- Table of Contents
- Top
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
Best Bose Headphones - 2018
Reviews
We have currently reviewed 12 Bose headphones. They're a reputable brand that makes comfortable headphones, and they're known for their great noise cancellation.
Updates
- 03/01/2018 Bose QuietComfort 35 II reviewed
Compared to other brands
- Comfortable Design. Comfort is one of the key aspects of most models from Bose. Whether an earbud, an on-ear or a full-sized over-ear, most of Bose's headphones are exquisitely well-padded, lightweight and don't feel too tight on the head.
- Above-average Sound Quality. Bose also prides itself on delivering a decently balanced audio reproduction that doesn't require an equalizer to sound good. However, some models tend to be bass-heavy.
- Excellent Noise Canceling. Bose is one of the best brands when it comes to noise canceling. Their ANC enabled headphones will significantly reduce the ambient noise of public transit or loud environments. The QuietComfort series, especially, deliver an almost unrivaled amount of isolation compared to other similar headphones.
- Expensive. Bose headphones are relatively more expensive compared to other brand headphones with a similar design and target audience.
- Mediocre Build Quality. Bose makes lightweight headphones that feel a little plasticky. They're still durable headphones but they just don't feel as premium as their price would suggest.
- Leaky over-ear models. Although Bose in-ear and earbuds do not have this issue (most likely due to their of their smaller size), the over-ear models do leak a lot at higher volumes which could be distracting to those around you.
Overall, Bose makes well-rounded headphones that provide an unparalleled level of comfort and industry-leading noise canceling. Sound quality is a bit bass-heavy but sufficiently balanced to please most listeners. However, Bose tends to make comparatively expensive headphones that feel a little plasticky and not as well built as other headphones in the same price range. Their over-ear lineup also tends to leak a bit at higher volumes, which might not be ideal for all environments.
Best Bose Headphones
Bose doesn't offer as many headphone types and variations as some other brands. However, they deliver a solid series of headphones that cover most use cases. They also do especially well with commuting headphones thanks to their great noise canceling.
- QuietComfort = Comfortable, noise canceling headphones designed for commuting and traveling in loud environments.
- QuietControl = Wireless headphones with better app support for more control over active features and noise cancellation.
- SoundTrue = Closed headphones that deliver a balanced sound quality but no noise cancellation.
- SoundLink = The wireless variations of some SoundTrue models. They also don't have noise canceling.
- SoundSport = Semi-open and open in-ear/earbuds made for sports.
Best Bose Headphones for Mixed Usage
Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% TV
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Build Quality
- 4% Microphone
- 2% Controls
- <1% Multi-Device Pairing
- <1% USB
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Latency
- <1% Analog
- <1% Line In
- <1% USB Input
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Power Supply
- <1% Dock Charging
- 22% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Build Quality
- 4% Optical Input
- 3% Battery
- 3% Analog
- 3% Leakage
- 2% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 1% Dock Charging
- 20% Sound
- 20% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 2% Channel Mixing
- 2% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
The best Bose headphones for mixed usage are the Bose QuietComfort 35 II. They're a slight improvement over the QuietComfort 35 with more control over their noise cancellation feature and Google Assistant built-in. If you need a pair of headphones that you're going to use on your commutes and throughout your day, then the QC35 are a great option. They're comfortable, easy to use and sound good enough for casual and critical listeners. They also have one the best noise canceling available on the market so they isolate well against ambient noise but they're a bit leaky at higher volumes.
Best Bose Headphones for Office
Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% TV
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Build Quality
- 4% Microphone
- 2% Controls
- <1% Multi-Device Pairing
- <1% USB
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Latency
- <1% Analog
- <1% Line In
- <1% USB Input
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Power Supply
- <1% Dock Charging
- 22% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Build Quality
- 4% Optical Input
- 3% Battery
- 3% Analog
- 3% Leakage
- 2% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 1% Dock Charging
- 20% Sound
- 20% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 2% Channel Mixing
- 2% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
The best Bose headphones for office are the QuietControl 30. If you want the great noise canceling that Bose is known for, in a more portable design that also doesn't leak as much as some of their over-ear models, then the QC30 are a great choice. They have a comfortable earbud fit for those who find in-ears fatiguing. They're also stable and have a good set of features that make them versatile enough for most use cases.
Best Bose Headphones for Sports
Test Benches:
- 1.2: Winter 2018
- 1.1: Summer 2017
- 1.0: Winter 2017
- 0.9: Winter 2016
- 25% Critical Listening
- 25% Office
- 25% Commute/Travel
- 10% Sports/Fitness
- 9% Gaming
- 6% TV
- 80% Sound
- 10% Build Quality
- 7% Comfort
- 3% Breathability
- 24% Noise Isolation
- 14% Sound
- 11% Portability
- 10% Comfort
- 9% Build Quality
- 9% Battery
- 6% Wireless Range
- 4% Controls
- 4% Breathability
- 4% Leakage
- 3% Microphone
- 1% Multi-Device Pairing
- 1% NFC
- 24% Stability
- 23% Portability
- 11% Sound
- 10% Breathability
- 8% Comfort
- 6% Wireless Range
- 5% Controls
- 5% Battery
- 4% Noise Isolation
- 4% Leakage
- 24% Comfort
- 21% Sound
- 16% Noise Isolation
- 8% Leakage
- 7% Battery
- 7% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 4% Build Quality
- 4% Microphone
- 2% Controls
- <1% Multi-Device Pairing
- <1% USB
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Latency
- <1% Analog
- <1% Line In
- <1% USB Input
- <1% PC Compatible
- <1% Power Supply
- <1% Dock Charging
- 22% Sound
- 17% Comfort
- 15% Default Latency
- 10% Wireless Range
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Build Quality
- 4% Optical Input
- 3% Battery
- 3% Analog
- 3% Leakage
- 2% Noise Isolation
- 2% RCA Input
- 2% Multi-Device Pairing
- 2% Line In
- 2% Line Out
- 2% Power Supply
- 1% Dock Charging
- 20% Sound
- 20% Default Latency
- 15% Comfort
- 12% Microphone
- 5% Breathability
- 5% Battery
- 5% Base/Dock
- 3% Build Quality
- 3% Wireless Range
- 3% Microphone Control
- 2% Channel Mixing
- 2% Wired
- 2% Volume Control
- 2% App Support
- 1% Bluetooth
The best Bose headphones for sports are the SoundSport Free. These truly wireless earbuds have one of the most balanced frequency responses that we've measured so far. They're comfortable and quite portable despite their bulkier design. Unfortunately, they have a few bugs with their wireless connection but on the upside, their semi-open design is great for runners that need to monitor their surroundings.
Conclusion
Bose is a well-known brand, popular for their excellent noise canceling and incredibly comfortable designs. They produce well-rounded and versatile headphones that also deliver in the sound department if a bit bass-heavy at times. However, their models tend to be comparatively more expensive and not as well built as some other headphones in the same price range.
Check our recommendations for the best commuting headphones.
