I give it five stars. My wife hates them she would give it 1. I put them on and that’s it. I can’t hear her any more.
I purchased these and the Sony WH1000XM2 to compare the two. Cnet says they both have a "9" for sound quality. I would agree, they both sound excellent. The Bose won the test for its noise cancellation, performance talking to people on the phone, comfort on my head, and sound processing.
Phone performance:
I compared how the Bose and the Sony sounded when recording and playing back my voice with a fan running in the background. The Bose sounded like I was holding an old fashioned handset and talking in a quiet room - intimate and zero background noise. The Sony sounded like I was on speaker phone, and I could hear some background noise. (As a control I also recorded using neither and it sounded like I was on speaker but also I could hear more background noise.) This feature is important to me since I spend a lot of time on the phone and prefer my clients to not hear any background noise.
Sound quality
The Bose and Sony both have excellent sound quality for playing music. I personally prefer the sound the Sony produces. The Sony iphone app lets you choose your levels on an equalizer, and I like that. However, the Bose hears what type of music you're playing and automatically optimizes the sound, and it does a really good job. While I would prefer to be able to set the levels if I so choose, I also appreciate that Bose is making it all easy for me, so I can truly listen to my music on random and not have to fuss with levels. The Bose iphone app doesn't do very much at all. It does let you "find your headset" similar to the "find my phone" app, and it will apply firmware. (I'm hoping Bose will add an equalizer into its app in the future.)
Noise cancellation
The Sony occasionally made me aware that noise cancellation was going on (with a whitenoise effect). The Bose on the other hand just stops the noise. There is no delay, no white noise, just quiet and your music.
Controls
The Bose controls are intuitive to find and to use. I like that the on-off control is a switch to flip on and off (rather than a button to find). Also, you can use this button to switch between devices, for example between your phone and ipad and your TV amplifier. The right earcup has three small buttons in a row together, and they control a lot of things. Volume, pause, and skip, rewind, answer/decline calls, etc. The left earcup only has the google assistant button, which I programmed to instead control the amount of noise cancellation (high, low, off). Song playback sounds much better with noise cancellation on high, and I don't think that has to do with noise (I was in a quiet environment); the bass sounds enhanced with noise cancellation on for some reason. (In comparison, the Sony lets you swipe the earcup itself to control volume, pause, play, skip, etc. This seems great in theory, but in practice if I bumped the earcup adjusting my glasses or whatever, the music would pause. I found the Sony to be somewhat buggy in that regard. It would stop playing at times and I had to pick up my phone to get the music re-started, which is annoying.) I found the Bose controls to be more intuitive and consistent. Also, when you switch them on a voice tells you how much battery you have left, which is handy.
Comfort
The Bose QuietComfort truly is comfortable. The earcups are soft, there is not a lot of clamping, and the top band is padded so it's less annoying on the top of the head. (In comparison, the Sony do have more clamping which was uncomfortable over glasses.) I am a pilot and wear a similar headset, so I'm familiar with how headphones feel after a few hours. On-ear are not going to be as comfortable for long term wear as earbuds would be, but I was wiling to make that trade-off to get superior sound quality.
Style
The Bose are more streamlined to my head. the Sony are bulky and look geeky.
Conclusion
Even though the Sony produces superior sound, the litany of other features (superior noise cancellation, intuitive controls, comfort, style, & phone performance) won me over to the Bose.
These are amazing and Bose is great! I purchased these headphones for their noise-cancellation abilities. I am an application developer and wear them at work because I am easily distracted. I don't even listen to music with them... they just cancel just about all background noise, including random chatter from the annoying marketing department. I also use them for WebEx and Skype calls with clients. The built-in microphone is great and the noise-cancellation is helpful during those calls as well. Battery life is extremely good. I can go an entire week without having to charge the headset. It comes with an 1/8" cable that will allow you to listen to music even when the batteries are dead. An added feature is that the bluetooth feature will allow you to connect to and hear audio from two sources at the same time. This is great if you want to connect to your iPhone and laptop at the same time.
After a month of use, the headphones button would no longer work to pair to a new device. It would still power on and off, just the pairing didn't function. Bose support was difficult to deal with. At first the support technician didn't think there was anything wrong with the headset. After a frustrating conversation, he relented and sent me instructions for sending them back to the manufacturer. This would mean that I would be without my precious headphones for at least two weeks. The next day prior to dropping the headphones at UPS I came across The Bose Store at Tysons Corner Mall. I had the headphones with me so I decided to speak to one of the employees there. After a very brief conversation, and even though I purchased these through Amazon, he walks over to a display, gets me a brand new set of headphones and proceeds to exchange my defective ones for the new set. No other questions asked. He just said "We like to take care of our customers". I wish customer support would have been as easy to deal with... but, things worked out.
OK, my personal comparison of the Sony WH-1000Xm2 and the Bose is complete. After reading all the reviews, the Sony seemed to win out, but with Amazon's generous return policy, I purchased both and did a several hour comparison yesterday. Both are great, but here's what pushed me over the edge for Bose.
1. Sound. I am not an audiophile so the terms I use in this section to describe what I experienced may be technically incorrect terms, so bear with me. The Bose sound is amazing. It is crisp and clean and full. I can hear so much more in the same music I have been listening to for years. It's hard to explain but the Sony seemed compressed while the Bose feels full. The highs are better on the Bose and the there is separation in the music. The bass on the Sony seems louder, but not crisp and clean like it does on the Bose. The Sony sound is very good but compressed and almost muddy compared to the Bose. I know reviews say the Sony sounds better, but I just don't hear it that way. I found myself cutting my Sony tests short so I could go back to the Bose.
2. Comfort. The Bose is lighter and more comfortable for me. The Sony felt heavy in comparison.
Every other feature became unimportant to me after hearing the sound and feeling the comfort. Both eliminated noise and did everything else fine.
Nothing against the Sony WH-1000Xm2 - it is an excellent product, but for me I'm keeping the Bose and sending back the Sony's.
I was in between Sony WH 1000XM2 and Bose QC35 II. After spending hours on watching/reading all the reviews, comparisons, I chose Bose over Sony, although almost all professional reviewers rated Sony higher than Bose. Let me do a quick review and explain why I did so:
i) Sound Quality: 8/10. Very "clean" sound. Definitely high quality and pleasing. In fact, it can be described as "calming". Not very base heavy. But my main use for this headphone is to cut the background noise and listen to a relaxing music while I am working/studying in a cafe. Therefore, keeping my aim in mind, the sound quality is right on target.
ii) Noise Cancellation: 8/10. It cuts out most of the outside noises. But, don't expect miracles as some people describe. For example, if somebody talks, you definitely hear them. There is also a slight pressure in my ears due to ANC, but I got used to it pretty quickly.
iii) Comfort: 9/10. The best one in the market in terms of comfort. Especially compared to my Plantronics Backbeat Pro. However, after wearing it for an hour or so, my ears still get warm to a level that I have to take off for a while. This was a surprise to me given all the positive reviews regarding the comfort of Bose QC35II.
iv) Call Quality 6/10: As mentioned in most of the reviews, Bose pick up external noise during phone calls. It is not to a level to prevent communication. However it certainly disturbs the other party. Compared to my Plantronics, this was not an issue at all on my Plantronics. People could not figure out whether I was using my headphones or not. So, if you are purchasing Bose for all day long phone calls at work, chose another headphones.
v) Features: 3/10. We all know that Sony has many more features (touchpad control of songs, adaptive noise cancelling, quick attention mode, etc.) than Bose. To me they are not essential but nice to have. Especially quick attention mode. When somebody talks to me while wearing Bose, I do have to remove it which is a hassle. In my Plantronics, I could have handle those situations without removing headphone. Another important feature is multi-device connection simultaneously. That was one of the reasons why I did not chose Sony. I was hoping to connect to both my laptop and phone at the same time. However this feature is not working as it should. When I connect both my laptop and phone and try to listen to a song on my laptop, it doesn't play smoothly at all. It stops and starts at every 3-5 seconds by itself as if there is a problem with data transfer speed. And after 1-2 mins, my laptop (Dell XPS 13) crashes (it crashed 4 times within 30 mins). And let me tell you this. I have been using my laptop for the last 2 years. And it has not crashed even once until now. It is also up to date; all Windows & Dell driver updates are installed. Long story short, I can't connect Bose to both my laptop and phone as of now. I hope Bose solves this with a firmware update ASAP.
Regarding bluetooth connection strength, it is worse than my Plantronics. It disconnects at shorter distances that Plantronics and once it does, it does not automatically reconnects when I get closer to my device which Plantronics always did without any problems.
vi) Final Verdict: 7.5/10: Bose is a good headphones with some flaws and major weaknesses. It is far from perfect as many reviewers/users wholeheartedly claim. To be satisfied with your purchase, you need to decide what features in a headphone is most important for you and what will be your main use. If it is the best sound quality or call quality, or if you want the most feature packed cook headset, skip Bose. You will hate it. If you more care the noise cancellation and comfort and then a clean sound, then go for it.
I hope this helps...
Feature Product
- Three levels of world-class noise cancellation for better listening experience in any environment
- Alexa-enabled for voice access to music, information, and more
- Noise-rejecting dual-microphone system for clear sound and voice pick-up
- Balanced audio performance at any volume
- Hassle-free Bluetooth pairing, personalized settings, access to future updates, and more through the Bose Connect app
- Bose AR enabled* - an innovative, audio-only version of augmented reality
- Unlock Bose AR* via a firmware update through the Bose Connect app
- * Bose AR availability and functionality varies. Bose AR enhanced apps are currently available for iPhone and iPad users only. Apps for Android devices are in development.
Description
What happens when you clear away the noisy distractions of the world? Concentration goes to the next level. You get deeper into your music, your work, or whatever you want to focus on. That’s the power of Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II. Put them on and get closer to what you’re most passionate about. And that’s just the beginning. QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II are now enabled with Bose AR — an innovative, audio-only take on augmented reality. Embedded inside your headphones is a multi-directional motion sensor. One that Bose AR can utilize to provide contextual audio based on where you are. Unlock Bose AR via a firmware update through the Bose Connect app. They’re Alexa-enabled, too, so you can enjoy entertainment, get information, and manage your day — all without looking at your phone. Adjust your level of noise cancelling between three settings using the Action button or the Bose Connect app. Volume-optimized EQ gives you balanced audio performance at any volume, and a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system provides clearer calls, even in noisy environments. And with easy Bluetooth pairing, 20 hours of battery life, and a durable, comfortable fit — you can keep the music or the quiet going all day long. Included: QuietComfort 35 II, carrying case, charging cable, audio cable for enjoying music without battery power.
* Bose AR availability and functionality varies. Bose AR enhanced apps are currently available for iPhone and iPad users only. Apps for Android devices are in development.
I didn't buy these headphones through Amazon but I thought I would leave a review for these anyway.
When I was shopping for a quality pair of noise-cancelling headphones, it really came down to a few choices. Watching a lot of youtube reviews and reading a lot of online reviews, it narrowed down to choosing the Bose QC35 IIs and the Sony WH1000XM2. When it comes down to the best noise-cancelling and the best comfort, there were a lot of debates between the two. And, when choosing headphones, I think it's important to consider what you want in a pair of really expensive headphones.
For me, comfort was an absolute priority. A lot of headphones can give users wearer's fatigue and can become hot and uncomfortable after some time. When I'm using them to study or through plane rides, I wanted to make sure that whichever pair I bought would be the most comfortable.
In the end, I decided on Bose because of how light-weight they were. The Bose QC35 IIs are about 8.1oz (~230g) in weight and the Sony headphones are about 9.7oz (~275g). They might not seem like a huge difference, but that comparison is for you as a future consumer to make.
So far, wearing the QC35 IIs have given me the best wearing experience out of any of the headphones I've tried previously. I can go hours with them on without feeling much discomfort and because they are so light-weight, sometimes I forget that they're even on.
What's also great about these in particular is that these cover your entire ear. The plush for the L/R ears actually sits around your ears instead of sitting partly on your ears. When I tested the Sony headphones at Best Buy, the headphones sat partly on my ears and after ten minutes of testing them, I had the sense that they might become uncomfortable after some time. This was also one of the big reasons I chose to go with Bose instead Sony.
The active noise cancelling is one of the best on the market today and personal experience tells me that the ANC is amazing, but plenty of reviews have said that Sony either matches or beats Bose in the ANC department. Because I don't own a pair of the WH1000XM2, I can't really comment on which is better. The QC35 IIs, however, blocks out nearly all ambient noises and is a pleasure to use in noisy environments. Some have said that the ANC can give them headaches due to a cabin-like pressure attributed to the ANC. It took a day or so to adjust to the ANC and that "cabin-like pressure" and it doesn't bother me personally anymore, but so I would head to your local Best Buy or electronics store to test this for yourself. These headphones are a huge expenditure, so it's important to test whether or not this might apply to you.
Pros:
Incredibly lightweight and comfortable
Completely surrounds your ear instead of sitting partly on top of your ears
ANC is amazing that blocks out all ambient noises
20-hour battery life
Cons:
"Cabin-like pressure" that may cause headaches for some users
Sound quality may not be up to far for some audiophiles (some reviewers have noted that Sony has better sound quality)
TLDR:
If comfort is your top priority and you're not the biggest audiophile, I would absolutely recommend Bose.
I narrowed down my hunt reading various headphone review sites to upgrade my exercise music experience to three higher end headphones and couldn't narrow it further so decided to get all three to find out in side by side comparisons which would be the best for me.
[1] Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones, Noise Cancelling ($349.00)
[2] Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM2: Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth ($348.00)
[3] Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones ($298.99)
I put on the Beats and the heaviness and fit gave me the sense of an impending headache the instant I put them on. That, and the sound was empty and flat compared with either Sony or Bose. What was most surprising to me was they didn't have strong bass, which I had thought they were known for.
I put on the Sony and they were bigger but somewhat better fitting, not a lot lighter, but with more of a clear and full range from high to low.
I put on the Bose and it was surprisingly and significantly lighter and better fitting than either of the others and the sound was basically perfect. Good bass, full range of highs and lows. I have to admit that I had to switch back and forth between the Sony and the Bose about 10 times to determine if I *really* preferred the Bose to the Sony, and they were actually pretty darn close. The final element that tilted the scales in favor of Bose was they were so much lighter and better fitting, which was paramount for me since I'd be using them for exercise, so I took a 1/10th of a point of the Sony. If I was the type of person who uses headphones for sitting around enjoying music, the weight and fit would be less important and the music quality would be almost everything, and then I'd probably have to switch between the Bose and Sony another 10-20 times to figure out what the difference is and what I prefer. It's subtle; equal but different. It may come down to a matter of individual preference and the type of music you listen to.
In addition to all of the above, as I've continued to use the Bose for 'everything' - I was most surprised when on a whim I decided to see if I could place a call with them; and my two initial callers both exclaimed that this was the BEST and clearest sound talking to me they had yet experienced (For years I've tried their patience through testing calls with 10-15 different best rated wired and wireless headpieces, ear buds et al). The rave reviews of the recipients of my calls carried from inside to outside walking the streets of NYC with all the usual sirens and traffic noise.
But most important of all, I can listen to my music in full head-filling gorgeous energizing glory when I'm exercising.
Final score:
Bose 5 stars
Sony 4.9 stars
Beats 3 stars
(FYI, I also posted a similar review on the Amazon page of the Sony WH1000XM2.)
I'll keep it short. I read the reviews of the Sony WH1000XM2 and the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and could not decide which to choose, so I bought both. I returned the Sony and kept the Bose. Here are the pros and cons:
Sony:
+ Crisper highs and deeper bass (I can't see how anyone says the Bose model sounds better)
+ Better song navigation with the figure gestures on side of right headpiece
- When making phone calls, those on the other end hear more of your background noise than on the Bose (I tested by calling from a land line to a family member who used my Sonys)
- Heavy on the head and hurts to wear for long periods (this was a deal breaker for me)
- Finger navigation feature is too sensitive sometimes - easy to skip/rewind songs by accident.
Bose
+ Great noise cancellation, especially with no music (better than Sony's)
+ Light weight and definitely more comfortable for long periods
+ Best for phone calls (those on other end don't hear much background noise)
- Sound is missing crispness at high and low ends; overall sounds are a bit muffled (it would be great to get Sony's sound on these speakers). If music quality is your deal breaker, buy the Sonys for sure.
In the end, I couldn't get over the uncomfortable aspect of the Sonys. I really preferred the Sony sound, but didn't see myself wearing the Sonys for long periods of time. My primary reason for buying these was muffling office and plane engine noise for long periods of time, therefore comfort was a deal breaker. It also helps that I can take conference calls on the Bose headsets and not worry about those on the other end hearing lots of background noise.
Both lose one star due to their respective shortcomings, but for my use the Bose was the winner. After owning them for about 5 months, I'm very happy I chose them. Really great product.
My original review of these headphones was 3 stars, mainly because the unpleasant active noise cancellation feature had to be manually disabled each time the headset was turned on via the buggy Bose Connect application. The other reason was that these headphones were not able to decode audio for Skype on Android.
Since my original review, Bose has added the option to switch between noise cancellation settings using the press of the action button. If you don't mind replacing the virtual assistant function on the action button with the noise cancellation setting function then it only takes a couple clicks of the button to turn the active noise cancellation off when you turn the headset on and put it over your ears. I would have preferred if this setting could be remembered by the device when it was turned on, but this is close enough not to be too inconveniencing.
To be clear, some users may not be bothered by the active noise cancelling. My ears are pretty sensitive (I think?) and well-trained as I do some music production as a hobby - so to me it feels like I am 20ft underwater when the active noise cancelling is enabled. A few other people I know who are not audiophiles have also noticed this. Some reviewers have not. Try them and find out for yourself!
As for decoding/encoding Skype audio on android - I am not sure if this issue still remains as I have simply been using an iPad when I need to use this headset for Skype calls.
So I will give this headset 4 stars, because of the other great features which do work as advertised:
1) The headset is extremely light and comfortable. You will forget you are wearing it.
2) The sound quality is great considering that these are wireless.
3) Battery life is outstanding. I've used these for 4-6 hours a day about five days in a row without having to recharge.
4) They have not fallen apart on me - the carrying case does a great job of protecting the headset during transport.
Unbelievably happy with this product. I cannot live without out my Bose QC 35 II's (even considering a second one to keep at work). It is empowering to put these on and all the noise pollution just goes away. I bought them for home and hadn't planned on taking them to my large open floor office. I put them on and suddenly realized there was a very low and loud humm coming from the ceiling (air blowers I assume). Now gone. I sit there in my cubicle and feel sorry for everyone else because they don't have a pair of these.
I tried other brands, but they were simply not properly engineered. Once you get the pairing "dialed in" it is seamless. I have a Mac and iPhone but bought the new model (with Google voice button). I use the button's alternate function of turning on/off noise cancellation -- just for fun to remind me how great this product works. But remember.. this technology is not going to isolate voices - it is designed to remove motor noises (plane, furnace blower, road, engine, etc).
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