Comments on: The Bose QuietComfort 15: Our New Favorite Noise Canceling Headphones

By: Marcello

Marcello — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:08:00 +0000

I have QC 15, and the noise canceling system… it’s almost perfect for traveling …
the sound quality is ok, but not so good as MM550.
I have both, in the city, to avoid the noise from streets and subway, and to go to the gym, I use MM550 cause it’s wireless and it filters maybe 70% of noise around, and that’s ok for me because when in the city I don’t want to feel isolated… and I think it can be dangerous being in a complete noise canceling when walking around in public places.
When I travel, yes I use QC15.
bad points on QC15: no wireless, no rechargeable battery …if you’re traveling and your battery runs out, sound doesn’t work… it turns off completely
MM550, has inside a battery that you can charge everyday, and if you run out battery, you can use the wire that come with it and continue to listen to your music. In plus, you can talk to people when using it, it has a filter for voice, so you can stop music, and talk to people (and of course get your incoming call and make out call) …all without removing the headphone from your head.

It depends on your needs, if you’re looking something for day by day, go for MM550, if you travel a lot or you just want to be completely isolated from noise around, go for QC15

By: scavenger

scavenger — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:08:50 +0000

MANY THANKS for this objective and complete comparison. Exactly what I was searching for to make me an idea !!

Later on, can you add the comparison to the NOKIA BH-905 ICE ?

thanks again !

By: A

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 03:03:27 +0000

I bought the Q15s about 6 months ago on my way to Korea for a year. The first time i turned these things on in the airplane i smiled and turned them off then on several times because i was amazed. The Jet sound was about 95% muted without music and 100% gone with music along with the children crying. The only thing that would remind me that i was on a packed 16 hour flight was the passenger next to me moving around.

Now that i am in Korea i have a very rude suite mate who has people over and is quite loud at times. We work different shifts, meaning that i have to sleep during the day. One day i put these on to sleep with no music just for the noise cancellation and it worked. I bought rechargeable batteries and i use use these several times a month just to sleep.

Also they are super comfortable, on the thing that sucks when wearing them for a long time is my ears will sweat a little. Other than that they fit my head in a way that i never get and aches or pains… i mean i sleep with them on all the time.

10/10

By: Tristam

Tristam — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 01:27:51 +0000

Thank you for the best article written on Noise Cancelling headphones. I’ve been researching for a solid week and it’s a rather hard affair. There really isn’t that much information on the web and comparisons are limited and often dated. The best video I saw was a youtube entry with a binaural human head microphone and recorded the sound coming in while wearing the five headphones. Which was great, but your article compares up to date models and searches for the best of the best, which is what I think really counts.

If you are going to spend a huge amount of money on headphones, then it really pays to do your homework and you don’t want to find out later on that there was a better model you just didn’t research.

I would be interested to know how the Sony MDR NC500Ds stack up to the QC15s, since Sony is using software to dynamically filter for different conditions, not just for engine sounds. Furthermore, the ongoing complaints I hear are that people can still hear others talking. Since I am buying these to cancel out my co-workers in the office I am and I’m sure others are particularly interested in finding the best set for cancelling speech.

I don’t care how much it costs, I don’t mind buying military equipment as long as I can cancel out something that unfortunately my brain doesn’t do for me I’ve looked in to shooting ear muffs, industrial solutions, aviation headsets and commercial noise cancelling headphones. I just want to remove as much as technologically possible in 2011! I probably wouldn’t go past $5000 but anything out there that could get the job done would allow me to focus on my job better.

Excellent article, definitely the most informative to date. After a lot of research I had my mind at a cross roads with three different models: Sony MDR NC500D, PXC 450 and the QC15. After reading your article it really helped to clear things up for me.

Many thanks !

By: John

John — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:56:52 +0000

Hay friends, I just got a new set of Bose QC15 headphones, wanted to brag a little. OMG, these things are my new first love, I can put these things on an all I hear is silence or what I am wanting to hear, in the airplane I feel like I’m in a glider, no screaming babies, or people talking to loud in 6 different languages, no engine roar, I can mow my lawn and not even hear the motor, (when music is playing). I’m not kidding, I even sleep with them on some times cause of the dogs in the neighborhood, If I could of had these during ether one of my marriages, who nose, maybe I would still be with one of them loud mouth b—-. I have been looking for some thing like this for a long time An now my wish has come true, they have fast become one of my favorite companions they never leave my side. they give me the peace & tranquility I need to think and get all my thoughts & priorities in order. They sound really good but I have a 35 year old set of stratton wafers that sound better, Whats up with that. there is some room for improvement.

By: Ian Faroke

Ian Faroke — Sat, 07 May 2011 14:40:49 +0000

Guys, I concur 100% with this review. I have personally tested several high-end headphone and Bose QC-15 are by far the best headphones available on market. They are a great escape for a powernap at the office (of course in the conference room).

My research is not over yet. I’m looking into Aviation Headphones and I would like to compare their performance to QC15s. The two worth mentioning are Bose A20 Aviation and Sennheiser HMEC 460. Let’s see how that goes. Just be mindful of the fact that once you enter the aviation line of products, you are looking at a price tag ranging from $700.00 to $1400.00.

Anyways, Bose QC-15 have my full approval.

Ian

By: Corb

Corb — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 23:58:16 +0000

Hello,

in the meantime I was able to test both the Sennheiser MM550 and the Bose QC15 at the same time and in the same environment (a big Data Center with a hundreds of systems inside plus the coolers making a lot of noise).

Sennheisers are great for running around having no cable which disturbs you. Sound is wonderful as long as you do not enable noise canceling. When you enable it, the music is turned down and is losing all the lower frequencies.
The Bose only work with a cable (and battery) but do a great job on noise canceling.
My phone has a volume setting from 0 to 30. With the MM550 and noise cancelling enabled I have to turn it up to 30 and still can hear the systems in the Data Center. With the Bose I set the volume to 7 and can listen to soft music while the noise around me nearly disappears.

Combining the bluetooth of the MM550 with the noise cancelling of the Bose would make a perfect headset.

As my focus was on noise cancelling I definitely had to buy the Bose. If your priotity is great wireless sound then you can go for the Sennheiser. If you want both features together then you will not find a headset (I tried for months).

By: GadgetLover

GadgetLover — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 22:31:49 +0000

Great review.

I currently have both the Sennheiser MM 550 and the Bose QC15. I think Sennheiser MM 550 beat the QC15 hands down. Yes, Bose’s noise cancelling is better, but sound and wireless feature of the MM 550 make tops.

ULGW