Bose QuietComfort 35 Q35 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphone Review

Bose Intro:

We spent 40+ years of research in pursuit of the best noise cancellation in the world. Then we obsessed about making it wireless. The result: QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones. Free yourself from wires and connect easily to your devices with Bluetooth and NFC pairing. Volume-optimized EQ gives you balanced audio at any level, while a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system provides clear calls, even in windy and noisy environments.

These are our best headphones. In making them wireless, we had one goal: seamlessly merge Bluetooth and our Acoustic Noise Cancelling technology together with no compromise to the technologies or the audio performance we’re known for. Try them for yourself—then try to live without them.

Introduction:

Bose’s line of QuietComfort headphones define the best of what active noise cancellation headphones can offer. It’s current line of QuietComfort 25 headphones are already very good – in fact, I’ve been using them for a couple of years now.

But Bose’s new QuietComfort 35 (QC35) introduces a much-awaited feature – wireless listening. That’s right, the QC35 introduces Bluetooth connectivity plus the same awesome active noise cancelling feature – but does it stack up to the current lineup? Let’s take a look.

Manufacturer’s Specification:

• Headphone dimensions: 18 x 17 x 8.1 cm (HWD)
• Weight: 0.31 kilograms
• Audio only cable: 1.2 meters
• USB cable: 30.5 cm

Design and Specifications:

Design-wise, the QC35 largely resembles the QC25 – it’s still lightweight at almost 300 grams. The headband now features a wider design but the ear cups still feature a snug and comfortable fit. It comes in silver and black and its exterior is sturdy enough to be used on any type of listening environment.

The Bose QC35 features microphones placed inside and outside the ear cups that they claim can sense and measure the background sounds to be able to properly block out noise. It uses a built-in, non-removable battery, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage since it will be easier to change the batteries with normal ones rather than waiting for it complete charging.

But you can always use the QC35 with a wired connection using the included 47.2-inch cable, but it does not support an integrated microphone. Note that when using a wired connection, active noise cancellation will not work.

Playback controls are located on the right ear cup, which is also used for making and receiving calls. When used for making calls, a side-tone feature can allow you to listen to your own voice so that you can prevent yourself from talking too loud.

The Bose QC35 primarily connects through Bluetooth, and an accompanying app called the Bose Connect available on iOS and Android devices can let you manage the devices paired with the headphones along with the ability to upgrade the firmware and configure other options.

Setup:

I’ve tried pairing the QC35 with nearly all my devices: an iPhone and an Android phone plus my Mac and even my PlayStation and all paired without any hiccups. Every time your turn on the headphones, a female voice prompt will be heard telling you of the headphones’ status including batter life and the currently paired device.

NFC is also present on the Bose QC35 – so if your device supports it, you can easily ‘tap’ it to the headphones and then it will automatically pair without having to pair it manually.

Performance:

But how does it hold up in performance? Very, very good. I’ve used a sampling of some hi-res music I’ve gotten from iTunes to check the audio performance of the Bose QC35 and it’s by far one of the best-sounding headphones we’ve used.

The Bose QC35 offers a tighter bass, with enough low frequency effects without overwhelming the listener. Sounds are more natural and tones are warm and detailed – all of this is achieved even when it is streaming via Bluetooth, to which we all know sound usually degrades in quality when streamed this way.

But the best part of the Bose QC35 is the active noise cancellation feature it offers. Effective and clearly superior, it manages to completely block out background noise so you can peacefully enjoy your tunes no matter what environment you are in. Add to that the extra equalizing options offered by Bose and you’ve got yourself the most capable pair of wireless headphones ever made.

As mentioned, all of these features will be off when you use the wired function – but that still works surprisingly well and it’s a great versatile headphone that should work whether wired or wireless.

The package also includes a carrying case and a airline headphone adapter so you can use it on flights. Note however that you might be able to use Bluetooth during a flight as per the airlines rules. Keep the audio cable handy when that happens.

On full charge, the QC35 can last for almost 20 hours – which is great especially if it’s something you’d like to take when travelling. You charge it using the micro USB port located on one of the ear cups so any standard mobile phone charger should work well with the Bose QC35.

Supplied Accessories:

• QC35 headphones
• Airline adapter
• Audio cable for wired connection
• USB cable
• Carrying case

Pros & Cons:

Pros

• Comfortable fit
• Excellent noise cancellation features
• Also works on wired mode

Cons

• Battery is non replaceable
• Accompanying app could use more features

Conclusion:

The Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless headphones retains some of its excellent active noise cancelling features found in its predecessors and now offers it in a wireless form. In terms of Bluetooth wireless headphones, the QC35 is our top choice.