Best Travel Headsets – As always the decision on what to go for is down to you as an individual, but we are quietly self-assured that we have given you some food for thought.
If you are still unsettled on the overhead versus in-ear argument then why not thumb through some of our previous headphone articles for inspiration.
However, if you are looking for a set to travel with on an airplane then we will have hopefully highlighted the benefits of overhead/over-ear models for you clearly in today’s article and informative buyers guide
With an over headset of headphones the biggest choice to make is really just wired or wireless, once this is settled you can set to work sourcing a large-aperture pair which are suitably decked out for wearing for long periods.
ROUND UP
Comfort is really key when choosing a set of cups to keep your company on the go whether you are flying or not.
1.Sony WH
Features
- Industry-leading noise canceling with Dual Noise Sensor technology
- Next-level music with Edge-AI, co-developed with Sony Music Studios Tokyo
- Up to 30-hour battery life with quick charging (10 min charge for 5 hours of playback)
- Touch Sensor controls to pause play skip tracks, control volume, activate your voice assistant, and answer phone calls
- Speak-to-chat technology automatically reduces volume during conversations
- Superior call quality with precise voice pickup
- Wearing detection pauses playback when headphones are removed
- Seamless multiple-device pairing
- Adaptive Sound Control provides a personalized listening experience
- Updated design relieves pressure for long-lasting comfort.
2.Powerbeats
Features
- Totally wireless high-performance earphones
- Up to 9 hours of listening time (more than 24 hours with charging case)
- Adjustable, secure-fit ear hooks for lightweight comfort and stability
- Reinforced design for sweat & water resistance during tough workouts or running
- Protect your Beats with AppleCare+ - Add AppleCare+ to your order and receive accidental damage protection and 24/7 priority tech support from the people who know your headphones best
- Features the Apple H1 headphone chip and Class 1 Bluetooth for extended range and fewer dropouts
- Compatible with iOS and Android
- Enhanced phone call performance and call handling from either Earbud
- With fast fuel, a 5-minute charge gives 1.5 hours of playback when battery is low
- What's in the box: Power Beats Pro totally wireless earphones, charging case, ear tips with four size options, lightning to USB-A charging cable, quick start guide, warranty card
3.AUKEY
Features
- Superior Sound Quality: Experience crisp, high-fidelity sound while Bluetooth 5 provides faster pairing and a stable, efficient wireless connection
- One-Step Reconnection: Simply take the earbuds out of the charging case and they will automatically connect to your phone (after being paired the first time)
- Convenient Touch Control: Effortlessly manage audio playback & calls with the multi-function touch panel and microphone on each earbud. The earbuds can even be used alone like a Bluetooth headset
- Great Battery Life: The earbuds alone provide up to 5 hours of high-quality sound output on a single charge, and the included charging case provides an additional 6 charges, giving 30 hours of total playtime
- Package Contents: AUKEY EP-T21 True Wireless Earbuds, Charging Case, Three Pairs of Ear-Tips (S/M/L), Micro-USB Cable, User Manual, Quick Start Guide
4.Beats Solo3
Features
- High-performance wireless Bluetooth headphones in gold
- Features the Apple W1 chip and Class 1 wireless Bluetooth connectivity
- With up to 40 hours of battery life, Beats Solo3 wireless is your perfect everyday headphone
- Compatible with iOS and Android devices
- With Fast Fuel, 5 minutes of charging gives you 3 hours of playback when battery is low
- Adjustable fit with comfort-cushioned ear cups made for everyday use
- Sleek, streamlined design that’s durable and foldable to go everywhere you do
- Take calls, control your music, and activate Siri with the multifunction on-ear controls
- The award-winning sound and design you’ve come to love from Beats, with premium playback with fine-tuned acoustics that maximize clarity, breadth, and balance
- What's in the box: Beats Solo3 Wireless headphones, carrying case, 3.5mm RemoteTalk cable, Universal USB charging cable (USB-A to USB Micro-B), Quick Start Guide and Warranty Card
5.COWIN E7
Features
- Active Noise Cancelling technology. Significant noise reduction for travel, work and anywhere in between. Advanced active noise reduction technology quells airplane cabin noise, city traffic or a busy office, makes you focus on what you want to hear,enjoy your music, movies and videos. The noise cancellation function can work well both in wire and wireless mode.
- Proprietary 45mm large-aperture drivers. Deep, accurate bass response. The Active Noise Cancelling around-ear headphones from COWIN give you crisp, powerful sound and quiet that helps you enjoy your music better. The goal that provide Customers with better sound quality, is our constant pursuit.
- High-quality built-in Microphone and NFC technology. COWIN E7 provides high-quality built-in microphone for hands-free calls, Which is convenient for you to free yourself from wires. NFC pairing aided by voice prompts, promises quick and stable connection with your Bluetooth enabled devices, Powerful Bluetooth Function.
- The professional protein earpad and 90° swiveling earcups. More durability and comfort, Enjoy high-quality, Long-listen comfort. Skin texture, lightweight comfortable around-ear fit you can wear all day long. Gentle Reminder: please take off the headphone every 2-3 hrs to get your ears relax, in order to get better hearing enjoyment, and keep the head comfortable.
- 30 hours playtime per charge at Bluetooth mode. A built-in 750mAh battery won't allow your headphones power off, you can enjoy your world without noise for 30 hours' long time. Don't need to worry the power shortage problem on the long travel. 18-month warranty and quick response & friendly customer service. Dedicated customer service team, provide you with quick response and friendly customer service, which will always serve for you and certainly satisfy you.
6.Bose Quiet
Features
- Three levels of world-class noise cancellation for better listening experience in any environment
- Alexa-enabled for voice access to music, information, and more
- Noise-rejecting dual-microphone system for clear sound and voice pick-up
- Balanced audio performance at any volume
- Hassle-free Bluetooth pairing, personalized settings, access to future updates, and more through the Bose connect app. USB cable: 12 inch
- Bose AR enabled — an innovative, audio-only version of augmented reality
- For iPhone, iPad, and Android users, be sure your product’s firmware is up to date through the Bose connect app. Then you can access a showcase of Bose AR enhanced apps with Links to download them.
7.Philips
Features
- 40-mm drivers/closed-back
- Compact folding
- Deluxe memory foam cushions
- Standalone acoustic chamber for sound precision
- In-line control and mic switch between music and calls
8.Paww
Features
- HEADPHONES AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE: We are PAWW, and we sell outstanding headphones at a very affordable price. We believe in high-quality, long lasting headphones that don’t break the bank.
- SOUND QUALITY YOU CAN TRUST: After making headphones for years, we learned that Sound Quality matters most. Our headphones are engineered for clear, bright high notes and deep, cinematic bass tones so every sound comes out perfectly!
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING: Significant noise reduction for travel, work and anywhere in between. Advanced active noise reduction technology reduces outside noise so you can focus on what you want to hear.
- TWO PEOPLE CAN CONNECT AT ONCE: With the ShareMe function, two people can listen to music, watch movies or follow a podcast from the same source device without being tethered to each other by an audio cable splitter.
- BEST VALUE: Our headphones do everything you’d expect and more at an amazing price. Just look at our +1,000 5-star reviews from customers just like you!
9.Edifier
Features
- Professional sound; 40mm driver units fine tuned for quality sound output in enclosed ear cups
- Comfort matters; Ergonomic fit with over-ear design of lightweight body, comfortable soft leather earmuffs for prolonged wearing
- Solid build; Leather headrests with steel reinforced headband for flexibility and durability
- Quality connection; 3.5mm gold-plated audio plug with 6ft high strength cable
- One year warranty; Extremely durable and flexible, 12 month warranty in USA and Canada
10.Active Noise
Features
- 【Reduce 95% Noise】HROEENOI noise canceling headphones with microphone advanced ANC noise cancellation technology, which isolates the 95% surrounding noise. Suitable for Android, TV, Phone, no matter at home, work, or travel.
- 【HIFI & Stereo Sound Quality】HROEENOI bluetooth headphones can reproduce treble up to 20kHz for full-bodied sound with excellent clarity. It will make you feel like a live concert.
- 【40 Hours Playtime】HROEENOI wireless headphones provides up to 40 hours of music playback time while in ANC. You can charge it through the Type-C port. Charges in 10 minutes, play 4 hours of music!
- 【CVC 8.0 & Bluetooth 5.0】Bluetooth 5.0 means faster, more stable transmission; CVC 8.0 technology makes an efficient and stable connection and provides true wireless freedom for your calls.
- 【Gift for Choice】Adjustable headband of the over-ear headphones makes it suitable for children, teenagers, and adults. The foldable design is easy to store and carry, and the soft protein ear cups with sponge padding can fit our ears. A gift for kids, boyfriend, and father.
Best Travel Headsets – BUYER’S GUIDE
1. Budget
Headphones can range anywhere from a few dollars to several thousand dollars, and up to a certain point, you’ll get what you pay for. The headphones with the most features (noise-cancellation, Bluetooth, voice assistant capabilities, touch controls, etc.) will cost the most money. However, once you get into the high hundreds and thousands, you’ll probably be paying more for frills like diamonds or engraved materials that don’t actually enhance the sound quality.
Consider your current budget, but also consider your new headphones an investment that can travel with you for many years. While you may be a little put off by $300 headphones, weigh that with the fact that you’ll be able to travel much more peacefully.
2. Comfort
Chances are you’ll be wearing your headphones for several hours at a time. It’s important that they sit comfortably on your ears and on your head (if you’re a fan of over-the-ear headphones), so your ears aren’t hurting after watching only one episode of The Big Bang Theory.
3. Noise-Cancellation
If you’re a frequent flyer, then good noise-cancelling headphones are almost essential. Not only are they great for you because you won’t hear what’s going on around you, but they’re also great for your neighbors as they won’t be able to hear what you’re listening to either.
4. Over-Ear vs. In-Ear
There are pros and cons to both, but it comes down to what’s more comfortable for you.
Over-ear headphones tend to be more comfortable and you’ll have less chance of hearing what’s going on around you because your ears will be in the ear cups. However, they’re also larger, can be more difficult to pack, and are likely more expensive.
In-ear headphones, or earbuds, are great for those who like versatility. They are great whether you’re relaxing on an airplane or heading out for a run. Packing them is super simple because they’re lightweight and don’t take up a lot of space. On the con side, some people don’t like the feeling of having headphones in their ears.
5. Size & Weight
Size and weight are really only issues if you’re getting over-the-ear headphones, but they’re still important. When you’re not wearing them, you need to have a safe place to store them. Some headphones come with a case to enhance durability and simplify storage. Others can be folded in different ways, so you have options about how to store them.
Weight isn’t necessarily that important in terms of packing, but more so because you’re probably going to be wearing them for long periods of time and you don’t want them to feel heavy on your head.
6. Wired vs. Wireless
This also comes down to preference, but there are some things to consider before you buy your next set of headphones.
- Audio Quality – Tends to be better with wired headphones
- Battery Life – Wired headphones are not restricted by a battery life. While wireless ones do have a certain battery life, many premium options give you more than enough listening time to get through a day. Also consider how often you’ll have the opportunity to recharge the battery if you choose wireless headphones.
- Compatibility – You must ensure your headphones are compatible with your device when you choose wired headphones. A perfect example is the fact that the iPhone 7 and its successors up to this point lack a headphone jack, meaning you’ll either have to buy a separate adaptor or go for a wireless model.
- Controls – Wired headphones with control buttons are usually located on the upper part of the wire, and most people find them pretty easy to use. Wireless headphones typically have buttons located on the side or back of the earphones. Sometimes these buttons are smaller and people may have a more difficult time using them. But practice makes perfect, so if you choose wireless headphones you should get used to the buttons once you’ve used them a few times.
- Convenience – If you’re on an airplane then it’s not likely you’ll be more than a foot or two away from your phone. But if you like to dance around your hotel room, then you probably don’t want to do that with a phone in your hand. Wired headphones mean you can’t go more than four to six feet from your phone, but with wireless headphones, many have a range of around 30 feet.
- Cost – Wireless headphones tend to be more expensive than wired ones.
- Interference – Not a problem with wired headphones. With wireless headphones, be mindful that interference is more likely the further you are from your phone, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices like computers and televisions can also mess with the sound quality. A simple solution would be to deactivate the Bluetooth on your other devices when you’re not using them, but outside interference is always a possibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth buying noise canceling headphones?
If you are prepared to invest in a quality listening experience and the added benefit of blocking external noise when you’re in noisy situations, noise canceling headphones are worth buying.
Can noise canceling headphones cause hearing loss?
Noise canceling headphones do not emit love level radiation like phones do so the risk is minimal. However, listening to music loud on any device, not just noise canceling headphones, may be hazardous to your hearing.
What are the best noise Cancelling headphones for travel?
These are some of our favorite noise-cancelling headphones:
- Sony WH1000XM3
- Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II)
- Sony WH1000XM3
Are noise canceling headphones worth it for flying?
Noise-canceling headphones are worth the price tag, especially when flying. On an airplane, the low hum of engine noise is almost completely obliterated. But higher or transient sounds like crying babies and people’s voices may still be able to seep in depending on the quality of your headphones.
How do noise canceling headphones work?
Noise canceling headphones work by creating a noise canceling wave that is 180° out of phase with the ambient noise around you.
This wave acts like a noise eraser and cancels out any surrounding sounds that diminish the audio you really want to hear. Noise canceling headphones aren’t magic, but they can feel like something close to it in the right situations.
WRAP UP
Traveling the world is a dream, but getting there isn’t always so dreamy. Whether it’s the noise from the airplane’s engine, the snoring passenger next to you, or the lovely baby screaming behind you, quality headphones are key to making your journey more peaceful.