Gear Review: Bose QC15 Noise Cancelling Headphones

    As the long standing flagship model in the Bose headphone range, the QC15's are highly regarded as a benchmark in not only noise cancelling technology, but also in sheer audio fidelity. They are an icon of both style and quality. With that in mind, how does this pair of £250 cans live up to those lofty expectations?

Bose Say:

    "QuietComfort® 15 headphones feature exclusive Bose® advancements in noise reduction technology, making them our best around-ear headphones. You hear even less noise and more of your music—with brilliant sound and a long-lasting comfortable fit. You won't find this combination of benefits in any other headphone. And when you hear them, you’ll understand why they've received critical acclaim."

 - Advanced noise reduction across a wide range of frequencies; ideal for home, work or travel

 - Lifelike sound that reveals even the most subtle nuances of your music

 - Comfortable fit with soft, around-ear cushions

 - Includes two audio cables, one with mic/remote for iPhone/iPod control and hands-free iPhone calling

 - 35 hours of use on average from AAA battery

Out of the Box

    As soon as you open the box you can appreciate the quality of the headphones. Well made, smooth plastics, great lines, a weightiness that makes them feel like a tool rather than a toy. They come with a hard travel case, a plane adapter and two cables, one with a mic & inline controls and one pure audio cable without those. Both cables have a level switch on the headphone end so you can tailor the input level to the output of your listening device. All quality, all working as it should for the rest of it's lifespan.

Sonic Character

    This graph is the same as the one I put in my Audio Technica M50x review. It is a good collection of headphones that represent a good mix of common studio and listening headphones.

    You can see from the blue line that the Bose QC15's have a lot of bass extension, and arguably have a very hyped bass response. In practice the bass response is quite strong, but it's character is a result of decisions made in the design process, in order to make them suitable for travel scenarios, where the overriding problem with the noises around you are low frequency ones. Adding a boost in the LF is a simple design decision, implemented in EQ at the built in active amplification stage. The relative flatness in the high mids and HF is also a result of tuning that active amp stage.

    That active amp stage is a significant part of the design of the headphones. It is the part that makes the noise cancelling happen. A microphone on the outside of each earcup allows the headphones to generate audio phase cancellation of all of those pesky external noises. It's really quite an astounding feeling when you are sitting on a train, plane or bus and just flick the switch to turn on the headphones. The ambient noise is instantly significantly reduced so that you can listen to Mahler's Symphony No. 10: Adagio in almost perfect silence. You'll feel like the orchestra is playing inside your skull. Wonderful.

Comfort & Practicality

    One of the key features of this pair of cans is their overall comfort level. after half an hour of wearing them, you actually tend to forget that they're there. They are light enough to not ever cause any strain to your neck and soft enough to just hug your ears without and discomfort. The fully encompassing over ear design being a major factor of this comfort.

    They also fold up pretty small, and fit comfortably into a smallish man-bag or handbag without the included hard case.

    The AAA battery does happily last as long, if not longer, than Bose say it will too. So you don't really have to worry too much about it running out. I generally carry a single spare with me though just incase it starts popping out on me in the middle of my experience.

    The mic and control cable is pretty useful too. The controls will control most Apple devices, but sadly will not do the same for Android phones. The mic still works with anything that has the usual four part  mini jack connector. The mic on the headset will work perfectly with your PlayStation 4 controllers too, allowing you to use them as gaming headset for those late night sessions of Killzone or Battlefield.

Negatives?

Not a lot really. The cable is a touch on the thin side and the controls don't work with all devices. If you can overlook those then your set to enjoy a great listening experience

Conclusions

    Look no further than these headphones if you want a solid pair of noise cancelling travel headphones for your commute or for international travel. They have the audio fidelity suitable for studio listening; they are comfortable enough to wear all day; and the noise cancelling is the best out there. There's a reason that most consider these to be the benchmark in the world of headphones, and that's because they're probably one of the most refined listening experiences around.