I had never owned noise canceling headphones, so can't compare but... I love the sound on these and I appreciate the level of bass they offer. I have not used them in a very loud area to test the noise cancellation effectiveness, but I can definitely tune out various noises in the home. I love using them in my townhome without disturbing my neighbors with my loud music :). I also have used them before sleep for binaural beats which are more effective with headphones. Slept great those nights!