I don't know if I would consider myself an audiophile, but I am always on the search for a better sound. Over the past five years I have purchased numerous headphones. If I could only keep one pair of headphones out of all my headsets, which includes the following:
- JVC HA-FW01
- VModa Crossfade M-100
- Sennheiser HD 558
- Sennheiser HD 650
- Bose QuiteComfort 15
- Bose QuiteComfort 35
- Bose TriPort
- Audio-Technia BPHS1
- Sony MDR1RNC
I would take the Bose QuietComfort 20, hands down.
No, they do not sound the best. That award would go to the JVC HA-FW01 (with the VModa Crossfade M-100 and Sennheiser HD 650 coming in 2nd and 3rd, respectively). But they sound good enough that I enjoy listening to them as much as my other headphones, especially if I am coding and the music is background noise to help me work.
Unlike most Bose noise-cancelling products, these actually sound decent with the noise cancelling off. In fact, that is how I use them 99% of the time. It is not that charging is a hassle (if I want to leave the noise cancelling on I just run a USB cable to them and they power up just fine; unlike most other Bose products these do not experience much if any interference while charging). It is that I prefer the sound without all the noise-cancelling DSP enhancements.
However, if you need noise cancelling these are the best noise-cancelling headphones in Bose's lineup, for under $300. I feel they do a much better job of cancelling noise than the QC 15 or 35's. Works great if you are in an office building with a loud HVAC system or noisy computer.
Next, these are the most portable headphones I have owned. Yes, I have headphones with a smaller case (e.g. the Bose TriPort) and they are always clunky to use. With these I can coil up the cord, put it in a case, and be on my way in 15-30 seconds. Easy peasy.
Quality wise they are on par with other products. I have on more than one occasion gotten up from my desk, and got the cord tangled up and pulled the jack out of whatever device it is in. Never had the cord fray or break, and I am on my 3rd pair of these headphones (lost one pair commuting on a motorcycle; bought two pair more for work/home so I would not lose them during the commute). Never had any quality issues. The ear tips stay in place, unlike the Bose TriPort headphones.
But the real reason I would pick these over anything else: Comfort. These are the most comfortable headphones, bar none. Even other Bose headphones pale in comparison (except the TriPort, which are equally comfortable). All over the ear headphones get sweaty eventually, and the faux leather on Bose products typically goes bad after 6 to 18 months. Never had the silicone go bad on these headphones, even after several years of 8 hour a day, 5 day a week abuse. In fact, although my JVC HA-FW01 sound better, the only way I can stand to use them for more than a few hours is by using the extra silicone ear tips that come with the QuietComfort 20 headphones.
Overall, these are the headphones that stay on my desk. Other headphones come out on special occasions, or if I am listening to certain types of music. But if I am going to be wearing headphones for 8, 12, or even 16+ hours, these are the puppies I am using.
Also, even though I do not use the feature, it is worth mentioning that there is a microphone built into these headphones, where the volume buttons are, and if you get a splitter jack from Bose, you can use these as a headset. I have a co-worker who does that. He sounds pretty good most of the time.
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From the manufacturer
In the box
Included items
- QuietComfort 20 headphones
- 3 pairs StayHear+ tips (S, M, L)
- Clothing clip
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery (built-in)
- USB charging cable
- Carrying case
What you hear is up to you
Shut out the world and lose yourself in your music--or let the world in. It’s your choice with the first in-ear noise cancelling headphones from Bose. The QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones let you enjoy better sound every day, everywhere you go. Turn on noise cancelling to reduce surrounding distractions and focus on your music. Or, at the touch of a button, activate Aware mode to hear what’s happening around you. Proprietary StayHear+ tips provide a soft, secure fit. The inline microphone and remote let you switch easily between calls and music on your iPhone.
- Bose noise cancelling technology reduces noise so you can focus on your music
- Aware mode lets you hear what’s around you at the press of a button
- Deep, clear sound from Active EQ and TriPort technology
- Control your music and calls on Apple devices with inline mic/remote
- StayHear+ tips provide a comfortable, secure fit for hours and hours
For Apple devices
Engineered to work optimally with most iPod, iPhone and iPad models. Talk on your phone hands-free and control various music functions with the inline mic/remote.
Lose yourself in your music
Enjoy your music on the go while the noise around you is diminished--from the comfort and convenience of an in-ear headphone.
Tune into your environment
When you need to hear what’s around you--crossing busy streets, listening for airline announcements--just switch on Aware mode.
Engaging sound
Enjoy lifelike, digital-quality sound you wouldn’t expect from in-ear headphones, thanks to Bose Active EQ and TriPort technology.
Advanced ear tips
Proprietary StayHear+ tips create a soft, secure fit. Cone shape spreads contact evenly for maximum comfort and forms a gentle seal contributing to full-spectrum noise reduction.
Convenient control
All functions are right at your fingertips: on/off on the slim control module, calling, Aware mode and music functions on the inline remote.
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This Item  Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones, Apple Devices (Black) | Recommendations ![Wired headphones with [four speakers], high-fidelity noise-cancelling stereo subwoofer earbuds with microphone,universal 3.5mm plug earphones with volume adjustment,cnc processing metal back shell](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41YgQrlSsqS._AC_.jpg) |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $199.99 | $29.99 | -14% $60.00 Typical price: $70.00 | -25% $14.95 List: $19.95 | $109.00 | $34.95 |
| Delivery | Get it Jun 3 - 4 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 21 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 21 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 21 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 21 | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 21 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold By | bexpress | suyuz | TOP-NOTCH-TECH | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Symphonized |
| connectivity tech | Apple devices | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired | Wired |
| headphones form factor | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear | In Ear |
| connector type | usb | 3.5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack | — | 3 5mm Jack | 3.5mm Jack |
| noise control | active noise cancellation | sound isolation | — | passive noise cancellation | sound isolation | passive noise cancellation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable | Retractable | Detachable | Tangle Free |
| control type | Call Control | Noise Control | Media Control | Siri | Noise Control | Volume Control |
| water resistance | — | not water resistant | water resistant | — | — | waterproof |
| material | Plastic | Metal | — | Plastic | foam | Wood |
| model name | QuietComfort 20 | BACKWIN b800 | 741776-0140 | JBL Endurance Run 2 Wired | SE215 Pro | FBA nrg3.0gbk |
| frequency range | — | 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz | — | — | 22 Hz to 17.5 kHz | 18Hz-22kHz |
Product information
| Noise Control | Active Noise Cancellation |
|---|---|
| Headphones Jack | 3.5 mm Jack |
| Model Name | QuietComfort 20 |
| Connectivity Technology | Apple devices |
| Wireless Communication Technology | Wired |
| Included Components | QuietComfort 20 headphones, Apple devices, 3 pairs StayHear tips (S, M, L), clothing clip, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (built-in), USB charging cable, carrying case |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Material | Plastic |
| Charging Time | 2 Hour |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Calling |
| Compatible Devices | iPhone, iPad and iPod models |
| Control Type | Call Control |
| Cable Feature | Retractable |
| Item Weight | 0.04 Kilograms |
| Customer Package Type | Standard Packaging |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Style | Apple devices |
| Control Method | Touch |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Cable Length | 30.5 Centimeters |
| Battery Life | 16 Hours |
| Earpiece Shape | Rounded Tip |
| Series Number | 7188390010 |
| UPC | 017817658515 |
| Manufacturer | Bose |
| Is Autographed | No |
| Item Weight | 1.55 ounces |
| ASIN | B00X9KV0HU |
| Item model number | 718839-0010 |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
| Customer Reviews |
4.4 out of 5 stars |
| Best Sellers Rank | #60,410 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #3,936 in Earbud & In-Ear Headphones |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Date First Available | July 20, 2015 |
Warranty & Support
For warranty information about this product, please click here [PDF ]
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... pros -Good noise cancellation for distant street noose and excellent when combined with a white noise track -long battery ...
Major pros -Good noise cancellation for distant street noose and excellent when combined with a white noise track -long battery life Major cons -No Bluetooth -Cosmetically starts to fall apart after a year of heavy use -short charging cable -area beyond the silicone ear buds gets dirty and is hard to clean Noise cancellation: When enabled during playback it sounds wonderful. When used with just the noise cancellation feature and no music it depends on what you’re trying to block out. On planes it will block out the white noise of the plane but you can still hear overhead announcements, voices, and crying only minimally muffled. Blocks distant street noise and distant voices extremely well. If you’re trying to block out bass, motorcycles, or ambulances you will need to listen to some white noise or music on top of the noise cancellation. In fact adding white noise to noise cancellation eliminates most sounds pretty well Battery Awesome. I can get though 2 nights of sleep with noise cancellation on a single charge. Recharges fully in about an hour. Wish it had a usb c rather than a micro usb connection to make it more compatible with other chargers. The charging cable is extremely short, only a couple of inches. Recommend getting a separate charging cable Wear and tear I’ve had it for about a year and a half and after about a year it still works like when I first bought it but cosmetically it’s very damaged. The rubber casing on the batter pack has peeled off and trying to add it back on with tortilla glue just made it worse. Also one of the earbuds opened up like a clamshell. It was heralded but a very high pitched whistling sound for a day before the glue gave way and it opened up revealing all the internal hardware. I easily fixed it with gorilla glue and it looks and sounds good as new. However I’m disappointed that a Bose product broke down so easily. To be fair I do sleep with them on every single night and I know they’re not designed for that and it must have added a lot of tug to the earbuds. I still think a unibody design would have been more durable. Cleaning: The silicone portions on the ear buds pop off easily and are very easy to clean. But some ear wax does get into the plastic tunnel leading into the housing. When I tried to clean that plastic canal I punctured the thin mesh that’s kind of like an eardrum separating the canal from the internal hardware and couldn’t repair it. I didn’t notice a change in audio quality though. Controls/design Buttons depress easily and the noise cancellation button is easily accessible with the regular controls on the wires. 2 indicators clearly show when the device is on and noise cancellation is enabled. The buds never fell out of my ears and the medium buds fit me the best. The wire is long enough. The battery pack isn’t heavy but it is kind of bulky and I’m surprised that they couldn’t add a Bluetooth feature into its housing. Overall it definitely does what it’s supper to do and I’ll hold onto it until there are truly wireless earbuds with comparable noise cancellation and battery life on the market.
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- Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2021
