In 1978, Dr Amar Bose was on a flight from Zurich going home when he tried a pair of headphones on the plane, but he could barely hear anything because of the cabin noise. From that time, he started to research at Bose Corporation on how noise cancellation could be of use in reducing ambient noise when using headphones. In 1989, Bose introduced the first set of noise cancellation headphones.
The first noise cancellation headsets were, however, too big for consumer use, and they were mostly used in the aviation industry. However, with the advancement in technology and innovations, the company has made improvements on the headsets to come up with a more comfortable design and better performance
Among the many headsets by Bose Corporation include Bose Quietcomfort 15, 25, and 35. In this comparison article, we will take a closer look at the headphones and see how similar and different they are and pick a winner at the end.
Quick Comparison Table & Our Pick!
Price | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ +10% more |
Aesthetics | Brilliant Ergonomics | Brilliant Ergonomics | Brilliant Ergonomics |
Noise Cancellation | Very Good | Very Good | Excellent |
Battery | AAA | AAA | Rechargeable Lithium |
Wireless | No | No | Yes |
Bose Connect App | No | No | Yes |
Dimensions (Inches) | 1.5 x 6 x 7.5 | 3.2 x 6.7 x 7.1 | 0.91 x 5.98 x 7.52 |
Cell | |||
Weight (Ounces) | 6.72 | 6.9 | 7.05 |
Bluetooth | - | - | Yes |
Comfort | Very Good | Very Good | Excellent (Extra Padding) |
Cell |
Things In Common: Bose QuietComfort 15, Bose (QC) 25, and Bose (QC) 35
One common thing about the three headphones is that they have a circumaural design, which means they cover around the ear, making them comfortable on your ears.
There is no doubt that Bose headphones are some of the best noise cancellation headphones that you can ever find in the market. By turning the noise cancellation mode on, about 80% of the ambient noise goes, which leaves you enjoying your music.
Bose Corporation Company focuses mostly on noise cancellation, comfort, and sound quality. Although the headsets may differ in their audio output, one guarantee you have with the Bose headphones is that you will be enjoying some high-quality sound even when you listen to your music in high volume.
Without a doubt, the aesthetic looks of a product are essential as they attract a customer. When it comes to style and elegance, the three Bose Quietcomfort products meet the threshold of being considered sleek and elegant; thus, you can feel stylish while having them on.
The three products may differ on how long their batteries can last and the type of sound quality they offer, especially when the battery is running down. But, they all are battery-powered, which gives you the freedom you need as you take a walk in the park while listening to your favourite mix of hip hop or soul.
Although the headphones may come in different weights, they are all lightweight and comfortable enough for you to have them for long.
Having seen how similar the three products are, let us now have a look at each one of them.
The Truel: For The Best Bose QuietComfort Headphone
Bose Quietcomfort 15
When you buy the Bose Quietcomfort 15 headphones, it comes with 2 meters headphones cords. One cord ends in a 3.5mm headphone jack while the other one has a four-pole headphones jack, which has an in-line remote control that you can use with Apple products such as iPhone 4. Each cord also has a hidden switch that helps you to change settings between high and low gain so that you can have an extra volume boost.
If you are looking for headphones to listen to a wide range of genres of music, Bose Quietcomfort 15 are the headphones for you as they offer you a very musical sound with heavy bass and sharp treble. Plus, there is minimal sound distortion even when you listen to music at high volumes.
If you are in a crowded area, these headphones are perfect. The headphones come with a noise cancellation circuit with the switch to turn on the noise cancellation mode hidden on the right ear cup. When you switch on the noise cancellation mode, 80% of the ambient noises, including the air conditioning hum, outside wind, and so on, are cancelled, and all that is left is a hissing sound; thus, you can enjoy your music and get the lyrics clearly.
The headphones run on AAA batteries. With regular use of the headphones without turning on the noise cancellation mode (which consumes more charge), the batteries can run for 35 hours. Note that the use of batteries will add to your cost as you have to purchase batteries after some weeks, and if you are a constant user of the headphones, then you may need always to have a spare pair of batteries.
Bose Corporation has a reputation for putting a lot of resources and innovation in the comfort aspect of the headphones, which is a good thing as customers do not want to walk around in headphones that are hurting to the ears or the head. First, the headphones are soft as they have high-quality pads on the ear cups. Secondly, they are lightweight and have a comfortable fit on your head such that you can have them for a long time without straining.
Accompanying the headphones when you buy them is an airline adapter, two audio cables-one with an in-line remote for iPhone and iPod control and hands-free iPhone calling, and a carrying case.
Price
Enjoy some ambient noise cancellation and high-quality sound with the Bose Quietcomfort that goes for $499.
Design
Bose Quietcomfort 15 headphones have quite a standard design though it still looks elegant and stylish.
The earbuds have a circumaural design with full-size cans that sit all over your ear and seal it tight. They also come with leatherette ear pads that not only make them comfortable but also do not let in much noise allowing you to listen to your music in peace.
The headphones are also highly durable as they come with a high standard plastic construction, which is not only sturdy but also scratch-resistant.
The headphones also come with removable AAA batteries and the noise cancellation system. On the right ear cup, you will find the switch for the integrated noise cancellation system.
Pros
- Comfortable to wear and walk around with
- Noise cancellation feature
- Long battery life
- Sturdy plastic construction
- Leatherette pads that enhance comfort
- Natural and high-quality sound even at high volumes
- Comes with two audio cables
Cons
- When the battery runs low, the quality of the sound also reduces
- Expensive
Check Bose QuietComfort 15 Price On Amazon
Bose Quietcomfort 25
When it comes to comfort, the headphones do not compromise at all. First, the headphones are light and easy to carry around, and they also come with large ear cups that fit comfortably into any ear size such that you and your kids can use the same headphones. Plus, the ear pads have a soft leather material construction and a cushion that gives a wonderful feeling of comfort.
Surprisingly, Bose Corporation chose to use AAA batteries in this day and age when rechargeable batteries seem to be the way to go. Nevertheless, AAA batteries offer a measure of convenience as you can move around whenever you want without waiting for the batteries to recharge. The AAA batteries provide you 35 hours of listening time if you don’t put on the noise cancellation mode. If you put the mode on, the battery duration decreases drastically. Note that the Bose Quietcomfort 25 can continue working even after the batteries run low only that the sound quality will deteriorate.
QC 25 offers you an impressive quality with the middle and lower points being on point and making your listening experience enjoyable. The headphones do not have a compelling bass, and the highs are not clear, especially at high volumes, as you would expect for such headphones.
Noise cancellation is one feature that makes the Bose headphones stand out from the rest. Bose Quietcomfort 25 is the ideal type of headphone for you if you make calls in a crowded place or you want to listen to your music in public transport. When you put the noise cancellation mode on, you lock out about 85% of the noise outside such that you cannot hear anything else apart from the music in your ears.
What’s more? The headphones come with two cables with one being in-line mic/remote so that you can control your music and calls on Apple devices such as iPhone 3GS, iPod classic 120GB, and so on.
Price
Bose Quietcomfort 25 will cost you $149.00, which is quite cheap compared with QC 15.
Design
If you want to buy the Bose Quietcomfort 25 headphones, you will get them in two colours: black and white; thus, you can pick your most preferred. If these two colours do not come anywhere near your favourite colours, you still have the option of covering the headphones using your preferred colour, only that the covers will cost you $100 more.
The headphones come with ear pads that are slightly smaller as compared to those in the Bose Quietcomfort 15.
Bose Quietcomfort 25 headphones are also adjustable so that they can fit comfortably on your head, and they are also lightweight, which enhances their comfort.
Aesthetically, they have a luxurious look that is pleasing to the eye with its metallic finish. Unlike its predecessor QC 15, QC 25 comes with ear markings for the right and left side ear cups so that you will not have a problem identifying which ear cup is for which ear.
Pros
- Luxurious look that comes in a variety of colours
- Excellent noise cancellation
- Lightweight and comfortable
- High-quality sound
- Powerful midrange and lows
- Compatible with a variety of Apple devices
- Long-lasting battery
Cons
- No Bluetooth connection
Check Bose QuietComfort 25 Price On Amazon
Bose Quietcomfort 35
Bose Quietcomfort 35 offers you a world-class noise cancellation feature that locks off all ambient noise making everything quiet and music sounds clearer.
Wireless headphones come with more convenience as you do not have to struggle with wires between your headphones and the phone. In this aspect, Bose Quietcomfort is Bluetooth enabled, which allows connectivity between your headphones and your music listening device without the use of wires.
Unlike the QC 15 and QC 25 that use AAA batteries that are not rechargeable, Bose Quietcomfort 35 features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers you up to 20 hours of enjoying listening to your music on a single charge. If for any case, you see that charging may not be possible, you are free to plug in the audio cable wired mode, which assures you up to 40 hours of listening.
Apart from quality sound, Bose Corporation puts a lot of emphasis on comfort. As such, the headband that connects the two ear cups are padded, and the headphones are also adjustable, which gives a comfortable fit on your head. The comfort is further enhanced by the fact that the headphones are lightweight, and the weight is distributed evenly. When you wear headphones, you realize that the cups have high quality cushioning, which enables you to have a great listening experience.
Can you imagine yourself controlling your headphones from your phone? Yes, that is possible with Bose Quietcomfort 35 as it comes with the Bose Connect app that is available for both iOS and Android devices, and it gives you a personalized experience.
Plus, the QC 35 headphones allow you to make calls clearly even in windy environments with the noise rejecting dual microphone system.
Price
Bose Quietcomfort will cost you $349.00.
Design
Bose Quietcomfort 35 has a lot of similarities with Bose Quietcomfort 25 in terms of design, with the only difference being that the QC 35 is wireless. Wireless headphones are more convenient than the wired ones though some audiophiles say that wired headphones sound better than the wireless ones.
The Bluetooth enabled QC 35 also has a sturdy construction and an eye-catching design which is available in a variety of colours, including rose gold, silver, and black.
On the left ear cup, you will find a 2.5mm jack that you can use to connect the wired connection to your device. On the left ear cup, you will get the micro USB charging port and buttons for pausing, skipping, and adjusting the volume.
Pros
- Excellent noise cancellation feature
- Bluetooth compatibility
- Comfortable
- Rechargeable battery with long battery life
- Clear phone call even in windy areas
Cons
- Battery not replaceable
Differences: Bose Quietcomfort 15, 25, and 35
- Bose Quietcomfort 35 is Bluetooth compatible and wireless while QC 15 and 25 are not wireless.
- Bose Quietcomfort 35 supports the Bose Connect app while the other two don’t.
- While Bose Quietcomfort 15 and 25 use AAA batteries, Bose Quietcomfort 35 use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
- Bose Quietcomfort 35 also has more padding than the other two, which makes it more comfortable.
FAQs
- What is the difference between the Bose QuietComfort 25 and 35? QC 35 is wireless whereas QC25 is a wired model
- Are the Bose qc25 worth it? Absolutely worth every penny in our view. Bose is still the undisputed king of high-quality sound.
Verdict
In this comparison between the three products from Bose Corporation, there is one clear winner which is the Bose Quietcomfort 35. First, QC 35 is compatible with the Bose Connect app, which personalizes your experience when it comes to controlling your headphones. Also, the headphones are wireless, which makes them more convenient, and they allow connectivity between the listening devices through the Bluetooth and NFC features, which make it easy.
When it comes to noise cancellation, Bose Quietcomfort 35 offers you the best noise cancellation features so that you can listen to music even in a crowded area. They are also more comfortable because of the increased padding and perfect fit on your head. Additionally, QC 35 features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that not only saves you the cost of having to replace batteries but also offers you long battery life.
Editor Notes:
The Bose QuietComfort 35 stood out in performance. Some of the unique features that guided our choice is the noise cancellation feature, a rechargeable lithium battery that lasts for hours before the next charge, wireless connection, and Bose App compatibility. This improves connectivity and eliminates the bulkiness brought about by wired options.
Additionally, 35 is super comfortable thanks to the extra padding on the earcups. This allows you to listen to your music for long hours. Even though the price is slightly higher than the rest, we cannot compare it with the output as it is exceptionally great for your sound demands.
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