Bose QuietComfort 2 Headphones
- Design: Over the Head
- Usage: Consumer
- Sound Mode: Stereo
- Connectivity: Cable
- Compatibility: Home Audio Personal Audio
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Don't Even Hesitate....
Pros
Unbelievable performance, excellent sound.
Cons
Higher priced and somewhat bulky battery compartment.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you need them for noisy environments, don't even hesitate, get them now.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to get an upgrade to business class on a flight to London. I sat down with my briefcase nearby, so I could get some work done on the plane. I grabbed my portable CD player and Sony V6 headphones and began to relax. I was content to enjoy my music and get work done when the man next to me whipped out these Bose headphones. I watched with some interest as he ritually removed them from their beautiful carrying case and set up his own CD player for an evening of quiet listening. He caught me spying his set up when he asked me if I'd like to try them. I (of course) said yes, since I'd heard so much about them.
Like being immersed in a sensory deprivation tank, I felt a wave of relaxation flow over my body. The music, which sounded pretty good on my Sony V6's exploded in a range of dynamics I had not heard before on a plane. It was as if the pilot shut down those pesky engines over the Atlantic Ocean so we could enjoy our music. So now I had to give them back, which I didn't like one bit. I dutifully placed my Sony headphones back on my head, after thanking that kind gentleman for a few minutes of bliss, and returned to my boring work. Now I was bored AND depressed.
As soon as I returned from my flight, I noticed that eCost.com had them on sale for $239 and I bought a pair immediately.
Sound Quality Revisited.
There are other reviewers of this headset who have a problem with Bose in general and have $30,000 speakers to compare them to. I am sure his speakers are better than my $239 headphones. BUT this is not about buying audiophile headphones, this is about solving a complex problem elegantly. These headphones sound awesome... on planes, in noisy environments and when noise cancellation is required. These sound better than Grado SR225 headphones in noisy environments because you can't enjoy Grado SR225 headphones in noisy environments. They also sound better than $30,000 speakers in noisy environments because you don't take $30,000 speakers on planes. These are the best sounding headphones you can ever buy for listening to music on planes, trains and automobiles, in computer labs, in subway stations and on cruise ships, which are amazingly noisy even though you are "relaxing" on the high seas.
Build Quality.
Consumer products are built to be sold in mass quantities. Usually the quality of the product is "consumer grade" which means it's OK to get by but not "professional grade". Examples of consumer grade products are made by Sony, such as a Sony CD player which is meant to be sold for about $100 or less. They work and they work well, but are not professional grade. Contrast that to an Apple iPod and you are talking about the difference between a Chevy Impala and a Mercedes sedan. Both carry passengers comfortably, but the difference in the experience of using both products is obvious. The same could be said about Bose headphones, which are professional quality. The material used are superior to most consumer grade products. An example is the quality of the wire that connects the headphones to it's "control" box and to your music player. The wire is durable, flexible and it's properly fastened so it's will not break or separate under stress. I have tested this personally, not intentionally mind you, but was thrilled to find they are so well made that even a 6 year old pulling the wires apart could not damage the product. The quality of the head set itself is reflected in the long term comfort as well. This is a quality product well engineered to last a long time.
Using Them Successfully
You can't generally take a hammer and use it as a screwdriver, as you cannot take Bose headphones and expect to connect them to your home stereo and listen with the same critical ear as you would your non-noise-canceling headphones. They simply are not designed for that job. They are inferior to the Grado SR225 headphones or the Sony V6's for that matter, when you are critically listening to music in a quiet environment. So this is not even a fair comparison. When traveling, I will use them for listening in my hotel room because I didn't want to carry two pair of headphones. Once you get over it, they are fine. They work fine, the sound fine but not better than audiophile headphones. Try to spend 5 minutes each hour with them off your head. This will let your ears readjust to the ambient sound and provide even more satisfaction when listening resumes.
In Summary.
If you fly, then you will never purchase an accessory to make you more comfortable on a plane than this one.
Like being immersed in a sensory deprivation tank, I felt a wave of relaxation flow over my body. The music, which sounded pretty good on my Sony V6's exploded in a range of dynamics I had not heard before on a plane. It was as if the pilot shut down those pesky engines over the Atlantic Ocean so we could enjoy our music. So now I had to give them back, which I didn't like one bit. I dutifully placed my Sony headphones back on my head, after thanking that kind gentleman for a few minutes of bliss, and returned to my boring work. Now I was bored AND depressed.
As soon as I returned from my flight, I noticed that eCost.com had them on sale for $239 and I bought a pair immediately.
Sound Quality Revisited.
There are other reviewers of this headset who have a problem with Bose in general and have $30,000 speakers to compare them to. I am sure his speakers are better than my $239 headphones. BUT this is not about buying audiophile headphones, this is about solving a complex problem elegantly. These headphones sound awesome... on planes, in noisy environments and when noise cancellation is required. These sound better than Grado SR225 headphones in noisy environments because you can't enjoy Grado SR225 headphones in noisy environments. They also sound better than $30,000 speakers in noisy environments because you don't take $30,000 speakers on planes. These are the best sounding headphones you can ever buy for listening to music on planes, trains and automobiles, in computer labs, in subway stations and on cruise ships, which are amazingly noisy even though you are "relaxing" on the high seas.
Build Quality.
Consumer products are built to be sold in mass quantities. Usually the quality of the product is "consumer grade" which means it's OK to get by but not "professional grade". Examples of consumer grade products are made by Sony, such as a Sony CD player which is meant to be sold for about $100 or less. They work and they work well, but are not professional grade. Contrast that to an Apple iPod and you are talking about the difference between a Chevy Impala and a Mercedes sedan. Both carry passengers comfortably, but the difference in the experience of using both products is obvious. The same could be said about Bose headphones, which are professional quality. The material used are superior to most consumer grade products. An example is the quality of the wire that connects the headphones to it's "control" box and to your music player. The wire is durable, flexible and it's properly fastened so it's will not break or separate under stress. I have tested this personally, not intentionally mind you, but was thrilled to find they are so well made that even a 6 year old pulling the wires apart could not damage the product. The quality of the head set itself is reflected in the long term comfort as well. This is a quality product well engineered to last a long time.
Using Them Successfully
You can't generally take a hammer and use it as a screwdriver, as you cannot take Bose headphones and expect to connect them to your home stereo and listen with the same critical ear as you would your non-noise-canceling headphones. They simply are not designed for that job. They are inferior to the Grado SR225 headphones or the Sony V6's for that matter, when you are critically listening to music in a quiet environment. So this is not even a fair comparison. When traveling, I will use them for listening in my hotel room because I didn't want to carry two pair of headphones. Once you get over it, they are fine. They work fine, the sound fine but not better than audiophile headphones. Try to spend 5 minutes each hour with them off your head. This will let your ears readjust to the ambient sound and provide even more satisfaction when listening resumes.
In Summary.
If you fly, then you will never purchase an accessory to make you more comfortable on a plane than this one.
