Bose QuietComfort 25 Headphone Review. If you're wondering how much better the QuietComfort 25 than the QuietComfort 15, the model it replaces, that's hard to quantify. But one thing is certain: it is better. While the two models bear a strong familial resemblance, Bose says the QC25 headphones
-- which cost $300 in the US, £270 in the UK, and AU$400 in Australia
-- are totally redesigned, with better audio performance and noise
reduction, plus an improved folding design that allows them to fit in a
more compact carrying case.
Another small but significant change is the shape of the headband. Bose
has re-engineered it to sit closer to the head, so there's less of a gap
under the headband. And it's worth mentioning the headband is covered
in an "engineered fabric found in high-end automotive applications."
The soft, leather ear cushions have the same luxurious feel of their
predecessors and Bose says the hinge or "pivot" in the earcups is made
out of "cast-zinc."
There's still a lot of plastic involved in the construction, but Bose
appears to have struck a good balance between durability, weight, and
comfort level. Yes, the headphones could be even more durable, but they
would become too heavy. This model (without cable) weighs 6.9 ounces or
196 grams. By comparison the Beats Studio (2013) weighs 9.17 ounces or 260 grams.
Like the QC15, the QC25 is powered by a single AAA battery that
delivers up to 35 hours of use. But what's new is that if the battery
dies, the music plays on. The sound is a little weird without power --
"stunted" is probably the best way to describe it -- but at least you
can get sound out of the QC25 if, for instance, it dies in the middle of
a long flight. In terms of extras, you get an inline remote and mic for taking calls with recent iPod, iPhone, and iPad models, as well as "select" smartphones. The long and short of it is some of the remote features may not work with Android and Windows devices but the microphone will (call quality was good).
Another great "feature" of these headphones is Bose's satisfaction
guarantee. If you're not totally satisfied, you can return the
headphones (or pretty much any Bose product) for a full refund. The
trial period is 30 days in the US and UK, 21 days in Australia.
Design, the QC 25 Headphones
While the incredibly comfortable QC 25 retains the overall look and feel
of it predecessors, there are design updates that seem to acknowledge
that a simple black-and-metallic design no longer cuts it in the current
headphone market. There's now a white-and-tan color option in addition
to the more standard black-and-gray model. If that's not enough for you,
you can customize your headphones for $100 extra and give them a
variety of wild color combinations. It's a decidedly un-Bose move, and
speaks to the influence Beats has had on headphone design. The headband is covered by canvas-like cloth on the top, with ample
padding on the underside. The circumaural (over-ear) earcups are, as
always, exceedingly plush. Aqua blue grilles line the insides of the
earcups, with large L and R letters identifying each cup's respective
ear.
A detachable cable connects to the left earcup, and the Power switch
(which light ups green and activates the noise cancellation circuitry)
is located on the right ear. Bose has made a significant design
improvement in the QC 25 and given it an ability previous QuietComfort
models lacked: It can be used as passive headphones without power. In
other words, you can still listen to audio when the battery is dead, or
simply when you don't really need the noise cancellation feature
running. There's no auto-off function, so it's pretty easy to mistakenly
leave the Power on and kill your battery quickly, leaving you with no
noise cancellation feature (but at least with a pair of still-functional
headphones).
The included cable features an inline remote control and microphone.
Many headphone pairs these days ship with a second replacement cable,
and it would have been a nice inclusion with the QC 25 for this price. Bose occasionally takes something as mundane as the zip-up protective
case and makes it worth talking about, and that's the deal with the QC
25's included case. There's an etched diagram inside displaying how the
headphones fold down to perfectly fit the case's slim contours,
something other headphone companies would benefit from copying. A small
compartment houses an extra AAA battery and the airplane jack adapter,
handy things to keep on-hand. It isn't fancy, but it makes more
efficient use of a small amount of space than most headphone cases do,
allowing the QC 25 to be a better travel companion.
Performance, the Bose QC 25
In the past, using the Bose QuietComfort 15 meant that
noise-cancellation was required to be powered on or else you wouldn't
hear anything. It was a bummer shelling out the cash and being stuck
with this "all-or-nothing" conundrum. Thankfully, Bose has addressed
this flaw by allowing the QC25's to be used without noise-cancellation,
battery-free, although the in-ear blocks out more ambient noise, the new QC 25 does an
amazing job of shutting down the drones, whirs, and hums of modern
life. You can still hear someone talking to you fairly easily when the
QC25 is engaged; with the in-ear pair, someone could be trying to talk
to you and you might not even notice. However, the entire QC lineup
including this pair manages to simply be the best at reducing the
constant clamor of work environments, planes, trains, and machines.
In passive mode, the treble and bass are both dialed back
dramatically, along with the overall volume level. Switch to active mode
to enable the noise-canceling feature and things get brighter, deeper,
and louder. If there was ever a knock on the QC series, it was
that the headphones didn't sound particularly amazing. Over time,
however, the line has introduced more balanced sound signatures.
If the mega-bass experience is what you're looking for, the is a
powerful option with decent noise cancellation, and the is one of the
best-sounding pairs with noise cancellation (but not the best noise
cancellation itself) have tested. If you're looking for the best noise
cancellation available, that honor still belongs to the Bose QC 20 earphones. And if you're on a budget, but still want some decent noise
cancellation, the in-ear offers a reasonably effective experience.
Bose QuietComfort 25 Headphone Summary, Review
Now Bose has upped the audio performance in the QuietComfort 25. While
it still may not be stellar, you'll be hard-pressed to find superior
sound in another noise-canceling model. Yes, it's fairly pricey, but for
those seeking premium noise-canceling headphones for travel or just
shutting out everyday ambient noise while listening to music or watching
video, these QuietComfort headphones are easy to recommend.
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