Around the holidays, I decided to treat myself to a pair of high quality headphones. I live in the central area of a major US city, and to be frank the noise pollution was driving me a little crazy. I was interested in a pair of headphones that would give me some peace and quiet, so I spent a lot of time looking at ANC (active noise-Cancelling) options and the Sony WH1000MX3 and Bose QuietComfort 35 II were easily the top picks among reviews.
However, there were a lot of different opinions about which was better. The split was about 50/50 between the Sony and Bose, so I was pretty torn. Even though they were heavily discounted for the holidays ($280 each), that's a lot of money considering I generally never spend more than $50 for headphones. So I bought them both as an experiment, with the plan to return one after I made a decision.
Let me get this out of the way now, because I'm going to get pretty detailed below. Ultimately, I understand why there's such a debate about whether the Sony or Bose is better. They are both fantastic headphones. I loved them so much that I made the probably financially irresponsible decision to keep them both! They were both so good, but better than the other in completely unique ways. For that reason, there was no dealbreaker for me that makes one superior than the other -- It really comes down completely to personal preference and that's why there is so much debate.
The TL;DR of this review is that you should buy the Sony if you value sound quality most, and don't plan to wear them for long periods of time (i.e. over 5-6 hours per session). You should buy the Bose if you value comfort the most, and if you're planning to use them for phone calls.
If you're interested in a bit more detail, I'll give my opinions on these aspects: ANC, Sound, Comfort, Versatility
ANC
The noise-cancelling on both of these is phenomenal. I had assumed Bose would do better at this since it's what they're known for, but I'm surprised to say the Sony's ANC is slightly better. It does a bit better blocking out non-drone sounds (i.e. people talking, sharp noises, etc) compared to the Bose. With that said, they both are practically equal and I don't think the Sony ANC is so much better than the Bose that it would justify buying them on that factor alone. When wearing either pair, I sometimes feel like a spaceman walking around my apartment because everything is so quiet.
SOUND
This is a clear winner for Sony. No questions asked, the sound is clearer, crisper, and deeper. This is especially noticeable when watching movies/TV shows or playing video games. With the Sony, I feel like I can hear each individual sound clearly, whereas with the Bose everything is a little more muddled together. With that being said, the Bose sound is perfectly acceptable and even 'good'. It's just that for a $300 pair of headphones I'd expect a more premium quality where I am amazed at how clear the sound is. The Sony does that; the Bose are a tier below.
COMFORT
Hands down, the Bose are better. I can literally wear them for 14 hours and they don't bother me except for needing to give my ears a little air every once in a while. I have never, ever worn a pair of headphones this comfortable before. I'm especially grateful for this comfort now that I'm working from home all day because of COVID-19. The Sony headphones are a bit heavier and clamp on your head a little bit more tightly. They also press down on your ears, whereas the Bose are deep enough that my ears don't even touch the inside of the cans. The Sony are still definitely comfortable, but a tier below the Bose. I can still wear them for about 6 hours before they bother me, so if you don't wear headphones that long it might not be a problem for you.
VERSATILITY
This is just a catch-all for all the other aspects of the headphones. Nothing here I would consider a selling point strong enough for most people to make a final decision, but if you have specific needs then this might be helpful.
1. I like the physical buttons on the Bose more than the touch buttons on the Sony. They just work better, and I make mistakes with them less often.
2. Sony has better technology. They use USB-C so the headphones charge faster than the Bose mini-hdmi. They also have better bluetooth connection technology, which lets a higher bitrate of audio transfer wirelessly. Without getting too technical, I think this is a major reason why the sound quality on the Sony is better.
3. Bose is better if you want to connect to multiple devices. Bose can connect to two devices simultaneously, but Sony can connect to only 1 device at a time. For example, if I am listening to music on my computer and I get a phone call, if I'm wearing the Bose, I can answer and talk on the call through my headset, and when I hang up music will resume. With the Sony, I'd either have to disconnect from my computer, then reconnect to my phone before the call ended, or take off the headphones completely and answer the phone separately.
4. Sony looks a little more stylish and futuristic. The Bose look like an ordinary pair of headphones. Build quality is identical though
CONCLUSION
5 months after buying these, do I regret keeping them both? NO! They are absolutely worth the money if you have it. Generally, I find that I wear the Bose throughout the day as I'm working from home. They're really comfortable to wear all day long, if I get a call from a co-worker I don't need to take them off, and I'm just listening to music as background noise while I work so sound quality isn't important. After dinner, it's always the Sony. When I'm focusing on a new album, watching a movie, or playing a video game, I really value how good the sound is. And generally I only wear them for 3-4 hours at this point so discomfort is never an issue.
If you twist my arm about it and made me pick only one pair to own the rest of my life? I'd probably take the Bose just because I wear them so much while working from home. But that's not a fair metric, and each individual will have a different primary purpose for these and that should be your guiding principal when making the choice.
Good luck! (longest review over)
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This Item  Bose QuietComfort 35 II Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, Noise-Cancelling, with Alexa Voice Control - Rose Gold |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | -5% $569.00 Typical: $599.99 | $349.00 | $429.00 | $329.99 | -9% $299.00 List: $329.00 | $439.00 |
| Delivery | Get it May 2 - 3 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 29 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 29 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 29 | Get it May 3 - 6 | Get it May 3 - 6 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Bass quality | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Volume control | ||||||
| Sold By | BBDirect2u | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Y&R Bundles | Adorama | Adorama |
| connectivity tech | Bluetooth, NFC | Wireless, Wired | Wireless, Wired | Wireless | Bluetooth | Wireless, Wired |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | wireless | 2.5mm Jack | 2.5mm Jack | — | plug,wireless | — |
| noise control | active noise cancellation | — | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | — | — | 2.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Without Cable | Without Cable, Retractable | Without Cable, Retractable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable |
From the manufacturer
QC35 headphones II
Renowned noise cancelling headphones
Clear away the distractions of the world, and focus on what matters most. Go deeper into your music, work, and passions — with no noise in the way. Plus with Amazon Alexa, you can enjoy entertainment, get information, and manage your day. Just ask.
One app. Complete control.
Use the Bose Connect app to adjust the level of noise cancellation, enable music sharing, manage Bluetooth connections, and access software updates.
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Alexa. Anywhere. With the push of a button.
A few icebreakers… Alexa, play ’90s pop. Alexa, turn up the volume. Alexa, what’s the weather? Alexa, add milk to my shopping list. Alexa, how late is Starbucks open? Alexa, lock the doors.
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Let's get started.
- Download the Bose Connect app for product setup and pair your device
- Select Alexa as virtual assistant
- Download the Amazon Alexa app to create a free account
- Hit the Action button & ask away
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Compare Bose Headphones
 QuietComfort 35 II |  Noise Cancelling 700 |  QuietComfort Earbuds |  Sport Earbuds |  QC 35 II Gaming Headset | |
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Customer Reviews
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68,060
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35,407
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35,587
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36,436
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1,520
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Price
| $166.99 | $349.00 | $249.00 | — | — |
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Active Noise Cancelling
| Yes, adjustable | Yes, adjustable | Yes, adjustable | No | Yes, adjustable |
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IPX Rating
| IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 |
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Battery Life
| Up to 20 hours | Up to 20 hours | Up to 5 hours | Up to 6 hours | Up to 20 hours |
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Charging Case
| No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
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Battery Life w/ Charging Case
| N/A | N/A | Up to 18 hours | Up to 15 hours | N/A |
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Touch Controls
| ✘ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
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App Control
| Bose Connect App | Bose Music App | Bose Music App | Bose Music App | Bose Connect App |
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Colors
| Black, Silver, Blue | Black, Silver, Arctic White | Black, Soapstone | Black, Glacier White, Blue | Black |
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Boom Mic
| ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✘ | ✔ |
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Reviews with images
Awesome headphones
Quality headphones. I bought these in 2021 and its been about 3 years using them. Im not a really careful person, which means i never put it in the case, use it when my hair is wet, sling them on the outside of bags, etc. They held up just fine. Im going to change the pads for the first time this week since they finally started flaking. Good sound quality, good noise cancellation( for me they’re just a little better than the airpods pro 2 nc), comfortable and not heavy and overall nice over ear headphones. Good for traveling and somewhat sturdy. If you’re between this one or the QC 45 SE, I would say get the 45s as the finish is a little better and the pad that goes on top of the head is made of leather. The two are really similar though, so don’t get it if there’s a big price difference!
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Top reviews from other countries
Linus
Great headphones at a price to match
Reviewed in Canada on February 27, 2022Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Theo
Depois de quase 2 anos de uso
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Dobre słuchawki ale mało trwałe
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Unmatched Noise Cancelling and Travel Companion
Reviewed in the Netherlands on June 9, 2023Color: BlackVerified Purchase
