The Immense Value of Noise-Cancelling Headphones

My daily commute to work involves a 2-hour ferry ride. I work so close to the terminal on the other side that I usually walk on and spend the crossing in the passenger lounge. But when you’re around ~1000 passengers including children, loud conversations, crew announcements, the constant rumble of the engines, and that one old guy who screams into his phone which is on speakerphone at max volume, Samsung Galaxy Buds (first generation) aren’t enough to drown out all that noise.

So, in February 2023, I started doing research and found that the Anker Soundcore Q45 headphones were a great mix of noise-cancelling and value. I got $20 off the $200 price tag and joined the noise-cancelling community.

February 2023 was 11 months before my autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, but I didn’t need a diagnosis to know that I was getting overstimulated on the crossing, I’d get into work and need an hour just to decompress from the sensory overload. I didn’t have the language to explain it at the time, but I knew I had a problem, I knew the source of that problem, and I knew I needed a solution.

My experience with the Q45 was underwhelming. My first set broke within the first month—the headband snapped right under the joint to the ear cup. Anker support was quick to offer a solution—they shipped me a brand new pair within a week, but I’m convinced the replacement never had the same quality of noise cancelling, and I never felt satisfied.

Look at that, a stock photo of the XM4!

I started looking again, keeping a few things on my radar. I learned from rtings.com that the Sony XM4 headset was supposed to be top-tier for noise cancelling, but they’d been discontinued to make room on the shelf for the newer Sony XM5—though rtings had warned that the noise cancelling wasn’t as good. As I continued to use my Q45, I noticed the headband had begun to shed a little, and realized this set wasn’t for me.

I went back to rtings.com and found that in 2024, there was a new contender for best noise cancelling: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless. With a hefty price tag over $500, I couldn’t impulse buy that. I had to know. I knew my Q45s were, in my mind, dying—the shedding was worse and the break on the first set had me lacking confidence in the brand. And with how much I relied on them for my commute, I made the expensive decision to upgrade to the Bose set.

I immediately hated them. The right ear cup would click whenever I moved, like there was a defect in the joint. The noise cancelling was fine, but it struggled with the announcements on the ship. They didn’t fit comfortably, which may have been part of the noise cancelling issues. The Anker Q45s fit wonderfully—they are still my go-to at home for washing dishes. I kept using the QuietComfort set for a week before I got a notification that the XM4s were back in stock. I checked online retailers and saw that everyone had been restocked on Sony’s superior noise-cancelling product.

I had bought the Bose headphones from Best Buy, which has a return policy that only allows headphone returns in the case of defects. I demonstrated the clicking ear cup to the customer service associate, and explained that the sound is even worse in my ear. She immediately offered me an exchange, and I decided to get the XM4 instead. I had the Bose in Sandstone colour, which is probably the best colour I’ve ever seen. XM4s I got Silver, which is fine, but I have to admit the Sandstone colour has me missing that terrible, broken set.

It’s been a little disheartening that 3 out of the 4 headsets I’ve owned have been duds in some way—and I don’t think that’s me being picky. Especially with a $500 pair of headphones—if they’re not perfect, they’re not worth it.

Well, I’m happy to say the XM4 is perfect. The software is.. fine.. but none of the headsets offer a good software companion. I like the touch controls on the right ear cup, even if sometimes I pause my music by accident when adjusting the headset. I love the feature where you put your hand over the ear cup and it enables transparency mode—it’s invaluable when I want to hear an announcement or eavesdrop on someone’s conversation.

I haven’t even discussed the music I listen to. I do listen to music, but my happy place comes from 4 hours of rain and thunder ambient sounds. Nothing beats the feeling of being trapped in a small glass ball surrounded by a thunderstorm.

If you’re an autistic person—whether diagnosed by a professional or self-diagnosed while you wait for your appointment, I cannot express enough the value of using a noise cancelling product. Even something like hearing protection for construction sites and airports—anything to dull the sound by a few dozen decibels can be a game changer—especially if you have a noisy commute on a bus, train, or boat. I’ve given a few names here, and I’m sure there are many more options out there to fit your individual needs. But if you can, please do.