Customer Ratings & Reviews

In the car audio community, BOSE is often referred to as BLOSE, a derogatory connotation stemming from the general view that their speakers are overpriced and underwhelming. However, in the noise cancellation game, they have been the industry standard for quite some time, and while I increasingly see more manufacturers represented on flights all over the world, BOSE headphones are definitely the most prevalent. When I finally decided to replace my old and broken non-BOSE headphones, I went with the industry standard. The version I have is some sort of special Apple edition of the QuietComfort 25 headphones. No idea what makes them unique or special to iOS, though RTFM would probably clue me in. My guess is that the inline microphone/remote built into the included cord works seamlessly with iOS products. Here's what you need to know: Very comfortable over the ear design. The suede material on the cups themselves is buttery soft. The noise cancellation works. Whether it's better than any of the less expensive BOSE or non-BOSE options is unknown, but it kills airplane engine noise and loud voices the minute you flick the switch. I do find that I have to lift at least one ear cup to listen to PA announcements during flights, but that's a minor issue. Battery life is still being assessed, but so far I have a total of about 15 hours on the included AAA battery. Conveniently, the case includes a slot for a spare battery. My complaints and why I've given it 4 stars instead of 5: price is high for technology that really hasn't advanced all that much. In BOSE, you are paying for the name. Interestingly, the "special edition" black on black iOS version I have was the same price as the non-special addition versions, which is a good thing, but $299.99 I think is a bit high. There is also no Bluetooth capability. Not sure if there are noise cancelling headphones with that capability, but if Skull Candy can have pretty solid Bluetooth capability on my kid's $79 headphones, surely BOSE can figure something out. All-in-all, solid product, if a bit overpriced.

Absolutely amazing, second to none, use them about 20 hours a week while flying, noise canceling is outstanding, audio quality is superb, battery life is good, I’m getting about 20-25 hours from a single AAA, previous headset with 2 AAs lasted about 40-50 hours, but the Bose are half the weight and about half to 2/3 the cost depending on who you compare them to. I’m running the newer U Fly Mike Harmony on them and durability is great so far, both headphones and mic, in use for a little over 4 months.

This model has shown improvement compared to past models. The over the ear is more comfortable. The sound can be played through the head phones with or without the noise cancelling turned on. The noise cancelling is good enough to cancel my Mom's yelling from down the hall (that should be enough to prove the quality). I like that they are using a tripple A battery instead of a chargable one, because the charger and battery always took up space and was a hastle to charge (not that big but enough to complain twice). For me the battery life is 10+ hours (just like the older version but this one is using a AAA battery). The leather for the over the ear does cause me to sweat but only after about 5+ hours of non-stop use (my advice is to take a break for 5 minutes and then go back at it).

I've been a Bose QuiteComfort user since they were first introduced, first with version 1 then version 2 of the product. After unknowingly donating my last set to someone on a flight in China recently, I purchased the QC25 as a replacement. They produce beautiful, full-range sound, deliver superb noise cancellation capabilities, and are some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever used --- much better and more comfortable than my Beats Studios.

I've actually bought 2 sets of these, 1 for my girlfriend initially and after hearing how well they worked I had to get my own. She was studying in the car with me while I had the music playing fairly loudly and she said she didn't even notice. I can't believe how much noise they block out from flights too... not just the engine and ambient noise, but crying kids sitting behind you also! I wore them for 10 hours on my flight to Hawaii last month and they were extremely comfortable. Great battery life as well.

This is my first pair of over the ear, noise cancelling headphones and these are great! They are extremely comfortable to wear, even for long periods like a flight or time at work. The noise cancelling ensures you get true sound from your music and works great when using them to make phone calls. Yes, the built in mic works great too so these have become my every day use headphones. I also really like that they use a AAA battery, not a recharge that dies when you want it most. The case holds a spare battery so you know you will always have the power you need. Highly recommend this pair, well worth the price.

I have had several noise cancelling headphones over the years and this is definitely the best, by far, of the bunch. It easily cancels out all ambient noises. It is compact for travel. In the noise cancelling mode, music sounds very good, with this model, it will also transmit music when noise cancelling is off, though it does not sound as good. It has a built in microphone for taking phone calls, with the noise cancelling, the reception, on an iPhone, is excellent. The cord is extra long, which is convenient, though the connection to the headphone is proprietary (very narrow), so you cannot replace it with a generic cord. It is generally comfortable for an over the ear model and can be worn for reasonably long periods. It is pricy, but well worth the price.

I have been holding off on buying noise canceling headphones for too long. I fly to China once a quarter. I was looking for over (versus in or on) ear for long term comfort. They are light and fit perfectly. Battery life is amazing, and unlike previous Bose QC models, still work without the NC after the battery dies, even though it doesn't sound perfectly. The headphones sound great with the NC on and I barely hear outside noise, nor do the folks around me hear any sound leakage, recommend!

These are the most comfortable and best sounding headphones iv ever worn. Few things I would like to address though. Bass lover stick with beats, I'll admit when I first listened to these headphones I was a little disappointed with the bass. After breaking in though they are now perfect! They deliver accurate bass and sound great!! Also if your battery runs out the noise cancellation obviously stops working but the headphones will still work. Just know the sound quality will drop quite a bit. But it's better that no music! You will be speechless when you hear how good the noise cancellation is on these babies. I know it's a steep price but these are a quality product and won't dissapoint!!

Traveled using them on a 11 hour flight. The noise canceling was excellent, the audio watching movies was also better than expected. I was unaware of any sounds with the exception of a very high pitched voice on occasion in the background, and only when testing to see what I could hear. We were sitting about two rows ahead of the engines and I was unable to hear their droning. The only minor negative is I wish folding them closed back into the case was a bit easier. Battery lasted for the entire flight using both sound canceling and watching videos.

I had put off buying a noise cancelling headset for many years. Once I tried the Bose QuietComfort 25 headset during a very long series of international flights, I can only respond to anyone who asks - don't wait, get them now. The headset immediately removes all the external plane noise - people, engines, wind noise, etc. and allows you to enjoy whatever you are listening to without strain. The headset puts you into your own little bubble and eliminates the fatigue that normally accompanies being on long flights. I did find that it was hard to wear the headset for 8+ hours without my ears becoming sore, but I think, based on other reviews as well as my experience in trying on other headsets before I chose the Bose QuietComfort 25, that there might not be any headset that can be worn that long without some discomfort. The only other negative is the lack of a button or some other form of convenient control that would let you hear people speaking to you without having to remove the headset. The few times I had to be interrupted and take off at least one ear to hear what the flight attendants or others were saying to me was a minor inconvenience. I am not an audiophile - I am mainly interested in watching videos when I use the headset and I primarily use them when I am flying. I can not comment as others can regarding the sound quality from the standpoint of an aficionado. I can say that the sound quality is very good for my needs, and the very fact that the noise outside of my headset is just plain eliminated, makes the sound quality perfect for me. Other small details that I liked about the Bose QuietComfort 25 are included carrying case with built-in compartments for the 2 prong adapter and a spare battery. I had looked around for a less expensive alternative, but nothing in the lower price range seemed to be of adequate quality, either construction, fit and feel, or noise cancelling. I decided against the wireless versions because the benefit of wireless was outweighed by the cost and the potential lower sound quality and noise cancelling capability. I highly recommend the Bose QuietComfort25 for anyone looking for over the ear noise cancelling wired headsets.

Pro's: comfort, ease of use, living up to the hype. Let's face it, Bose knows sound and this product not only blocks the sound when in noise-cancellation mode, but provides wonderful sound quality in any mode. Con's: The big con (even before the outrageous price I paid): the adapter that goes into any sound port is weak. You'd think, for that price, that the weakest link would NOT be the actual connection to the computer, iPad, iPod, etc. Second was the price. Full disclosure, I'm reviewing not only for the second time (had to return my first pair because the connection broke at the aforementioned weak link connector) but for the pair I bought my wife : ) Which she loves!

This is indeed a superb set of headphones. Nice canceling is excellent and sound is very good. I have compared it with the Bose i20, and it (at least for me) is a far superior choice. Comparably, size can be an issue. However. the QC20 folds nicely, and fit in a briefcase, or even a jacket without being too bulky. I have also compared it with Beats Studio, and it faired much better on noise canceling, comfort, and portability (Beats does not fold as compact as QC25). I strongly recommend.

I have looked at these for years. We just returned from Italy and these headphones were great. I enjoyed the quality, comfort and the noise cancellation. I had no issues with battery life, held the entire 14 hours and allowed me to enjoy my music, the inflight movies and block out the aircraft noise and kids sitting in the next row. Worth the cost.

I was searching for some headphones that would, 1) fit comfortably around my ears, 2) be lightweight and portable for travel, 3) noise canceling for several reasons, 4) have great sound qualities. After visiting Best Buy and trying on several different pairs of headphones I settled on the Bose QuietComfort 25. Wow!!! What more can I say? They meet and exceed every quality I was looking for. My wife, an accomplished musician, likes them so much she's used them more than I have for her recording studio. Best headphones ever. No more earaches from in the ear, on the ear, or heavy around the ear headphones.

I Love these headphones! The wireless QC 35 would have been nice but did not want to spend the extra money. I previously bought Dre Beats but returned them because they hurt my left ear and did not cancel much noise when I was mowing. These headphones are far superior in comfort and noise canceling. I mainly mow in these and I can hardly hear the mow running and I mow about 3 hours and do not even notice these on my head! So glad these went on sale and I took the beats back and got these instead! Would definitely recommend for anyone!

I have had Bose noise cancelling headphones for over a decade. My QC2's finally died so I wanted to replace it with an equally good product. I checked out many other brands as well as looked at the current Bose product line. After a lot of research and trying on a lot of different headphones I settled on the Bose QuietComfort 25. I used them on some very long flights to either just relax or as alternatives to the cheap airline headphones. The QC 25 definitely carried on the Bose tradition of a lightweight and comfortable headphone that reduces the background noise to what I had been used to with the QC2 that it replaced. In addition to use on airplanes I use it at home to filter out the TV sounds from across the room when I have to work. Since the cable is removable (thank you Bose!!) I can wear it without dragging along the fixed cable most other noise cancelling headphones have. If you travel, do you really want to have that cable dangling behind you in the bathroom or snagging on seats as you walk the asile?? I certainly dont! I also wanted a model that had a replaceable battery so that I would not run the risk of a built in battery dying on me mid flight. I carry my own rechargable batteris and can swap them out if need be. Some folks say that they never have problems with the battery running out of charge when they travel. Thats great for them. I for one do not want to have to worry about making sure I keep track of my headphone charge before every trip or return flight. A removable battery is a simple way to always have one less thing to worry about. The sound when listening to music (both with and without a battery in the unit) is what I expect from Bose. I am no overly senstiive audiophile, I just like listening to my music collection or video clips on the computer without being disturbed or disturbing others. The only thing I do not like about the QC25 is the folding design of one of the ear cups. I for one liked my "fold flat" QC2's. The case was not too big to put in a backpack and I did not have to worry about possibly breaking them simply putting them into the carry case. With the QC25 one of the ear cups pivots as it folds so it can pack into a slightly narrower case. Its only about 2 finger widths narrower than the QC2 and about the same thickness so Im not sure why Bose went with that design. I for one am not a fan of this and if it breaks too easily I will definitely let them know it was a bad choice. However there are many other headphones that fold the same way so maybe it will be ok. Time will tell. It is so good that I had to get a 2nd unit for my wife so she did not steal mine when we travel together. She also likes it over the 3 alternatives she tried before attempting to seal my QC25 before our last trip. Yes, the Bose units are more than some alternatives out there. However the quality of the product for the price is worth it.

Excellent noise cancelling -- When I first put them on, I thought, oh, it does cancel the noise. But when I took them off, wow! what a difference! So comfortable -- I had them on for hours. Even turned off the music and just kept the headphones on so that I could sleep soundly on the plane. And they're cute! Love the colors. Expensive (wish they were cheaper), but excellent quality.

Excellent Mechanical Quality, all hinges and slides operate flawlessly, connectors are of the highest quality. Super comfortable, cushions are firm but not hard preventing the foam over harder plastic inner case from coming into contact with your ears. Fidelity is as you’d expect from the Bose name, the bass is very slightly boosted but not at the expense of clarity. Slightly old-school wired headphone but superior battery life compared to Bluetooth. In-flight entertainment requires a physical connection anyway!

I used to love my Bose 1.5s - until the black "pleather" started to flake off and leave black bits in my hair and on my ears (the ear cups and head band portion all started flaking). I replaced it with products found on ebay (only place I could find anything) but they didn't quite fit so well. My 1.5s finally died after 7 years and 250K air miles - the small wire to the battery broke off (I might be able to fix it though). Anyway, it broke during a trip and I was looking at a 13 hr flight to Australia - so I caved and bought these. So far, I like it better than my 1.5s. Seems to fit better (more comfortable around the ears), can be used without power (you can still listen to music without the noise cancelling on - couldn't do this with the 1.5s), and I think it sounds a little better than the 1.5s. But one of the biggest pluses is that it folds up smaller so the case isn't as big - AND - its a nice square shape which makes it easier to put in my bag than the weird rounded shape of the 1.5 case. I haven't seen any flaking of material yet - I really hope Bose fixed that problem. You can really hear the difference the noise cancelling makes - plug it in and listen to music with it off... then while the music is still playing, turn it on.. wow.. huge difference. As someone who gets stuck flying a lot, noise cancellation headphones made all the difference to me. I can actually sleep more comfortably on planes and I don't feel so "beat down" when I land after long flights. The only CON here is that its expensive.. if you travel a lot though, or do long flights, its worth it.