
Slightly bright sound signature out of the box | Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 |
Detailed sonic representation | Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro |
Fairly well-rounded sound signature | Jabra Elite 10 |
Best in the price range | Sony WF-LS900N |
Great performance, fit, and features for your workouts | Jabra Elite 8 Active | Unparalleled Google Assistant integration | Google Pixel Buds Pro | Great fit, serviceable ANC | Sony WF-C700N |
Sony WF-1000XM5 is Sony’s flagship TWS in-ear earphones. Coming in at a price of ₹22,990 at the time of writing, they offer a great selection of features, including Sony’s personalised audio calibration, baked into the Sony Headphones Connect app. Couple that with excellent build quality and fit, and you already have a winner. The sound quality on these buds is crisp, thanks to a balanced sound signature. In terms of ANC, Sony outclassed itself and delivered a pair of TWS in-ear earphones that would cancel out almost all the noise coming in, thanks to their improved fit and reduced overall size of the buds. The combination of the fit and the improved noise cancellation hardware inside the earbuds make them the one to beat in the Indian market right now. If you are a purist, then with a little bit of tuning, you will get great sound from these earbuds.
Verdict:
Sony WF-1000XM5 builds on the legacy of its predecessor, the Sony WF-1000XM4, to deliver an immaculate music-listening experience to its owner. The sound quality on these buds is crisp, and Sony outclassed itself in terms of ANC.
Bose built one of the best TWS in-ear earphones in the market, with the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra earbuds. Sitting at the top of Bose’s lineup of TWS in-ear earphones, these new entrants opened the door with a bang. The signature Bose design allows most users to get a secure and comfortable fit with these earbuds. They are heavy on your pocket, though, beating Sony to the highest-priced TWS on this list. At the time of writing, these earbuds were retailing for a price of ₹25,900. What Bose might lose out in terms of some fancy features, they make up in their excellent performance and build quality.
Verdict:
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra TWS in-ear earphones are an excellent pair of TWS earbuds that offer top-class ANC. Be it the shrill highs or the humming lows, these earbuds cancel almost all the sound coming in and place you in an excellent-sounding acoustic cocoon.
Apple AirPods Pro (Gen 2), updated with USB-C are the best TWS in-ear earphones that Apple has to offer right now. Sporting an iconic case an earbuds design, it is hard to miss someone who is rocking these in-ear earphones. They work phenomenally with Apple devices, offering seamless connectivity and handover between devices and providing what can be called a truly state-of-the-art experience to their owners. These earbuds lack some of the fancy bells and whistles that their contenders might have, but they make up for all of that with their performance. Their sound signature is one of the best of the lot, but the lack of a native EQ makes them fall short of the top mark. Their ANC and microphone performance make these earbuds would have made them a solid contender in the overall market, but the walled garden that is the Apple Ecosystem holds them back.
Verdict:
The Apple AirPods Pro (Gen 2) are the TWS to get your hands on, if you are someone baked into the Apple Ecosystem. They offer unparalleled connectivity with Apple devices, paired with a well-balanced sound signature and ANC performance.
Sennheiser Momentum TWS 4 in-ear earphones are one of the best alternatives to the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra TWS and the Sony WF-1000XM5. These earbuds offer performance that is pretty close to that of the Sony and the Bose, but are more economical than any of the two, coming in at a price of ₹18,990 at the time of writing. The sound signature of these earbuds is fairly well rounded, and they bring excellent ANC performance to back it up. This is thanks to their excellent fit. Overall, combined with the features, these earbuds make for a definite consideration for anyone looking for a pair of premium TWS in-ear earphones. They have a very modern aesthetic, a slightly bulky but pocketable case, and lightweight and well-fitting earbuds that can be customised to your liking using the companion app.
Verdict:
The Sennheiser Momentum TWS 4 in-ear earphones make for a great buy if you are looking for a pair of ANC TWS earbuds under ₹20,000 and prefer a slightly bright sound signature out of the box.
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are the best pair of TWS earbuds under ₹10,000. They offer a great and detailed sound signature, thanks to their dual-driver setup and partnership with AKG, which definitely bore them with very sweet fruits. They come in a compact case that is very pocketable and sturdy. These earbuds also offer a great selection of features and ANC that is very hard to match for manufacturers selling products in this price range. These earbuds leave no box unchecked and ensure that Samsung’s presence is felt with dominance in the TWS market. Their battery life is the only thing that might be a letdown, coming in at 4 hours and 32 minutes in our tests.
Verdict:
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro boasts a detailed sonic representation thanks to the dual driver setup in these earbuds, which hands down is the best ANC in the price range.
With the Jabra Elite 10, you cannot go wrong with the fit and the robustness of the buds and their microphone quality. Jabra is known to be one of the brand which has cemented its place in the TWS market to be the ones to add the best microphone array into their TWS in-ear earphones. At ₹20,000 these earbuds are slightly pricey, and the buyers would expect great ANC and sound quality from these buds. And, that is what they deliver. They have a fairly neutral sound signature, with their highs seeing a slight boost, making the sound lean towards the brighter side, without lacking the thump and rumble of the lower frequencies (bass). Their ANC might be slightly off the mark when compared to the top 2 earbuds in the list, but it works well, cancelling out the mid and low-end frequencies really well.
Verdict:
Jabra Elite 10 brings to the table the excellent fit of Jabra TWS in-ear earphones, coupled with their excellent microphones for calls. Being their flagship TWS, they have great ANC and, overall a fairly well-rounded sound signature.
Sony WF-LS900N make for a great purchase for anyone who is a fan of Sony and is looking for a budget alternative to their flagship WF-1000XM5. These pack the same hardware as the outgoing flagships, the WF-1000XM4 and that contributes to their solid overall performance. These earbuds are well-built and pack a 19-hour battery (including the case). The overall aesthetics of the buds are muted, and the minimalists would love the darker colour variants of these buds. The sound signature of these buds leans towards the warmer side, with the under-emphasised high mids being our biggest gripe with these buds. The ANC is spot on, thanks to the inclusion of the same hardware as the WF-1000XM4 being packed into these earbuds.
Verdict:
Sony WF-LS900N bridges the gap between the brand’s flagship TWS, the Sony WF-1000XM5 and the mid-range WF-LS900N. These earbuds bring the same hardware from the WF-1000XM4, and it shows in their sound signature, which leans towards being warm. Their ANC is one of the best in the price range, only falling behind that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro.
Jabra Elite 8 Active TWS in-ear earphones are the one for fitness enthusiasts. These earbuds bring in all the bells and whistles of Jabra’s well-renowned TWS earbuds and pack them into a rugged and well-built package. The excellent fit of these earbuds adds to the already impressive ANC, and their V-shaped sound signature makes them a delight to listen to. You will get a well-rounded sound signature. Bass-lovers might need to tinker with the EQ a bit to pump up the bass, but overall, they do not sound bad. With volume set to 70 per cent and ANC on, we tested the battery life of these earbuds to come around seven and a half hours, which is pretty impressive.
Verdict:
If you are someone looking for a pair of TWS earbuds with great performance, fit, and features for your workouts, then look no further than the Jabra Elite 8 Active. It comes with IP68 rating and sports a solid build and design.
Google Pixel Buds Pro are the brand’s entry into the TWS market with the aim to take on brands like Bose, Sennheiser, Sony, and the like. These earbuds offer a solid overall feature set, with the Google Assistant integration being the best of the lot. Well, they are made by Google, and we would not expect anything less. Due to their warm sound signature, the mids take a hit, but these earbuds are perfect for bass heads who also love commanding their phones via Google Assistant. The ANC on these earbuds is effective in cancelling out low-end sounds like the hum of an AC or the droning sound of aeroplane engines. The battery life on these earbuds is also great, coming in at 20 hours (including the case). For ₹19,990 (at the time of writing), these earbuds are perfect for the folks who love the Google Assistant and want a bass-heavy sound and ANC, which is adequate for in-office use or in flights.
Verdict:
Google Pixel Buds Pro are one for the Google Assistant enthusiasts who also want a solid pair of TWS in-ear earphones overall. They might not be the best, but get the job done with unparalleled Google Assistant integration.
Sony WF-C700N bring the best of Sony’s TWS in-ear earphone ecosystem into a budget-friendly package. Priced at ₹7,990 (at the time of writing), these in-ear earphones come in a package similar to the WF-C500, which has been applauded for its excellent fit. This helps these earbuds produce excellent acoustic cocoons for you when ANC is turned on and you are listening to your favourite tunes. You will see a boost in the lows (bass), and while the bass-lovers would enjoy it, purists will want to tone it down a bit using the Sony Headphones Connect app. In terms of the ANC, these earbuds hold their own in diverse environments. You can rock them at your workplace or during your commute, and you will be satisfied with their performance for the most part. In our tests, with ANC turned on, and volume set to 50 per cent, these earbuds clocked in four and a half hours of continuous playback, which is fairly close to the brand’s claim of a five-hour battery on these earbuds.
Verdict:
The Sony WF-C700N hold their own in the mid-range TWS market, offering great fit, serviceable ANC, a solid feature, and a design that is reminiscent of their budget cousins, the Sony WF-C500. These are great for the folks looking to step into the world of ANC without emptying their pockets.
Product Name | Price | Ratings |
---|---|---|
Sony WF-1000XM5 | ₹ 21.989 | 4.0 |
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | ₹ 22,999 | 3.9 |
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) | ₹ 20.999 | 4.5 |
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 | ₹ 18,990 | 4.2 |
Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro | ₹ 8,999 | 4.4 |
Jabra Elite 10 | ₹ 12,999 | 4.1 |
Sony WF-LS900N | ₹ 12,989 | 4.0 |
Jabra Elite 8 Active | ₹ 8,999 | 4.1 |
Google Pixel Buds Pro | ₹ 8,999 | 4.4 |
Sony WF-C700N | ₹ 7,989 | 4.0 |
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II hold the top spot when it comes to noise-cancelling earbuds in India. In our testing we found that Bose held its ground in suppressing background noises be it in noisy outdoor conditions or indoors. Coming in a close second were the Sony WF-1000XM4, but in extreme cases, they failed to match up to Samsung’s earbuds.
Which is better ANC or ENC earbuds?Active Noise Cancellation and Environmental Noise Cancellation are two very different things. Active Noise Cancellation aka ANC, using the hardware and software baked into the earbuds, cuts down the amount of noise entering your ears, for example, in the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen). On the other hand, ENC, in most cases, helps in cutting down the background noise in the signals that are sent out when you are on calls.
Is ANC good or bad for your ears?I am not a medical professional, but as per the information in the research papers that I have read, I can safely say that properly implemented ANC does not affect your hearing. Listening to loud music for longer periods of time can definitely hurt your ears. However, if you are listening to music are normal volume levels, and ANC turned on, it should be completely fine.
Which company has the best ANC?In our testing, we found out that Bose is the best TWS manufacturer in terms of its implementation of ANC in their Quiet Comfort Earbuds II. Others like the Sony WF-1000XM4, Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Sennheiser Momentum TWS 3, Sony WF-LS900N, and the Google Pixel Buds Pro come pretty close. However, they fail to beat the benchmark set by Samsung.