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Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones

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Posted on July 5, 2012 at 13:15:55
pbarach
Audiophile

Posts: 812
Location: Ohio
Joined: June 22, 2008
 I borrowed a pair of these for an upcoming airplane trip, since they seem to be universally reviewed as the best for noise cancelling (other than IEM's, which I find excruciatingly uncomfortable).

I spent a lot of time listening to music with these phones in a room yesterday with a VERY noisy Window air conditioner. Putting on the headphones reduced the air conditioner to a whisper. They were not bad for music. They did have a noticeable midbass emphasis, and they sounded congested in loud orchestral music (e.g., Respighi Pines of Rome). Compared to my regular headphones (AKG K701), they are less comfortable (smaller earpads with leather or vinyl covers, compared to foam on the AKG) but probably wearable for plane trips. They provide plenty of volume from an iPhone (but not that much, I understand, from an iPad).

So in summary, I find them to be good for noise-cancelling but not as good for sound quality as other headphones that also sell for $300. For my single trip, though, the price (free) is right!

 

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RE: Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones, posted on July 8, 2012 at 07:52:19
genungo
Audiophile

Posts: 2726
Location: Rocky Mountains
Joined: July 7, 2010
 I am not aware of a single "noise cancelling" headphone that rivals standard sealed headphones for sound quality. Audio Technica M50 standard sealed headphones costs half as much as the Bose QC-15, provide good noise isolation, and sound very good.

 

RE: Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones, posted on July 8, 2012 at 08:02:18
pbarach
Audiophile

Posts: 812
Location: Ohio
Joined: June 22, 2008
 You wrote: "I am not aware of a single "noise cancelling" headphone that rivals standard sealed headphones for sound quality." Right, and take any sealed-back headphone you want onto an airplane and see how much music you're hearing when the airplane cabin ambient noise is typically ~60-65 dB. So the airplane traveler can either have no music (and no headphones) or else listenable sound quality with noise-cancelling headphones.

 

AKG K 495 NC, posted on July 8, 2012 at 09:07:33
genungo
Audiophile

Posts: 2726
Location: Rocky Mountains
Joined: July 7, 2010
 As far as "noise cancelling" headphones go, the AKG K-495 NC costs about the same as that Bose model but is said to provide much better sound quality than the Bose headphones. In a review of the Bose QC3 linked below, this reviewer claims that the QC3 blows the the QC15 away (4:35). Nevertheless, he thinks the AKGs far surpass the Bose in both sound quality and build quality... Have a happy flight!

 

RE: AKG K 495 NC, posted on July 8, 2012 at 09:55:35
pbarach
Audiophile

Posts: 812
Location: Ohio
Joined: June 22, 2008
 This review says the Bose sounds better. For me, it's a non-issue, since I'm borrowing the Bose and not in the market for NC phones. I would get a set if I took more long plane trips.

http://reviews.cnet.com/headphones/akg-k495-nc-acoustics/4505-7877_7-35136693.html

 

RE: AKG vs. Bose?, posted on July 8, 2012 at 10:49:55
genungo
Audiophile

Posts: 2726
Location: Rocky Mountains
Joined: July 7, 2010
 As always, everyone has to decide for themselves...

 

See innerfidelity.com for a comparison..., posted on July 8, 2012 at 12:44:01
Ned
Audiophile

Posts: 552
Location: Manhattan (NYC)
Joined: July 23, 2001
 The headphone site innerfidelity.com tested a number of noise cancelling headphones, including the Bose 15 and the Audio Technica AT-ANC7b. Just go to the main page of the site and you'll see it.

I'm no lover of Bose and it hurts me to say it but the site ranked the Bose 15 as best overall (incl. both sound and noise cancelling), with the AT described as a lower cost alternative but with lower overall performance than the Bose. The other headphones tested were well behind these two.

 

Audio Technica ATH-FC700, posted on August 2, 2012 at 02:32:58
jimmyjames
Audiophile

Posts: 4234
Location: Raleighwood
Joined: February 20, 2001
 while not active noise cancelling, they work perfectly well with and iPod turned up just a little bit to drown out all the ambient noise on a 3hr flight. I didn't even take them on the plane thinking I would use them, more for down time during a week of classroom training. Passengers were so noisy around me, I strapped them on and listened to Little Feat Waiting For Columbus and read a book. Worked beyond all expectations for a $40 pair of small headphones. I recommended them to my boss for a flight to Scotland and he bought a pair and said it was the best $40 he ever spent.

 

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