Bose QuietComfort 35 II Headphones prove popular in online sales — for good reason

THESE headphones are about as good as it gets, leading the competition in sound quality, comfort and technology. There is just one thing holding them back.

IF YOU’RE looking for a new pair of high quality, noise-cancelling headphones, now could be the best time to get your hands on some.

Bose is well known for its noise cancelling technology and the QuietComfort II Headphones is its latest product to benefit from the company’s much touted audio engineering in this area. The tech is good for blocking out low frequency rumblings like that of an aeroplane cabin for example, but is less effective at muffling high-pitched noises. But if you’re looking for headphones that help block out the world, these are about as good as it gets.

I’ve owned previous a previous pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones but moving to the wireless version made me appreciate how the simple fact of not dealing with a cord is probably worth the extra money — even if they are nearly $200 more.

While the QuietComfort II retail for $499 you can commonly find online deals to get them for about $450. Online retailer Amazon says the headphones have been among the most popular items among Aussie shoppers which is unsurprising given the e-commerce giant was selling them for as low as $329 during its Prime Day sale this week. At the time of writing they are available on the site for $419. Over on eBay — which is running a rival sale — they can be found even cheaper at $380.

With the wireless version you just use the Bose Connect app to link the headphones with your device and you get a decent range of connectivity.

With the wireless version you just use the Bose Connect app to link the headphones with your device and you get a decent range of connectivity meaning you can leave your phone in one room and still wonder around the house without the Bluetooth dropping out, as long as you don’t change levels.

As you’d expect for the price tag, the sound quality is fantastic. The headphones pump out impressive bass, clear and loud vocals and you can crank up the volume without suffering any distortion or reduction in quality.

The big change to the company’s newest headphones is the addition of built-in Google Assistant.

On the outside the left ear-pad is an Action button which you can use to issue commands to your headphones by pressing and holding it down. When you press it, the headphones will read out certain notifications for things you have set in advance such as messages or missed calls. While it took a while to get used to, the integration of the voice assistant is pretty cool and can prove useful — although it struggles a bit in noisy environments.

The company promotes the feature as giving users the ability to play music, receive texts and get answers without even glancing at your phone.

However because you still have to press the button and can’t prompt it using just your voice, it does lose some of the “hands-free” convenience associated with voice. For example, when I’m doing the washing up and have wet gloves on, it would be great to be able to direct my headphones to take a call without actually having to use my hands at all.

Also, if you’ve got an iPhone you will need to download Google Assistant to enjoy this new functionality.

However, if like me, you’re not a huge fan of conversing with all your electronics, the button doubles as a way to adjust your level of noise cancellation between three different settings: Off/On, High, or Low.

The headphones are very light, and as the name suggests, comfortable.

If you’ve owned a pair of Bose headphones before, the comfortable and attractive design will be very familiar, with the headphones shipping in its usual black or silver option. They’re very light, and as the name suggests, comfortable.

There are hinges on the housings of the of the ear cups which allow the headphones to be manoeuvred and easily folded down into their case.

The stitching that keep the leather in place on the ear pads can be prone to coming apart after a while. It’s the one major problem with the headphones.

While keeping the headphones in the case is not entirely necessary, if you’re going to spend as much as $499 on headphones, it’s probably worth doing your best to keep them protected as best you can.

After owning my old pair of Bose headphones for about 18 months, the leather on the cushion pads that go over the ear began peeling off. The stitching had burst revealing the foam inside, leaving the ear pads misshapen.

A similar thing happened to a colleague in the office who had the same pair and judging by the amount of YouTube videos and online forums detailing the problem, it seems like a common issue after a couple years of ownership. If you’re spending $499 on headphones, you want them to last for longer than that — so it is definitely something to consider. If you do have this issue, Bose does sell ear cushion replacement kits which aren’t very expensive.

Inside each earcup is cloth grilles labelled with a large “L” and “R” so you can quickly glance and know you’re putting them on the right way.

Charging is done with a micro USB cable and battery life is very good, offering up to 20 hours life from a single charge — provided you’re not using noise cancellation very much, which will drain the battery a little bit faster. Conveniently, a quick 15-minute charge will give you another 2.5 hours playback.

All in all they are great headphones, and if you can get them at a discount, they’re well worth the purchase.