Review: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

I picked up a pair of the QC35 v. 2 headphones at a Bose outlet store a couple weeks ago. They're priced at only $229. Personally, I think that's an excellent value for Bose noise cancelling headphones. The Bose website also shows the QC35's. Unfortunately, it's their v. 1 and they have been out of stock for at least a month.

The auto shut off feature sounds good. I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to turn them off and drained the battery...

The “touch” functions seem very similar to what my Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones have. I certainly don’t see enough here that I’d pay more for the Bose if I were in the market for new cans and I certainly don’t see a reason to switch. Once again, you’ve saved me money. LOL

Well, at this case, I’d certainly go with QC35s. 700 is not that different.

Or you should go for Beoplay H9i. Trust me, it’s much better than Bose.

I'm also a long time QC-35 user, not just for travelling, but for working in the office, watching the TV at home and when out walking (they keep your ears warm in winter)
The great thing about them was always the comfort (I'm not an audiophile), but I've worn them for 14-15 hours straight on long haul flights without my ears getting sore.

I also bought a set of 700's and have been using them for a few weeks now, alongside the 35's.

I'm not sure they are much of a step forward for me - one of the main disadvantages is the loss of the folding facility - with the 35's I rarely bothered with the case, they just folded up neatly at the top of my backpack or even in a jacket pocket.
The swipe controls I'm still getting used to - they can be a bit hit and miss and of course if you have gloves on then it becomes a problem.
Sound quality seems to be a bit better, at least according to a friend who is an audiophile, and I agree that the call quality seems to have improved a bit.
The variable noise cancelling isn't actually new - the QC35 has high, low and off (via the app) - but there is a greater degree of control now. Incidentally one of the places this is important is when you are out walking, wind noise over the mics can be an issue, and dialling down the degree of noise cancellation helps a lot.
One area where I seem to have problems with the new earphones is with pairing - I have about 7 or 8 devices that are paired with my headphones - and with the QC35s I could easily and quickly switch between them (2 active at a time) via the app - with the 700's this is a much more hit and miss procedure, sometimes requiring both headphone and app restarts.

Overall I would say they are different, but not better - I'll keep using them, but I think mainly at home and keep my trusty QC35s with me when I'm travelling.

STICK WITH THE QC35 or 25
Bose is best in class for its noise cancellation, which the 700 is hardly a noticable upgrade.

Too dependent on the app.
Which
1. Force you to register to use a headphone??? Hello Equifax
2. Potentially logout at 30,000 feet without internet to sign back in, making the headphones almost useless. (Still works but inferior)

This is the first time I had to return a Bose product because it sucks.
The app should be a supplement not a dependent.

I've had the QC 15 and 25, and what irks me about Bose is the price of replacement parts. The audio cord will break, and is $25. The ear cushions will peel, and cost $50 to replace.

I had them in my cart the other week but am worried about the lack of folding and the extra room they’ll take up vs. the QC35s in my backpack. Any thoughts on how they shape up when it comes to storage?

Hi Andrew,

I have a noice-cancelling headphone from Audio Technica, which is cheaper than Bose. I bought it when I was a student and the noice-cancelling is ok-ish, but does almost nothing regarding voices.

Can you say anything about the capability of the 700 to remove voices? It might be an insentive for me to break the bank.

Sincerely,

Harrie

I still fly with my Bose Q15, which I got 6.5 years ago. I'll eventually upgrade, but probably not until my Q15 breaks down.

@Harrie -- "I have a noice-cancelling headphone from Audio Technica, ... the noice-cancelling is ok-ish, but does almost nothing regarding voices."

Which model of AT noise cancelling headphones do you have? I use the QuietPoint ATH-ANC9 and it has 3 noise cancelling modes, while actively reducing environmental nose by up to 95% ... I've been flying monthly overseas to Asia and it is indispensable in eliminating aircraft cabin noise levels down to (basically) "silence"! Another "plus" (to me) is that it uses one AAA battery so if that runs down mid-flight, I just pop in another AAA battery and it's back working again! My relatives like the Bose Q35s, but I think my AT QuietPoint works just as great!

@lucky - Great review, however you imply that the QC35s don’t have the auto off feature, they do...same as the 700s. Perhaps, you were eluding to the ‘no movement’ aspect, which they don’t have.

Either way, if you are finding your QC35s are running flat, you don’t have them configured correctly 😉

What Bose does best is marketing. Bose sells a lifestyle, not quality sound. Go to their website and look up the headphone specs. Surprise, there are no meaningful specs.
If you want true HiFi quality then Bowers and Wilkins offers headphones for the same price. https://www.bowerswilkins.com/headphones or if you want to save about $50 then V-Moda offers high quality headphones. https://www.v-moda.com/us/en/collections/headphones

Go to the nearest Sony Store and try out the WF-1000XM3 which is their wireless NC earbuds. Ideal for frequent travelers like myself who don't like too much to carry onboard a plane.

@Gene

I agree that Bose was never good for headphones. For home system I disagree but that is a different debate. If you want good headphone sound quality, B&W is up there with Sennheiser or Shure.
But at 30,000 feet, nothing beats Bose in the air. (Sony is catching up but still miles apart) Their noise cancellation are still second to none. B&W quality would do you no good if ambient sounds are still there.
To double down on Bose, if you plug your headphones in to the IFE system, they don't come with high quality sound to begin with, so B&W would be pretty much similar to airpods. Noise cancellation is what differentiate Bose.

It’s funny that barely anyone has mentioned Sony’s M3 noise-cancelling headphones (not to be confused with the new noise cancelling earbuds) when the vast majority of both tech and audio reviewers say its cancelling beat out the best that Bose has to offer. 30 hours battery life, and the earcups fold down.

I'll hold on to my $400 and stuff my ears with cotton wool if I have to. I love money more than I hate noise.

I second Gene's comments. The Bowers & Wilkins PX headphones are amazing. 20+ battery life, noise cancelling and sound passthrough functionality, USB-C charging, sensor to determine when off your head so it immediately goes to sleep mode.

https://www.bowerswilkins.com/headphones/px

Every time I buy a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones, I use the a few times then they end up getting thrown in a drawer or closet. I find them a bit too cumbersome to carry in my bag. I use whatever noise cancelling headphones airplanes give me, plus Airpods / Earbuds for electronic devices. Even without noise cancellation, they work fine for me.

Great review, thanks.

Just to clarify, auto shut off has been a feature via the Bose app for a while, I have that on my first gen QC35s

@J Munene

You know what will kick ass. Stuff you ears with $100 bills instead of cotton wool. Now that is love money more than hate noise.

i cant wait to purchase one!!! Bose is industry LEADING regarding noise cancellation, can't beat it.

Does Bose still allow you to trade-in your old Bose for a new Bose for something like a $100 discount?

@BillC: I have a QuietPoint ATH-ANC9 as well. I agree with you on the NC part; it is great in planes as it removes the sounds of the engines well. However, it doesn't do anything for voices.
I travel by a lot by public transport for work. The ATH-ANC9 removes the sound of the air-conditioning perfectly, which unfortunately makes the voices only more pronounced.

@Harrie -- "... it doesn’t do anything for voices. ... unfortunately makes the voices only more pronounced."

I see ... I wonder if that might be by design, in order to allow you to still hear when others (eg, flight attendants) are trying to audibly get your attention (ie, without having to directly "touch" you)?