Summary – Bose QuietComfort 20 Noise Cancelling Earbuds
The Bose QuietComfort are hands down the best noise cancelling earbuds available today. We were truly surprised at what Bose has accomplished with the QC20 series. If you are looking for the best noise cancelling earbuds on the market with very good sound and comfort all in a very small lightweight package, the QC20 is for you. These pair of earbuds features advanced noise reduction rivalling any full-sized headphones – when we first turned on its noise cancelling circuit, we could only describe the effect as eerily silent. The noise cancellation on the Bose QC20s is so effective that you practically will not hear any ambient background noise or sounds while wearing these earbuds. In addition the achieving great noise-cancelling in an “ear bud” type design, Bose has also made real strides in quieting the sounds of speech (i.e., such as loud talking or a baby crying). The QC20s are by no means perfect in silencing speech, but it’s a clear step forward to achieving the perfect noise cancellation technology. They are top of the line earbuds that deliver phenomenal active noise cancellation and sound performance.
The Pros & Cons
The Pros. The Bose QuietComfort 20s are amazing noise cancelling earbuds that can effectively reduce background noises and sounds to a mere whiff. They have some of the best active noise cancellation we have ever heard from a pair of earbuds. Wearing these earbuds will effectively cancel out so much noise that you might feel that you are walking in outer space. They are also incredibly comfortable to wear, and produce excellent sound quality with crisp highs and deep bass response. We have no doubt that the Bose QC20s are among the very best earbuds on the market with superb active noise cancellation technology.
The Cons. The Bose QuietComfort 20s are more expensive and don’t come cheap. There are many earbuds with good noise cancellation that cost half the price of these earbuds. That being said, if you are simply looking for top-notch earbuds with the best noise cancellation on the market, the Bose QC20s are definitely the ones for you.
Design
The design and comfort of the Bose QC20s is just a mark above the competition. The soft silicone of the QC20 ear tips rest so comfortably against the ear openings that you simply forget you’re wearing them at all. Most importantly, the Bose StayHear design of the tips keeps them in place, which is a huge deal for me. The Bose QC20s remain secure, but without force that would cause discomfort. The QC20s come with medium tips installed, but also include small and large sizes in the box. We found that wearing these noise cancelling earbuds for long periods of time did not cause any discomfort at all – in fact we barely noticed we were wearing them.
Sound Quality
The sound quality of the QC20 is excellent, and the bass is deep and punchy with the added noise-cancelling effect. The highs and lows are crisp and clear, and it also handles the mids really well. We could literally hear the instrumental separation when we ran through classical music through these earbuds – no distortion was heard at higher volumes. Instrumental music sounded very crisp, clear and well defined – the active noise cancellation really brings out the details and notes in the music which you would normally not hear in noisy environments. Electronic dance music and pop music sounded incredibly punchy and clear with the QC20s with very nice bass response that hits hard and feels tight; the sound quality is superb with a rather fun sound signature and midrange emphasis.
Other Features
The minimal size and lightweight design make the QC20 a “take everywhere” earphone. These earbuds come with a super lightweight lithium battery that runs for 16 hours on just a 2-hour charge from USB. (Bose includes the required USB to micro-USB charging cable.) The earphones will continue to function with a dead battery, but without noise-cancelling and with somewhat degraded sound quality. The integrated microphone makes it a perfect headset for use with iPhone and other cellular phones. (Note that you must order the QC20i for use with Apple products.) The microphone also includes an “Aware Mode” switch that allows in some outside noise, like traffic sounds–convenient and an essential safety feature if wearing these in a city environment.
If you like to bring along noise cancelling earbuds when you fly there is no reason to use anything but these. Although the QC20s may be a little more expensive than most, they will pay for themselves in added enjoyment after the first few flights. It’s a great investment for frequent flyers.
The Verdict?
Overall, the Bose QC20s are really the king of noise cancelling earbuds in the market right now and are ideal for android, BlackBerry and Windows phones. You will be hard pressed to find another set of earbuds that can deliver such effective noise cancellation and quality music performance. They reproduce the notable audio performance exclusive to Bose technologies, and provide long-lasting comfort plus stability from proprietary high quality earbuds and advanced noise cancelling. It’s the perfect companion for travelling or for those who taking long flights – and makes listening to your favourite music and videos such a fine pleasure. This product is currently selling with a 30-day full refund policy that will give you a chance to try them out without having to fully commit right away, so be sure to check these out while they are still available. If you are looking for top of the line earbuds that will deliver quality active noise cancellation with a long battery life, the Bose QC20s definitely come highly recommended.
Be sure to check out our updated list of the best earbuds with active noise cancellation that perform above the rest and are now selling at a very good price points.