Personal audio products have become a popular way for people to enjoy their favorite films or music in otherwise noisy environments. There are many brands to choose from, but the Bose brand has cemented itself as a premium option for those with a discerning taste for both great design and balanced audio reproduction. The large number of choices from this respected brand can be great for creating more options for consumers, but with so many many options available, narrowing down the best Bose headphones for you can require research and education.
In this article, we’ll be covering the top 10 best Bose headphones to help you find a model that will fit in with your personal use case of consuming media, and offer you the most comfortable fit that will stand the test of time while fitting into the budget you have to spend.
Bose Headphones | Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Are the Best Bose Headphones for Me?
The best Bose headphones will blend both great design and audio quality in a way that allows the user to enjoy the media they consume most often. The best Bose headphones for you could be a subjective topic based on your specific needs.
Someone who wants to rid themselves of cords would do well to look at a wireless blue tooth pair of headphones, while someone who doesn’t want to worry about charging the headphones, has a limited budget, or prizes audio quality over all other features may select a different model.
In this article, we’ll do our best to help you understand what each model is good for and what part of the market the product got manufactured to address.
2. How Are Bose Headphones Different From Other Brands
Many audiophiles know Bose headphones for quality, both in their construction and the audio they produce for the listener. You may notice other brands like Sony and Samsung offer products for a smaller price tag but may lack in build quality, audio production, or may not be as comfortable to use.
Many consumers choose the Bose brand for their balanced approach to tuning their audio products, valuing all portions of the audio spectrum, including driving mids, clear highs, and powerful lows. Other brands may tune their products to emphasize the low range frequencies more.
This tuning can give the user a more bass-heavy sound, which some users enjoy while others feel it distorts the mastering used on the original audio file. This is common for brands like Beats, and if you’re a fan of that sound, there are many options to address that part of the market. Bose customers are those who want a more balanced and accurate tuning.
3. What Are the Different Bose Headphones?
You will find most headphones categorized by their design, construction, and functionality. You have in-ear headphones commonly referred to as earbuds; you have over-ear headphones that place the padding on top of the ear, and finally, you have around-the-ear headphones that place the padding around the ear and surround the ear.
Each design has its drawbacks and benefits, but you can narrow down which model is best for you by first deciding the style of product you are most interested in. Some Bose models are noise-cancelling headphones, and some do not require wires or cables because they have Bluetooth capabilities.
4. Price Range of the Best Bose Headphones
Prices of the best Bose headphones range from as little as around $70 to as high as $300. The prices of audio devices have gotten much more affordable due to many companies flooding the market with lower quality products, so you may experience sticker shock when comparing Bose headphones to other lesser-known manufacturers.
From the Bose Quietcomfort 35ii, True Wireless Earbuds, or the Sound Sport Pulse, you can be sure you’re getting quality headphones.
How We Reviewed The Headphones on This List
In this article, we reviewed the best Bose headphones we could find with the following factors in mind; the quality or feel of the headphones, Pros & Cons of the product, how durable the product is over time, and the sound quality of the headphones.
We’ve done our best to weigh these aspects and propose only the top ten best Bose headphones available to consumers in today’s market.
What Models We Reviewed
- Bose QuietComfort 35 ii
- Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Earbuds
- Bose SoundTrue Ultra in-Ear Headphones
- Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear headphones
- Bose Quietcontrol 30 Wireless Earbuds
- Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones
- Bose SoundSport in-Ear Headphones
- Bose SoundSport Pulse Wireless Headphones
- Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones
- Bose SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones II
Bose QuietComfort 35 ii
Overview
The Bose QuietComfort 35 is an industry-leading model of noise-canceling headphones. They come with a noise rejecting dual-microphone system that’s one of the best noise cancelation systems on the market.
They are also Alexa enabled so they can perform a wide variety of actions with voice actions. This model has about 20 hours of wireless playtime. This is one of the highest run times in the industry, and they come with a hassle-free blue tooth pairing option that makes them easy to connect to your other devices.
Pros
- Excellent noise-cancelation for noise environments
- Class-leading battery life
- Alexa enabled to perform hundred of voice-controlled actions
Cons
- The most expensive option we reviewed
- Some users have experienced firmware issues that make this model not work well with a few popular smartphones
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $300 with options that come with a car charger. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Earbuds
Overview
The Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Earbuds are an excellent option for those looking for a product to aid their workout routines. These wireless earbuds are truly wireless while being sweat and weather resistant.
They offer the user 5 hours of playtime that’s competitive with the best truly wireless options on the market. They come with a handy charging case that extends their battery life even more and gives you a safe place to store them as the buds are small and can get lost easily.
Pros
- Sweat and weather resistance makes them a great option for working out
- Long battery life for truly wireless earbuds
- Charging case extends earbuds battery life by an additional 10 hours
Cons
- Can be easy to lose
- 5 hours of battery life may not be enough for other use cases
- No noise canceling technology
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $200 with options that come with a car charger or a charging case. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose SoundTrue Ultra in-Ear Headphones
Overview
The Bose SoundTrue Ultra in-Ear Headphones are the most affordable option we reviewed for these Bose headphones, and they offer a quality option for the user that doesn’t need a wireless connection or noise-canceling technology.
They come with various winged tips to help the headphones secure into your ear canal for use during workouts or running.
Pros
- Great audio quality
- One of the most affordable Bose headphones available
- Comes with carrying case
Cons
- No noise-canceling technology
- Won’t work on newer model iPhones due to lack of an audio jack
- All corded options can tangle easily make them hard to retrieve
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $70 in either iPhone compatible or android compatible options. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear Headphones
Overview
The Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear headphones are a great option for those looking for an around-the-ear style of headphones for a more affordable price tag. They offer a slim design that allows the ear cups to fold flat for easy storages.
They are an older model, so the product has limited online availability, but they are a great option for those on a budget looking for an over-the-ear style headphone.
Pros
- Great sound quality and solid design.
- Affordable over-the-ear option
- Inline mic for calls or voice commands on iOS
Cons
- No noise-canceling technology
- Only works with phones that have headphone jacks
- All corded options can tangle easily make them hard to retrieve
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $110 in either iPhone compatible or android compatible options. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose Quietcontrol 30 Wireless Earbuds
Overview
The Bose Quietcontrol 30 Wireless Earbuds feature a design similar to the LG tone family of audio products you may have seen before. They are in-ear headphones that connect to a base that drapes around the back of your neck.
While this design is not the most aesthetically pleasing, it allows for an excellent blue tooth connection and a superior battery life to many other wireless options. This product would also be a great replacement for a blue tooth earpiece for handling phone calls as you can wear it around your neck and use it to answer phone calls.
Pros
- 10 hours of battery life is excellent for in-ear wireless headphones
- Great for phone calls
- Noise-rejecting technology works well
Cons
- Higher price than many other models
- Competing products using a similar design feature retractable earbuds for easy storage
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $250. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones
Overview
The Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones are just one step down from the Quiet Comfort 35 headphones earlier in this list.
They offer many of the same features while having a more affordable price tag. You miss out on wireless connectivity, but if you have a device with an audio jack, you may enjoy the great audio quality and the lack of charging of this model more than it’s more expensive bigger brother.
Pros
- Excellent audio quality
- More affordable price for those not needing blue tooth connectivity
- Can control music or take phone calls with inline controls
- Noise-canceling technology
Cons
- Some users found this model to be more fragile than other Bose models
- The wired connection won’t work with newer phones
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $180 in either iPhone compatible or android compatible options. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose SoundSport in-Ear Headphones
Overview
The Bose SoundSport in-Ear Headphones are another great option for those looking to use this product while working out in the gym. They offer a great sound with their TriPort technology that gives the user crisp highs with natural low frequencies.
They are sweat proof so you won’t have to worry about them getting a little wet, and they come with a carrying case to help you keep the cord from tangling.
Pros
- Great sound quality
- An affordable option for those not needing Bluetooth
- Comes with winged tips to help secure the earbuds
Cons
- Inline controls and microphone works best on iOS devices
- Wires can tangle and get snagged on workout machines
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $100 with options that come with an inline microphone for iOS devices or just an audio version. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose SoundSport Pulse Wireless Headphones
Overview
The Bose Soundsport Wireless Headphones are wireless in-ear headphones that get connected to each other with a wire that wraps around your head and comes with inline controls.
They offer a balanced audio experience and come with a 6-hour battery life. You can keep track of this style of wireless earbud that gets connected to each bud when compared to the truly wireless options.
Pros
- 6 hours of battery life is great for earbuds
- Sweat-proof for working out
- Comfortable ear tips that stay put during movement
Cons
- The wire connecting the earbuds makes them only somewhat wireless
- For $50 more, you could buy the full wireless model
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $150 with options that come with a car charger or a charging case. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones
Overview
The Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones are a unique take on in-ear headphones in that they feature noise-canceling technology to help you isolate yourself in noisy environments.
This can be a huge help on a plane or in a noisy cafe, but they also have a feature that allows you to let a small amount of ambient noise pass through that helps you stay aware of your surroundings.
This makes them a great option for biking or skateboarding—anytime you need to hear the cars or the environment around you.
Pros
- Noise-canceling technology in an earbud is unique
- Comfortable fit that stays put during movement
- Aware mode allows you to let a small amount of ambient noise in to help you stay aware of your surroundings
Cons
- Expensive when compared to other earbud options
- Wired devices can become tangled and work with some devices without a headphone jack
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $250 in either iPhone compatible or android compatible options. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
Bose SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones II
Overview
The Bose SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphones are a great option for those that want to cut the cord. These BlueTooth around-the-ear headphones don’t come with noise-canceling technology but offer great sound for a lower price than the noise-canceling models.
The design is sleek and stylish, and the ear cups fold down to make them easy to take with you.
They come with 15 hours of wireless playback that’s competitive with many other options.
Pros
- Great blue tooth range
- Deep, immersive sound for wireless headphones
- Long battery life, but not as good as the Bose QC 35
Cons
- No noise-canceling technology
- Not the loudest headphone option on this list
Price
Consumers can find this product on Amazon for around $230 in either white or black color options. Amazon is also offering free prime shipping for prime members.
The Verdict
The Best of the Best: The Quiet Comfort 35 ii
If money is not your primary concern, the Quiet Comfort 35 ii model is an excellent choice.
Many reviewers have labeled this model as industry-leading in battery life, blue tooth performance, noise-canceling technology, and comfort.
Entry-Level Audio Solution
If you’re looking for an entry-level audio solution, the SoundTrue Ultra model would be the most affordable option.
They are a wired solution and don’t come with noise-canceling technology, but they offer great audio and build quality and come from a trusted brand in the audio industry.
The Choice is Yours
In conclusion, selecting the best Bose headphones for your use case can be a great way to enjoy your favorite media with a quality product that will stand the test of time and work seamlessly with the other technology products you use each day.
Any of the best Bose headphones we reviewed in this list could be a good fit for your personal use, budget, or design preferences. We hope the information we provided can help you choose the best Bose headphones for your needs.
If none of the models we have gone over in this article suit your listening experience needs, there are plenty of other brands and models to take a look at.
