Bose Over-Ear Headphones Review
Bose headphones offer comfort, noise cancelling, and controls. They are designed well and sound great and are suitable for all type of music.
The QC35 Wireless is an upgraded version of the previous model, with enhanced noise cancellation and longer battery life. It also features a new transparent mode that allows you to hear your surroundings clearly.
Comfort
Bose's premium noise-cancelling over-ears have carved a niche in the world of loud and obnoxious headphone. Bose's headphones are highly praised for their comfortable fit and high-quality audio designed to sound natural and clear. They can be worn on the move or at home. If you frequently run long trips around town the headphones will allow you to keep track of your schedule and protect your ears from the blaring sounds of city life.
Over-ear Bose headphones are perfect for those who wish to escape from their surroundings and immerse in music or podcasts. These headphones feature high-end noise cancellation that block out the majority of outside sounds. This lets listeners tune out and focus on their listening experience. Certain Bose headphones also include options for adjusting the level of noise cancellation to match your surroundings. You can choose between Quiet mode, which completely blocks out noise from outside and Aware mode, which lets you hear your surroundings while still listening to music.
These Bose headphones have a touch-screen interface on the right earcup, which you can use to control the playback of music or make calls. You can adjust the volume by simply swiping up or down, or tapping twice on the screen. You can swipe left or right to skip songs, and you hold down the touch area to accept or reject an incoming call. 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 top-of-the-line model of headphones that block out noise. The QC45s boast longer ANC playtime, improved isolation of the passive and a refined sound quality 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 anyone who is looking for a top headset with wireless technology for long flights, commutes or working in the office. The carry case included is a great option to keep them safe while not in use and the battery can be recharged to provide even more playtime.
Sound
Bose does not make use of a lot of physical buttons on these headphones, instead relying on gesture controls to handle playback and calls. Located on the right earcup the capacitive touch zone will detect your finger's movements and swipes. Double taps can play or pause music, and pressing the tap and hold button responds to calls or blocks them. A single-tap can skip tracks forward or backward and a swipe up increases or decreases the volume.
After a few hours of practice, you will be able to operate the headphones with your fingers without having to touch your device. However, if you'd like to modify your settings or control music with your phone in hand then you'll need to download the Bose Headphones App (iOS/Android). The app is simple to use and is sleek and clean in its design that is in line with the headphones. The app lets you adjust your noise-cancellation, select between digital assistants, and even choose the amount of your own voice will be heard on a phone call. The app also lets you manage your music as well as listen to podcasts.
The Bose NC700 does not have the same true wireless audio streaming capabilities as our top-rated earbuds. However they do have a built-in mic to receive and make phone calls. You can also use them with headsets to play games or engage in video chats without holding the device. When they're full, you can still use them in wired mode to listen to music or make calls.
Overall the Bose NC700 headphone sounds fantastic. It has a large soundstage, a crisp and clear mid-to high range and a superb bass response. The headphones' active noise cancellation feature is also top-quality that lets you listen to your music without being interrupted by the sounds of the surrounding.
The headphones are lightweight and well-balanced. Their default sound profile can give a bit more thump, which can cause a muddy sound to instruments or vocals. The app lets you alter the audio profile of the Bose NC700. It offers graphic adjustments to the EQ as well as presets.
Noise Cancellation
While Bose headphones have a long history of ANC that is excellent, some recent models have been plagued by problems. The QC35 IIs for instance were affected by a firmware update that reduced their ANC performance. Even when they're not affected by the issue, Bose over-ear headphones can emit sound at high volumes, which can be a nuisance for others nearby.
We were pleasantly surprised to see that the latest QC700s were significantly better at noise isolation. They still haven't matched the ANC of Sony's 1000X-series headphones, but they're close enough to be satisfied with their performance.
In addition to their excellent passive isolation, the QC700s come with Bose's CustomTune system that calibrates their noise-canceling capabilities for your ears. A small chime is heard the microphone inside each ear cup is properly sealed. Once that happens they create a virtual beam of audio that blocks out ambient noise. There's also an additional set of six mics that will amplify the sound if you're on a call or using a digital assistant.
The QC700s are among the top active noise cancelling headphones on the market. You can alter the ANC using the Bose Headphones App, and there are three preset ANC settings accessible through a physical button on the left earcup.
Although they don't have many buttons, the 700s' touch-screen controls work reasonably well once you get the knack of the controls. A double-tap starts and stops playing music, while swiping up and down control volume. The right earcup is equipped with a power/pairing and digital assistant button. Double-taps at the front of the headset will also answer or reject an phone call that is incoming.
The touch zones on the ear cups can also detect swipes and finger taps. However, we discovered that it was often accidental, so it took a while to develop muscle memories for the location of each feature. The headset is slim, slightly raised design that is comfortable for everyday wear. The ear cups are surrounded by soft fabric that is comfortable on your head.
Controls
The Bose NCH700 headphones work for those who want to use a minimal amount of buttons. The capacitive touch sensor lets you to control music and calls by a few taps or swipes of the earcup surface. You can also use Google Assistant or Alexa. The controls are simple to use once you've got used to them.
They sport a sleek design with an elegant stainless steel headband that feels soft and comfortable. The ear cups are connected via a steel pole that runs across the length of the headset, so you can slide them up and down to alter the to your desired fit. This is a wonderful feature, because it is more natural than the hinged mechanism on many headsets, and is easy to get the fit just right.
They have a fantastic noise cancelling feature and you can adjust the degree of transparency to hear the sounds around you. You can also enable conversation mode, which allows users to talk without needing to remove the headphones. The volume on these Bose headphones is also fantastic and can be adjusted up and down smoothly like the sound of a large analogue volume knob.
There are a few features that make these Bose headphones distinct. SimpleSync technology is one of the features that make these headphones distinctive. It can be connected to the Bose Smart Soundbar, or Smart Speaker in order to play audio from the same source. Another is their multi-device connectivity that lets you connect two devices at the same time and switch between them when required. The headsets also have the status light that indicates whether the headset best bluetooth over ear headphones is connected to Bluetooth or is powered on.
You can easily alter the settings for these headphones through the Bose Connect app. Once you have installed the app, you can press the Power/Bluetooth button to play or pause audio, swipe your finger upwards or downwards to adjust the volume and swipe either forward or back to skip tracks. Double-taps on the headset can pause or play 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, change EQ settings, and even check battery life. You can also connect the headphones to a different device, and toggle between them. This is a great feature for commuters.