Bose recruits QuietComfort 15 headphones into war on noise
By Vlad Savov 
posted August 20th 2009 9:19AM
posted August 20th 2009 9:19AM
posted August 20th 2009 9:19AM
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Bose? Audiophile?
Well if they can't reproduce sound, maybe at least they can do silence.
As expensive as they are, and I dont own them, they product top notch quality so Im not sure what planet you are on.
Bose are good, but for the price, you can do much better.
Agreed. "Bose" and "Audiophile" just don't match.
@ProfessorKaos. Go get a real pair of audiophile headphones, such as Sennheiser, Grado, Audio Technica, Denon, Stax etc... and tell us if Bose really are "Top notch quality"
I love my QC 2's. Bought refurb direct from bose for 199.99. Same warranty as the new once and love the sound. The Beats by Dr. Dre are good for loud and bass but all the people around you are hear every details of what you are listening too.
@puggs
Sarcasm win! Extra points for dissing Bose and Monster in the same post!
@Puggs:
I have the Beats By Dr. Dre and they are anything but bass heavy. I am no audiophile, but I really like quality of sound across the entire spectrum that comes from the Beats. They're very comfortable and the noise canceling works great.
@ed
Pretty much sums it up. Bose stuff is good. But it's a poor value (sometimes absolutely appalling value)....way over priced. They built up a name for themselves years ago, and have maintained it with strict marketing and distribution (Bose was one of three brands we were never allowed to discout at an electronics store I worked at...one of the others was Apple...they also have a history of suing anyone who gave their products poor reviews) with just good enough sound quality to please the average Joe. In my book, they don't rank much higher than Monster Cable.
What you guys don't get is that Bose offers good quality sound and good aesthetics. Which none of the other companies do ("Sennheiser, Grado, Audio Technica, Denon, Stax etc")
@Patriks7: Good aesthetics? Dear God, man. I'd hate to see your wardrobe.
The Grado SR325 looks fantastic. Clean, simple, and understated. A bit retro, maybe, but that's not always a bad thing. And the sound is incredible.
Then again, if it's aesthetics you're worried about, you're probably wearing a pair of tiny canalphones.
It doesn't get much better than Bose.
Bose = overpriced crap
AKG K702's are argued to be the best headphones (and value) on the market and routinely sell for $250-279.
However, since the introduction of Beats by Dre, I'd have to say that finally Bose has something more expensive and crappier than it.
@Preston.
I loved them too, but I am a programmer in a quiet environment and Beats are not meant for a quiet environment. I actually bought them from Best Buy (as they would not let me hook it up to my iPhone and listen to them) and used them in the office. I have like 5 complaints within an hour. I drove to a Bose store the need day and did a direct side by side comparison. I found the QC2 to be more comfortable (for my ears) and a little better refined on acoustics (my opinion).
wait....QC2, QC3, QC15?
Yeah, not too sure what is up with their numbering system!
Like I care.
I love my QC2's for Flying, and I will probably go check these out next time I am near a Bose Store since they are Around-Ear and not On-Ear like the QC3's. That is also one of the reasons I have not yet bought into the "Other Companies" Digital Noise Cancellation Technology that they only sell in On-Ear Headphones.
You're joking right?
http://www.sennheiserusa.com/private_headphones_travel-line_500371
http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/1c7efaa15727a938/index.html
If you want to justify your purchase of overpriced, overhyped Bose equipment, then go right ahead. But don't try and tell people the wrong things just to make yourself feel better.
@Canadian Bacon
I agree. I have a pair of audio-technica studio headphones (non-noise-cancelling) for approximately 6 or 7 years and the only thing I had to replace were the ear pads. It's good quality stuff.
I was given a pair of QC2's by someone 'upgrading' to the QC3... don't ask me. I have never used headphones that gave me that quality of sound and that much noise cancellation.
Maybe the ones you linked are better, I don't know, I haven't used them. But don't go knocking something that IS good. These are not monster cables that are a factor of 4 more expensive than the competition and provide zero improvement.
The Sennheiser you linked is actually more expensive, in case you hadn't noticed. Perhaps you should have linked to reviews instead of a simple price comparison?
After my QC2 was, ahem, 'borrowed' from someone who got in to the school network and found my locker combo, I got a Sennheiser PX-100. Not nearly as nice, but still very good and they have lasted me easily 5x as long as any headphones I have ever had.
@Sean
Actually, a cursory glance at Google shopping tells me that the cheapest that the QC2's go for from a reputable retailer is $269 whereas the Sennheisers go for $186. Not sure where you got the idea they were more expensive; maybe you were looking at MSRP.
Since you own and enjoy Sennheisers I'm not going to criticize you about liking the Bose but yes, everything made by Bose can be beaten, quality and value-wise, by another product. This goes for their headphones, their surround sound systems, their iPod docks, everything. They may not be as bad as Monster Cables but it's the same idea, more money for less quality.
@Canadian Bacon
Actually, I was talking about these http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&productId=8198552921665348955
Sony MDR-NC500D
Sound Reproduction is only one use for these style headphones. 80% of the time I am wearing them just to try and get some rest or concentration. I have a problem with my ears and can not wear buds or insert traditional Ear Plugs. I frequently fly and am forced to carrier jump which often lands me in the back of the plane unless I can get on my preferred carrier.
Sony is the other leader in the field that is aimed at business travelers, hence the quotes. Also, I did say DIGITAL Noise Cancellation.
My dad owns a pair of QC2's. Moan all you like about the price/performance of BOSE gear (Buy Other Sound Equipment etc.) but sound quality wise they're about the equal of my Beyerdrnamic DT770 Pro's and they are fantastically comfortable.
Pricey, but if you can afford it they have their advantages
While I don't doubt at all that Bose headphones are better than the average Best Buy crap, I don't see how you could compare them with DT770 Pro's. The Beyers are superior in almost every way. The problem with them is that for them to sound good they need to be coupled with a good headphone amp. If you're playing them straight out of your iPod, they're not going to perform to the standard they're built for.
Everyone talks smack about Bose but I love my QC-3s and miss not wearing them. (I need to replace the cable as it broke a few weeks ago). The Shure earbuds just don't cut it.
Shure earbuds provide more accurate sound replication than any Bose product you can buy. The only real reason for owning Bose products is their overpowering bass.
The noise-cancelling stuff may be OK, but Bose speakers are notoriously tinny.
They are expensive because they have, for many many years, run a mammoth advertising campaign. What other audiophile company advertises on television, or in mass-market magazines? That's what you're paying for. But the products themselves, by and large? Mediocre stuff. You don't want to listen to them all day.
I spent some time looking into the Q2's not long ago. The No-Buy thing with them was the lack of a removable cord. The Q15's have a removable cord so I'm considering them once again. They should be great along with one of those cords with iPhone compatible buttons and mic!
The QC2's have a removable cord:
http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/noise_cancelling_headphones/accessories/qc2_replacement_audio_cable_acc.jsp
Isn't someone going to post the over used:
"no lows, must be BOSE"
nevermind
Full disclosure - I love my QC2's. Great for drowning out chatty catty when I'm on a plane.
Unfortunately they won't drown the kid kicking your seat behind you throughout your trip.
The QC3's are great; perfect for work. Not sure I need the new model yet, though. http://www.computersncs.com/rd_p?p=191273&t=9544&a=2970-engadget&gift=2970
Can anyone recommend a better pair of audiophile headphones that have equal or greater comfort than the Bose Triports? I wear my headphones for long periods of time, and it's not possible for me to upgrade to a less comfortable pair of headphones.
Denons and Beyers are both super comfortable. My personal favorites are the Beyer DT880s.
And the answer is: http://www.headphone.com/guide/by-manufacturer/denon/denon-ah-d1001s-silver.php
More comfortable than the Triports, much better audio quality (the soundstage is amazing), and cheaper by $25.
+1 Denon rules (and for some weird reason, they are cheapest than Bose).
Sony MDR-V6s. They are fantastic. They are an over the ear design, so they keep some ambient noise out, but not noise cancelling. They have a spirally cord which I like, but others might not.
Amazon has them, read the reviews..
I received a pair of QCs as a gift. Very nice headphones with a decent low end although they were bulky. Six months later they were dumpster feed, after multiple parts in the headband broke and a strange defect popped up that drained the battery. IMO Bose builds these to maximize profit, and apparently doesn't care too much about their longevity. They look nice and impressive out of the box. How many are still in use a year later?
Ed T I think you received a defective unit. Which QCs did you receive as a gift? I haven't had any problems and have had my pair over a year and a bit. Daily usage up until a few weeks ago. Not to mention wearing them in the winter, outside too... Great headphones and build quality.
I was looking to buy the QC 3's for $299... but after trying so many headphones.. i settled for the Sony NC60 that cost $199... there is a $100 and I would say the sound and the noise cancellation are way better!!
It always cracks me up to see people using these gigantic cans on airplanes. I get much better sound quality and isolation from my Etymotic Reseach ER-6i in-ear monitors, plus I can turn my head around and easily put them away at the end of the flight. On top of their mediocre quality, the Bose are large, cumbersome and inconvenient to use in close quarters with limited space. Oh yeah, they cost 5 times as much and they need batteries.
Yeah but some folks (myself included) don't really like earbuds. For me they never seem to stay in nice and snug.
but those "big cans" are more wealthy for your audition.
Hurricane: Ear buds and IEMs are different. Earbuds just kind of sit in your ear (Think iPod buds), while IEMs have some way of creating a snug seal that really won't come out. My preference is the Westone UM2. Very pricey ($300), but more than worth it for the superb sound quality.
Believe me, they are comfortable, and once you get the foam tips in correctly (Takes practice, but not a lot), thay're not going to fall out. The ER6i's are even more snug because they use a long, and wide tri-flange tip, which certainly won't come out, but I find uncomfortable.
I have the QC2s that fit around the ear and LOVE them! They are great on airplanes and I can hear the flight attendants just fine. I also use them at work when I need to focus. I love the sound I get from them and they really cut down a lot of other noise too. I haven't tried the others mentioned so I can't say which I like better. I can say I've had others who bought inexpensive noise canceling headphones try mine and they loved mine much better - but I don't remember what brand or model they had.
The only complaint I have with my QC2 is the crappy plastic head piece. Where it connects with the headphones the plastic has broken on both sides and I had to tape it up. For $300 I should get something with a little better quality. Still, they work great, just look funky now. ;)
Sure, Bose may not have the greatest sound quality, but from what I've read their noise-cancellation is the best. Can anyone suggest a cheaper alternative that has better noise cancellation?
Just visit http://www.head-fi.org. If anything, there's TOO much information there to sift through. I was able to make an informed decision on a recent headphone purchase by plowing through the forums.
Ugh. My above response was MEANT for mtstew's question a few posts above (regarding finding audiophile headphones). I guess opening "Reply" in a Firefox tab doesn't work properly...