If you're anything like me, you've probably spent countless hours searching for the perfect headphones—ones that can effortlessly block out noisy surroundings, offer unparalleled comfort for hours of listening, and deliver sound quality that makes your favorite music truly come alive. In these conversations, there's one name that seems to consistently rise to the top: the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, often simply referred to as QC35 II. It's the kind of headphone that people swear by, whether they're frequent travelers battling noisy flights, busy professionals navigating hectic office environments, or music lovers just seeking an immersive listening experience in everyday life.
The enduring appeal of the QC35 II isn't accidental. It has built its reputation on consistently excellent performance across multiple critical factors: comfort, noise cancellation, audio clarity, reliable connectivity, and impressive battery life. Throughout this review, I'll carefully explore each of these areas in detail to highlight exactly why these headphones remain such a beloved choice in a market that's continually evolving. So, if you've been wondering what makes the Bose QuietComfort 35 II so special, keep reading. This could be the pair you've been searching for.
Design and Comfort
The Bose QC35 II showcases a clean, minimalistic look, available primarily in sleek black and silver finishes. Constructed from high-quality materials such as glass-filled nylon and corrosion-resistant stainless steel, these headphones offer sturdiness while keeping a lightweight profile. The design prioritizes comfort, with ample padding on both earcups, designed to naturally contour around your ears for excellent long-term wearability.
Additionally, the padded headband ensures a comfortable yet secure fit, accommodating various head shapes and sizes. The QC35 II is also designed for portability; the foldable structure and included protective carrying case make them easy to travel with, fitting conveniently in backpacks or luggage, making these headphones perfect for daily commuting and extended travel.
Sound Quality
Bose's QC35 II offers a sound profile that is notably balanced, delivering clarity across different musical genres. The headphones handle highs with precision, mid-tones with warmth, and bass frequencies with ample depth without overpowering the rest of the audio spectrum. Whether you're enjoying classical compositions, podcasts, or energetic pop songs, the QC35 II provides a pleasant and immersive listening experience.
Despite this balanced sound delivery, audiophiles might note the absence of high-resolution audio codec support like aptX or LDAC. This means that listeners specifically seeking the highest level of audio clarity and detail might find other headphones slightly superior. However, for general listening, the sound quality offered by the QC35 II remains excellent and highly satisfying.
Noise Cancellation
Active noise cancellation (ANC) is one of Bose's signature strengths, and the QC35 II exemplifies this perfectly. These headphones efficiently block out background noise, from the drone of airplane engines to busy street sounds, allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in their audio content. Utilizing advanced microphones and digital algorithms, the ANC consistently delivers impressive performance.
The QC35 II also allows users to select from three distinct levels of noise cancellation, which can be easily adjusted via the Bose Connect app or the dedicated Action button on the headphones. This feature provides flexibility, allowing users to tailor noise reduction to their specific environment or preference, significantly enhancing usability.
Battery Life and Connectivity
The QC35 II delivers a robust battery life of approximately 20 hours with wireless use, ensuring they last through extensive travel days or long listening sessions without frequent recharging. For convenience, a quick 15-minute charge can provide around 2.5 hours of additional playback, which is invaluable when you're on-the-go and time is limited.
Connectivity is straightforward and reliable thanks to Bluetooth compatibility. Moreover, the QC35 II supports multi-point pairing, allowing connection to two devices simultaneously. For instance, you can seamlessly switch from streaming audio on your laptop to taking calls on your smartphone without manual intervention, making the headphones highly practical for everyday multitasking.
Smart Features
The QC35 II headphones include integration with voice assistants such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa through a dedicated Action button. This feature enables convenient hands-free control, allowing you to manage music playback, check notifications, or even control smart home devices simply by voice commands.
Additionally, the Bose Connect app enhances the headphone experience further, offering intuitive control over headphone settings, noise cancellation levels, and firmware updates. This ensures your headphones are continuously optimized and tailored to your specific usage scenarios.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Exceptional noise cancellation capability, ideal for noisy environments.
- Extremely comfortable design suitable for prolonged listening.
- Balanced and clear audio suitable for diverse music genres.
- Reliable battery life complemented by quick charging features.
- Multi-point Bluetooth pairing simplifies device management.
- Convenient integration with popular voice assistants.
Cons:
- No support for high-resolution codecs like aptX or LDAC, potentially limiting appeal to audiophiles.
- Limited audio customization options within the accompanying app.
- Uses Micro-USB charging instead of the more modern USB-C connection.
- No touch-sensitive controls; relies solely on physical buttons for operation.
Conclusion
Overall, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II continues to hold its ground as one of the most comfortable and reliable wireless noise-cancelling headphones available. While newer models may include additional features, the QC35 II’s exceptional noise cancellation, solid audio performance, and excellent comfort still make them a highly recommended choice for many users.