Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones

As a heavy business traveler, (planes, trains, and automobiles), I consider a good quality pair of noise cancellation headphones a necessity. My first pair of noise cancellation headphones were the old Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones . I purchased them in 2004 and they never let me down. It was only after the battery pack started giving me trouble that I decided to upgrade to the newer Bose® QuietComfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling® Headphones in 2013. The quality and functionality was night and day! Not that I was disappointed with the QC2 headphones, the flexibility, removal of the battery pack, and sound quality were far superior. However, I made that purchase just a few months before Bose released the in-ear Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones . That didn't bother me too much, because I assumed that over the ear headphones would do a better job at blocking out ambient noise. And I was skeptical that an in-ear headphone could really be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Again, I was very wrong. After a little contemplation and with Bose's 30 day money back guarantee, I decided to buy the QC20s to test and compare the two Bose products. Comfort: Like any over-the-ear headphone, there will be time where you will sweat after wearing it long periods of time. The QC15 is no exception. It is not as bad as some cheaper models from rivals, but an hour commute on the MTA and NJ Transit in the afternoon rush would easily and quickly make my head sweat. So there would be times where i would remove them just to breathe, which defeated the purpose of having noise cancellation headphones. But I must reiterate, this will happen with any over-the-ear headphones, not just Bose. The QC20 is an extremely comfortable in-ear headphone that eliminates any and all 'hot head' issues caused by the QC15. This is a huge advantage in my opinion. And though it took me a few wears to realize which size ear pieces (included in the box) fit my ear best, it is now an easy and perfect fit. I flew across the country last week on a 6 hour flight and never felt the need to take out the headphones to rest my ears or due to any discomfort. They were very relaxing and to a point became unnoticeable. Functionality: I have nothing bad to say about the quality and functionality of the QC15. Other reviewers have correctly mentioned that at times it feels like you listening underwater when you just have the noise cancellation engaged without music. However, when music is played through the headphones, all quirkiness goes away. And the noise cancellation is top notch innovation that you would expect from Bose. Regarding the QC20, I put it on an equal platform in terms of noise cancellation. However, the underwater hiss that many users of the QC15 speak about is not there for the QC20. But what is there is a big, ugly, inconvenient at times rechargable battery pack at the end of the headphones rear the plug-in connector. Bose, WHY??? Actually, I understand why. There has to be a place for the components to make the in-ear headphones function, but the size and placement of the pack reminds me of the old battery pack attached to the QC2 I owned over 10 years ago. Surely, Bose could have innovated a smaller pack or made the cord slightly longer so it wouldn't always get in the way of the device your are plugged into. But it is definitely not a deal breaker for me, just an annoyance. Bottom Line: Depending on your needs, the QC20 is not a functional upgrade from the QC15, but it is a better choice if you are comparing between purchasing one or the other. The quirks of the QC15 outweigh that of the QC20. The most notable being 'hot head'. The QC20 are ultra portable, convenient, great battery life from the rechargeable pack, and comfortable to wear. I suggest you give them a try knowing that Bose has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. Read more

Ok, so I am a bit of an audiophile. I have several pairs of headphones, ranging from Bose 15s to Senheisser HD650s. I bought these headphones, skeptical of the "in ear" part. Usually I can't stand in ear headphones, they go too far into my ear and begin to hurt after a few hours of light usage. These headphones did not do that! Surprisingly they felt great and did not go into my ear like regular in ear headphones tend to do. Thanks to the "wing" on the actual rubber end, it firmly rests against your outer ear, but fully covers the hole so no sound escapes. With the noise cancelling, these headphones sound like any $200+ dollar cans. They have great mids, highs, and decent lows, although the bass could be a bit tighter, it still sounds very good for such a small design. The noise cancelling only cuts out lower frequency sounds like airplane drones or car engines. If someone speaks to you loudly, or they drop a fork on the ground, you will hear it, but muffled. The sound blockage is excellent for its small size and portability, but not perfect or as good as the Bose 15s. The price is too DAMN HIGH! $300 for these headphones is insane! They are worth about 200-250, but 300 is pushing the luxury DJ quality headphones. No DJ would every use these obviously, because of its size and sound, but also the very slight hiss it makes when no music is being played. It almost sounds like white noise, and can help people sleep, but also distract if you try to listen to it. When music is being played, the hiss is nearly impossible to hear. The technology behind the headphones is an advanced processor that takes in sounds from two microphones, and reverses the sounds so you can't hear them. The small and very light (but rather obtrusive) "bar" at the base of the headphones does all the action. It's probably the most annoying part of the headphones, but isn't noticeable when in a pocket or tucked away. OVERALL I would rate these headphones a solid 8.5/10. They are not perfect by any means, and the price is a bit too high but they sounds better than MOST over the ear/on ear headphones out there and definitely live up to the fantastic sounds quality Bose is known for. If you buy these you will be pleasantly surprised at how good and clear it sounds if you have never tried on pair of high quality headphones. ENJOY! Read more