Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Apple Devices (Black)

Product Information

The mics focus on the sound of your voice, while filtering out most of the sounds and wind around you. QuietComfort® Earbuds now feature Aware Mode with ActiveSense™ technology, which allows you to hear your music and your surroundings at the same time. For battery life, you’ll enjoy up to 22 hours with QuietComfort® SE headphones and up to 20 hours with Bose Headphones 700.

My point is only that a perfect motorcycle earphone could possibly be made, but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it.Aware Mode turns on the external microphones of QuietComfort® SE headphones and feeds ambient sounds into the headphones, enabling awareness of the sounds in the environment, such as cars and emergency vehicles, while still enjoying audio content. The QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones let you enjoy better sound every day, everywhere you go.

The Bose QuietComfort® Earbuds II have passed IPX4 testing, which means they are protected against sweat and splashing water from any angle.I’m not even sure most tiny earphone drivers can handle the power necessary to produce noise-cancelling sound waves of sufficient amplitude to effectively cancel the loud road noise motorcyclists are exposed to at highway speeds. I would keep an eye out for that feature in any new noise-cancelling product as we look for the “perfect” earphone for motorcycling, if it’s even possible.

You will note this when I get to the part about riding with the Bose QuietComfort 20 system on a motorcycle, where the external sounds are reduced, but not as much as we’d hoped. So, while I think the Bose QuietComfort 20 falls short of the dream for us motorcyclists, the dream is probably still possible. The technology is improving, but I think there are limitations that will always make it difficult for motorcycle applications. Once again, just to be clear about this, the Bose QuietComfort 20 system definitely reduces the overall noise levels when it is worn underneath a motorcycle helmet when riding, but not as much as we had hoped. Other helmets have no defined ear pockets, and these can be more difficult to put on when wearing the headphones.The headphones can be charged using the USB-C cable supplied in the box and plugging into a USB port on a PC, laptop, or wall charger. Just be aware that because of the lifespan of the integrated lithium ion battery, that noise cancellation won't work forever. You’ll actually pay less, get more features and will have fewer issues with the intercom speakers placed in the helmet ear pockets. The result is better audio and active noise reduction from a smaller, lighter and more comfortable headphone. QuietComfort® Earbuds are ideal for periodic use all throughout the day, while Sport Earbuds are Engineered for Exercise™.