Home Closed Back Headphone Reviews Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Headphone Review

Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Headphone Review

by Stuart Charles Black

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Greetings friend and Welcome aboard!!

Before we get into the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Review, grab a snack, sit back, and relax because…

You’ve come to the right place!!

Welcome to Pleasantville.

What I will bring you in this review

  1. Ratings/Price
  2. Specifications
  3. Intro & Summary
  4. Pros
  5. Cons
  6. Video Review
  7. Amp/DAC requirements
  8. Who do these headphones benefit?
  9. Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
  10. Consensus/Conclusion
  11. Final Word

Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!!

Bose Quiet Comfort 35 (& Series II)

Price: Check Amazon! | Check Sweewater! | Check eBay!

Specifications

  • Type: Closed back. Closed back vs. Open back headphones.
  • Fit: Circumaural (Over-ear)
  • Battery Life: 20 hours via USB.
  • Microphone: Yes
  • Bluetooth: Yes
  • Included removable cable: Yes
  • USB Charging chord: Yes
  • Warranty: 1 Year.
  • Weight: 310g
  • Inline Volume control: Yes
  • Cable Length: 1.2m

Summary

If I could use an analogy, the Bose Quiet Comfort 35s are like that low-key girl that you knew in grade school.

She was really sweet, innocent, very smart, and just sort of pleasant. You know who I’m talking about.

She was quiet but very warm and friendly. This is how I would describe the QC35s.

They’re just balanced and pleasant sounding.

They’re not going to blow you away, but rather they will present the music in an honest and straightforward way.

Build & Style

The build is pretty good here. I’m not overly ecstatic about it, but it gets the job done.

The headphones themselves don’t feel like they’re going to break easily but also don’t feel durable enough to make me want to toss them around or generally be rough with them.

It’s somewhere in the middle.

Also, the Bluetooth switch is a bit odd; it doesn’t click when you move it to the right or left.

It just kind of settles into this weird spot but isn’t really in a fixed position.

When you flick it right or left, there’s a green or red indicator letting you know whether it’s on or off.

Comfort

The comfort of these is unreal. With Bose you kind of expect them to be insanely comfortable, and they are.

It doesn’t really even feel like there’s anything on your head. They also didn’t move around on me at all, and the clamp is just right.

Sound

As mentioned these are very balanced and friendly. They have a nice fast quality about them and aren’t harsh at all.

Imaine wearing them all day listening to music without once feeling like you need to take them off.

This is the experience you can expect – as you relax and recline after a long day’s work.

The overall sound is pretty detailed but does fall short of my highest expectations, especially for the price.

For instance, I’ve heard cheaper audiophile headphones that provide more clarity and subtle detail, to the point where you’re tempted to go back and listen to all of your old music.

I just don’t quite get that feeling with the QC35, though I do like the sound a lot.

If you’re familiar with the Harman response curve, it’s basically a type of sound signature that many people prefer in blind tests.

Think of a smooth but elevated bass shelf, neutral mid-range, and dark-ish sounding treble.

So if you’re looking at a headphone graph, imagine a very subtle sloping line going from the lowest sub-bass notes all the way to the treble.

This is essentially what the Bose QC35 emulates. It’s a Harman-ish curve which contributes greatly to its overall vibe.

Pros

  • Nonfatiguing, a very relaxing listen. Not sibilant. What does Sibilant mean?
  • Compact, lightweight, and durable. These don’t feel overly cheap or flimsy. They are made of plastic, but it seems like they would hold up over time.
  • Great battery life. Around 20 hours but I’ve heard as high as 24.
  • No clamp force, extremely comfortable. I cannot see myself having to take these off at all.

Cons

  • A bit overpriced. The sound is good but doesn’t quite justify the price tag in my opinion.
  • They don’t sound quite as good wired.

Video Review

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Amp/DAC requirements

You’re not going to need an amp with these. They’re meant for mobile devices and on-the-go scenarios. How to choose a headphone amp!

Who do these headphones benefit?

These are very versatile and work well with a lot of genres.

Endorsed for:

  • Mowing yo lawn!
  • On planes. They’re particularly good for reducing airplane fatigue. Because our bodies don’t like engine rumble and perceive it as a threat, we tend to get worn down after long flights. The QC35s are perfect for eliminating this problem, enabling us to feel refreshed after getting off the plane.
  • Watching movies.
  • Classical.
  • Anyone who needs a noise-canceling homie. How do noise-canceling headphones work?

Thoughts from Stu’s notepad

They pretty much completely eliminate outside noise with the NC feature.

As soon as I put them on, I got this weird vacuum sensation and the surrounding sound dissipated.

I had read that for some this can be a bit unnerving and uncomfortable, but for me, it wasn’t.

Origins of ANC

Apparently, Active Noise Cancellation was invented by Bose.

There are small microphones inside the headphones that listen for noise and then eliminate it, leaving you with that vacuum sensation that I talked about.

The QC35s work with any device that supports Bluetooth. I was able to use them with my Android.

They take around 2 hours to fully charge from a dead state.

Accessories include the following:

  • Headphones
  • a Hard zippered case
  • 1-foot (30cm) USB cable
  • 4-foot straight audio cable (2.5mm plug for headphones and 3.5mm plug for your player)
  • Airplane dual-plug adapter
  • Two different multi-language instruction sheets to cover different languages

They do not include a USB wall-power adapter.

Distortion?

The sound on these is good, but I noticed some slightly fuzzy distortion on certain songs.

This could have simply been a matter of the source file though.

Cups

The earcups on these fold in, allowing you to lay them flat.

Other than that, the range of motion is a bit limited, although it’s not really a complaint per se.

Pairing

The ones I listened to had a bit of trouble staying paired with my Android phone, but I have since upgraded to an iPhone.

Just something to keep in mind.

Charging Cord

The USB charging cord allows you to charge these instead of having to replace an internal AAA battery.

A definite upgrade from the QC25.

ANC

The Noise Cancellation doesn’t work in wired mode when the battery is dead.

Jack

The headphone jack is 2.5mm instead of the standard 3.5.

Buttons

Instead of track-skipping buttons, you push the play button twice or more to move on to the next song.

Consensus/Conclusion

The Bose QC35 and 35 Mark II are extremely comfortable sets of headphones with a balanced, non-intimidating sound signature.

These are the type of headphones that you’ll want to kick back and relax with, as they’re not intense and will not cause fatigue.

Final Word

If you’re in the market for a Noise-cancelling pair of headphones and value extreme comfort and good sound, I think these are a viable solution.

Are they worth the asking price?

 


Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Bose Quiet Comfort 35 Review.

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Looking for something else? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!

Do these tickle YOUR pickle? Would you invest in the QC35? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…

All the best and God bless,

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Can’t decide which headphones to purchase? Interested in a complete buyers guide outlining over 40 of the best options on the market? Click on over to the best audiophile headphones to learn more!!

Be sure to also check out my Reviews and Resources page for more helpful and informative articles!

Save

Bose Quiet Comfort 35

4.4

Build Quality

4.5/5

Sound Quality

4.3/5

Comfort

5.0/5

Soundstage

3.8/5

Pros

  • Extremely comfortable
  • Good NC features
  • Durable and Lightweight
  • Portable

Cons

  • A little overpriced

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6 comments

George September 30, 2017 - 4:15 pm

You gave the QC35 an honest evaluation. I can’t imagine ever putting my pieces away for a day. They have become my regular companion together with my IPOD.
Wonder why in this modern day and time I still need an Ipod? Well there are various reason but top of the list is portability and device battery live conservation of my cellular phone.

Reply
Stuart Charles Black September 30, 2017 - 6:55 pm

Hey George!

For sure! I mostly just use Spotify now, but I still like to Rip Vinyl and listen to WAV and FLAC files with my HD600. I never thought I would see the day that I would use Spotify, but it’s really convenient and I don’t much care for iTunes or importing songs anymore. It’s become a hassle. We’re so spoiled though!

Thanks for the kind words! Let me know if you ever need anything!

Blessings,

-Stu

Reply
Humberto Calderon May 9, 2018 - 8:25 pm

Hello, thanks for the review.

I read the 35’s have a forward option pushing twice the play button.

I have a question: How can I listen to the previous song?

Regards!!!

Reply
Stuart Charles Black May 12, 2018 - 9:02 pm

I think you quickly press the multi-function button 3 times (The middle button). Let me know if it works!

Reply
ilkay April 13, 2023 - 3:06 am

Hi Stuart, thank you for this nice review. I beg to differ regarding need of AAA batteries for QC 25. I own a pair. I have always thought that finding AAA batteries will be easier than finding a power outlet. I agree the charge on 35’s will be enough for a day, but what if you forget to charge them before going out? Last minute charges will not be enough. Also, knowing that lithium ion batteries will expire someday, I’d expect service charges for 35’s in 2-3 years’ time. Bose service is not cheap. My QC 25’s are timeless in that sense 🙂 My only complaint for 25’s (same pads as 35) is the cost of earpads replacement. The asking price is absurd for originals and other pads are not as good.

Reply
Stuart Charles Black April 17, 2023 - 12:02 pm

Thanks for the comment man!! How long have you had the 25 and do you plan to upgrade?

Reply

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