Bose Headphones ( Are They the Best or Just Ok? )

Looking for a new pair of headphones can be tricky, especially when you want high quality. There are many brands in the market, but we will talk about BOSE. Is it worth buying Bose headphones?

Bose makes excellent headphones that can last through time. The brand uses high-quality materials, unique sound, and noise-canceling. Additionally, Bose headphones offer a battery life ranging from 5 up to 20 hours.

Bose doesn’t only think about an out-of-the-box experience. Bose offers firmware updates for all of its headphones. So you can rest assured your device will work at its best.

Now, let’s understand more about this company, how they started and what do they offer.

A Bit On Bose History

To understand more about Bose’s vision, let’s take a trip back to the 50s.

Amar Bose was an electrical engineer who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was deeply dissatisfied with the high-quality speakers of the era.

Bose personally owned one of these speakers. He thought to himself that he could replicate the authenticity of a live concert.

Bose started studying how humans perceive certain sounds and what was their reactions. Bose released their first stereo speaker in 1966. In a matter of 33 years, the company already had its first aviation headsets.

The most particular feature of the headset was the active noise reduction. It helped pilots focus more on the communication they received through the speakers while not minding the noise in their backgrounds.

With the arrival of the new century, Bose decided to release a consumer headset with the same technology noise-canceling technology, and it was a significant success.

Here’s a list of all the headphones Bose has released in the last two decades.

Product name	Year of release	Important features
QuietComfort	2000	Noise-canceling features had a battery box
QuietComfort 2	2003	Noise-canceling features, Removable 3.5 wire, One AAA-sized battery required
QuietComfort 2 Second Edition	2005	All features from QC2Came in a new color, Magnetic earpads, Better equalization
QuietComfort 15	2009	Noise-canceling features up to 90 decibels, Included an accessory for Apple products
QuietComfort 25	2015	Noise-canceling features, Elimination of hi/low switch
QuietComfort 35	2016	Built-in play and pause button
NCH700	2019	Built-in rechargeable battery, Connects to two devices at the same time

Pros And Cons Of Owning Bose Headphones

Now, you understand a bit about the history of Bose. As you can see, it is not a new company. Let’s review the pros and cons of these headphones.

Advantages Of Owning Bose Headphones

There are many advantages to owning Bose headphones. Up to this point, you probably know one of them.

• Unparalleled active noise reduction technology

One of the reasons many people choose Bose headphones is because they want to enjoy their music.

There are some environments, such as airplanes or public places, where the background noise is challenging.

There is where Bose headphones demonstrate their years of research and development in acoustics.

• Designed to fit

Another significant advantage that Bose offers is its design. Bose headphones can fit anyone while providing comfort at the same time.

Many owners claim that the headphones are lightweight but still feel very solid.

Additionally, users agree that adjusting the earcups to your head’s size is very easy.

• The headphone jack is still alive.

Wireless connection is a must nowadays, and Bose knows it. All headphones come with built-in Bluetooth capabilities.

But, it also comes with a 3.5mm wire that you can use to connect your headphone even when the battery is dead.

We are unsure if this would entice many consumers since most phones don’t have 3.5mm jacks. However, we know it is not a deal-breaker.

It is always great to have accessories that can enhance your user experience.

Disadvantages Of Owning Bose Headphones

Here’s a list of some of the drawbacks users have expressed:

• Some designs are not foldable.
• Bose has a specific app for every model.
• None of the current models are good for gaming.
• Battery life is good but not great.
• They can be a bit pricey.
• Users cannot adjust noise canceling levels. A feature other brands offer nowadays.
• Some users complain about the bass not being high-quality.
• Some headphones heat up after a few hours of usage.
• Some users don’t like plastic parts. They claim it looks cheap and fragile.
• Active noise reduction can absorb too many sounds that can be dangerous in public places.

Best Bose Headphones Of All Times

Regardless of whether you love the brand, you have to admit Bose has been developing solid products throughout the year. Ever since its beginnings, Bose has been what marketers call a disruptor.

Bose has been lingering onto its active noise canceling ever since it started producing headphones.

The fact that the US military began using their aviation headphones helped the company to thrive. As we know, most of the technology we use nowadays was initially tested by the military.

When the company started, it was owned by its founder. Before Asmar Bose died, he decided to pass the company to MIT. It is kind of challenging to find historical data about the company’s sales.

However, in the past four years, the company has shared some figures about their overall sales.

We can say that, as of 2021, the best Bose headphones are the Bose 700. These headphones are leading the market right now.

Their online price goes around 379 dollars for a brand-new pair and 100 dollars less if you agree to buy them refurbished at bose’s website.

Comparing Bose Headphones

Right now, Bose has ten different headphone options to choose from on its website. Let’s compare them and review some of their main features.

Model	Features
QuietComfort 45	Will include Aware mode, a new setting for the active noise canceling where you can hear more from your surroundings. High-fidelity audio. Made out of metal, leather, and nylon. Quick charge.Up to 24 hours of use. Comes with a carrying case, a USB-C charger, and a 3.5mm audio cable.
QuietComfort 35 II	Active noise canceling comes into two different modes. Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa built-in. Can be paired with other headphones to share the same audio. Up to 20 hours of use. Comes with a carrying case, a USB-C charger, and a 3.5mm audio cable.
Noise Cancelling 700	High fidelity audio. Touch controls. Built-in voice control. Can be connected to two devices at the same time. Comes with a carrying case, a USB-C charger, a quick start guide, and a 3.5mm audio cable.
SoundLink wireless II	Can be connected to two devices at the same time. Made out of metal, leather, and nylon. Up to 15 hours of use.
A20 Aviation Headset	Offers 30% more noise reduction than other aviation headsets. Comfortable fit. More than 45 hours of use in Bluetooth mode.
SoundComm B40	Weather-resistant. Rugged design. Suitable for events, indoors and outdoor.

Other Bose Products

Bose is much more than headphones. The company has been selling sunglasses that come with built-in audio systems while protecting your eyesight at the same time.

It also offers four different sports audio equipment options to choose from. You can have wireless, earbuds, or even sports glasses with pieces ranging from 149 to 249 dollars.

Also, the company stills produce a wide variety of speakers, soundbars, and home entertainment systems.

Final Thoughts

I bought Bose for the first time when I was contracting working and was flying 10+ hours a week between job and home, those headphones were life-saving!

When they eventually failed and they would stay on even when turned off, I contacted support and even though outside of warranty they replaced them for free making me a customer for life!

We can say Bose makes excellent headphones. The materials, design, and consumer support are high-end, as is the price. At this point, we would say it is a matter of preference.

But if you are looking for high-quality sound, good noise cancelation, and a fantastic design, then Bose checks all the boxes.