Travel Technology - Bose QC2 vs. QC3 headsets

I have a pair of the QC2 headphones and wouldn't fly without them. My son has borrowed them enough to now want his own set. He's thinking of the new QC3 because they are smaller. I thought I had read sometime ago that other users may not have liked the way they fit on top of your ear instead of totally covering it. Any advice would be welcome before he buys them. My search did not find the thread I was looking for.

Bose is using this whole "smaller" thing as a gimmick. The headphones may be "smaller", but they still come in the same size case as the QC2's, and you still cant sleep on your side with them. So their "smaller" size is really of no value.

In my opinion, the QC3's are less comfortable and seem to let in more ambient noise. After a while on-ear designs become uncomfortable.

Wirelessly posted (Opera/8.01 (J2ME/MIDP; Opera Mini/2.0.4509/1316; en; U; ssr))

My hubby has the qc2, I have the 3. I like mine, he prefers his. My ears are smaller, so the 3 fits just right. The 2s are too big for me. Hubby on the other prefers how the 2s cover his ears entirely. He also says the the 3s let in more ambient noise but I think the difference is minimal. Main benefit of the 3s are the rechargeable batteries. No more hunting for aaa batteries.

Maybe I'm the misguided one but I consider rechargeable batteries in the QC3 (along with most other travel devices) a negative. It's easy to carry a couple of replacement batteries in the velcro accessory pack in the case and I don't have to remember to check the charge or pack a charging cable before a last minute trip.

Maybe I'm the misguided one but I consider rechargeable batteries in the QC3 (along with most other travel devices) a negative. It's easy to carry a couple of replacement batteries in the velcro accessory pack in the case and I don't have to remember to check the charge or pack a charging cable before a last minute trip.

Hey Zarf4!

I've got a pair of QC3's and I HATE not knowing how long the recharged battery will last...I'm constantly plugging it in at every connection and in my hotel rooms. If you know: will a fully recharged QC3 battery last from ORD to NRT, and then onto SIN? [14 hours plus 8, from preboarding to the gate]. I'm flying that route tomorrow at 12Noon...I'm actually thinking of taking a spare set of noise-reduction earphones just in case! But if I knew they were good for 30 hours I'd say that QC3's are great.

QC 2's here didn't like the feel of the 3's plus the 50 extra and rechargeable thing.

I have a pair of the QC2 headphones and wouldn't fly without them. My son has borrowed them enough to now want his own set. He's thinking of the new QC3 because they are smaller. I thought I had read sometime ago that other users may not have liked the way they fit on top of your ear instead of totally covering it. Any advice would be welcome before he buys them. My search did not find the thread I was looking for.

FWIW -- I recently broke my QC2's and bought a pair or QC3's to replace them. On my first flight using them (a short TED flight), I could totally tell the difference. The QC3's seemed to not block the engine and cabin noise as well as my 2's. It may have been my imagination, but it bugged be so bad that I returned them and got another pair of the QC2's.

Main benefit of the 3s are the rechargeable batteries. No more hunting for aaa batteries.

If that's the main "benefit", then the QC3's offer very little over the QC2's.
I think it's been determined on this forum that the QC3 rechargeable battery is not a benefit.

Lengthy existing thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=422325) on this topic.

I bought both of them to see which i liked better.
I absolutely prefer the QC2's and would buy the QC2's over the QC3's even if the pricing schemes were reversed!
There is just no comparison with the comfort, and the passive noise cancellation of the QC2 design.

I have a pair of the QC2 headphones and wouldn't fly without them. My son has borrowed them enough to now want his own set. He's thinking of the new QC3 because they are smaller. I thought I had read sometime ago that other users may not have liked the way they fit on top of your ear instead of totally covering it. Any advice would be welcome before he buys them. My search did not find the thread I was looking for.

I think they are both much of the same. It doesn't justify spending another $300

I tried the Q3s on my last trip. Good overall. Ergonomically a bit superior to the Q2s. The smaller case and on top of ears - are nice. The only problem and reason for not going for it is the rechargeable battery. I hate rechargeable batteries. Another charger Ugh. I like having the ease of a AAA. Can purchase them anywhere.