Bose – QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones – White Smoke
$189.99
Last updated on August 25, 2024 3:21 am Details
Photos: Bose – QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones – White Smoke
8 reviews for Bose – QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones – White Smoke
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Bose – QuietComfort 45 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones – White Smoke
$189.99
Poocher917 –
I have several over the ear headphones. Many have great audio, but the comfort is where they tend to fall short. With the Bose QuietComfort 45 you will get AMAZING comfort with great audio as well! I have been using these for work and wearing them around 8 hours a day. I have the triple black version.
You will see the box for these headphones and wonder if they are really in there. The box is so small! In the box you find the small rectangular case. This will easily fit into a briefcase, backpack, or luggage. In the case you find the headphones, aux cable and USB C charging cable. Mine was 70% charged when I opened the package.
You download the Bose app to complete the set up. It was super easy to set up and connect to my Lenovo laptop and Pixel 4a 5G phone. The app is underwhelming. You can control your source connections; Noise cancelling mode (Aware is default) and volume. There is also a Tips option. There is no EQ setting which is a little disappointing. Many like to customize the sound using the EQ.
The sound is great regardless of source. I have tried many sources and the sound is very balanced. Not too tinny and not too much bass. The bass is crisp and defined. But honestly, I have many headphones that sound great.
The comfort is where there is no equal. My other over the ear headphone can be used for about 4 hours before they start being uncomfortable. I wanted a wireless headset for work connected to my laptop using Bluetooth. I have used these for at least 8 hours a day. 8 hours uses about 30 percent of the battery. I cannot believe how comfortable they are. I think this is because your ear tends to fit inside of the ear cups instead of the ear cups sitting on your ear. WELL DONE BOSE!
The microphone works well for Teams calls or cellphone calls. I have had rare situations where people cannot hear me. I am still trying to determine the reason for this. But it is perfect 99% of the time. I disconnect and connect the headphones and this resolved the issue quickly.
The controls are straight forward. The power on/off is on the outside of the right headphone (large R and L on the inside of the ear cup BTW). These actions are well described in the TIPS section of the Bose Music app. The left ear has the Action button. The right ear has the volume buttons and control button.
In summary, I recommend these Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones. They deserve a 5 out of 5 rating. Everything is exactly as you would want with a minor exception of no EQ. If you like listening for long periods of time; or, using them for your work calls, I am not aware of a more functional and comfortable option. Also, a whole day of use only used about 30 percent to the battery. They are my new number 1 headphones. Nice job Bose!
NinjaTard –
Most of my reviews tend to be long and wordy with background about why I got them and how they fit into my lifestyle. Not going to beat around the bush this time or dress this review up: the Bose QuietComfort 45 Noise Cancelling headphones are amazing! That’s the bottom line, I love the style, I love the package, and I love the way they perform!
Ok, square one is the package which is really classy yet minimalist two piece black cardboard surrounded by the thin cardboard with the picture, name, and info on it. Remove the thin cardboard, lift the top off the black box, and you find a pleather zip-around carry case. Inside the headphones are folded and rotated (the ear cups turn 90 degrees one way and a tiny bit the other to allow for wearing and for fitting into the case). With the headphones you get a USB-C charging cable and an auxiliary cable for wired use with non bluetooth devices and there is a pocket inside the carry case to store both. The insert referred me to download the Bose app which walked me through registering and setting them up. It was fast and easy and while the controls aren’t intuitive out of the box (especially when trying to remember playback vs. phone use which overlap the same buttons at different times) the app walks you through the button use during setup and can be referenced back to at any time via the Tips button. As for the headphones themselves they are soft, squishy, comfortable and have a sound cancellation button on the left and the bluetooth, volume up and down, and a function button on the right with microphones on both.
These are called the QuietComfort headphones for good reason: the sound cancellation mode makes everything around you vanish! If you don’t have any audio playing it’s almost like a sound deprivation chamber (slightly hyperbolic but not by much, they’re REALLY quiet!) and once your audio is playing its crisp, clear, and as perfect as anything I’ve listened to. The Comfort part of the name comes from the way the headphones hug your head and surround your ears both blocking the sounds from outside without ever pressing on you uncomfortably. Everything I use is bluetooth these days so I can’t speak to if anything changes when going old school aux cable but I can’t imagine it would change the sound quality much if at all.
I mentioned the function of these taking some getting used to and honestly I haven’t had as long as I’d like to get super comfortable but I’m getting used to them. With music you can up/down volume with the top and bottom buttons (duh, standard don’t fix what ain’t broke design logic) and the function button in between allows you to skip forward, backward, pause/play depending on how many times you press it. It works once you remember which is two taps and which is three. The left headphone has the noise cancellation button which is cool as it allows you to go from noise cancelling to active mode where you can hear what’s going on around you a little more using the microphones to pipe in some of your surroundings noise without being overwhelming or distracting. I live with kids so both modes are essential depending on what time of day it was and who was home, as I said they block all sound out when activated which is great for watching a movie during the day while my wife is around but could be turned off for naptime or nighttime use when my house is actually quiet for a change.
Battery charging is listed as being 2.5 hours in the instructions, I didn’t time it but instead charged them overnight the first night and used them for a few hours over the next couple days without running out of battery but charged them back up again to avoid running out. They’ll be plenty long enough for a commute to school or work and back without any trouble. As an example today I took them from 100% to 90% with only about 75min of use.
So the bottom line is these are some really premium headphones that will give excellent audio quality, block out the noise on the bus or let you be aware of your surroundings at the push of a button, last all day, and remain super comfy like a marshmallow around your ears while doing all that! Highly recommended, these are FANTASTIC!!!
pdiddy19842000 –
The Bose QuietComfort 45 is set of wireless bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones is amazing addition to the audio enjoyment/work combination space of headphones.
The first thing that you will notice while looking at the box is the color of the headphones. The black is classic color and has a nice matte finish that is quietly stated, but not too loud or reflective.
Upon opening the box, you find the included case. The case is protective, yet it is not bulky. After opening the case, you find the QC45 headphones folded up nicely in the case, a 2.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable which enable you to listen in wired mode while the QC45 are powered on or off, and the USB-C charge cable. It is great that case and audio cable accessories come with headset, so you do not need to get additional items to ensure your headphones are ready for travel and most listening situations. After pulling the QC45 headphones out of the case, you notice how light they are and that they fold up and take up very little space.
When you are starting the setup per the Quick Start guide, you will be directed to download the Bose Music app to pair to the QC45 to your bluetooth device. This was very quick and easy to do. 15 seconds or less and you will be up and running. The added benefit of the Bose Music app is that you can pair more bluetooth devices via the app by pressing Add New under Sources. Under the Sources area, you will see the list of bluetooth devices paired. The staple Multipoint feature allow for simple switching between the audio of two pair devices. It is works extremely well and is one of the best implementations of the feature. The addition of the Bluetooth 5.0 to QC line of headphones is a welcome inclusion which results in fast, stable connections that allow a great distance of walking away from bluetooth device while still maintain clear audio from the audio sources. Changing floors or go throughout your home and still listening while not taking your audio source with you is still an option.
The audio is a high point of the QC45 headphones. It is a progression for the headphones line. The QC45 has an increased bass response while still maintaining highs and mids. Classical, pop, jazz, rock and just a few of music genres that sparkle with QC45. Audiobooks, podcasts, movies, and Youtube videos sound great also. To control this sound, you have all physical buttons for volume up/down, play/pause/skip/rewind/voice assistant/answer calls/end calls, and the Action button for Quiet Mode/Aware Mode. Audio sounds great while in Quiet Mode or Aware Mode as well and does not have a drop off in Aware Mode. Lastly, the audio captured by the mic is clear and will be well received those listening to you talking. The QC45 increases the clarity of calls with additional mics while minimizing outside noise while you are talking.
The noise cancellation features can be controlled via the Action button or the Bose Music app. You can toggle between Quiet Mode (which is one level) or Aware Mode which sounds natural and feeds in outside audio well while diminishing the audio from your connected source.
Lastly, the battery for the QC45 has a 24 hour capacity. Listening sessions/use and reaching for a plug as no longer a concern. When I do need a quick charge, the transition to USB-C makes getting back to listening in 15 mins a breeze (3 hrs of play time).
The QC45 is a powerhouse pair of headphones that sounds great, allows you to sound great with its plethora of mics, keeps out the sound unless you allow it in, literally lasts all-day, and is light and compact. This is one of the best and most versatile noise-cancelling headphones available.
TechReviews –
I listen to a wide variety of music, and gleefully enjoyed everything from albums to singles, from Classic Rock – Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Boston, Journey, Santana (“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”), Jeff Beck (“Cause We Ended as Lovers”), Larry Mitchell (“Unforgotten”), Traffic (“Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys”), Sting (“Fragile, Fields of Gold”) etc to Blues and Jazz – Coletrane, Miles Davis (1959 Kind of Blue in Dolby Atmos* is a fantastical experience, …like pressure washing, it’s hard to stop ;-), Dave Brubeck (“Take Five”), Jazz at the Pawnshop, including Pop Ellie Goulding (“Lights”), plus many others including favorite Amber Rubarth (“Strive (Binaural))”. Full playlist available upon request.
Some of the most fun I’ve had listening in a while though I must admit is Apple Music’s Spacial Audio playlist (even without dynamic head tracking AirPod Pro earbuds offer) as well as Dolby Atmos tracks.
Whilst reviewing my Listening notes certain adjectives seem to reoccur, *Punchy, *dynamic, *whisper quiet, *lively, *engaging, did I say quiet, *textured, *layered, *balanced, etc.
This is undoubtedly the absolute BEST audio noise reduction I’ve experienced. Almost uncomfortably quiet, you can hear yourself think. Working outdoors with a belt sander I had to be careful without the vibration of the device I’d surely have injured myself 😉 I could however hear the impact driver and nail gun, though quite muted. Pressing the only left button switches to Aware mode letting you hear the external environment more safely.
The Bose QC in Quiet mode silences external noise and seemed to allow me to better focus more intently on certain instruments placements, with far better separation that I remember from previous Bose products. Color me impressed.
Pros
+USB-C
+Durability
+Balanced
+Battery Life
+Lightweight
+Comfortable
+Ease-of-use
+Sound Quality
+Bose Music iOS App
+Binary On/Off Switch
+Noise rejecting mic for calls
+Whisper quiet noise reduction
Cons
-does not support dynamic head tracking (Apple problem)
-mids could be a slight tad bit more forward and pronounced
-not as “rich” or “spacial” as reference Shure Aonic A50 cans
Conclusion
If you seek the absolute best noise cancellation, ease-of-use, long battery life, and exhibit brand loyalty you can’t go wrong. These new QC45 hit the magic formula : fit, sound quality, comfort, noise cancelling. They check all the boxes and you won’t be disappointed.
However with respect to my valued readers, I’d be remiss if I failed to caveat listeners who prioritize sound quality. In good conscious I must admit that when comparing to my reference Shure Aonic 50 headphones, the Shure A50 exhibit more detailed midrange with sound quality that brought both me (and my wife for another set of ears) a deeper emotional connection and more fulfilling engagement with the music, though a tad heavier, and lacking Bose’s world class noise cancellation.
Recommended Conditional Buy
VoltageSky –
The last headphones I purchased from Bose was the Soundlink (1st Gen) On Ear wireless. I caught wind of these QC 45’s via email from Best Buy. Sound signature is what comes to mind when I consider looking at Brands take on the audio game. Not an audiophile but a average user who love music to pass through the day. The ANC is incredible on these. Sound is very balanced & rich regardless of volume. These sit on my top tier list next to the Sony XM4’s. Worth the purchase.
AllAboutTech –
Verdict: Overall, the Bose QC 45 is solid pair of noise-cancelling headphones that will make most buyers very happy for years. It does ANC supremely well, but I think it falls short in other categories compared to similarly priced headphones.
Initial impression. Wow the case is small. I am pretty impressed that Bose managed to fit full size Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) headphones in such a small case, enabled by nicely designed folding hinges. The headphones feel very comfortable. I definitely notice that they look smaller on my head then other high end headphones.
Features. The ANC is certainly the best feature of these headphones. There is also an app that works well to establish and manage connections, but it really doesn’t do much more. The headphone has a dedicated button to activate the “aware” feature so that you can hear your surroundings. You can also connect to two devices simultaneously, and choose which one to listen to. These headphones manage all your Bluetooth devices nicely, with the slide button able to cycle through your Bluetooth devices until you hear the correct one. The guide provides a good explanation on how this feature works. Unfortunately, I have to say that I was very disappointed about the lack of features. I expected to find an equalizer in the app, but there was none. These headphones do not pause music automatically when you remove them. It seems like this has become a standard feature on listening devices. There is no option for automatically activating awareness when speaking, or to program behavior for sound and awareness based on location. I think that headphones at this price point should leverage technology to improve use experience. Don’t get me wrong, these headphones are fantastic, but they will not be my “go-to” headphones because I have been spoiled by the features from another brand of headphones.
Buttons. The prominent button on the right side turns the headphones on and off. I like this button. It’s simple and unambiguous. There are three more buttons on the right side, which control volume, play/stop, and skip. They also answer calls and activate the voice assistant. I dislike these buttons very much. It takes me a second to find them, and then I need to feel for which one I want to press, and then I am still trying to figure out if I actually pressed it because there is almost no tactile feedback. Muscle memory and leading with the thumb to find the buttons will make reaching for the buttons easier over time, but the buttons should really be better differentiated to quickly feel which one to use. The left side of the headphones has one button that activates the awareness feature so that you can hear your surroundings. I have the same comment on this button; not so easy to find, and not enough tactile feedback. Once you press it, the aware feature does come on really fast and works well.
Comfort. I wore these for a good 12 hours in one day while on a long business trip. They are by far the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. I even slept with them on the plane for several hours. The pressure on the ears is adequate to maximize noise isolation, while still providing optimal comfort.
Sound. These headphones provide crisp and clear sounds, with exceptional highs and mids. However, I felt that the lows were lacking. I listened to several music genres with both the Bose headphones and with my other headphones in the same price range, and I easily noticed the difference in the bass, and I preferred the music from the other headphones because of the better lows. To compensate for the lack of lows, I now change the iPhone equalizer to “bass booster” when using the Bose headphones. While the noise cancellation feature on these is outstanding, I think the ANC performance is comparable to my other headphones, with the other pair performing better in some cases, perhaps because they fit tighter on my ears.
Battery life. These headphones advertise 24 hours of continuous play. I haven’t tested that, but I can say that I used them for 12 nearly-consecutive hours and battery life didn’t cross below 50%. I am really impressed with how long these headphones can go.
Things I like:
– Noise cancellation is outstanding
– These are the most comfortable headphones I own
– Battery life is exceptional
– The awareness feature activates very quickly when the button is pushed
– Easy to use with streamlined buttons and operation, no extra features to complicate usage
– They fold into the smallest storage case I have seen for full-size ANC headphones
– Easy to toggle between Bluetooth devices
– Easy activation of voice assistants (like Siri)
Things I don’t like:
– When folded, some plastic parts of the headphones touch other plastic parts. Overtime, this will cause scratching. The headphones came with some padding to separate the plastic parts. Am I supposed to keep using this loose padding? Why not integrate the padding in the case like a mold?
– Besides the “on” button, the buttons are not great for me… they are hard to find, they are hard to differentiate quickly, and they provide no tactile feedback so I don’t know if am pressing them or not
– I think the sound of these headphones lack lows
– The lack of technology features was very disappointing for me because it’s a missed opportunity to leverage available technology to improve the user experience, maximize convenience, and turn a headset into a smart accessory. Maybe the beauty of these headphones is their simplicity, and shedding all the fluff… This will no-doubt be ideal for some, but for me, a pair of headphones isn’t just a pair of headphones anymore; it’s a smart interface for the world around us.
– I am not impressed with the voice chosen for prompts (turning on/off, and aware/ANC). It sounds like a robot, not at all natural, and of low-quality audio. Although, I did notice that it is able to read fairly accurately, i.e. my name and Bluetooth devices.
Overall, this is a solid pair of ANC headphones. I think they make for ideal travel headphones because they fold into a small case, they are light, battery life is exceptional, ANC performs very well to drown out travel noise, and they are comfortable enough to wear continuously for 12+ hours. Nevertheless, these lack some things that are important to me, so my go-to pair of headphones for 90% of my usage will remain another pair. I would give these 4.25 stars.
Benb –
Quiet Comfort is an accurate name.
The first thing I want to focus on is the noise cancelling is the best I’ve used for giving a really quiet environment. I can hear normal voices through it but really it is more designed to cut out everything. The biggest thing is that I don’t feel that vibration through my head like I do with other headsets that have such great noise attenuation characteristics. The button to turn off noise cancellation is on the left side and is a single larger button. There are two modes, quiet and aware. I’m used to an off one and I was a little worried about being forced to aware… until I used it and my youngest hurt himself while I was using them in aware and I realized it was cutting down his screaming instead of just amplifying everything like I’m used to aware being on headphones.
I think comfort should be addressed next and these excel here too. I am absolutely impressed how comfortably the sit on my head. The ear cushions are soft but don’t just collapse, they don’t clamp on my head too tight but also are tight enough that I’m not worried about them falling off.
Part of the comfort is the build quality. I must say it just feels solid and well built. They aren’t the lightest, but they are far from heavy, and I feel like it is a good balance between the two. There are a few features I really like about the build that are more about usability than comfort. The on button is on the side and is a slide on and off button. Both these design choices should be lauded in my opinion. I am always hitting the power button instead of the play pause. With just three buttons on the side, it is extremely easy to figure out which one is the play/pause or volume buttons. Then the slide feature makes it extremely easy to know if they are on or off and to instantly.
Sound quality is always extremely important in headphones, and they sound great better than most even using Bluetooth with a maximum of standard definition music with that type of connection. Though you can’t really take advantage of how great they sound without using the Aux cord and having a quality DAC. This is where there were some disadvantages. The USB C is for charging only so no using that port for music. The Aux output is 2.5mm instead of the standard 3.5mm so my Aux to USB C cord wasn’t going to work. I pulled out my old LG that has a build in quad DAC and listened to some Ultra HD songs and they sound absolutely amazing. Now if you are into just getting blasted by base these might not be your favorite headsets. However, the clarity across ranges is just hard to beat. For me, I absolutely love sitting down and listening to some TSO with these on, I feel like I am there and can pick out the individual instruments. I wish they would have included a 2.5mm Aux to USB C as well as a 2.5mm Aux to 3.5mm Aux cable as 2.5mm isn’t a common size too much anymore. Though to be fair I will probably only use the aux cable on these in situations where the battery is dead (yes, this guy works when the switch is off and you’re using it with the aux cable.
There is a Bose app that lets you control the headset with a little finer detail as well as add multiple devices (at least 3) and jump between them when you want too. Other than that, it will allow you to change mode, volume, and give you tips.
Lastly, I want to just say I love the carrying case. It is high quality; it has a pouch for the cords.
Overall, I feel like these are the perfect on headphones to tune out the world, but also if you want to let it in these will still alleviate the harsh sounds by only letting some of the noise in… like people talking.
JC1503 –
I love a good pair of headphones, so I was super excited to get the Bose QuietComfort 45. My spouse asked me when does a person have enough headphones… I mean, airpods II, Powerbeats pro, Addidas RPT -01, Beats Studio, Rocat gaming headphones ect… my answer… NEVER! They all have their own niche and job in my world and I use them all! But… the Bose 45’s are my new crown jewel!!! Just AMAZING!
First off, when I got the box, I thought there might be a mistake in the order. The box seemed too small for a full size flag ship over the ear headphone to fit into such a small box. I opened the box and I saw the super sleek and stylish case. The case is quality all the way around. The case is rectangular which is the perfect shape that fits into a backpack, luggage, travel bag or desk drawer nicely (unlike the egg case of others…I’m looking at you Beats). Functionality is very important to me as the 45’s will be my new go to for work and travel, so it needs to be functional and look sleek and professional and Bose nailed it.
I unzipped the case and I actually said, “wow”. I got the black set and they look so sleek and sexy in the case…a perfect fit with an extra foam piece that supports them as they lay inside and keeps them from moving around. The silver “Bose” logo on the cups are classy and understated but there is no mistaking that these are a pair of Bose.
I was also impressed with how lightweight they are as I put them on. These are the most comfortable over the ear headphones I have ever worn hands down. They sit securely and snug but don’t feel tight. I really didn’t feel any pressure anywhere but also did not feel like they would fall off. The material on the cups and headband are premium, super soft and very very comfortable.
I downloaded the app and began to sync the headphones to my iPhone but the headphones were dead! Not to worry. I googled how long it takes to charge the 45’s and read that a 15 minute charge gives me 3 hours! That’s really an awesome feature. Rapid USB C charging is awesome and I’m glad they went that way with these. After 10 minutes I had plenty of juice to get me going. The headphones synced quickly and I played around with the app. The app is really strait forward and basic…clean. There is no EQ settings which I’m not entirely sure how I fell about that. I have other headphones that allow for that but I never mess with it. When it comes down to it. I reach for the headphones and put them on and go! I’m there for what the head phones bring me…music, podcasts movies. I’m not there to piddle with the headphones internal sound profiles. Anyway, the things the app gives you is some “tips” that tell you about the buttons, it lets you toggle the “aware” mode and noise cancelling ect. All the things you can do with the app you can also do on the headphones them selves without the app. And the more time I spend with these amazing headphones the more I actually like that the functions are onboard with the headphones and not tied to the app only. The buttons are tactile, I can feel when I am on the center button that summons siri and the volume up and down. The buttons are super fast and responsive. I also like that I can pair it to my phone and laptop simultaneously!! Now I picked my first song to listen to…
I am embarrassed to say… Taylor Swift – Cardigan (I just discovered this song) I have listened to this on all my headphones and Bose Quietcomfort 45’s blew me away. So balanced with the highs and midtones and the lowes. I heard backing tracks in the song that I didn’t notice before… Then something dawned on me…I am only hearing the music…nothing else ( I am in a busy office environment). It was like being in the studio with Swift. I mean it really was peaceful. Just me and the music and nothing else. I have listened to other noise cancelling (and I am not an audiophile to be sure) but I do know my way around headphones and I know what I was experiencing. Bose really has the noise cancelling locked in and it is world class. I took the phones off and on a few times and was truly amazed how silence descended on me and I was transported to the music. Just Wonderful.
I wanted to push the bass a bit and went with Polo G’s Rapstar and Nipsey’s Racks in the Middle and while the mids and highs were phenomenal the bass wasn’t quite where I like it for rap and hip hop. That is personal preference to be sure and the noise canceling outweighs the lighter base in my opinion.
After being mesmerized by the noise canceling, I toggled in the “aware” mode and it toggled quickly and effectively between the two modes. The aware mode is really nice because the silence can be disorienting a little in certain contexts like walking near a busy roadway. I want to hear the cars!
I wanted to find the noisiest place at work to try the noise canceling limits and we have a full size gym with treadmills, tvs and weights clanking. I went at the most busy time and it sounds like a circus. I got on a treadmill and started walking. It was surreal to hear the noise disappear as I put the headphones on. No tv’s, no treadmill motor… I then listened to the quietest thing I listen to which is a science podcast and it was truly amazing and really enjoyable. I could hear the conversation so warm and clear it really added to the enjoyment tremendously. Podcasts are amazing on here!!!
This brings me to a feature that is lacking (and maybe not practical ) but it is not sweat or water/splash proof! I have a pair of high-end headphones that are IPX4 which I will have to continue to use for heavy runs outside or stick with powerbeat pros. But like I said earlier…I have different headphones for different jobs. So that’s ok.
I wish these did have some protection for sweat though. But the 45’s are more of a lifestyle type job for me. I plan to use them while I work on multimedia and isolation at work, or when I just want to escape and chill out. I also was very impressed with the phone call capability! You won’t miss a beat when someone calls you!
Bravo Bose! I really love the 45’s! You can’t go wrong with these world class headphones! I highly recommend.