Bose QuietComfort 2

Short-Term Use (7.00)

For the comfort score, we customize the headphones so they conform perfectly to our head, then wear them for an hour. There aren’t many areas to be customizes, which meas maximizing comfort is limited to making sure the band is extended properly.

We think the QC2s are comfortable. The padded ear cups and band padding help distribute pressure; they don’t pinch or put any pressure on the ears or head. The main issue users may run into is one of weight. These are not in-ear headphones that weigh an ounce and change; they weigh a sizable 5.6 ounces. Also, motion causes their weight to shift around, so these definitely aren’t a good choice to take on a jog.

Since these headphones have active noise cancelling, we have to give our customary warning: if you haven’t used noise cancelling headphones before, try them out first. Many people find them quite disorientating, as the active noise cancelling produces an odd sensation, as if your head is underwater, or you need to pop your ears. Some don’t notice anything, though. Regardless, we highly recommend testing out the feature first. We also recommend you give yourself at least an hour to get used to the sensation. Fortunately, Bose offers a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can buy, try, and then return them if they make you feel uncomfortable.

Extended Use (6.00)

Even after six hours of use, the comfort level of these headphones didn’t really change much. The pressure around our ears got a bit worse, and we noticed the QC2s’ weight more. Other than this slight deterioration in comfort, the QC2s held up well.

Cable Connectivity (14.78)

The QC2’s cord is about 5.5 feet long, which should offer an accommodating leash between you and your device. Don’t fret if you find yourself in need of more cord – the box has the perfect solution: 5 feet of extension cord. That brings the total to a whopping 10.5 feet of cord, which should be enough for just about any user, and is a bonus for in-home use; that’s long enough to reach the TV or a HiFi some distance from your favorite chair. We did notice the plug is a bit longer than the extension cord’s jack was deep. This inequality means some of the jack will poke out if its hilt, making it appear as though it’s only partially inserted. The plug and jack do mesh and hold well, however, so this is probably more of an aesthetic issue than an actual problem. The trade-off for this minor quirk is that the jack fits into a recessed headphone port, such as on the iPhone.

These headphones come with two adapters, as well. One has two 3.5mm plugs, designed to work with old style headphone jacks on some airlines.

The second adapter lets you connect to a 1/4-inch jack, such as the ones on most HiFi systems.

Customizability (3.00)

There isn’t too much the Bose QuietComfort2 headphones offer for customization. The band can extend to add about 1.38 inches (35mm) to each side. Also, as mentioned previously, the cups can both rotate and tilt. The rotation can be a full 360, though you should really only operate within the 120-degree arc that Bose intended, or else risk harming the cord. They can also tilt back and forth along a 30-degree arc.

Portability (3.00)

As over-ear headphones, it’s easy to see how the QuietComfort2s might not be very portable. They do, however, have a few things in their favor. For one, the cups can rotate to make the headphones lay as flat as possible without any collapsibility.

The other portability aid the QC2s have is their case. This semi-rigid case has a pocket to hold the headphones and all their various accessories, keeping them relatively tidy. The interior of the case has two protrusions meant to hold the cups steady.

The case has a Velcro pouch stuck inside, which can be crammed with spare cord and adapters.

The front cover is where the Velcro wallet is located. Being Velcro, the pouch and wallet can adhere to just about any flat surface on the case’s interior. All in all, this is a great case. That being said, the case is still really large. It’ll fit into a backpack, but it will take up a lot of space. Most purses will have trouble accommodating. Even with a great case, over-ear headphones generally require a lot more space than the average pair of in-ear headphones.

Maintenance (4.00)

Maintaining the QC2s seems to be a fairly easy task. The cups are removable, as is the cloth Bose lazily draped over the sound element.

Between the cups and cloth, getting to the sound elements is easy. Should the need to clean them arise, there isn’t much standing between you and a spotless sound element.

Beyond replacing the cup or cloth, there isn’t much maintenance you can do. The band’s padding and pleather covering can’t be replaced easily, and neither can any of the other hard pieces. Bose does not offer replacement ear cups, but they do offer a replacement battery for $50.

Other Features (0.00)

Battery

Typically, if headphones connect to a device with a cable, you automatically assume a battery isn’t necessary. Why would it need a battery if it wasn’t wireless? To be honest, we’re not entirely sure, but the Bose QuietComfort 2 headphones refuse to work unless regularly fed voltage.

Active Noise Cancellation

The feature itself is simple enough: pop in a battery and flip the switch. In fact, we couldn’t imagine the process being much easier. There are only two times you’ll run into problems. The first is when you don’t want noise cancelling turned on. Unfortunately, there’s no way to use the headphones without active noise cancellation. The second issue is that, when active noise cancellation eats up the last of its battery, the headphones will stop functioning. The headphones won’t work unless there’s a battery in there, and won’t work unless noise cancellation works. Once the battery’s gone, so are your audio playback privileges. Though we only had two issues with the noise cancelling feature, they ended up severely limiting the headphones’ functionality.