Bose Over-Ear Headphones Review
Bose headphones provide a fantastic combination of comfort, noise cancellation, and controls. They offer excellent audio quality, a beautiful design and are suitable for all types of music.
The QC35 II Wireless is an upgrade from the previous model, with improved noise cancelling and battery life. It also offers a new transparency mode that lets you be able to hear your surroundings clearly.
Comfort
Bose's top noise-cancelling headphones have made a mark in a sea of loud and obnoxious headphones. Bose's headphones are loved for their comfortable fit and high-fidelity audio that is tuned to sound natural and clear. These headphones can be worn while on the move or at home. These headphones are ideal for those who need to run errands in the city. They will keep you on schedule and shield your ears from the noise of the city.
Over-ear Bose headphones are great for those who want to get away from their surroundings and immerse in music or podcasts. These headphones have high-quality noise cancellation that eliminates the majority of outside sounds. This allows listeners to be completely focused on the music they are listening to. Certain Bose headphones also have options to adjust the amount of noise cancellation to match your surroundings. You can select between two modes: quiet mode which completely blocks out noise from outside, and Aware mode which allows you to be aware of your surroundings while still enjoying music.
These Bose headphones also have an interface that can be touched on the right ear cup which can be used to control music playback and take calls. You can alter the volume by simply swiping up or down, or tapping twice on the touch screen. You can swipe left or right to skip songs and hold the touch area to either accept or decline incoming calls. You can also make use of the Bose Headphones app to customize settings and adjust the equalizer.
The Bose QC45 headphones replace the QC35 II, the company's previous flagship model of headphones that can block noise. The QC45s have a longer ANC play time, better passive isolation and an overall refined sound signature that is the best in class. They also come with a range of features for convenience, including auto-pause when headphones are removed, and multi-device pairing.
The QC45s are an excellent choice for anyone who wants an elegant set of wireless over-ear headphones for long flights or commutes, as well as working in the office. The carry case that comes with them is a great option to keep them safe when not in use, and the battery can be recharged to allow for even more hours of playtime.
Sound
Bose uses gestures to control phone calls and playback, rather than using a lot buttons. The right earcup is a capacitive touchscreen that can detect swipes and taps from your index finger. Double taps can play or pause music while pressing the tap and hold button responds to calls or blocks them. A single-tap can skip tracks back or forward and a swipe upwards raises or lowers the volume.
After a few hours of practice, you'll be able to control the headphones with your fingers, without touching your device. If you'd like to customize your settings or control music via your phone you'll have to download the Bose Headphones App (iOS/Android). The app is easy to use and complements the headphones' sleek, minimalist appearance. It can help you adjust the noise-cancellation level, choose between digital assistants and select the amount of your own voice you'll hear when on the phone. The app lets you manage your music, and listen podcasts.
Although the Bose NC700 can't stream audio like our top-rated wireless earbuds but they do come with a built-in microphone that can make and receive phone calls. You can also pair them with headsets to play games or participate in video chats without having to hold the device. When they run out however, you can use them with wired mode to listen to music or make calls.
Overall the Bose NC700 headphone sounds fantastic. It has a vast soundstage, crisp and clear mid-to-high range and an excellent bass response. The active noise cancellation of the headphone is also excellent that lets you listen to your music without being distracted by background noise.
The headphones are lightweight and well-balanced. Their default sound profile may add a bit more thump, which in some genres may muddy vocals or instruments. The app lets you modify the audio profile of the Bose NC700. It offers graphic EQ settings, as well as presets.
Noise Cancellation
While Bose headphones have a long history of ANC that is excellent however, recent models have been plagued with problems. The QC35 IIs for example were affected by a firmware upgrade that decreased their ANC. Even when they're not impacted by this particular issue, Bose headphones can leak audio very loudly.
We were pleasantly surprised to see that the latest QC700s were significantly better at noise isolation. The QC700s aren't quite as good as the noise cancellation of Sony's 1000X series headphones however their performance is close enough to be satisfactory.
Bose's CustomTune system calibrates the noise-canceling abilities of the QC700s to your ears. A small chime signals when the one microphone inside each ear cup is properly sealed. When that happens they create a virtual beam of audio that blocks out noise from the surrounding. They also have a set of six microphones that amplify your voice when you're on a call or cuing up a digital assistant.
The QC700s are among the best active noise cancelling headphones on the market. You can adjust the ANC with the Bose Headphones App, and there are three preset ANC settings that can be adjusted using a physical button located on the left earcup.
Despite having fewer buttons, the 700s' touch controls function quite well once you get the grasp of them. Double-taps allow music to stop and play while swipes regulate the volume. The right earcup has a power/pairing button and a digital assistant button. A double-tap on the front of the headset will also answer or reject an phone call that is incoming.
The touch areas on the ear cups could also detect finger taps and swipes. However, we discovered that this was often performed in error, and it took a while to develop muscle memories of the exact location of each feature. The headset is designed with an elevated, slim design that allows it to be comfortable to wear all day. The ear cups and the ear cups themselves are padded with soft fabric for an incredibly comfortable fit.
Controls
If you're looking for headphones with only wireless over ear headphones a few buttons, the Bose NCH 700 are the ones for you. Its capacitive touch sensors allow users to control music, calls and more with just swipes and taps on the surface of the earcup. You can also access Google Assistant or Alexa, and the controls function well once you've gotten used to them.
They sport a sleek design with a sleek headband made of stainless steel that feels soft and comfortable. The earcups can be adjusted by sliding them up and down a steel pole that runs along the length of the headphones. This is a nice feature because it is more natural than the hinged mechanism of many headsets, and is easy to find the perfect fit.
These headphones feature a superb noise cancelling feature, and you can customize the degree of transparency to hear the sounds around you. You can also activate the conversation mode, which lets you to talk without having to take off the headphones. The volume of these Bose headphones can be adjusted easily, just like a large analogue volume dial.
There are a few features that make these Bose headphones unique. SimpleSync technology is one of the features that make these Bose headphones unique. It can be connected to a Bose Smart Soundbar, or Smart Speaker in order to play audio from one source. Another is their multi-device connectivity which lets you connect two devices simultaneously and switch between them as required. They also have an inbuilt status light that indicates whether the headset is powered on or connected to Bluetooth.
The Bose Connect App allows you to easily alter the settings of these headphones. After the app is installed, you can use the Power and Bluetooth buttons to play or pausing audio. You can also swipe your finger up and down to alter the volume or move your finger forward or backward to skip tracks. Double-taps on the headset can play or pause audio while long press will respond or deny an phone call that is incoming.
The app can also be used to manage other Bose devices, alter EQ settings, and even check the battery life. You can also connect them to a second device and toggle between the two, which is an excellent feature for commuters.