Review: QuietComfort 35 Headphones Prove Bose Won't Miss the Headphone Jack

[Analog Kid]

No highs, no lows, must be Bose
Buy Other Stereo Equipment
Bose Blows
Better Off with Something Else
Bose, better sound through marketing

Personal opinions of sound quality aside, when you assign motivation for these assessments it's worth noting that Bose (the man) chose to remain a professor and teach into his 70's and then donated his majority holding of shares in the privately held Bose Corporation to MIT.

So, as with any teenage taunt of someone's name, keep in mind there's a real person behind it who's done some pretty honorable stuff.

The headphones have to listen to the surrounding noise, generate a negative version of the current sound waves reaching your ears and then play that inverted sound on top of the ambient sound to cancel it out. There is processing power involved so there is a limit as to how often you can sample the background noise, which effectively equates to the frequency of the background noise you can cancel. The lower the frequency, the more effective the cancellation. Thus low-frequency hums, engine noise etc is cancelled more effectively than higher-frequency speech etc.

Thanks, that makes sense. It sure sounds like the noise cancellation works well up into the higher frequencies, but I guess most of the noise power is in the lower frequencies.

I guess the other part of this is that the cancelling pressure wave may have a time lag, and longer lags on higher frequencies will be less effective (until it lags by more than 90 degrees and then just adds to the unwanted signal).

 

[GenesisST]

I have them and love them. Got them for travelling, but I find myself using them all the time at home.

I'm also glad I'm not blessed (or cursed!) with audiophile ears. And since I don't turn them to 11, I don't have issues.

That said, reading about sound quality here do make me semi-regret at least trying some Sennheisers, B&0, etc. But that is just me being a bit of a lamb.

Oh and also, I have glasses and I can wear them for several hours without feeling the glasses.

 

[Telos101]

I don't understand this at all.

First of all, what is "switching dynamically"? Does that mean it switches between two devices without pushing any button?

And what does it mean that "all" devices are "remembered"? I thought only two would pair automatically.

I would really appreciate if anybody could walk me through the steps for toggling between multiple devices, since I'm looking for headphones to use with 3+ (Apple) devices. (And man, am I bummed out that Apple won't license the W1 under the MFI program. I'd pay a lot extra for that iCloud pairing.)

The QC35s I tried for a bit would switch between two connected devices depending on which one was playing audio. So if I was listening to music on my laptop and a message came through on my phone, the QC35s would switch to the phone and I'd hear the notification sound, then it would switch back to my laptop's music. I guess that's what they call 'switching dynamically'

Pretty sure the 'all devices remembered' bit refers to the way the app stores multiple devices in its 'managed devices' list. So the headphones automatically pair with whichever couple of devices are in range and appear on that list. Hope that helps.

 

[vipergts2207]

Did you think of that yourself through experience or are you just regurgitating others' opinions?

I bought a pair of Bose 901 speakers back in the 1980s. I heard each and every one of these witticisms. They weren't original then either. I personally liked the sound of them, and since they were for me my opinion mattered most. It's like the people who automatically HATE anything Apple. No amount of discussion or facts will change that attitude. I couldn't find unbiased information regarding Bose vs. Product X years ago, other than an older set of wired QC Headphones (10 years old) I don't have any of their products now. But I would listen and decide for myself if they were what I wanted to buy if I was in the market.

No opinions, just data. The frequency response curves for their speakers are absolutely horrid, while most of their acoustimass and lifestyle systems cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. The "bass module" (guess Bose doesn't even think it's worthy of being called a subwoofer) has a frequency response of 46-200 Hz (a dang bookshelf speaker can make it down to 46 Hz for crying out loud) and their little cube speakers have a frequency response of 280-13.3 KHz. Guess Bose thought the audio data between 200 and 280 Hz as well as 13.3-20 KHz didn't matter. There's a reason Bose doesn't publish the specs for any of their audio gear. For the price you pay for Bose, you can easily get a significantly better setup that doesn't disregard significant portions of the audio spectrum. The difference between Bose and Apple is that with Apple, you actually get a quality product most of the time.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/2043674-why-criticism-bose-2.html

Personal opinions of sound quality aside, when you assign motivation for these assessments it's worth noting that Bose (the man) chose to remain a professor and teach into his 70's and then donated his majority holding of shares in the privately held Bose Corporation to MIT.

So, as with any teenage taunt of someone's name, keep in mind there's a real person behind it who's done some pretty honorable stuff.

Thanks, that makes sense. It sure sounds like the noise cancellation works well up into the higher frequencies, but I guess most of the noise power is in the lower frequencies.

I guess the other part of this is that the cancelling pressure wave may have a time lag, and longer lags on higher frequencies will be less effective (until it lags by more than 90 degrees and then just adds to the unwanted signal).

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/dr-amar-bose-dead-83#Lx5LIIIBrjXyrLb9.97

Yes, such an honorable man and his company. I'm sure all kinds of terrible people do a good deed here and there. The two aren't mutually exclusive. It's also his alma mater, and rich (and not so rich) people are known for donating to their alma mater, since they have a sense of pride in their school, as do I (Go Bucks!). Btw I'm not taunting the man's name, just his shyster company, selling subpar audio products to the uninformed. And in any case the man's deeds, good or bad, have absolutely no bearing on the quality of the products his company makes, which is what's being discussed here.

 

[Analog Kid]

No opinions, just data. The frequency response curves for their speakers are absolutely horrid, while most of their acoustimass and lifestyle systems cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. The "bass module" (guess Bose doesn't even think it's worthy of being called a subwoofer) has a frequency response of 46-200 Hz (a dang bookshelf speaker can make it down to 46 Hz for crying out loud) and their little cube speakers have a frequency response of 280-13.3 KHz. Guess Bose thought the audio data between 200 and 280 Hz as well as 13.3-20 KHz didn't matter. There's a reason Bose doesn't publish the specs for any of their audio gear. For the price you pay for Bose, you can easily get a significantly better setup that doesn't disregard significant portions of the audio spectrum. The difference between Bose and Apple is that with Apple, you actually get a quality product most of the time.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-speakers/2043674-why-criticism-bose-2.html



http://www.analogplanet.com/content/dr-amar-bose-dead-83#Lx5LIIIBrjXyrLb9.97

Yes, such an honorable man and his company. I'm sure all kinds of terrible people do a good deed here and there. The two aren't mutually exclusive. It's also his alma mater, and rich (and not so rich) people are known for donating to their alma mater, since they have a sense of pride in their school, as do I (Go Bucks!). Btw I'm not taunting the man's name, just his shyster company, selling subpar audio products to the uninformed. And in any case the man's deeds, good or bad, have absolutely no bearing on the quality of the products his company makes, which is what's being discussed here.

You have a keen ear for spec sheets and your list of schoolyard taunts show you to be a fine judge of character.

 

[vipergts2207]

You have a keen ear for spec sheets and your list of schoolyard taunts show you to be a fine judge of character.

Tell me, what does this have to do with Bose's lack of quality and value in their audio products again? My "taunts", as you like to call them, are simply an effort to point out to those who may be considering purchasing Bose products, that there are better products out there with much greater value when it comes to audio gear. Many consumers hear the name Bose and think it's synonymous with the pinnacle of audio, when really it couldn't be further from the truth. Like I said, Bose, better sound through marketing. I mean this sincerely, it is something they do very well.

 

[SvenSvenson]

synonymous with the pinnacle of audio, when really it couldn't be further from the truth.

No one has ever said that Bose are the best. They are, however, very good and most serious hi-fi reviews will say the same. They certainly won;t say, as you claim, that Bose have the worst sound quality ever, bar none. Serious headphone reviews are also almost united in stating that Bose's NC to be the very best available. A slight increase in sound quality can easily be lost amongst ambient noise, which is why it's not uncommon for hi-fi buffs to have Bose for travelling/commuting and something else for at home, where noise can be controlled.

Sound quality is also extremely subjective, with different brands suiting different genres of musics - Bose, Beats etc all divide opinion and if you simply think that people who like these brands have deficient hearing then I guess you are right and that all these people are wrong.

 

[vipergts2207]

No one has ever said that Bose are the best. They are, however, very good and most serious hi-fi reviews will say the same. They certainly won;t say, as you claim, that Bose have the worst sound quality ever, bar none. Serious headphone reviews are also almost united in stating that Bose's NC to be the very best available. A slight increase in sound quality can easily be lost amongst ambient noise, which is why it's not uncommon for hi-fi buffs to have Bose for travelling/commuting and something else for at home, where noise can be controlled.

Sound quality is also extremely subjective, with different brands suiting different genres of musics - Bose, Beats etc all divide opinion and if you simply think that people who like these brands have deficient hearing then I guess you are right and that all these people are wrong.

I never said Bose are the worst bar none. Obviously a pair of Bose headphones will handily beat a set of EarPods. The issue is when you start comparing to products in a similar price bracket. Admittedly, they do a bit better of a job designing their headphones than they do their loudspeakers. I assume with their headphones they didn't leave gaping holes in the audio spectrum.

It's perfectly fine that in some people's opinion, they like how Bose stuff sounds. Objectively though, their stuff is generally subpar when compared to other offerings. As far as Beats go, I've heard they've gotten better since Apple purchased them, but I can't speak to that personally.

 

[SqB]

So, as far as microphone quality... anyone out there using the QC35's for phone/conference/Skype calls? What's your take on the quality of the sound you're sending out? I do like that these are advertised to include the courtesy tone (you hear yourself like on a telephone), which is my biggest issue with taking calls on my QC15's. I typically have to keep one of them off my ear so that I don't end up shouting.

 

[MS_Hedrick]

I never said Bose are the worst bar none. Obviously a pair of Bose headphones will handily beat a set of EarPods. The issue is when you start comparing to products in a similar price bracket. Admittedly, they do a bit better of a job designing their headphones than they do their loudspeakers. I assume with their headphones they didn't leave gaping holes in the audio spectrum.

It's perfectly fine that in some people's opinion, they like how Bose stuff sounds. Objectively though, their stuff is generally subpar when compared to other offerings. As far as Beats go, I've heard they've gotten better since Apple purchased

I never said Bose are the worst bar none. Obviously a pair of Bose headphones will handily beat a set of EarPods. The issue is when you start comparing to products in a similar price bracket. Admittedly, they do a bit better of a job designing their headphones than they do their loudspeakers. I assume with their headphones they didn't leave gaping holes in the audio spectrum.

It's perfectly fine that in some people's opinion, they like how Bose stuff sounds. Objectively though, their stuff is generally subpar when compared to other offerings. As far as Beats go, I've heard they've gotten better since Apple purchased them, but I can't speak to that personally.

Who would you say does better in the over the ear wireless arena?

A great on-the-go headphone for sound quality, comfort, durability, and environmental control.

 

[vipergts2207]

Who would you say does better in the over the ear wireless arena?

A great on-the-go headphone for sound quality, comfort, durability, and environmental control.

If I were cross-shopping QC35's, wireless Sennheiser Momentum 2.0's would be on my shortlist. The only reason to go with the QC35's would be if noise cancellation is far and away your most important criterion. For certain people, that may indeed may be the case I suppose.

 

[tmanto02]

If I were cross-shopping QC35's, wireless Sennheiser Momentum 2.0's would be on my shortlist. The only reason to go with the QC35's would be if noise cancellation is far and away your most important criterion. For certain people, that may indeed may be the case I suppose.

Sennheiser pxc550 is like the love child of the momentums and Bose, just sayin'...

 

[MS_Hedrick]

If I were cross-shopping QC35's, wireless Sennheiser Momentum 2.0's would be on my shortlist. The only reason to go with the QC35's would be if noise cancellation is far and away your most important criterion. For certain people, that may indeed may be the case I suppose.

I'm coming from a pair of wired Bose QC25s I've had since release. I bought primarily for travel, figuring I'd return within the 30 day return window. Couldn't part with them. They were well rounded, and I got a lot of enjoyment out of them beyond noise cancellation. Reluctantly just passed them on to my dad. I expect the QC35s to be an evolution.

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 wireless. Nothing but great reviews for sound. A little concerned about headband design. They are at the top of the price range, but I can get them cheap.

Sennheiser PXC 550 just caught my eye as well. Seem well thought out; friendlier than the Momentums, and promise great Sennheiser sound. Looking forward to getting more in depth with these.

Rounding out the list are B&O Beoplay H7, and B&W P7 wireless. Respected names, in same price range, but possibly a bit too precious.

I only get one shot at getting this wireless thing right, but I got the time. I no longer travel, so sound has risen in importance. Maybe the above headphones are too good for my ears, but I intend to audition each one, including the QC35s.

 

[tmanto02]

I'm coming from a pair of wired Bose QC25s I've had since release. I bought primarily for travel, figuring I'd return within the 30 day return window. Couldn't part with them. They were well rounded, and I got a lot of enjoyment out of them beyond noise cancellation. Reluctantly just passed them on to my dad. I expect the QC35s to be an evolution.

Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 wireless. Nothing but great reviews for sound. A little concerned about headband design. They are at the top of the price range, but I can get them cheap.

Sennheiser PXC 550 just caught my eye as well. Seem well thought out; friendlier than the Momentums, and promise great Sennheiser sound. Looking forward to getting more in depth with these.

Rounding out the list are B&O Beoplay H7, and B&W P7 wireless. Respected names, in same price range, but possibly a bit too precious.

I only get one shot at getting this wireless thing right, but I got the time. I no longer travel, so sound has risen in importance. Maybe the above headphones are too good for my ears, but I intend to audition each one, including the QC35s.

Haven't tried the B&Os or B&Ws but was lucky enough to find a store with demo models other 3.

Best noise cancellation, Bose, very closely followed by PxC550 with the momentums in a distant 3rd

Best sound, Momentums, closely followed by PXC550, with the Bose in a distant 3rd.

That's why I chose the PXC550

People in this thread are saying that a firmware update improved the sound of the Bose drastically though, so don't think the demo was running the latest version

 

[MS_Hedrick]

I listened to these the other day, and I was not impressed for $350. I guess you're really paying for the name, noise cancelling, and Bluetooth instead of audio quality. Then again, those are nice. I have my headphones plugged into a DAC that has a USB input so I can use my lightning cable. Probably not everyone's preference and definitely not portable lol.

May I ask which headphones you are using with the external DAC?

I'd like to experiment down that path, but I'm going to have to limit my DAC investment to a refurbished OPPO HA-2. Sadly, it may just be marginally better than later model iPhones.

A good wireless headphone that also performs well wired probably doesn't exist.

 

[TigerWoodsIV]

May I ask which headphones you are using with the external DAC?

I'd like to experiment down that path, but I'm going to have to limit my DAC investment to a refurbished OPPO HA-2. Sadly, it may just be marginally better than later model iPhones.

A good wireless headphone that also performs well wired probably doesn't exist.

I've had Ultrasone Pro 900 headphones for 6 years now and just got a Creative Soundblaster E5 DAC, which I can either use with Bluetooth or plug in a lightning cable. Together, they set me back about $580, but today that pair is $490 I think. The Ultrasones went down in price over the last 6 years. Even without the DAC, they easily beat the QC35, but with the DAC, they're amazing for headphones.

 

[rulymammoth]

So, as far as microphone quality... anyone out there using the QC35's for phone/conference/Skype calls? What's your take on the quality of the sound you're sending out? I do like that these are advertised to include the courtesy tone (you hear yourself like on a telephone), which is my biggest issue with taking calls on my QC15's. I typically have to keep one of them off my ear so that I don't end up shouting.

Mic quality has been surprisingly good in my own use. The only issue is that sometimes the BT connection will be a bit choppy for audio. My voice seems to get transmitted just fine, but there can sometimes be quite a bit of crackling in the headphones to the point where I just need to shut off the connection. I'm not sure if is interference from nearby devices or if it's something that can be fixed in a firmware update. Not enough of an issue for me to return these though.

 

[Partron22]

Sooner or later someone will X-ray or disassemble one of these and locate the battery.
Love the noise reduction, and the sound isn't bad either.
I expect I'll be doing surgery on the phones in a couple of years when battery life declines to unacceptable.

-Looking at ads online there might be two batteries, one in each earpiece.
Still early days though. This should be sorted out properly by the time I need to replace.

 

[Gmouse]

Is there any lag between the picture and the sound when watching YouTube videos oder movies? I'm considering to buy the QC35 but only if there is no lag.

No lag, I listen to YouTube and other videos, movies, etc.

 

[WilliamG]

Rather than expecting payments, why wouldn't Bose just use USB-C? Not only Apple, but the entire industry is adopting that standard. Also if my math is correct, that's a 60% weight increase over the QC25, not insignificant.

I'm actually a bit frustrated because I had wanted to pick up the QC35 some months back. However, because Macrumors had posted this review saying that the QC35 is 115 grams heavier than the QC25 my wife has, I basically gave up caring.

Except just today I bother looking at some more reviews and the QC35 is NOT 309 grams as Macrumors still claims. It's 234 grams, which is significantly less than 309! That makes the QC35 a scant 38 grams heavier than the QC25. Also, a AAA battery weighs about 11 grams, and I'm not sure that's factored into the QC25's listed weight, either. If it's not, that makes the QC35 only 27 grams heavier than the QC25.

But either way, Macrumors should update its review to reflect the actual weight of the QC35.

 

[lauramayer]

I can not life without a non-replaceable battery. I change my iPhone every year, so I don't have any problems with that.

Headphones are different. If I buy one, I will use it every day for years. I see me buying a new headphone because the battery is bad. Bose will not change that battery like Apple for a few bucks.


I don't want the old model. Any ideas or picks for me?

 

[ericwn]

As unlikely as a poor performing iPhone battery after a year of use, a battery in the Bose will most likely easily live until the end of the product's life span. Apple doesn't change batteries on its earphones either. In fact, EarPods and the like cannot really be serviced other than replace missing parts.

 

[lauramayer]

As unlikely as a poor performing iPhone battery after a year of use, a battery in the Bose will most likely easily live until the end of the product's life span. Apple doesn't change batteries on its earphones either. In fact, EarPods and the like cannot really be serviced other than replace missing parts.

Can someone confirm this?

Why should be Boses battery better than apples?
What do you mean by lifespan of the product? If you define the lifespan by a dead battery, this is not what I meant.

 

[whsbuss]

Can someone confirm this?

Why should be Boses battery better than apples?
What do you mean by lifespan of the product? If you define the lifespan by a dead battery, this is not what I meant.

All rechargeable batteries have a life cycle. If you have a Mac you can see the number of charging cycles. Even if you use your headphones each day I doubt the charging cycle will match or even come close to the phone charging cycle. Your phone is on 24/7 where as a headphone is on when in use. So the QC35 20 hours performance will need less charging than your phone.

 

[ericwn]

Can someone confirm this?

Why should be Boses battery better than apples?
What do you mean by lifespan of the product? If you define the lifespan by a dead battery, this is not what I meant.

An Apple battery, also for an iPhone, is not dead after a year. The same applies to Bose.

Like any battery powered product it has a life span and it that should be a couple of years.
You should also talk to Bose about their repair and service options to know what you are facing in case of a repair. Last time I had a broken Bose I was offered to purchase a service replacement for a much lower price.

The last Bose with noise cancelling worked about 4-5 years before it broke, almost daily used. Maybe that gives a better idea about the lifespan. I guess in my use most other headphones would break down then too.