Bose QuietComfort 15 Headphones

Bose QC15 vs. Sennheiser PXC 450 vs. Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7b

Disclosure: I have tried all these on an airplane. I am not an audiophile. Noise Cancelation is the most important attribute to me.

The Carrying Case: All three are quite durable and stiff.
1.) Bose- the smallest, a low profile, room for an Ipod, accessories too.
2.) Sennheiser- Square shape, low profile, however not a lot of room for anything else in case.
3.) Audio Technica- Nice big case if you want to carry extra stuff (Nintendo DS, ipod, etc).

Build Quality:
1.) Sennheiser- you can tell this is built VERY well. Strong plastics, good components, thick cord. Top notch. You feel like you are getting something really high quality.
2.) Audio Technica- Nice solid construction, appears durable.
3.) Bose- If this had a Sanyo logo on the side, I would not have flinched. How can something $300 be so incredibly cheaply made.

Size:
1.) Bose- as far as over the ears go, these are pretty small.
2.) Audio-Technica- mid-sized.
3.) Sennheiser- These are big. No question, but they store flat.

Comfort:
1.) Sennheiser- Very comfortable, will fit almost any size ears. Keep on for hours.
2.) Bose- Also comfortable. I did not experience "highs" discomfort.
3.) Audio-Technica- Perfectly satisfactory. Larger opening than previous AT model.

Sound:
1.) Sennheiser- I actually wore these at home too, simply to hear parts of songs I had never heard before. Astounding. My 10yr old music collection sounded totally NEW.
2.) Audio-Technica- Well balanced, good sound.
3.) Bose- Great sound, but very heavy on the bass. I listen to a lot of rap and pop, so it was mildly annoying. I ultimately had to turn my treble settings up on my ipod to balance the sound.

Features:
1.) Sennheiser- nice cord, push to talk button (temporarily mutes NC and sound which is great for interruptions on airplanes).
2.) Bose/Audio Technica- just the basics. Bose simply an on/off switch.

Price:
1.) Audio Technica- $150 to $225 depending on how you shop.
2.) Sennheiser- $200 to $275
3.) Bose- Hard to find below $300+.

Noise Cancelation:
1.) Bose- No question here, far surpassed the other two. Best Noise Cancelation.
2.) Audio-Technica- Good Noise Cancelation.
3.) Sennheiser- Not sure what happened here. Incredible sound, satisfactory noise cancelation.

Summary:

I ultimately kept the Bose because I was only using these for flying and the Sennheiser's (as much as I loved them) let me down in the Noise Cancelation department. The Sennheiser's had by far the most superior sound, but the Bose Noise Cancelation was night and day. The Bose are made very poorly for a $300+ product, it was disappointing.

Final assessment:

Audio-Technica- best balance of value for money
Sennheiser- Best sound and comfort
Bose- Best Noise Cancelation

This is the most amazing Bose product for music enjoyment; or even just quiet time. They absolutely dissolve external noise like a disintegrating ray gun and the only thing you are left with is the sound of the music you wish to listen too, or the quiet of inner peace. I am 59 and bought this for my wife because I don't share this well with others.
There are headphones galore, and then there are the Bose QC15 noise cancelling headphones which are in a class with no other competiton.

Amazing!!!!

I have had previous models of the Bose "Quiet Comfort" headphones and found them adequate and expensive. I misplaced my last set on an international flight several years ago and purchased several considerably less expensive "noise reduction" headphones. None were really very effective. A good friend who does a lot of traveling lent me his QR 15 on a flight we shared. I couldn't believe the dramatic effect of the new Bose QR 15 technology. I immediately plunked down the $300 and do not regret the decision. I just flew in on an overseas flight this past week where there were two babies crying for over 4 hours straight. Putting on my QR15 and watching a movie and I never was bothered !!! I am a believer.

I've had other noise cancelling headphones, including ones from Bose. These are the best by far.
If your goal is perfect sound there are others, mostly high quality ear buds. The sound on these is very good though and the noise elimination is amazing. They are also very comfortable to wear.

My husband and I go on vacation at least twice a year. I started looking for some headphones to take on the plane because the ones they provide on the planes are so poor and so uncomfortable to use. I wasn't going to buy noise cancelling head phones. (I'm rather a novice at buying headphones.) While in the store, I tried some noise cancelling headphones to see what the difference was. I was shocked at how the Bose Quiet Comfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones blocked out the noises from the environment. I couldn't even hear my husband talking to me and he was standing right next to me.

That sold me !!! The sound from these headphones is really clear and sounds great. Now, I've found another use for them. I can sit at my computer and watch movies, while my husband is sitting nearby watching TV and I don't hear a thing !!!

They are a bit expensive, but if they last... I haven't had them for very long, they will be worth it. I can't wait to take them on a plane. These go around the ear and are extremely comfortable to wear. They have a carrying case, which should protect them while traveling. Since we are new to this type of headphone, we have forgotten to turn them off a couple of times and left them on overnight. The battery life seems to be pretty good, because even after leaving them on overnight at least twice, they are still working with the same battery I put in them at the beginning. They just use a normal battery that you can buy anywhere, so taking them with you on trips shouldn't be a problem. There is room in the case to carry a spare battery also.

Bottom Line... I really love them and now my husband wants a pair also.