Bose QuietComfort 35 II Noise Cancelling Bluetooth - Wireless, Over Ear Headphones with Built in Microphone and Alexa Voice Control, Black, Standard Headphone Size

Product Information

The Active EQ is subtle, but personally I don't think it added anything to my listening experience. Verdict It's a minor point, but whenever you turn the headphones on they helpfully play a short audio notification of both the device they're connected to as well as how much battery life is left. It rounds this to the closest 10%, but it's still a helpful indicator to have. We've updated the Noise Isolation score and text. The 4.5.2 software update made the ANC slightly worse than before. It's also strange using the headphones when they're cancelling out the noise around you (including your own voice), but the microphone works very well despite not being located on a cable closer to your mouth like most wired headphones.

QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II - Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones II - Bose

Battery life on the QC35s is very good. Bose promises that the headphones will last 20 hours when operating wirelessly, which rises to 40 hours when used as a pair of wired headphones. I didn't time exactly how long the battery took to run down, but the headphones lasted me several days of on and off use before needing to be recharged. In terms of sound, the Bose QC35 II NC is good, but not class leading. While tonal balance is relatively neutral with a slight mid-bass bump, the sound is somewhat soft when compared to competitors like the Sony WH-1000X M2 (previously the Sony MDR-1000X). This means dynamic range is a bit limited and makes for a somewhat dull presentation. Resolution is good but not great and sound stage is about average. We've added a comparison between these headphones and the Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless in Compared To Other Headphones.

Should you get the Bose QuietComfort 35 II or the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700?

But, if you like your smart assistants confined to your phone and smart speaker, the original QuietComfort 35 remains one of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market. Read on for our full review and don't forget to see what Bose promo codes are out there. When it comes to Bluetooth music streaming there's standard Bluetooth and then there's AptX Bluetooth. The latter is appreciably better for streaming music, but Apple's devices only support the former. You can read more about the difference between them in our Bluetooth vs AptX explainer. The QuietComfort 35 II are hugely effective in a Ronseal kind of way: the excellent noise-cancelling keeps everything around you quiet, and they're exceptionally comfortable. In those regards they're unbeatable, and for many a regular long-hauler, they'll be the most important factors. But while these headphones have an enjoyable sound, their rivals are a clear step ahead. The WH-1000XM3 (and newer WH-1000XM4) have an earthier bass and more insight, while the PX (and more recent PX7) have a better sense of rhythm and dynamics. Verdict The headband connecting the two earcups is well padded, and the way the headphones sit on your head is very comfortable overall. Partly this is because their weight is nicely distributed, but it's also partly because of the quality of the cushioning on the cups. I have personally worn these headphones for hours at a time and have found them to be comfortable throughout.

QuietComfort 35 II Noise Cancelling Smart Headphones | Bose QuietComfort 35 II Noise Cancelling Smart Headphones | Bose

The Bose QuietComfort 35s offer great sound quality and the best noise cancelling out of any headphones I've tried. They're super comfortable, and despite the fact that they don't use the newer AptX Bluetooth standard, the wireless doesn't harm their sound quality one bit. We disliked Have you tried turning them off and on again? I know, this seems basic, but you’d be surprised how many technological bugs can be fixed with a simple reboot. If this doesn’t work, continue on to the next steps. Dynamically, these headphones can take changes in intensity in their stride. From the quieter drums and strings that rise up when the song begins to the hearty, husky tones of Lisa Gerrard’s idioglossia (her invented language) that fill the space, these headphones make smooth transitions allowing you to really become immersed in your music. Bose’s forte is active noise cancellation and it shows with the QC35 II NC. Switching on noise cancellation is like walking into a quiet room after being on a busy city street. The headphone does an excellent job of drowning out everything from the rumble of a train, cars driving by and even voices.But these Bose headphones aren't the best sounding of their ilk, with the Sonys in particular offering similar levels of noise-cancelling and comfort with an extra helping of musicality. They now support Google Assistant, too. The headphones are very good at switching between multiple connections. I had my pair of QC35s connected to both my laptop and my phone, and the headphones had no trouble switching between the two as I played music alternately from both devices. The noise-cancelling sensation is a little odd at first and feels a little like being in a pressurised cabin, but you soon get used to actually being able to listen to your music rather than the world around you.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Noise

Pairing the QC35s is a breeze. You slide the power slider all the way to the right to put the headphones in pairing mode, and then you simply select them from your phone or laptop's Bluetooth menu. If your headphones won’t re-connect to your smartphone by Bluetooth, first make sure the audio cable and USB charging cable are unplugged. If this doesn’t work, use your smartphone to disable and re-enable Bluetooth. Still having problems? Delete the headphones from your phone’s Bluetooth device menu and retry the initial pairing process. It may also help to remove some other Bluetooth devices from your smartphone to avoid cluttering it. The headphones doesn’t automatically switch to the device playing contentAs with all noise-cancelling headphones, the QC35's are best at cancelling out consistent low frequencies like the rumble of a train or plane rather than higher-pitched office chatter, but even the latter is drowned out to a certain extent by the padding around the headphone's earcups. Using Google Assistant with the Bose QC35 II NC works just like it would on Google Home. You can ask it to read headlines, add reminders, or myriad other questions. The Assistant will also read you your notifications as they come in, which is nice but may be redundant if you have a smartwatch already. In short, the addition of Google Assistant is nice to have but is by no means the reason you should buy the Bose QC35 II NC: buy this headphone for its excellent noise cancellation, balanced sound, and incredible comfort. Alternatively if your phone is one of the increasing amounts of Android phones that support NFC pairing then you can connect your headphones by simply putting them in pairing mode and tapping the rear of your phone against them. We have changed Mic Mute to 'Yes' in Controls, and changed the wired connection to '1/16" TRRS' in Wired.