Bose hearphones ($500)
Apr 25, 2017, 8:48 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: PDX
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Apr 28, 2017, 3:21 pm
#17
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
I read this thread last night for the first time. My wife does use hearing aids and still has a lot of trouble watching TV (Must turn it up loud) and hears garbling of voices of people speaking on the TV.
We live 50 miles north of Tampa, but have a second small townhouse in Northern NJ and are here for the weekend. So we went to the Bose store at Short Hills Mall today.
They have a dedicated 'sound room' where they allow you to try the hearphones. They have a TV and they play short (too short, really) clips of people speaking in crowds, or very softly, etc. This is really not enough to adequately evaluate them. So, I would not recommend driving a long way. Better to just buy them and you have a 30 day return guarantee. (The salesman said to call him and he'll take it back for 90 days).
We took one home. Unfortunately, our main TV just died so we can't properly evaluate the unit till we get back to Florida on Sunday. Overall, she felt, given the short time she had, the best feature was that the ability to lower base and raise treble for her. It is too soon to tell if being able to focus the sound in narrow directions is of value, but it sounds like it should be if in a crowded restaurant (Whether one would wear them in a restaurant is another matter, and she felt 'funny' with the device around her neck). But since she thinks this will mostly be for TV in the home, she should get used to it.
So, cautiously optimistic, and I'll post a fuller review in about a week. That's it for now. If in doubt, order it and return it if you are not satisfied. FWIW, the salesman said they have had 'very few' returns.
We live 50 miles north of Tampa, but have a second small townhouse in Northern NJ and are here for the weekend. So we went to the Bose store at Short Hills Mall today.
They have a dedicated 'sound room' where they allow you to try the hearphones. They have a TV and they play short (too short, really) clips of people speaking in crowds, or very softly, etc. This is really not enough to adequately evaluate them. So, I would not recommend driving a long way. Better to just buy them and you have a 30 day return guarantee. (The salesman said to call him and he'll take it back for 90 days).
We took one home. Unfortunately, our main TV just died so we can't properly evaluate the unit till we get back to Florida on Sunday. Overall, she felt, given the short time she had, the best feature was that the ability to lower base and raise treble for her. It is too soon to tell if being able to focus the sound in narrow directions is of value, but it sounds like it should be if in a crowded restaurant (Whether one would wear them in a restaurant is another matter, and she felt 'funny' with the device around her neck). But since she thinks this will mostly be for TV in the home, she should get used to it.
So, cautiously optimistic, and I'll post a fuller review in about a week. That's it for now. If in doubt, order it and return it if you are not satisfied. FWIW, the salesman said they have had 'very few' returns.
Apr 28, 2017, 8:17 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 38,681
I read this thread last night for the first time. My wife does use hearing aids and still has a lot of trouble watching TV (Must turn it up loud) and hears garbling of voices of people speaking on the TV.
We live 50 miles north of Tampa, but have a second small townhouse in Northern NJ and are here for the weekend. So we went to the Bose store at Short Hills Mall today.
They have a dedicated 'sound room' where they allow you to try the hearphones. They have a TV and they play short (too short, really) clips of people speaking in crowds, or very softly, etc. This is really not enough to adequately evaluate them. So, I would not recommend driving a long way. Better to just buy them and you have a 30 day return guarantee. (The salesman said to call him and he'll take it back for 90 days).
We took one home. Unfortunately, our main TV just died so we can't properly evaluate the unit till we get back to Florida on Sunday. Overall, she felt, given the short time she had, the best feature was that the ability to lower base and raise treble for her. It is too soon to tell if being able to focus the sound in narrow directions is of value, but it sounds like it should be if in a crowded restaurant (Whether one would wear them in a restaurant is another matter, and she felt 'funny' with the device around her neck). But since she thinks this will mostly be for TV in the home, she should get used to it.
So, cautiously optimistic, and I'll post a fuller review in about a week. That's it for now. If in doubt, order it and return it if you are not satisfied. FWIW, the salesman said they have had 'very few' returns.
We live 50 miles north of Tampa, but have a second small townhouse in Northern NJ and are here for the weekend. So we went to the Bose store at Short Hills Mall today.
They have a dedicated 'sound room' where they allow you to try the hearphones. They have a TV and they play short (too short, really) clips of people speaking in crowds, or very softly, etc. This is really not enough to adequately evaluate them. So, I would not recommend driving a long way. Better to just buy them and you have a 30 day return guarantee. (The salesman said to call him and he'll take it back for 90 days).
We took one home. Unfortunately, our main TV just died so we can't properly evaluate the unit till we get back to Florida on Sunday. Overall, she felt, given the short time she had, the best feature was that the ability to lower base and raise treble for her. It is too soon to tell if being able to focus the sound in narrow directions is of value, but it sounds like it should be if in a crowded restaurant (Whether one would wear them in a restaurant is another matter, and she felt 'funny' with the device around her neck). But since she thinks this will mostly be for TV in the home, she should get used to it.
So, cautiously optimistic, and I'll post a fuller review in about a week. That's it for now. If in doubt, order it and return it if you are not satisfied. FWIW, the salesman said they have had 'very few' returns.
Thank you very much. Do you know if I call the store, and order, will they ship? I'm not eager to drive hours away. Thanks!
Apr 29, 2017, 8:14 am
#19
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
Richard. I don't see why not. The phone # there is 973-376-2010. We spoke with Darren Frank. He said you could return it to any Bose store or call him and he would send a prepaid UPS label.
As a minor update, my wife, of course, takes her hearing aids out when she goes to bed. When I come in later, the TV is always very loud. Last night when I came to bed, the TV was at least 75% lower in volume. She also mentioned that when she laid with her head on a pillow on one side, in order to avoid feedback on that side, she simply muted that side of the device. So far, so good.
As a minor update, my wife, of course, takes her hearing aids out when she goes to bed. When I come in later, the TV is always very loud. Last night when I came to bed, the TV was at least 75% lower in volume. She also mentioned that when she laid with her head on a pillow on one side, in order to avoid feedback on that side, she simply muted that side of the device. So far, so good.
Apr 29, 2017, 5:51 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 38,681
Richard. I don't see why not. The phone # there is 973-376-2010. We spoke with Darren Frank. He said you could return it to any Bose store or call him and he would send a prepaid UPS label.
As a minor update, my wife, of course, takes her hearing aids out when she goes to bed. When I come in later, the TV is always very loud. Last night when I came to bed, the TV was at least 75% lower in volume. She also mentioned that when she laid with her head on a pillow on one side, in order to avoid feedback on that side, she simply muted that side of the device. So far, so good.
As a minor update, my wife, of course, takes her hearing aids out when she goes to bed. When I come in later, the TV is always very loud. Last night when I came to bed, the TV was at least 75% lower in volume. She also mentioned that when she laid with her head on a pillow on one side, in order to avoid feedback on that side, she simply muted that side of the device. So far, so good.
Apr 30, 2017, 11:16 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
As another data point, Sondra had her hearphones on during the trip EWR-TPA today and reports that the noise cancelling was excellent. I'm not sure if this is partly mechanical as the earpieces fit pretty tight. She reported that there was zero engine noise (A320) unless she bumped up the bass strongly.
In one of those funny moments, we put the app on my phone as well as her's in case her battery died etc., so she/we could still control it. She was in 7C and I was in 2 E. I noticed we were still close enough for Bluetooth to work and I could control her hearphone (Volume/treble/bass, etc.) from my seat.
Additionally, I had accidentally left my cellphone (both are Note 4's) on, playing music, while I switched my QC15s and watched a movie on my Galaxy S tablet, and she was serenaded with my music until we landed. She could not find out how to turn it off as it was coming form my phone via Bluetooth. While this is an unusual circumstance, we need to explore the options for the future. I suspect she simply needs more practice with the controls, especially the ones on the hearphone itself. So far, things look positive.
In one of those funny moments, we put the app on my phone as well as her's in case her battery died etc., so she/we could still control it. She was in 7C and I was in 2 E. I noticed we were still close enough for Bluetooth to work and I could control her hearphone (Volume/treble/bass, etc.) from my seat.
Additionally, I had accidentally left my cellphone (both are Note 4's) on, playing music, while I switched my QC15s and watched a movie on my Galaxy S tablet, and she was serenaded with my music until we landed. She could not find out how to turn it off as it was coming form my phone via Bluetooth. While this is an unusual circumstance, we need to explore the options for the future. I suspect she simply needs more practice with the controls, especially the ones on the hearphone itself. So far, things look positive.
May 16, 2017, 10:56 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,380
Any more feedback?
yes, you are paying a lot for the Bose nc
The earpiece (black version of their "stayhere+) tips are very comfortable for me. It's not irritating like other inear tips (those rely on a very tight fit for passive noise isolation), and doesn't fall out easily
I believe the S/M/L have the same inear component, only difference is the size of the earhook (for your ear lobe)
There's a version (stayhear, no plus) which doesn't have the inear component,but it won't be as effective for NC
You could go to any Bose store and try it out. It's like $10 for two pairs of replacement tips.
The earpiece (black version of their "stayhere+) tips are very comfortable for me. It's not irritating like other inear tips (those rely on a very tight fit for passive noise isolation), and doesn't fall out easily
I believe the S/M/L have the same inear component, only difference is the size of the earhook (for your ear lobe)
There's a version (stayhear, no plus) which doesn't have the inear component,but it won't be as effective for NC
You could go to any Bose store and try it out. It's like $10 for two pairs of replacement tips.
Jun 19, 2017, 9:13 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Homosassa, FL & Ringwood, NJ -UA-G(Lifetime); SPG-Plat (Lifetime)
Posts: 6,120
My wife eventually returned the 'hearphones'. The main reason was feedback. In order to hear better, she had to turn them up, causing more feedback, etc., etc. She just could not adjust it to get the results that would justify a $500 expense. When she returned it, the salesman said most of them were returned.
It seems like this is still a work in progress. Hopefully, Bose, with all its money will continue to work on this. There is definitely a big market.
FYI, one of her unusual issues, perhaps pertaining to a small subset of users, was as follows. Our main living room backs up to our master bedroom, such that the two TVs are separated through a wall by about 5 feet. Whenever my wife tried to increase to sensitivity and volume in the bedroom, it picked up the sound from the TV in the living room. There is probably no fix for this, but it was unexpected.
It seems like this is still a work in progress. Hopefully, Bose, with all its money will continue to work on this. There is definitely a big market.
FYI, one of her unusual issues, perhaps pertaining to a small subset of users, was as follows. Our main living room backs up to our master bedroom, such that the two TVs are separated through a wall by about 5 feet. Whenever my wife tried to increase to sensitivity and volume in the bedroom, it picked up the sound from the TV in the living room. There is probably no fix for this, but it was unexpected.
Jun 23, 2017, 6:17 pm
#25
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 17
The Bose Hearphones bear a stunning resemblance to the Mimitakara active which is currently heavily discounted on Amazon.
Perhaps Bose bought the design
Having the mikes on or under your clothes seems a silly idea and this is supported by the amazon reviews.
The NuHeara buds work very well but lack power for the hearing challenged user.
It's a dynamic market atm and a category killer may take a while to evolve as the technical demands are extremely challenging.
Perhaps Bose bought the design
Having the mikes on or under your clothes seems a silly idea and this is supported by the amazon reviews.
The NuHeara buds work very well but lack power for the hearing challenged user.
It's a dynamic market atm and a category killer may take a while to evolve as the technical demands are extremely challenging.
Jul 13, 2017, 9:39 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 7
I think Bose QC20 is great enough for you to everyday use.The earphone is designed for blocking the noise surround you. You can stay in comfort environment when you are listening the music.If you want to hear all the noise from outside also, you can press the blue bottom.Then, you will hear all the noise from outside. It's so amazing.
Sep 23, 2017, 2:30 pm
#27
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 55
I'm in! I find I can't hear the movies on the airplane.Can't crank up the volume enough. These might be just the solution.
EDIT: I think these are available by mail order now. Not just the 3 stores in the soft launch.
EDIT: I think these are available by mail order now. Not just the 3 stores in the soft launch.
Last edited by Batman's brother; Sep 24, 2017 at 8:31 am Reason: more info
