Consultette

Hi All,

My last pair of QC15's kicked the bucket so I purchased a pair of on-ear Bose SoundLink headphones. They're working well enough, but the on-ear design just doesn't block out noise as much as I would like.

I'm not a fan of the SoundLink over-ear or QC25 - Bose seems to have changed the ear cups and they are really uncomfortable on me.

I'm trying to shop for alternatives and the Bang & Olufsen H6, H7, & H8 seem to be worth checking out. I really wish the noise-cancelling H8 was over-ear, but I guess we can't win them all. Does anyone have any of these headphones and any feedback? I'm on the road for awhile and nowhere near a B&O store. I'd really like to hear the opinions of people with the Bose QC25's (or older QC models) since Bose has been my go-to for about 5 years. I'd also love to hear if anyone has any other suggestions I should check out. Not some crazy audiophile or anything - just want to be able to sleep with my headphones on and listen to my media in peace.

Thanks!

beckoa

I just outfitted some more of my family with QC15's. QC25's are nice, but for the price, I'm sticking with QC 15's right now. Contact Bose if there is an issue with your QC15's- there may be a trade in/refurb program for those for a reasonable price.

ou81two

Just google "QC25 vs" and I'm sure you'll find info on it.

SamirD

I know this is a bit of an older thread, but I've been wearing my AKG240s for on 12hr flights for over a decade now without any issues. And they're actually cheaper than the Bose units and the sound is superior. They're basically the workhorse in studios, and can get loud enough to drown out the baby crying right behind you without damaging your hearing or be fatiguing. They're my international travel must have. I never even open the plane headphones anymore.

chx1975

That seems rather unwieldy to travel with since it doesn't fold flat at all. Am I mistaken?

Dodge DeBoulet

I don't think you're mistaken. Those aren't built for portability.

SamirD

I always have a small backpack with other things in it and can wind the cord around them and put them in the bag without much fuss.
That they aren't. But boy are they nice. I actually forget I'm wearing them even after 6hrs, and have had to take them off because I heard the movie sound effects behind or to the side and thought it was from somewhere in the plane. Plus, you can drown out almost everything very easily even though they aren't a noise cancelling or closed back design. If you can get around the 'not so easy' part of transporting them, they are terrific.

They're also quite durable even though they don't look so. Mine have fallen onto the bed with some force, bouncing off and then hitting the floor and still worked fine with nothing broken. They're definitely a workhorse.

wco81

I've only used in-ear for the past 20 years.

I did get a on the ear phones, figuring it'd be nice to switch up during a long flight but it just pinched my ears and I didn't like the feeling.

So I searched around for portable over the ear phones. I didn't realize B&O was so big into headphones nor how well-regarded they were. This guy does a good break down of portable over the ear headphones. You may not agree with his conclusions but the criteria and details appear pretty good:

https://marco.org/headphones-closed-portable#qc25

I usually end up listening to podcasts or watching TV shows or movies. But I've decided to give the Plantronics Backbeat Pro a try for an upcoming flight. Just ordered it on Amazon, suppose to get it Sunday, leaving Monday. Only thing is it's rather large but I can stuff it on my carryon or personal item, which is a camera bag.


BTW, how do people feel about those little bags that come with over the ear cans vs. buying a dedicated harder cases which run $20-25 on Amazon. I figured the bags would be easier to squeeze in, not to mention lighter.

aminozuur

Go with the Plantronics Backbeat Pro. I picked up one and put the active noise cancellation to the test on a long haul flight from AMS to DXB. It's magic! And audio quality-wise it is much superior to the Bose QC's.

wco81

Only question I had about it was the size/weight, compared to other products.

ProleOnParole

Thank you for this link, very informative.

67L48

If the Bose doesn't fit you, then the performance is moot. Keep shopping.

However, I will tell about my experience about 18 months ago. After several years of light travel, I found myself coming off of a 70K year and it looked like I'd hit that number again. My old $65 Sony NC headphones were rimracked and not so comfortable. Decent NC and work OK for 3-5 hours. Tough for the 9-10 hour EU flights. Impossible for the 12+ flights to Asia and SA.

I wanted over-the-ear and excellent NC. I was not going to spend the outrageous $300 for Bose, particularly since I hate Bose marketing and the poor value of most products (e.g., home speakers that sound crappy for a premium price). Sony, B&O, Harman Kardon, or someone else was getting my money. Surely those other brands had to have technology just as good as Bose NC, just without the hype and first-mover advantage Bose continues to leverage.

I scoured the internet for weeks, reading every personal and professional evaluation I could find. Sure, sound quality can be measured objectively, but it almost always comes down to some subjective "measure" of sound and comfort ... and my ears, head shape, and preferences are unique to me ... as are everyone else's to themselves.

But, the reviews and articles were remarkably consistent: Bose has the best NC technology by quite a large margin. Is the sound quality acceptable? Maybe, maybe not. Is the price point fair? Maybe, maybe not. Lots of characteristics of the cans are debated. The supremacy of the NC is not.

Ultimately, NC was the most important thing for me -- these were a single-use purchase for airplane flights. The old "wine rule" seemed to apply. A $30 bottle of wine is usually better than a $15 bottle, but rarely twice as good. In the end, I compromised my principles, scrounged for pennies, and coughed up the $300 for the Bose QC25.

They are amazing. I love them. Super comfortable, even on 15 hour flights to India (though my ears can overheat due to lack of air circulation). Sound is great for me, though I'm no audiophile. For classic rock, pop, modern, and even hip hop, music sounds good to my ears. For movies, the sound is even better.

Great portability. Easy to pack and unpack. Well-though-out design. In theory, you can still use, even when the battery dies. But, without the electronics engaged, the sound is paper-thin. Bring an extra battery.

The price is so high, that these are not a value buy. It still bothers me to think how much I spent. The old rule applies: you get what you pay for and you pay for what you get. I would buy them again, if I had to do it over. No question. But, it would be painful, just like it was the last time. No question.

Good luck with your shopping for headphones.