So it looks like you are getting confused with noise cancelling. The noise cancelling on your XM5 will use microphones to cancel out audio for you and you only. It does not manipulate the mic for anyone you are calling. The XM5 is actually awful to use in this scenario as it does not have a directional mic. You want a headset that has the mic in front or close to your mouth. Also you will notice that the audio sounds different when you are on a call with your mic. This is due to it being on handsfree mode when using the mic for calls. This reduces quality and you are unable to manipulate any sound cancelling in this mode. Answer from itspassing on reddit.com
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RTINGS
rtings.com › home › headphones › best
The 5 Best Noise Cancelling Headphones of 2025 - RTINGS.com
November 26, 2025 - The Sony WH-1000XM6 are the best noise cancelling headphones we've tested. These premium over-ears have remarkable noise isolation.
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Amazon
amazon.com › Cancelling-Headphones-Bluetooth-Canceling-Lightweight › dp › B0F28LGLNS
Amazon.com: Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Upgraded Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear with ENC Mic, HiFi Stereo Deep Bass, Noise Canceling Headphones Lightweight, BT 5.4, for Travel/Office/Home, Black : Electronics
The built-in ENC (Environmental Noise Cancellation) microphone picks up your voice accurately while minimizing ambient noise — providing twice the clarity for phone calls, Zoom meetings, or voice chats. Ideal for remote workers and frequent callers · All-Day Comfort & Lightweight Design: Crafted with ultra-soft protein leather ear cups and an ergonomic headband, these over ear headphones wireless Bluetooth are featherlight yet durable.
Discussions

Wireless earbuds for noisy commute & important calls - need advice!
Hi everyone, I'm hoping to get some recommendations from the Tom's Guide community. My daily commute can be pretty noisy (trains and city sounds), and I also take a fair number of important work calls while on the go or in a sometimes busy co-working space. My current generic wireless earbuds... More on forums.tomsguide.com
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6
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May 18, 2025
Anybody know of a Bluetooth headset that actually cancels out background noise when on Google meets calls?
So it looks like you are getting confused with noise cancelling. The noise cancelling on your XM5 will use microphones to cancel out audio for you and you only. It does not manipulate the mic for anyone you are calling. The XM5 is actually awful to use in this scenario as it does not have a directional mic. You want a headset that has the mic in front or close to your mouth. Also you will notice that the audio sounds different when you are on a call with your mic. This is due to it being on handsfree mode when using the mic for calls. This reduces quality and you are unable to manipulate any sound cancelling in this mode. More on reddit.com
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1
March 21, 2024
Best headphones for mic background noise cancelling?
Screw spez - content deleted More on reddit.com
🌐 r/WFH
77
44
May 17, 2023
What are the best noise-cancelling headphones?
Hands down best value - the entire Sony XM series. Even the 3 and 4 versions are pretty good. More on reddit.com
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116
189
April 20, 2024
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Stereo headphones aren't just for listening to music; they also make calls, often quite well. So, if you're thinking about some wireless headphones to rock out to, you might not need a separate Bluetooth headset. Remember that stereo headphones can sometimes be bulky and might not block distracting environmental noises competently.

By contrast, the stereo headsets in this roundup are lighter and often have boom mics that easily isolate your voice. We compare the two options more decisively in our roundup of the best headsets and headphones for your home office.

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The sweet spot for a mono Bluetooth headset is around $100, and if you shop around, you can often find discounts that lower the price slightly. A quality stereo headset generally runs between $150 and $300. The headsets in this roundup are on the high end of that price range because we focused on the absolute best-performing devices for people who rely on their headsets all day.

You can often find a decent (or even excellent) headset for under $50 because they tend to remain in retail channels for a long time after the manufacturer discontinues them. Cheaper Jabra, Motorola, and Poly headsets work fine; they just aren't up to the performance standards of the more expensive category leaders. Typically, they are a bit clunkier and don't offer as effective noise cancellation, but then again, you aren't paying a premium for them.

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The Best Bluetooth Headsets We've Tested for 2026 | PCMag
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quora.com › Which-headset-has-the-best-noise-canceling-mic-for-a-WFH-setting-with-a-lot-of-background-noise
Which headset has the best noise canceling mic for a WFH setting with a lot of background noise? - Quora
Answer: Orosound Tilde Evo or Epos Impact 1000 are a couple best we’ve tested. Otherwise noise canceling software like neep or Krisp work well too.
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Noise-Cancelling Headphones - Best Buy
Microphone Features · Noise cancelling · Adjustable · Voice Activated · Detachable · Flip to mute · Fixed · Retractable · Discount · All Discounted Items · 20% Off or More · 30% Off or More · 40% Off or More · 50% Off or More · 60% Off or More · Wireless Connectivity · Bluetooth ·
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The Best Bluetooth Headsets We've Tested for 2026 | PCMag
November 19, 2025 - People who work in noisy offices: If you work in an environment full of distractions, whether it's an office full of chatters or a shared home office, the Evolve2 75 headset's active noise cancellation is worth the investment in what you'll ...
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forums.tomsguide.com › home › electronics & wearables › audio
Discussion - Wireless earbuds for noisy commute & important calls - need advice! | Tom's Guide Forum
May 18, 2025 - If you’re in the Apple ecosystem airpods are pretty much a no-brainer — they switch between devices automatically, sound solid, and the mic’s great. I’ve had the airpods Pro 2 for over a year now and use them all the time for calls on the go or in noisy co-working spaces — no complaints ...
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Best Noise Canceling Headset Microphones
... Featured Best selling Alphabetically, A-Z Alphabetically, Z-A Price, low to high Price, high to low Date, old to new Date, new to old ... Yealink Yealink HA64 Pro Wireless DECT & Bluetooth Headset with Touch Screen for Office, Home, Desk ...
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Quora
quora.com › What-noise-cancelling-Bluetooth-headphones-under-60-would-you-recommend
What noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones under $60 would you recommend? - Quora
Answer: > Tayoh Dey’s Answer to: What noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones under $60 would you recommend? It depends on what you need and what you want. At my age, I have lost most of my hearing over 7000 Hz. I’m not particularly fond of emphasized bass, and I like music that paints pictures ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/sysadmin › anybody know of a bluetooth headset that actually cancels out background noise when on google meets calls?
r/sysadmin on Reddit: Anybody know of a Bluetooth headset that actually cancels out background noise when on Google meets calls?
March 21, 2024 -

I recently grabbed some Sony XM5 headphones after reading a lot of good reviews of the sound cancelling microphone that cancels out background noise but you can still clearly hear my coworkers talking around me when l'm on Google meets calls.

After more research, they only really work well when calling from a cell phone and not when connected Bluetooth to Mac.

Anybody have advice on what to use or do for this situation?

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CNN
cnn.com › reviews
Best over-ear headphones of 2025, tried and tested | CNN Underscored
August 2, 2025 - The XM6’s upgraded adaptive noise ... low hum. Once again, Sony’s headphones prove to be just a slight notch above the AirPods Max, possibly due in part to the greater amount of noise-canceling microphones found on the ...
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NYTimes
nytimes.com › electronics › headphones › the best noise-cancelling headphones
The 4 Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones of 2025 | Reviews by Wirecutter
1 month ago - ... Superlative noise cancellation, impressive microphone clarity, excellent sound quality, and a bevy of bonus features make the Sony WF-1000XM5 true wireless earbuds a standout in a very large crowd of competitors.
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Amazon Best Sellers: Best Over-Ear Headphones
Soundcore by Anker Q20i Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Wireless Over-Ear Bluetooth, 40H Long ANC Playtime, Hi-Res Audio, Big Bass, Customize via an App, Transparency Mode ... JBL Tune 720BT - Wireless Over-Ear Headphones with JBL Pure Bass Sound, Bluetooth 5.3, Up to 76H Battery ...
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Jabra
jabra.com › home › unternehmenslösungen › headsets für büros
Office Headsets – Wireless Bluetooth Headsets & Headphones with Mic
Explore our selection of professional headsets, designed for comfort and superior sound quality. Each headset features advanced noise-cancellation technology, whether active or passive, to enhance your focus and productivity.
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Bose
bose.com › home › noise cancelling headphones
Shop Noise-Cancelling Headphones | ANC Headphones | Bose
These headphones eliminate unwanted background sounds, like street noise, without diminishing audio quality. We also ensure they are comfortable to wear for hours. Active noise cancellation (ANC) technology uses tiny microphones to measure surrounding sounds and send reversed audio that cancels background noise, making ANC headphones perfect for phone calls, airplanes, daily work commutes, and more.
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This ensures that your calls are crisp and natural, whether you’re on a phone call, conference call, or video chat. Yes. For video calls, clear audio input and minimal background noise are essential. soundcore Life Q30 offers active noise cancellation and a high-quality microphone setup, ...
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headsetadvisor.com › blogs › headset › best-noise-cancelling-headsets-for-office-calls-in-2025-top-picks-and-buying-guide
Best Noise Cancelling Headsets for Office Calls in 2025: Top Picks and Buying Guide
Very rich sounding microphone, and excellent noise cancellation. Poly Voyager Focus 2: Bluetooth headset with smart mic noise reduction for Zoom/Teams. Includes 3 levels of advanced digital hybrid ANC for filtering noise for the wearer.
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Efficient headphone with noise cancelling mic
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quora.com › Can-anyone-suggest-a-good-over-ear-wireless-bluetooth-with-mic-headphones
Can anyone suggest a good over-ear, wireless bluetooth, with-mic headphones? - Quora
Answer: I am also looking for the answer to this question, yesterday I bought the Creative WP-250: I know they are not over ear, but they are pretty good, my intention is to use them to listen to some audiobooks from my android phone and also ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/wfh › best headphones for mic background noise cancelling?
r/WFH on Reddit: Best headphones for mic background noise cancelling?
May 17, 2023 -

Hi all, I’ve been WFH for over 2 years now and pretty soon am going to be spending a lot more time working from coffee shops. I’m in tech sales and have a few calls per day with prospects. I need a good pair of headphones that will block out any background noise so when I’m speaking on the call, the prospect only hears me and not coffee shop music/chatter etc.

Currently use AirPods Pro but the mic definitely does not block a ton of background noise. Any recommendations?

Thanks!