Noise-cancelling headphones may be great for the office, but they also saved my sleep and sanity on several vacations

Noise-cancelling headphones may be the greatest invention of mankind, even more than penicillin. I’m not making this statement just because I am an audiophile. Oh no, those are controversial words coming from someone who has suffered severe insomnia for years.

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to go on a dream vacation. This was bucket-list territory. My best friend, who is a Jurassic Park fan was kind enough to accompany me to Honolulu on a trip in Hawaii.

If you don’t know ‘Spielberg Dinosaur 101,’ Honolulu, Hawaii is where many key scenes were filmed for the dino masterpiece – Kualoa Ranch to be precise. The all-time masterpiece of 1993 still has the power to draw tourists. 22 years later, the beautiful tourist-luring location is still running several JP themed tour a day.

What does my favourite movie of all time have in common with my AirPods Max, and the incredible holiday that I’ve been dreaming about since I was eight? Apple’s noise-cancelling features are of the highest quality. You could even silence the T-Rex’s mighty roar Jurassic Park (19459049]with their Noise Control button.

I wasn’t too worried about the (very much extinct!) greatest predator that ever walked the Earth disturbing me while staying in Waikiki in early 2023 with my bestie. The Tyrant Lizard’s roar could shift the plates of this planet if it was cranked up to full volume. Even the dino that ends all dinos cannot compete with the constant hum from the energy generator of a mobile van when you are trying to fall asleep. I’ll get there.

To the Max

Here’s where the $399 / $399 Apple AirPods Max price tag that crippled my credit card justifies this significant expenditure. They saved me sleep during this amazing holiday.

We all know that noise-cancelling capabilities can elevate a pair of over-ear headphones to an elite category. Despite my best efforts to not sound hyperbolic about it, the AirPods Max’s noise-reducing features are among some of my most expensive tech purchases.

Far from the beautiful mountain ranges in Honolulu I recently rediscovered Apple’s noise-slaying technology. It is the best in class noise-dampening technology. This is the story of a dog that snores so loudly, it could damage your eardrums. This is another story I’ll tell in a moment.

It’s no secret that in a busy office, background noise (constant chatter, someone dropping a big jug of milk behind you, the low-level thrum of the printer/scanner/microwave/AC unit above your head, the gurgle of the water cooler as another colleague takes a glass) can severely dampen your productivity. It’s not a spoiler to learn that Darth Vader’s father is Luke’s perpetually wheezing. The AirPods Max noise-nixing feature is nothing short of revolutionary when it comes down to a desire for peace on vacation. Noise-cancelling was my saving grace when I stayed in Kauai, one of the smaller Hawaiian Islands where Jurassic Park (19459048) was filmed. The last remnants of my sanity. Kauai is not only the filming location for what I would argue is the most influential blockbuster ever made, but it also has a far more annoying attribute to its name… roosters who won’t stop crowing.

Cock-a-doodle-boo

They are absolutely covering the beautiful island. You know what else? They really enjoy screaming for hours on end during the dead of night. As someone who suffers from crippling arachnophobia, it’s the audio equivalent of sharing your bed with a dozen tarantulas… all of which are into hardcore metal bangers.

Thankfully, my AirPods Max and their noise-kiboshing features helped to slay the rooster racket. I’m a poor sleeper generally, so I’ve never been more appreciative of a piece of technology, even if wearing Apple’s chunky cans in bed is pretty uncomfortable for a side sleeper like myself (although I’m told you can buy ANC sleep earbuds, too).

The best noise cancelling headphones can bring your lobes much welcome peace during what should be the most relaxing days of your life. You know what didn’t bring out my inner audio zen? Staying in an oh so cheap and cheerful two star ‘hotel’ in downtown Waikiki, one that just so happened to be situated above that aforementioned mobile food truck and the world’s noisiest generator. This is where noise-cancelling features really came into their own again.

While holidaying in Hawaii, my friend slept like a vampire… a vamp who’s been heavily sedated before taking that trip to the Land of Nod. I, on the other hand, could barely catch 40 winks during a tornado. Throw in relentless generators, cheeky chickens and the fact the residents of downtown Waikiki never seem to go to bed, and you’re left with an incredibly effective recipe for a terrible night’s sleep. My ears – nay, my very sanity! – owe my AirPods Max a lot.

Circling back to work issues, it’s hardly an eye-rubbing shocker that headphones able to nullify loud sounds can be tremendously effective when it comes to getting work done with minimal distraction. That brings me back to my recent issues with constant ear-pummelling pooch snoring.

A dog’s din(ner)

Forget any of the toothy residents of John Hammond’s doomed theme park; I’ve been staying at my cousin’s house recently and the noise his French bulldog makes would drown out the wails of that poor cow as it’s being crunched by Jurassic Park’sruthless raptors.

Yes, Spielberg’s T-Rex could perforate your eardrums with a mild cough in certain movie theaters. But my cousin’s ageing Frenchie could easily ruin both your sleep and productivity from half a house away, due to its adorable squished nose and the resulting room-reverberating racket of her snores.

And hoo-boy, does that dog enjoy its sleep – just try writing a tech feature within 30 ft of that lovely little hound. Without my AirPods Max, I would never have gotten a single word written over the past few weeks. You’d think I was some sort of weird Frenchie whisperer, the way Pixie decides to plonk herself down for an epic nap the second she seemingly hears my digits tapping away on one of the best gaming laptops.

It’s no surprise that the finest headphones or best noise-cancelling earbuds can significantly improve your sleep and ability to work in peace. Whether dealing with a Hawaiian cockerel or a pooch who loves noisy napping more than I love oxygen, subduing ambient noise through headphone tech can genuinely have an uplifting effect on your general mood.

And when it comes to trying to catch some kip on a dream vacation, nullifying noise is an absolute soul-lifting game-changer. And my set of Max cans didn’t just save my trip to Hawaii – they were also lifesavers in both New York’s Times Square and Tokyo. Now those are two cities that really have a creative interpretation of what constitutes sleep.

When it comes to the AirPods Max’s best in class noise-cancelling, Apple is top of the tree in my book. Those premium cans have improved the three best holidays of my 39 years on the spinning rock, and for that, my eardrums will be forever thankful to them.

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Dave is a freelancer who’s been writing about tech and video games since 2006, with bylines across GamesRadar+, Total Film, PC Gamer, and Edge. He’s been obsessed with all manner of AV equipment ever since his parents first bought him a hideously garish 13-inch CRT TV (complete with built-in VCR, no less) back in 1998. Over the years he’s owned more plasma and OLED TVs than he can count. On an average day, he spends 30% of his waking existence having mild panic attacks about vertical banding and dead pixels.