Bose QC25 vs QC35 Headphones

[Bluside]

My GF wants to buy me one of these Bose headphones for Christmas. Right now the wired QC25 are on sale everywhere for $179. The wireless Bluetooth QC35 are starting at $329 for the ones without Google assist.

I have found an aftermarket Bluetooth made by AirMod that fits into the QC25 for $69. That would bring the total for the QC25 to $250.

Is it worth the extra $80 to get the QC35? The battery in this model is not replaceable whereas the QC25 uses a AAA battery.

I will mainly use these on airplanes and at home watching TV when she is asleep.

[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by Bluside

My GF wants to buy me one of these Bose headphones for Christmas. Right now the wired QC25 are on sale everywhere for $179. The wireless Bluetooth QC35 are starting at $329 for the ones without Google assist.

I have found an aftermarket Bluetooth made by AirMod that fits into the QC25 for $69. That would bring the total for the QC25 to $250.

Is it worth the extra $80 to get the QC35? The battery in this model is not replaceable whereas the QC25 uses a AAA battery.

I will mainly use these on airplanes and at home watching TV when she is asleep.

I am not sure I can convince you to pay the extra money, but I will only tell you I upgraded from the 25 to the 35 and have neve been happier. I wear them constantly on walks, at the gym, and on airplanes (I travel more then 100,000 miles every year). The battery life is exceptional, 20 hours an I have never had a problem with that. Yes, you can save 100 bucks with the bluetooth gizmo adapter you are referring to, (sorry, not familiar with that product) but that adds one more component that needs recharging(?) and could have a problem. Lastly I belive the electronics were upgraded in the 35s, they are a newer model with (I think) improved sound canceling.

[Wesley Crusher]

The 35s are excellent headphones. They're actually my favorite pair of headphones that I have owned (and I've owned some nice "audiophile" headphones). They're light, super comfortable, sound great and have great noise cancelling. With the Bose app, you can also reduce or turn off the noice cancelling if you want.

[SearChart]

What I found with Bose vs other brands is that the comfort is pretty much the best you can get.
No way you're going to keep B&O or Bowers and wilkins headphones on for more than 2 hours, Bose around ear is comfortable for long periods of time.

The cushions however do start to fall apart after 2 years and then need to be replaced.

[Syed117]

Have that 35s as well.

They are great for one reason, the overall comfort. Very lightweight and comfortable.

I think they sound like trash though. The Sony 1000 are much better. Especially the new version.

I think the sonys are $350.

Have a bunch of headphones.

[Bluside]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

I am not sure I can convince you to pay the extra money, but I will only tell you I upgraded from the 25 to the 35 and have neve been happier. I wear them constantly on walks, at the gym, and on airplanes (I travel more then 100,000 miles every year). The battery life is exceptional, 20 hours an I have never had a problem with that. Yes, you can save 100 bucks with the bluetooth gizmo adapter you are referring to, (sorry, not familiar with that product) but that adds one more component that needs recharging(?) and could have a problem. Lastly I belive the electronics were upgraded in the 35s, they are a newer model with (I think) improved sound canceling.

Good info...Thanks.

[Wesley Crusher]

Originally Posted by Syed117

Have that 35s as well.

They are great for one reason, the overall comfort. Very lightweight and comfortable.

I think they sound like trash though. The Sony 1000 are much better. Especially the new version.

I think the sonys are $350.

Have a bunch of headphones.

Interesting thoughts. I think they sound pretty good.

[JasoninDenver]

Love my QC 35 and I have been biased against Bose sound for years.

I agree with Syed that the Sony top shelf offering sounds noticeably better. However, the Bose on ear comfort is exceptional. I can wear these for 8 hours no problem. The Sony model seemed to crunch my ears after 10 minutes.

[bondtoys]

Originally Posted by Syed117

Have that 35s as well.

They are great for one reason, the overall comfort. Very lightweight and comfortable.

I think they sound like trash though. The Sony 1000 are much better. Especially the new version.

I think the sonys are $350.

Have a bunch of headphones.

From what I am hearing, the Sonys undisputed sound better than the QC 35 but the NC* in the Boses is still better.
What is your take on that?

*imo, that‘s the most important aspect when buying a NC headphone

[antbkny]

I've been thinking about picking up a pair of QC35's also. Does anyone know if there is any sound difference between the I and the II's? I know the II"s have google assistant but im really am not interested in that.

[Syed117]

Originally Posted by bondtoys

From what I am hearing, the Sonys undisputed sound better than the QC 35 but the NC* in the Boses is still better.
What is your take on that?

*imo, that‘s the most important aspect when buying a NC headphone

I haven't heard the Sony's for an extended period of time, so can't comment on the NC.

The Bose NC is great obviously, they are the standard and that's why I bought them. They were pretty much the only choice for so many years.

It just depends on what matters more to you. Based on many reviews, the new Sony model is about the same as the Bose in terms of NC.

In hindsight, I would prefer better sound quality even if the NC is a bit worse. I think the Sonys are comfortable, but the QC35 might have the edge there.

I don't think you can go wrong with either. If you don't really care about or can't easily compare the sound to other headphones, the Bose are great. My issue is that I have all these other headphones and then I put the Bose on and I don't like them.

[breitlings]

I can't give you an opinion on the headphones, but I can refer you to a great place to buy Bose audio. Try out greentoe.com. You place an offer and then they contact authorized retailers who can accept such offers or counter. Very cool site, it gets around Minimum Advertised Pricing, products are new, offers are all in (shipping tax everything), they come with full warranty, and quite frankly I wish I built it.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by SearChart

What I found with Bose vs other brands is that the comfort is pretty much the best you can get.
No way you're going to keep B&O or Bowers and wilkins headphones on for more than 2 hours, Bose around ear is comfortable for long periods of time.

The cushions however do start to fall apart after 2 years and then need to be replaced.

I got rid of my Bose because they were not comfortable for extended wear. My B&O H9's are the most comfortable headphones I have ever had.

I agree on the Bose cushions. Mine were ready to be replaced when i moved on from them. Its synthetic leather, so maybe that is why?

[tng11]

I'm a fan of the QC35s - they're super comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. Sound could be better at its price range, but noise cancellation is top notch. I had them with me during the years when I was doing 160K-230K butt-in-seat miles flying, and they were essential. I've recently tried the Sony 1000's - I can't speak to the NC, but I think the sound is slightly better. Less comfortable IMO.

[Rondineli]

I have both 25 and 35.

Why? Cuz I was travelling a lot this year and I FORGOT my QC35 at home one time and damn those small embraer are NOISY. Sooooo, I bought a QC25 at IAH on the way to Mexico...

Bottom line is that the QC35 has a much much better sound definition than that of QC25. Spend the extra $80 and get the QC35. Bluetooth or wired they are the best.

[Kneecough]

Unrelated to this thread, I ordered a set of QC35s this morning. Can’t speak to them yet but I have only heard good things. Comfort is most important to me... got em for a good deal so I’m sure I’ll be happy with them.

[SearChart]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

I got rid of my Bose because they were not comfortable for extended wear. My B&O H9's are the most comfortable headphones I have ever had.

I agree on the Bose cushions. Mine were ready to be replaced when i moved on from them. Its synthetic leather, so maybe that is why?

Yep synthetic leather.

I tried a friend's pair of B&O H7 headphones, the build and sound quality is sublime, I just don't like the way it fits. I prefer Bose.

I only have the audio headphones from Bose (first and second gen around ear) and I'm pretty happy with them. Have had my first pair almost 8 years now.

For in-ear buds I use Shure, better cable, passive noise cancelling and better sound quality.

[Bluside]

OP here...Thanks for the replies. It helped with my decision.

I just ordered the new QC35.

[tng11]

Originally Posted by tyler1980

I got rid of my Bose because they were not comfortable for extended wear. My B&O H9's are the most comfortable headphones I have ever had.

I agree on the Bose cushions. Mine were ready to be replaced when i moved on from them. Its synthetic leather, so maybe that is why?

Hmph. I had the H9's and I found them to be very uncomfortable, and were squeezing my head. They also didn't hold well on my head while at the gym. Returned them after a week and went back to the QC35s. The H9's sound quality was better though.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by tng11

Hmph. I had the H9's and I found them to be very uncomfortable, and were squeezing my head. They also didn't hold well on my head while at the gym. Returned them after a week and went back to the QC35s. The H9's sound quality was better though.

its like buying shoes I suppose. It all depends on how they fit and they don't fit everyone the same. Headphones should also not be bought without trying on first.

[Canook]

ive been through most brands of NC headphones as i refuse to fly without them...
Bose over ear- fantastic NC.. not so great sound quality ...comfort excellent.. build quality ok
Sennheiser NC. noise cancelling ok(not as good as the Bose) comfort excellent.. build quality not what i expected from Sennheiser.. below Bose
Bose in ear.. NC excellent.. sound quality good except when low frequencies hit them and they cancel themselves and make all sort of pop's and farts...comfort very good.. build quality excellent
Sony MDR1000x- NC excellent, sound quality excellent, build quality excellent... bluetooth excellent... only thing i can fault the the touch controls on the side are a bit hit and miss

When i fly i take the In ear Bose and the Sony's now.... i tend to use the sony for watching movies and listening to music, the bose in ear i use for sleeping lol!

the only thing i cant seem to find is a bluetooth adaptor i can plug into the plane so i can use the Sony cable free...... cant seem to source one in this part of the world

[joli160]

Originally Posted by Syed117

Have that 35s as well.

They are great for one reason, the overall comfort. Very lightweight and comfortable.

I think they sound like trash though. The Sony 1000 are much better. Especially the new version.

I think the sonys are $350.

Have a bunch of headphones.

Thank you for the info Syed, you clearly have a thing for headphones. I will buy the Sony

[Syed117]

Originally Posted by joli160

Thank you for the info Syed, you clearly have a thing for headphones. I will buy the Sony

Do try them both on and give them a listen if you can.

I was a bit harsh and sound can be very subjective. Plus so many other factors come into play when comparing headphones (wired, bluetooth, source) The QC35s are very comfortable and overall I do think they are good. You might just like sound from the Bose and the comfort might win you over.

[NothingToSeeHere]

I have both. Get the 35s. They’re not quite as loud (music) as the 25s but they’re good enough and the wireless feature is great.

[cruise_bone]

I recently got the QuietControl 30's and are crazy mad about them.
They are AWESOME!!
So much less bulk, so much more comfort over a long wearing session, such as an International flight. So much less room taken up on the carry-on.

https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/...l#v=qc30_black

[SG56]

I love mine!
I've had bose before, wired, lasted quite a while.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks and use mine a lot.

[SpeedyTuomas]

I have Bose QC35 - they are excellent but the noise cancellation is not as strong as I believed when I bought them. However the comfort, battery life (20 hrs) and general quality feel are superb. I would choose the QC35 (not II) over the 25 model. I have not used the Sony ones as I believe Boses are the originals.

Also, the headphones come in a handy pouch which also fits my phone and passport so it is ideal for travel.

In short: get the 35 model, it's worth the extra.

[cda555]

I'm so glad I am not an audiophile. I really mean that. I feel bad for the people who have really sensitive/perceptive hearing because it gets expensive. I love my QC35s and my Apple Airpods. They sound great to me.

[tyler1980]

Originally Posted by cda555

I'm so glad I am not an audiophile. I really mean that. I feel bad for the people who have really sensitive/perceptive hearing because it gets expensive. I love my QC35s and my Apple Airpods. They sound great to me.

in truth, using standard digital audio files its harder to tell the difference. Once you get into analog thats where you can tell difference in speakers/headphones. To a lesser extent you can tell when you are listening to digital files depending how they are compressed.

If the underlying digital audio file isn't good then better headphones won't matter. Also, headphones that are bass heavy i tend to be skeptical of. Everyone seems to like bass but it masks poor performance in the midrange and highs. So basically with a great pair of headphones, you will hear all kinds of notes and depth you never heard before because the bass headphones drowned it out and you never knew that part of the music was even there.

[breitlings]

even lossless codecs through poor dacs will sound terrible.