Bose Over-Ear Headphones Review
Bose headphones provide comfort, noise cancellation and controls. They are a good audio quality, a stylish design, and can be used with all types of music.
The QC35 II Wireless is an upgrade over the previous model that has enhanced noise cancellation and longer battery life. It also comes with a brand new transparency mode which lets you hear your surroundings clearly.
Comfort
Bose's premium noise-cancelling headphones have made a mark in a sea of loud and obnoxious headphone. The headphones are highly praised by consumers for their high-fidelity audio and natural sound. They can be worn while in the car or at home. For those who often take long trips around town, these headphones will allow you to remain on track and protect your ears from the blaring sounds of busy city life.
A pair of over-ear Bose headphones is ideal for those who want to escape their surroundings and get lost in podcasts or music. These headphones feature high-quality noise cancellation that blocks the majority of external noises, which allows listeners to concentrate on their listening experience while tuning out the world. Certain Bose headphones also include options to alter the amount of noise cancellation to suit your surroundings. You can choose between Quiet mode that completely blocks out outside noise and Aware mode, which lets you be aware of your surroundings while listening to 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 to make calls. You can alter the volume by sliding up or down, or tapping twice on the screen. You can swipe left or right to skip songs and hold the touch area to 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 most popular model of headphones that can block noise. The QC45s boast longer ANC playtime, enhanced isolation of the passive and a refined sound signature that is best-in-class. They also have a variety of convenience features such as auto-pause when headphones are removed and multi-device pairing.
The QC45s is a great option for those looking for a premium pair of wireless over-ear headsets for long flights, commutes or working in the office. The carry case is a great choice to keep them safe when not in use. The battery can be recharged to give you even more playtime.
Sound
Bose doesn't make use of physical buttons on their headphones, instead relying on gesture controls to handle calls and playback. On the right ear cup is a touchscreen that detects tapping and swipes with your index finger. A double-tap plays or pauses music, while tapping and holding will answer calls or block them. A single tap can skip tracks back and forward and a swipe upwards raises or lowers the volume.
After a little practice, you'll be able to operate the headphones using your fingers without touching your device. If you want to customize settings or control music via your phone, then you'll have to download the Bose Headphones App for iOS/Android. The app is simple to use and has a sleek, clean appearance that matches the headphones. It can help you adjust the noise-cancellation volume and let you choose between digital assistants and select the amount of your personal voice you'll hear when on the phone. The app lets you control your music and listen to podcasts.
While the Bose NC700 can't stream audio like our top-rated true wireless earbuds, they do come with a built-in microphone that can make and receive phone calls. You can also pair them with a headset to play games or engage in video chats without the need to hold the device. If they are not in use however, you can use them in wired mode to listen to music or make calls.
Overall, the Bose NC700 headphone sounds fantastic. It has a large 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 can add some additional thump which can muddy vocals or instruments. The app lets you change the audio profile of the Bose NC700. It offers graphic EQ settings as well as presets.
Noise Cancellation
While Bose headphones have a long-standing history of ANC that is excellent However, recent models have experienced issues. The QC35 IIs, for instance, were affected by a firmware update that reduced their ANC. Even if they're not affected by this particular issue, Bose over-ear headphones can emit sound at high volumes, which can be a problem for other people in the vicinity.
This is why we were thrilled to see that the latest QC700s were significantly better at noise isolation. The QC700s can't quite match the noise cancellation of Sony's 1000X series headphones, however their performance is close enough to be adequate.
In addition to their superior passive isolation, the QC700s also feature Bose's CustomTune system that calibrates their noise-canceling capabilities for your ears. The QC700s emit a tiny chime when the microphone inside each earcup is properly sealed. Once that happens, they create an imaginary sound-rejection beam that helps block out any background noise. There's an additional set of six microphones that can boost the sound when you're engaged in a conversation or using an assistant digital.
The QC700s are amongst the best active noise-cancelling headphones on the market. You can adjust their ANC by using the Bose Headphones app, and you'll also have three preset ANC levels accessible via an programmable physical button on the left ear cup.
The 700s' touch controls are easy to use once you've gotten used to them. Double-taps start and stop playing music, and swipes up and down regulate the volume. The right earcup has the power/pairing button, as well as a digital assistant button and a double tap on the front of the headset answers or rejects an incoming call.
The touch areas on the ear cups can also detect finger taps and swipes. However, we discovered that it was often done accidentally, so it took some time to develop muscle memories for the exact location of each feature. The headset is designed with a an elongated, slightly elevated design that makes it comfortable to wear all day long. The ear cups and ear cups themselves are padded with soft fabric to ensure the perfect fit.
Controls
The Bose NCH700 headphones work for those who wish to limit the number of buttons. The capacitive touch sensor allows you to control music and calls by a few taps or swipes of the earcup surface. You can also connect to Google Assistant or Alexa, and the controls are easy to use over the ear headphones wireless after you've become comfortable with the controls.
They're sleek and stylish with a sleek headband made of stainless steel that feels soft and comfortable. The earcups can be adjusted by sliding them up and down on the steel pole that runs along the length of the earphones. This is a nice feature because it is more natural than the hinged mechanism found on many headsets, and it's easy to achieve the perfect fit.
The noise cancellation on these headphones is great, with a customizable degree of transparency, so you can hear the sounds around you. You can also activate the conversation mode, which lets users to talk without needing to remove the headphones. The volume of these Bose headphones can also be easily adjusted, similar to the large volume dial.
There are a few features that make these Bose headphones unique. One of them is their SimpleSync technology, which allows you to connect to a Bose Smart Soundbar or Smart Speaker to play audio from the same source. Another is their multi-device connectivity, which allows you to pair two devices at once and switch between them as needed. Additionally, they have an internal status light that indicates whether the headset is turned on or connected to Bluetooth.
The Bose Connect App allows you to easily adjust the settings of these headphones. Once you have it installed, press the Power/Bluetooth button to play or pause audio, swipe your finger upwards or downwards to adjust the volume, and swipe forward or back to skip tracks. Double-taps on your headset will pause or play audio while long presses accept or reject an phone call that is incoming.
You can also make use of the app to change EQ settings as well as control other Bose products, and also check battery life. You can also connect the headphones to a second device, and switch between them. This is an excellent feature for those who commute.