I am finally ready to invest in proper noise cancelling, but I am stuck between over ear headphones and in ear earbuds, and there are way too many options out there.
Here is what I am looking for:
Strong noise cancelling for planes, commuting, and noisy offices
Comfortable enough to wear for a few hours without feeling like my head or ears are being crushed
Good sound quality for both music and podcasts
Decent mic for calls and meetings
Reliable battery life and a case that is not massive if it is earbuds
I am not hunting for the absolute most expensive flagship if it is only a tiny improvement, but I also do not want something that feels cheap or breaks in a year. I am fine paying a bit more if it really holds up and feels worth it.
For those of you who have tried a few brands, which noise cancelling headphones or earbuds impressed you the most, and why?
Did you end up happier with over ear headphones or earbuds for daily use?
Any models you regret buying or would avoid would also be useful to know.
Edit: After reading the comments, I checked a guide that helped clarify the differences between over ear headphones and earbuds. Sharing it here: this noise cancelling headphones guide.
Videos
Im looking forward to get a good pair of ANC earbuds, I reduced it to those 3 (Airpods Pro 2 / WF-1000XM5 / QC Ultra Earbuds)
I currently have many over the ear ANC headphones (XM4, XM5, Momentum 4 and QC Ultra) and 2 wired "audiophile" headphones (Arya Stealth and HD 540 Reference II).
Somehow I havent bought a good pair of earbuds yet, so... Im NOT looking for an absolute killer sound quality, Im mainly looking for Noise Cancelling performance here, Im an Apple user (Iphone 11 and Macbook Pro 2012), some smart features would be nice too.
A comparison in sound would be nice too, besides not being a priority.