Bose QuietComfort Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless Headphones with Active Over Ear Noise Cancelling and Mic, Deep Bass, Up to 24 Hours of Playtime, Sandstone

This is my first pair of Bose headphones. Initial impressions before even putting them on was “Dang, these are expensive headphones,” and at $349.99, yes, they are. There’s hundreds of headphones on the market, many of them with noise cancelling, that are available for far less money. But, considering my first pair of ANC Headphones were the original Beats by Dr. Dre Studios, and adjusted for inflation since 2011, I paid $416 for those, these are certainly more than competitive. Also, there’s a reason that for the past several years, when people bring up noise cancelling headphones, they are usually talking about Sony or Bose as their reference point. They are quality. They do the job well. Let’s dive in.1. ANC2. Comfort3. Sound4. Build Quality5. Feature Set6. Who should buy these?Ok, so as I said, my previous ANC Headphones are the original Beats Studios, and my most recent over the ear headphones purchase was the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x back in 2017. I’ll be comparing these to my experience with the both of them. Maybe also in comparison to my gaming headset, the Razer Barracuda X.First off, the noise cancelling itself, since this lineup is called QUIETComfort. Pretty darn good. Honestly, I can’t say that it’s any better than my reference point of headphones from 2011, but still positive experience. Blocks out basically all voices (except the higher range like baby cries), and I couldn’t hear any other noise around me when in use. Can’t complain.Now for the QuietCOMFORT portion of the equation. Compared to both of my previous headphones, it’s a serious improvement. The Beats and Audio-Technica both were heavy over the top of my skull, creating discomfort over extensive sessions where I would shift the band forward and backward over my head to give a break to the affected area. My Razer Barracuda X are also lightweight, and up to this point were the most comfortable in this regards, but the Bose definitely have more padding on the band. That said, I still have experienced the same over the skull discomfort with these headphones, and the band has to be loosened to address it. Obviously, that means the headphones overall sit more loosely on my head and are less secure.The earcups have sufficient padding for my ears, and they don’t make contact, so though they are shallow, they aren’t as shallow as others I’ve owned where the speaker housings press against the outer cartilage of my ear. This, again makes for a comfortable experience over time. Like other headphones I’ve owned, definitely heat buildup inside the earcups, and these are no exception, with condensation gathering on the material. Yep, I was sweaty listening to these. But I live in the desert, so there’s that. Your experience may vary based on your location and if you run generally warm or not.The sound quality over playback is pleasant, and anything I’ve found unpleasant I can adjust easily with the Bose app to tune the EQ to my liking. I blame anything I haven’t liked to my various EQ settings (iOS, Spotify, Bose app combinations) and the source of the audio (Spotify streaming) more than the quality of the sound itself. Both my ATH-M50x and Barracuda X have mostly neutral sound, with the ATH being legitimate studio monitors being only slightly warm and the Barracuda having neutral with slight emphasis to bass for obvious reasons: gaming you want to hear footsteps, and higher bass emphasis aids immersion in game. Obviously, the Beats were very warm, and had bass emphasized beyond the Barracudas. So if I were to place the Bose in the comparison, I’d say its default sound is warm, not neutral, but definitely not as bass heavy as anything Beats put out in 2011 (and from what I read, remains bass heavy in the present). These aren’t studio monitors or reference headphones or audiophile headphones. They’re meant to just make your music sound good with little fuss, with the ability to tune to your liking. If you want audiophile headphones, neither Bose nor Sony nor Beats offerings in this segment meet that criteria. If you want bass heavy headphones, Bose, Sony, JBL have extensive options in that regards at several price points. As already stated, this meets the middle ground between neutral and bass emphasized. It’s warm out of the box, but not at the detriment of the rest of the range. Everything from low to high is clear and crisp. Nothing is overly harsh.Build quality is a little bit of a concern of mine. It’s very hard to find a set of headphones not made entirely out of plastic and no exception here. The inherent design of my OG Beats, though also loaded with plastic, felt sturdier, but the only moving points on those were the hinges, and to a far lesser degree, the cups moved on slight swivels to lay flat on your head. So it makes sense that they’d feel sturdy when there wasn’t a lot of pivot and rotation points. On these, the headphones have folding and rotating ear cups, and at all points across the build, there feels like there’s flex in it. I worry very much that my toddler or baby would get a hold of them and twist them to pieces. I don’t have that concern with either my Audio-Technica headphones, also mostly plastic, nor the Corsair gaming headset my toddler uses for his drum kit, which gets tossed around, stepped on, kicked around, and keeps on going just fine. But, as previously stated, the material choice keeps weight down, which keeps comfort high, like my Barracuda X. Both have lots of lightweight plastic. Both need to be kept away from kids that don’t know how to treat things with delicate touch. Though I know people do go for a run or workout with these, I wouldn’t recommend it. I don’t know if they’d survive a fall, and they’re not IPX rated anyhow against sweat or other moisture. Seriously, get some IPX rated headphones or use some earbuds for sweaty, motion filled sessions. Keep these for the office, study, travel, and everyday listening. With that said, these still feel like a premium product. They don’t feel cheap. I’m just leveling with anyone that is considering these of what their limitations may be.Feature set for these is quite extensive, and y’all can do your research on every last bit. Will just point out some things I was curious about when I purchased these.- The ANC has two presets: Quiet and Aware. You can craft your own presets in the app, and adjust them based on your liking and whether or not you think you’ll encounter wind. So far I find these basically pointless. I don't need to fine tune how much ANC I have. I either want to hear things, or don't.- The app also supports any firmware updates and allows you to tune your EQ to your liking. I can’t stand that there’s multiple Bose apps. I use one for these headphones and one for my Soundlink Flex. I really wish Bose would consolidate all their consumer, portable audio (meaning headphones, earbuds, and travel speakers) into one app. I don’t know why I need two apps for devices that both come and go with me. I’d be more forgiving of multiple apps along portable products versus home products (such as in-wall speakers and home theater speakers). It's especially confusing when the Soundlink Flex MAX is in the Bose Music app with the QuietComforts, but the Soundlink Flex is not. So weird, so pointless. Anyhow, I digress.- Like all QC lineups, these headphones also support analog playback over a traditional cable. They also all feature an asymmetric plug arrangement, 2.5mm on one end and 3.5mm on the other. Unlike the more expensive QuietComfort Ultras, this pair of headphones I’m reviewing allows for passive playback. If you run out of charge or are preserving charge, you can still use these without ANC and listen over the cable. And it has in-line mic as well. This gives you far more flexibility than the Ultras, and allows these headphones to serve double duty as an in-a-pinch gaming headset for an Xbox controller, and to continue to support phone calls, etc. through the in-line microphone even if you cannot or choose not to power them on. I cannot believe that Bose’s flagship product, the Ultras, do not offer that same versatility. This product would be even better if you could use these speakers powered but without ANC features (quiet or aware) enabled to conserve battery power, but retain the convenience of wireless.- Driver size is 35mm to the Ultras 40mm. My ATH-M50x, aptly named, are closer to 50mm drivers, and I believe the Barracuda X are 40mm or so. But the playback volume on the Bose seems louder and, obviously is more versatile than my analog only ATH-M50x comparison. The Barracuda, also wireless, are still less versatile in that they require the USB-C dongle or the analog cable to function, and lack ANC. Bluetooth 5+ is just far more versatile, even if it has latency that the aforementioned devices do not.- Main differences between these and the Ultras include the driver size (Ultra is larger), the amount of microphones used for ANC (the Ultra has more), the inclusion of Immersive Audio on the Ultras (like Spatial Audio on Apple… I’m honestly not sold by that at this time), battery life (these are longer than the Ultra), and the physical structure of them differ. These are just another rehash of the QC35, QC45 design, the Ultras are unique in their structure.They arrived at 60% charge and I listened to them for about 30 minutes before placing them on a USB-C charger. Within an hour I was at 100%. Could’ve been quicker. Idk. Was in the backyard playing with the kiddos and listening to the Bose Soundlink Flex (go buy one of those, I’d recommend that to anybody).So, who are these headphones for? A lot of people, but let’s face it, $349.99 will price out a lot of buyers. I’d recommend my existing ATH-M50x to people that want to spend under $200 and only care about reliable sound. I’d recommend Sony ULT ANC Headphones for people with $200 to spend that want ANC and plan on listening to Pop, Hip-Hop, EDM (their ANC is nearly as good as XM5, Sony’s competitor to these Bose… but they’re very bass heavy). I’d recommend Audio-Technica again to people with a budget of $100.These are a luxury product. I’m aware that there are headphones far more expensive than these. But these are still expensive to many people. At this price point, I’d expect no less than 5 years of usage, and as I’ve already stated, I’ve used $150 headphones for 7 years now. So with that said, a couple of points of advice to someone weighing investing into these:- These go on sale periodically down to $249.99. At that price, they’re still premium, but far more competitive against the likes of Sony XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.- Bose Refurbished is a great option. The warranty is exactly the same as the brand new product, and you save money. I’ve done just that with my Soundlink Flex and have been so happy. I’m doing it again with the QuietComfort Ultras, which I snagged at $259.99, instead of their new list price of $429.99.Okay, enough money talk. Back to who these are for. If you made it this far, the $249.99-$349.99 is obviously something you’re considering as a fair value.So with that said, if you are a professional or student that wants to block out the noise around you for hours on end so you can work, these are for you.If you use public transport and want headphones to help you escape the noise, these are for you. Just, uh, be aware of your surroundings. Ya know, be safe. Yadda yadda.If you want legendary ANC, comfort, sound quality as you go through the airport and on your plane, these are for you.If you want some good headphones for the gym, I’d say you won’t be disappointed, but I’d encourage you to do some research for other headphones before you make a plan to routinely sweat into or potentially toss about headphones that are not made for either.If you’re the type of parent that wants to spoil your kid with great headphones, I’d say keep looking unless you find your child as responsible and respectful as a grown adult. I would certainly have broken these as a kid, and maybe even as a teen out of negligence (i.e. tossing my loaded backpack around or something and accidentally smashing something inside or nearby, hard case or not). There are many great headphones out there for less money, and some that are more sturdy. If you want to bless your child that way, do some serious research first, amongst serious review websites that breakdown sound quality, build quality, etc.Wow, look at you! You made it through my Amazon novel! I mean review. Yeah, that's what I meant. Hope it gave you some things to think about as you find the perfect headphones for you. That Cypress Green sure looks good though, right? Ok, bye bye bye now.

Out of every device I’ve ever purchased, this headset has had the most noticeable impact on my stress levels. I’m incredibly sensitive to sounds I can’t control, things like loud neighbors, music through the walls, and random parties. I’ve even been that neighbor who calls security because I believe in my legal right to quiet enjoyment. But one day, I was wearing my work headset for an hour, and when I took it off, I realized loud music had been playing next door the entire time… and I hadn’t noticed. That’s when I started seriously researching noise-canceling headphones.I narrowed it down to this pair from Bose and a comparable pair from Sony. After testing both at Best Buy, I knew the Bose QuietComforts were the right choice. Of course, like the rest of us, I went home and bought them on Amazon—along with the insurance plan, which I highly recommend. From the first time I put them on, I noticed the difference. Even without playing any sound, just switching on noise cancellation brought a sense of calm I didn’t realize I needed.No, they don’t cancel every single noise. But they reduce sound to such a manageable level that I can read, work, or just zone out in peace. I wear them at home, at work, and sometimes just around the house. I liked them so much, I bought two more pairs, one for work and one as a backup. They’re expensive, and I do think the price is too high, but I’m willing to pay it for the peace they bring.After all of this, I learned about misophonia on TikTok, which seems to describe what I’ve been dealing with. I haven’t been formally diagnosed, but the symptoms fit. So if you’re like me and get easily irritated by everyday noise, even from people you live with, these headphones might actually change your life. I can’t recommend them enough.

I’ve owned & extensively used the Beats Solo Pros & Air Pods Pros. I gave the Beats to my daughter as the ‘on-the-ear’ design was causing me pain on flights. I migrated to the AirPods Pros hoping I’d get similar performance to the Beats with more comfort and less bulk on flights. Ultimately, the Air Pods Pros just won’t stay in my ears and the ANC just isn’t as effective due to the lack of ear covers or better plugs. So recently I ordered the new Bose QuietComforts and the 1More Sonoflows to compare. I was hopeful on the 1More product due to being on sale for $67 and that the price savings would outweigh any deficits. But ultimately I am going with the Bose QCs. This is my personal opinion and what works best for me. Keep in mind I have not extensively tested the Bose or 1More yet, but spent a day alternating between the two so this is based on initial impressions. Categories are in personal order of importance.COMFORT/DESIGN: I gave up the Beats due to pain/pressure from prolonged use of the on the ear cups. I am also not a fan of the Air Pods Pro design, nor getting them to fit in my ears well and stay (I love the original air pods, and I’ve tried multiple buds for the Pros). I have a large head so the Beats had to be fully extended to be on my head properly which probably increased pressure. They fit my adult daughter much better. The Bose QCs don’t require full extension on me, completely cover my ears, and the cups are really soft. The 1More product covers completely, and is comfortable, but heavier & puts more pressure around my ears than the Bose, so I’m skeptical if I’d want to wear them more than an hour or so. The pressure is a drawback especially given the ANC performance noted next.RANKING: Bose QC > 1More Sonoflow > Beats SoloPro > Air Pods ProANC: In my immediate comparison of the Bose QCs and the 1More Sonoflow, there was a large difference in noise cancellation. I use an infrared heater in my office sometimes that is pretty noisy. Comparable to airplane noise but quieter. The Bose is very effective against it despite fitting looser than the 1More product. But the Bose has less options than the Beats for ANC modes and I found the Beats to be slightly better at full ANC than the Bose and quicker to switch modes. The Air Pods are at a disadvantage here being an earbud product but they are effective and travel light. The 1More product was the worst performer on ANC for me.RANKING: Beats Solo Pro > Bose QuietComfort > Air Pods Pro > 1More Sonoflow.SOUND/EQ/APP: I always found the Beats Solo Pros to be balanced, clear, dynamic and pleasant. Integrated with Apple, they worked great though many audiophiles will complain about the lack of EQ adjustments. I liked the simplicity of them and not having to have an additional app. Same goes for the Air Pods. The Bose Sound is very good, as you would expect from Bose, and their App is simple and ok. Out of the box very good and you can tune them to preference. The 1More Product out of the box is definitely at the bottom of the pile. It had an almost metallic, chunky, machine sound to me. You can adjust them, update firmware, and tune them with the app which made the largest difference in the performance compared to the others. The app did have a neat white noise feature with some different options. It also had twice as many EQ adjustments points over the Bose. Ultimately, I enjoy the Bose sound the most followed by the Beats and AirPods and then the 1More, but once tuned all are very good, especially if ANC with music or video on an airplane are your target use.RANKING: Bose QC > Beats Solo Pro > Air Pods Pro > 1More Sonoflow.PHYSICAL FUNCTIONALITY: For me, I love the Beats functionality. Buttons are intuitive and easy to use, typical tactile Apple design. AirPods are similar. So far the Bose is ok, it’s intuitive and the buttons seem like they will be easy to learn. The 1More Sonoflow is last here. All buttons on the right side, the power button in front doubles as a function button and for me it’s awkward trying to find it on the front. The 1More is last by a bit for me here.RANKING: Beats Solo Pro > Air Pods Pro > Bose QC > 1More SonoflowCASE: Beats Case is cheap and not protective at all. AirPods are AirPods. The 1More Case fits but is a bit bulky, rounded, and the included accessory net is too small. The Bose Case is well made, stiff, protective, has a large accessory net, and is rectangular shaped. Personally I see it fitting in a carry on laptop bag or backpack much easier.RANKING: Bose QC > 1More Sonoflow > AirPods Pro > Beats Solo ProBATTERY LIFE: This is of limited importance to me. But it seems to get tons of mention in every online review you read. The headphones all have insanely long run times compared to older devices. I always charge before a trip and never seem to end up with dead devices. Charge your stuff. Not that hard.