Bose headphones: pros, cons and lineup

Even the highest quality audio equipment does not yet guarantee perfect sound quality. In many respects, it depends on the characteristics of the headphones used - in particular, on the effectiveness of the extraneous noise suppression system used in them. Therefore, all connoisseurs of pure sound should consider the main pros and cons of Bose headphones, as well as familiarize themselves with their lineup.

The Bose Corporation was founded in the American city of Framingham in 1964 by a graduate of the famous MIT Amar Bose. From the moment of its creation to this day, the company has been mainly engaged in the production of high-quality audio equipment, including speakers and headphones. In the Russian market, the company is known primarily as a manufacturer of headphones with active noise canceling systems.

The main advantages of Bose headphones.

• High sound quality - due to the use of modern technological solutions, as well as the use of high-quality materials and electronic components, American technology differs from most analogs in clear sound almost without distortion and extraneous noise.
• Reliability - the products of the American company will last much longer than the analogues produced by the Chinese companies.
• Safety - all the company's products are certified in the USA, the EU and the Russian Federation, do not contain substances harmful to human health or the environment, and do not pose a threat to health if used correctly.
• Modern design - Bose appliances always follow the current fashion trends.
• Ease of use - the company's specialists pay great attention to the ergonomics of the developed audio equipment.
• Presence of a cover in the set by default.

The company's products also have several drawbacks.

• High price. Even against the background of the products of other American firms, Bose products stand out for their rather high cost. Well, analogs of Chinese production can even cost several times cheaper.
• Assembly in China. Despite the fact that the assembly is carried out in Chinese factories under the guidance of American engineers, the final quality is somewhat inferior to the products assembled in the USA and Europe.
• Large mass - most of the company's models, especially full-size ones, differ in a slightly larger mass than their counterparts.
• Even in high-end models, the ear pads are made of synthetic leather, not real leather.

The most popular Bose headphones on the Russian market are as follows.

This flagship model costs about 30,000 rubles. is a wireless full-size closed-type headphones equipped with a proprietary active noise cancellation system in combination with passive noise cancellation. HaveThe device comes with the official Bose Music smartphone app, which allows you to fine-tune your audio experience. Additionally, this accessory supports full integration with voice assistants Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which are integrated into it at the level of the Bose Music app.

Thanks to the four built-in microphones, the headphones can be used as a Bluetooth headset for your smartphone. The device is equipped with motion and body position sensors, which allows not only to control them using gestures, but also to use Bose AR technology, which automatically suggests a soundtrack to the place where you are. The duration of active work from the battery without recharging is up to 20 hours.Weight - 250 grams. It is possible to work with a connected audio or USB cable.

These wireless noise canceling headphones may not have the same rich functionality as the previous version, but they still support integration with Google Assistant (which is called by pressing a button on the left ear cup) and the Bose Connect audio setup program. Like the previous model, These headphones can work without recharging for up to 20 hours, and also connect to a signal source not only via Bluetooth, but also using an audio cable or USB cable. Product weight - 310 grams.

Stylish wireless sports earbuds with IPX4 waterproof rating (sweat and rain resistant). Integration with the Bose Connect app allows you not only to control the sound, but also to quickly find headphones when needed. The installed battery provides autonomous operation for 5 hours. The weight of each of the 2 headphones is 14 grams. The supplied case is equipped with a portable charger.

Compact in-ear wired version with configurable active suppression of extraneous noise. The use of a unique material for in-ear inserts provides not only high protection against sweat, but also excellent contact of the headphones with the walls of the ear canal. The cable is equipped with a microphone and a remote control, so this model can be used as a headset for a smartphone. Headphone weight - 44 g.

Sports wireless headset consisting of 2 earbuds on a wire with a microphone. Supports communication both via Bluetooth protocol and using the built-in NFC chip. Integration with the Bose Connect app lets you quickly and easily select sources and control audio. The waterproof membrane and unique StayHear + ear cushions provide reliable protection from moisture and maximum comfort of use. Of the entire model range of the company, this option is the most budgetary and will cost about 10,000 rubles.

Wireless headset, consisting of two vacuum earphones, a cable with a microphone and a back mount. Equipped with continuously adjustable active noise cancellation. Supports integration with Bose Connect software. Battery life without recharging - up to 10 hours.

Full size wired model with configurable active noise cancellation. Equipped with a Bose QC 25 remote control that provides volume control, noise reduction level, frequency composition (using Active EQ technology) and receiving incoming calls when using headphones as a headset. The weight of this model is 195 grams.

Full-size wireless model of semi-closed type with passive noise canceling, due to which their cost is noticeably less than that of other full-size Bose wireless headphones, and is about 17,000 rubles. They support simultaneous communication via Bluetooth with two different devices at once, due to which they can automatically pause sound or videoplayed from a tablet, PC or player when receiving an incoming call from a smartphone. Equipped with a microphone, which allows them to be used as a headset. Battery life - up to 15 hours.

On-ear wireless Bluetooth headphones with passive isolation from extraneous sounds, designed for use as a headset or for listening to sound from a player, tablet, smartphone or PC. Built-in auto equalizer ensures high quality sound. Dual microphones ensure high quality voice transmission.

An audio cable can be connected for direct operation. The battery provides autonomous operation for 15 hours.The headphones weigh just 161 grams, making them ideal for daily wear. Equipped with a multi-function button that allows you to control the volume and switch tracks directly from the headphones. The cost of the product is about 15,000 rubles.

When choosing a specific model, it is worth considering such parameters.

The first step is to decide how and where you are most often going to use the accessory. If you need the lightest and most mobile product for walking or jogging in the fresh air, it makes sense to consider in-ear options and earplugs... If you intend to use headphones mainly indoors, you can purchase a full-size model. Finally, if you are interested in the balance between portability and sound quality, then it is worth considering buying an overhead option.

It is also worth deciding right away whether you are going to buy a wired or wireless model. The first option will provide better sound quality, while the second will give you much more portability. Finally, when choosing between different design options for full-size headphones (closed, semi-closed, open), it should be borne in mind that not only the level of noise isolation depends on the design, but also the nuances of sound.

Depending on whether you are going to use the headphones at home or outdoors, you should choose active or passive noise cancellation. Active systems read noise information from external microphones and adjust the signal to reduce the volume of the noise. This provides much higher sound clarity than passive (isolation) systems, but such headphones are also much more expensive. So it only makes sense to purchase them if you are going to often listen to music in sufficiently noisy places. And keep in mind that too good noise cancellation can theoretically be dangerous to your life when you are on the road, so you need to cross the road much more carefully in such headphones (not to mention that it is better not to use them while driving).

The main characteristics that determine the sound quality are as follows.

• frequency range - the wider it is, the more nuances of sound the headphones will be able to convey. Please note that the human ear, in principle, does not distinguish between sounds below 20 Hz and above 22 kHz.
• Sensitivity - is expressed in dB / mW and determines the maximum sound volume;
• Impedance - is expressed in Ohms and affects both the maximum volume and the smoothness of sound control. Usually, headphones with an impedance of several tens of ohms are selected for players, accessories with an impedance of 50 to 200 ohms are used for home audio systems and PCs, and powerful sound systems with a good amplifier require headphones with an impedance of several hundred ohms.
• Frequency response - the frequency response expresses the peculiarities of the sound at different frequencies, and the fewer bursts and dips on it, the more harmonious the sound will be, the easier it will be to adjust the appropriate mode on the equalizer.

If you purchase headphones for use primarily with a smartphone, then they must have a remote control and a built-in microphone. If you prefer to have over-ear or on-ear headphones that you can take with you when traveling, the foldable design is worth considering. When choosing between wireless models with different communication protocols, it is worth giving preference to those that support both Bluetooth and NFC.

For an overview of the Bose SoundSport Free headphones, see the following video.