The 6 Best Neckband Headphones - Summer 2019

Many people prefer neckband headphones over regular wireless earbuds and in-ear headphones for their added ease-of-use. Instead of rummaging through your bag or pockets to find your earbuds, they’re conveniently hanging around your neck which ensures they’re easy to access when you need them. Neckband headphones also tend to have additional features that more compact earbuds simply can’t provide, like active noise cancelling (ANC), improved microphone performance, and a better battery life.
We’ve tested 77 wireless earbuds and in-ear headphones and below are our recommendations for the best neckband headphones in 2019. If you’re looking for our top picks for other in-ear or earbud headphones, check out our recommendations for the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds and in-ears, the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds for running and working out, and the best noise cancelling earbuds.cheap in ear earphones
The best neckband headphones that we’ve tested so far are the Bose QuietControl 30. They have comfortable earbuds and adjustable ANC, which helps make them good travel headphones. Their neckband design keeps the earbuds easy-to-access, which is especially helpful when you’re at a busy airport or train station, and they come with a great hard carrying case to protect them when you’re ready to put them away.

They have very impressive isolation for wireless earbuds. They have very good noise cancelling and effectively isolate across the whole spectrum, from the low rumbles of bus or plane engines to the more high-pitched noises of office A/C systems. They also hardly leak at all, so you don’t have to worry about bothering those around you with your music. They have a reasonable battery life of about 11 hours with ANC enabled.

Unfortunately, they have a relatively bulky neckband compared to the other recommendations on this list. Their neckband is covered in a thick rubber-like sleeve, but there have been numerous reports that it tends to separate and peel off with time and we experienced this with our unit as well. This issue is mostly cosmetic; however, it can affect the functionality of the power button if the sleeve peels back far enough. That said, not everyone will have this problem and the Bose QC 30 are still very good neckband headphones overall.If you’re looking for high-end neckband headphones with a more solid design, go for the Sony WI-1000X Wireless. They’re not as comfortable as the Bose QuietControl 30, but they feel better-made. They have a unique cable management slot to help keep their cables out of your way when not in use and feel more durable overall. They’re compatible with the Sony | Headphones Connect app, which gives you access to lots of customization options like ANC control along with a graphic EQ.

On the downside, these headphones don’t last quite as long as the Bose, and they take a bit longer to charge. However, they can be used passively with their provided audio cable when their battery is dead, which is a great feature that’s rather uncommon among wireless in-ears. If you don’t mind their in-ear fit, they’re a worthwhile alternative to the Bose, especially for travel.