Quiet Comfort 45 Bose Headphones Battles Rivals

For years, Bose's Quiet Comfort series has been ranked among the best and most comfortable noise canceling headphones on the market.

Photo Insert: Improved noise cancellation, better call clarity and a new USB-C charging port.

They're aimed particularly at people who travel lots, and the latest Quiet Comfort 45 (QC45) is designed to build on the success of the much-loved QC 35 II, Till Simon Nagel reported for Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa).

But are they able to hold their own against competition from Sony, Microsoft, and Apple? Nagel says they do.

The device has softly padded and retractable earpieces, plus a size-adjustable headband that fits heads from coconut to bowling ball size. There's also a zip bag for your travels, a charging cable (USB-C), and a cable with a headphone jack adapter (2.5 to 3.5 mm) to help when your battery runs out.

However, according to the manufacturer, this lasts up to 24 hours. In our test, that was about right. The headphones are currently being sold for about 350 euros or $330.

For connection, you briefly slide a switch on the right earpiece, and then the QC45s switch to pairing mode and connects to iPhones, Android smartphones, and computers via Bluetooth. A voice tells you which device or devices the headphones you're paired with each time they are switched on.

“These are some comfortable headphones. The QC45s weigh 240 grams and has a firm but not tight grip. Even people who wear glasses won't get pressure marks on the earpiece behind their ears. The Bose will also sit comfortably on people with larger heads. However, due to the cozy, sound-insulating design, the QC45s' earcups do tend to get warm after a while. Operating these headphones is pretty simple. On the left ear module is the switch for the two listening modes; on the right are the playback, volume, and voice assistant controls. The buttons are easy to reach with your thumb.” Nagel concluded.

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