Bose QuietComfort 2

Value (3.00)

Really, when you’re buying Bose, you’re getting a lot in the aesthetics department. The QuietComfort2 headphones are a luxury model. Your $300 will get you a nice case, a ton of extras, and a stylish look. In terms of audio quality, these headphones perform adequately; the sound quality is nothing to write home about, but it’s not awful, either. The two ear cups have trouble keeping their volumes in sync, and for some reason the right channel has a small issue with distortion in the mid-range frequencies. Where these headphones really suffer, however, is in the usability department. Simply put, while functional, the noise cancellation feature simply should be optional. If you run out of batteries, that’s it: your music experience is over until you find an outlet for the charger. We can understand battery dependence if the headphones are wireless, but this is simply not the case. Noise cancellation should be an additional feature, not a requirement that imposes an unnecessary life span restriction.

This being said, for most users, the Bose QuietComfort2 headphones should be considered if noise cancelling is at the top of your feature list, albeit with skepticism. They look great, and the noise cancellation feature certainly make these headphones attractive for those who are phobic of sticking things in their ears. The audio quality isn’t great, but the noise cancellation feature works well and they are comfortable to use.