Data point for those of you in the DC area...

I called the Bose stores at both Tysons and Potomac Mills this week, told them about my badly worn QC2 earpads, and said that I had heard that there was some kind of "upgrade" program that would let me trade them in toward the new QC15s.

Guy at Potomac Mills gave me a flat-out "no" - as long as the haedphones function, they will not trade or replace. Also said the earpads are NOT covered in any way because they can be replaced for $35. Then he (rather curtly) hung up.

Nice person at Tyson's Galleria said that it's not an upgrade, but that my headphones may be covered under warranty replacement, and that I might be able to get a credit that would allow me to pay either $100 or $150 for a new set, depending on the model of the ones I had and what kind of condition they were in.

Brought them in, and the very pleasant staff agreed that the earpads were in bad condition and I exchanged them for credit toward a new pair of QC15's - which I'm very excited about.

This is exactly why I'm ok with paying a premium for Bose - the customer service is (generally) top-notch, and they stand behind what they make.