How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a proven Sony noise-cancelling package with app-tuned sound and a very light fit, choose Sony WH-CH720NL; if you need marathon battery life, newer Bluetooth and a wired fallback, choose Philips H8000. Both are over-ear wireless noise cancelling headphones, but they solve the same problem in two different ways. One leans on Sony's processing and app ecosystem; the other leans on raw playtime and connectivity.
• Sony WH-CH720NL — biggest strength: Dual Noise Sensor tech paired with the Integrated Processor V1, plus app control that lets you slide ambient sound across 20 levels. That's unusually granular for this class of headphone.
• Sony WH-CH720NL — biggest trade-off: Wireless only, no headphone jack, and the battery figure in the spec sheet tops out at 35 hours with noise cancelling on. If you like a cable as a backup, there isn't one.
• Philips H8000 — biggest strength: Up to 70 hours of playtime with noise cancelling off, 50 hours with it on, and a 10-minute quick charge that returns 8 hours. Bluetooth 5.4 with Auracast support is a genuinely forward-looking addition.
• Philips H8000 — biggest trade-off: Its noise cancelling is adaptive and reacts to your surroundings, but the spec sheet doesn't offer the same level of manual, app-based fine-tuning that Sony advertises.
• Who each is for: Pick Sony WH-CH720NL if you want to shape how your music and ambient sound behave. Pick Philips H8000 if you want to charge less often and keep a 3.5 mm cable in the bag.
The Sony WH-CH720NL is built around processing. The Integrated Processor V1 — the same chip family Sony uses in its flagship line — works with the Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) to pull compressed digital audio closer to the original recording. In practice, that matters most if you stream from services that don't always serve the highest bitrate. DSEE is there to smooth out the rough edges. On top of that, 360 Reality Audio certification means the Sony | Headphones Connect app can analyse your individual ear shape and tune an immersive mix around it.
Noise cancelling here is dual-sensor and app-adaptable. You get 20 discrete levels of ambient sound adjustment, which is a lot more control than a simple on/off or "transparency" toggle. If you move between a quiet office, a noisy train and a windy walk, being able to dial in exactly how much of the world gets through is the real feature — not just the cancellation itself.
Buy it if you want app-level control over sound and ambient noise, you value a light fit for long sessions, and you mostly listen wirelessly. Skip it if you want a wired option, or if charging every couple of days bothers you — there's no 3.5 mm jack on this one.
Philips H8000: Who It's For
The Philips H8000 goes the other direction: it's a stamina play. With noise cancelling off you're looking at up to 70 hours from a full charge; with it on, up to 50 hours. And the quick charge figure is the one that changes daily habits — 10 minutes plugged in returns 8 hours of playback. That's enough to turn a forgotten charge into a non-event. If you're the kind of person who never remembers to plug headphones in, this is the single most useful spec on the sheet.
The noise cancelling is described as adaptive, reacting to your surroundings in real time and suppressing external noise including wind. Awareness Mode lets outside sound back in, and Quick Awareness specifically enhances voices so you can hold a conversation without taking the headphones off. That's a practical, everyday feature rather than a spec-sheet flex.
Call quality gets its own hardware: five microphones working with a noise-reduction algorithm to isolate your voice and cut background noise, even on a busy street on a windy day. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint for two devices at once, and Auracast support means you can tune into public broadcasts — airport announcements, or commentary in a sports bar — where that's available. Unlike the Sony, the Philips includes a 3.5 mm jack and ships with a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable, so you have a wired fallback when the battery eventually runs down or when you're on a plane with a seatback screen.
Buy it if you want maximum time between charges, you like having a cable option, or you're curious about Auracast. Skip it if you want deep app-based EQ and ambient-level customisation, which isn't what this model is built around.
• Best for battery life → Philips H8000. Up to 70 hours with ANC off, 50 with it on, versus Sony's 35 hours with noise cancelling on.
• Best for quick top-ups → Philips H8000. A 10-minute charge gives 8 hours of playback; Sony offers quick charge but the sheet doesn't quote an equivalent figure.
• Best for sound customisation → Sony WH-CH720NL. EQ settings in the Sony | Headphones Connect app, DSEE processing and 360 Reality Audio tuning are all aimed at shaping the output.
• Best for fine-grained ambient control → Sony WH-CH720NL. 20 adjustable ambient sound levels is more control than a standard awareness toggle.
• Best for the lightest possible fit → Sony WH-CH720NL. At 192 g it's a genuinely light over-ear design.
• Best for calls in noisy places → Philips H8000. Five mics plus a noise-reduction algorithm is a lot of hardware dedicated to voice pickup.
• Best for wired listening → Philips H8000. It has a 3.5 mm jack and includes an audio cable; the Sony is wireless only.
• Best for future-facing connectivity → Philips H8000. Bluetooth 5.4 and Auracast support go beyond what Sony lists here.
In my opinion, the Philips H8000 is the pick for most people shopping this category. The 70-hour figure, the 10-minute-for-8-hours quick charge, the five-mic call setup and the inclusion of a 3.5 mm jack cover the things that actually annoy headphone owners day to day. I'd only steer you to the Sony WH-CH720NL if sound tuning is your priority — the app EQ, DSEE processing and 20-level ambient adjustment give you control the Philips doesn't try to match. Decide which of those two matters more to you, and the choice makes itself. Whichever you land on, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the one thing that shifts constantly.
what are wireless noise cancelling headphones
They're over-ear or in-ear headphones that connect over Bluetooth and use active noise cancellation — microphones that sample outside sound and generate a counter-signal to reduce it. Both the Sony WH-CH720NL and Philips H8000 are over-ear wireless models with active noise cancellation built in.
how do wireless noise cancelling headphones work
Mics pick up ambient noise, a processor analyses it and produces an inverted sound wave that partially cancels it before it reaches your ear. The Sony uses Dual Noise Sensor technology with its Integrated Processor V1; the Philips uses adaptive noise cancellation that reacts to your surroundings in real time.
what is the best wireless noise cancelling headphones
There's no single answer, because "best" depends on what you need. In my opinion the Philips H8000 suits people who want long battery life and a wired option, while the Sony WH-CH720NL suits people who want app-based sound and ambient tuning. Match the specs to your habits rather than chasing a universal winner.
what is wireless noise cancelling headphones
The phrase simply refers to Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation, as opposed to passive isolation from padded earcups alone. Both models here are over-ear designs with active cancellation, multipoint Bluetooth pairing and built-in microphones for calls.
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