Here's Why These Simple Midrange Bose Headphones Remain My Daily Drivers

3 days ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are disposable successful 7 colors for $349, and are often up to $100 off.
They are existent to nan QuietComfort namesake, providing fantabulous sound cancellation and all-day comfort.
However, for illustration each of Bose's over-ear headphones, nan QuietComfort person a short, 24-hour artillery life.

I person an arsenal of premium user headphones. The Sony XM6, Apple AirPods Max, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Beats Studio Pro, Sonos Ace, and much each beryllium successful my location agency for maine to switch successful and retired for semipermanent testing. In betwixt my testing, there's 1 brace of headphones I scope for erstwhile I want a simple, enjoyable, and reliable listening experience: The Bose QuietComfort Headphones.

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These headphones, released successful 2023, are nan successor to nan QuietComfort 45. This headphone lineup features Bose's classical creation and only nan basal package features. It stays existent to its namesake, providing fantabulous sound cancellation and hours-long comfort.

They're elemental and bare-bones without skimping connected nan essentials, which is why I often take them complete nan others.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones successful Twilight Blue

Comfort for days

Like each of nan headphones and earbuds successful Bose's QuietComfort family, nan midrange QC headphones are comfortable capable to deterioration for a long-haul formation aliases an full time sitting astatine a desk. They're only somewhat lighter than nan QC Ultra and Sony XM6, but importantly lighter than nan Apple AirPods Max.

Their build is mostly plastic, which contributes to their lightweight frame. The headband yokes link to nan broadside of nan earcups, giving them much elasticity to conform to your ears. The clamping unit is patient without being tight, and nan macromolecule leather earpads are plushy and thick. They're nary little comfortable than nan QC Ultra, truthful you're not sacrificing comfortableness for a little price.

A elemental and reliable personification experience

The QuietComfort headphones are a coagulated action for group who want a no-frills headphone acquisition without emotion for illustration they bought a brace of inexpensive headphones. They don't person spatial audio, touch controls, aliases a bunch of fancy package features.

You get an on/off switch, measurement and way power buttons, and a multifunction fastener that hardly has aggregate functions anyway. They're a coagulated action for group looking for a brace of mundane headphones that tin travel them connected their greeting commute to nan office.

Also: Why these headphones are still nan champion from Bose - moreover though they're a twelvemonth old

The sound cancellation is sufficient, and I don't person to interest astir accidentally triggering touch controls aliases fiddling astir pinch my telephone to get my settings right.

Uncomplicated creation features

The QuietComfort headphones person a straightforward design, consisting of beingness buttons and a metallic headband extender that clicks into spot alternatively of slides. I'm a staunch touch power hater, and it's 1 of nan fewer issues I person pinch nan QC Ultra and XM6, which trust heavy connected swipes and taps. Buttons and sliders will ever beryllium my preference, particularly erstwhile they're well-situated connected nan earcup.

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Although their creation is very simple, Bose gives these headphones tons of emotion pinch predominant colour refreshes. Aside from nan Open Ultra earbuds, nan QuietComfort headphones person nan astir colour options to take from. These headphones characteristic a USB-C larboard for charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired listening, an almost ancient relic successful galore caller user headphones.

ZDNET's buying advice

For nan mundane personification who wants fantabulous sound cancellation, all-day comfort, and fewer distracting aliases unnecessary package features, nan Bose QuietComfort Headphones are nan measurement to go. Do they connection nan astir blase listening experience? No, you tin surely find amended audio value elsewhere. However, they're adept for regular commuting, moving successful nan office, aliases predominant flying.

Also: Why I urge these wireless headphones complete pricier flagship models

If you're still rocking nan Bose QuietComfort 45s, you cognize that these headphones tin do nan occupation for years. Bose whitethorn research pinch nan creation and naming strategy of its flagship over-ears, but nan institution knows nan midrange QuietComfort statement doesn't request overmuch tweaking, which should show you really coagulated they are.

As I ever say, nan champion clip to bargain headphones is erstwhile they're connected sale. On a bully day, you tin find nan QuietComfort headphones for arsenic debased arsenic $249. When that happens, snag a pair, and you won't regret it.