Edifier WH950NB Gen 2 8-Level Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Ivory

Why it's worth it

The Edifier WH950NB Gen 2 posts the strongest low-frequency ANC numbers of any headphone in this guide and adds LDAC, eight ANC levels, and 80 hours of battery. It feels a class above its price — until you look at durability reports.

No other headphone here cancels low bass this well. RTINGS.com measured up to 26 dB of reduction at 63Hz on the WH950NB, the highest low-frequency figure in their database for a headphone at this price. Edifier rates the Gen 2 at -49dB depth. If your commute is a subway tunnel or a turboprop, that bottom-octave performance is what you actually feel.

The control you get is unusual at this level. Eight discrete ANC levels, an ambient mode, and a separate wind noise reduction setting mean you can dial in exactly how sealed off you want to be, rather than choosing between on and off. There's also a spatial sound mode and a low-latency game mode.

From our review of 8 budget noise canceling headphones, by Ben Carter, Tech Editor

What we like

• +No other headphone here cancels low bass this well
• +The control you get is unusual at this level
• +Sound quality draws the most enthusiastic owner feedback of anything in this guide
• +Battery runs 80 hours with ANC off, and 15 minutes of charging returns 13 hours

What to know

• –Durability is the real question mark
• –The app is clunkier than Soundcore's or EarFun's, and several owners wish the maximum volume went higher