(checked 2026-10-10)
SoundGuys' best budget noise-cancelling pick for most people: comfortable, with solid ANC and over 30 hours of battery. But the default sound is very bass-heavy, there's no USB-C audio or water resistance, and owners on Amazon and Walmart report the hinge or joint breaking within months.
Top complaints
- Hinge or joint breaks
Amazon's summary says durability is a concern, with headphones breaking at the joint within a few months. Low-star Walmart reviews describe a pair that broke after 3 months, one that broke after a single drop, and an owner whose replacements kept breaking in the same place. A SoundGuys owner review calls the hinge design 'severely flawed'; this is an owner claim, not a SoundGuys test.
- Very bass-heavy by default
SoundGuys' con reads 'Frequency response is either very bassy, unnecessarily bassy, or ridiculously bassy', and it recommends EQ. Tom's Guide calls the extra bass modes gimmicky and says the bass can feel bloated. Walmart reviewers are split: one says it's too bass-heavy for anything but rap, while others say the bass is weak.
- Weak mic wind screens and missing extras
SoundGuys says the mic windscreens 'are not effective' and the mics pick up nearby sounds. There's no audio over USB and no IP rating. Tom's Guide notes no aptX and some sound leakage. Amazon owners are mixed on Bluetooth connectivity.
What owners love
- Comfortable
SoundGuys scores comfort 9.0 and says you won't notice discomfort over a few hours at a desk, though the pads trap heat. Amazon owners praise the comfort.
- Solid ANC for the price
SoundGuys measured more than 25 dB of attenuation above 80 Hz and scores ANC 8.4. It says the ULT WEAR blocks more of the most annoying noise than its runner-up. Tom's Guide calls the ANC good but not exceptional.
- 30+ hours of battery
SoundGuys measured 32 hours 35 minutes, and Sony claims about 5 hours from a 10-minute charge.
Source: SoundGuys review
- You want neutral sound without EQ tweaking
- You're hard on your gear (hinge-break reports)
- You'll use them for workouts or in the rain
- Bass lovers
- Commuters who want good ANC without flagship prices
- Hours of comfortable desk listening
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- SoundGuys: Best budget noise-cancelling headphones for most people (updated 2026-04-28) and 8.2 in its review. The cons are very bassy sound and no audio over USB.
- Tom's Guide: Hands-on (early verdict, 2024): good for bass lovers, but the extra bass modes are gimmicky, there's no aptX, and there's some sound leakage.