Bose releases new QuietComfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones
By David Flynn, September 4 2014
Bose' QuietComfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones hit the streets today, with the new QC25 cans replacing the popular QC15 headphones – but thankfully at the same $399 price point.
As tipped in press photos leaked last month, the QC25s sport a new-look design with an oversized and perhaps Beats-influenced design.
They're also available in a more fashionable white (with caramel padding) as well as conventional black, each with blue accents.
The white model gets an audio cable in bright look-at-me blue.
Thankfully the black versions keep the more discrete black cable.
And if the AAA battery in your QuietComfort 25 headphones runs dry after hitting the claimed '35 hours of use' you'll still be able to use the cans, of course without the benefits of their noise smack-down circuitry.
The QC25s also include an inline remote and microphone so you can use them with your smartphone.
“The QuietComfort 25 headphones set a new standard for performance,” boasts Bose veep Sean Garrett.
“We improved nearly every dimension – greater noise reduction, lifelike audio, a striking new profile and styles, and a new earcup pivot to fold up smaller than ever."
Bose says the QC25's entire mechanical design – "including materials, angles, arc lengths and headband radii" – was revamped to sit closer to the head, with pads using "an engineered fabric found in high-end automotive applications" and ear cushions "made of protein leather."
The QC25s also fold down into a more compact footprint which in turn makes for a smaller case to slip into your carry-on bag.
On the tech side, Bose is claiming a more finely-tuned Active EQ for smoother frequency response across the full spectrum of sound, and a lower noise floor to reduce the common 'hiss' associated with active noise-cancelling headphones.
For more on the new Bose QuietComfort 25's, click through to Bose.com.au.
Follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3021
Yes...with Guy Sebastian, they're definitely going for a certain market segment!
I prefer the discreet, non-pretentious silver-black look. Hope Bose hasn't forsaken this segment of its market!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1252
I was just going to say! I cannot stand him so this has immediately put me off the brand and product.
British Airways - Executive Club
07 Sep 2012
Total posts 47
Still Made in China, no doubt ! Whatever happened to German engineering?
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
14 Jan 2014
Total posts 337
Ahhhhh, maybe the fact Bose is American might have something to do with that... (But yes, still made in China)
04 Nov 2012
Total posts 218
Guy being in it does ziltch for me and the young would find them expensive anyway, wrong guy to promote to the market.
05 Jun 2012
Total posts 31
Hopefully the manufacturing quality gets a fairly big upgrade with the new line of headphones. Apart from that, I'm fairly happy with my QC15s. I'll be interested to see what the Q25 is like though.
01 Aug 2012
Total posts 30
This smells fishy. Cannot help thinking this is a fabricated "leak".
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2013
Total posts 207
Hmmm.... I don't know many of the "younger" crowd who'd be willing to handover the kind of cash Bose products generally demand and I can't imagine many of the more "discerning" crowd who are typical Bose consumers being enamoured with a colour scheme that closely resembles the interior of the Mrs' car! The classic black and silver is masculine, classic, understated and discreet, much like the typical Bose customer. Agree with seanpodge, I'll stick with my QC15's!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
08 Nov 2011
Total posts 122
Tell that to the businesses that frequently get the 'younger' crowd to hand over that kind of money. There are a number of Beats headphones that cost more, so it's really not at such a premium price point.
I think that if they're going for that kind of look, its kind of a bit weird as the casing is quite bland and the bright colours don't match it.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
29 Jul 2013
Total posts 207
I must be showing my age ;-). When I was a member of the younger crowd, we simply couldn't afford to spend much on, well, pretty much anything!
17 Jan 2013
Total posts 22
i had the QC15's, and now the QC20i's (in ear model)... the QC20i's are a winner, more practical for every day use , USB, not battery, powered, and on planes, what theyre really made for, i dont find much difference at all to the QC15's.
They can be found on ebay for 250ish if you try, on a 400RRP.
21 Feb 2012
Total posts 40
I recommend the Sennheiser MM550-X (or whatever has superseded them).
I have the MM550s, and nothing satisfies me more than using wireless (bluetooth) headphones connected to my iPad in the overhead locker, during take-off, in-flight and landing.
Having no-wires in the air is bliss, especailly for a big guy like me (6ft9in, 180kg)
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 543
Are you supposed to charge these headphones? Sorry, I lived most of my life on Coloud so I have no idea how this good stuff works.
I just broke my travel "made-in-China" Japan-bought ¥300 earbuds (ditto!), and am looking for a new set of earbuds. These won't work for my "compact" earbuds, but I'm already looking forward to the QC*insert number of the next Bose earbud brand here* earbuds.
07 Sep 2014
Total posts 1
My wife and I own 2 pairs of the QC15's. They are absolutely brilliant. So when I heard about the QC25, I expected a great upgrade so I went out and bought a pair today. What a disappointment - they are going back to the shop tomorrow. The only positives I can come up with is that the carry case is marginally smaller and you can listen to music without a battery BUT when the Power switch is turned OFF (no battery), the sound is quite muffled and of a lower volume. When turning the Power switch ON, the sound dynamic range certainly increases but the volume level is quite lower than the QC15. I could not detect any perceivable difference between the Noise Cancelling ability or the sound quality of the QC15's & the QC25's, so I will be sticking with the QC15's, primarily because of the better "loudness".
13 Aug 2013
Total posts 80
I had the Sennheiser PCX450 Circum Aural ( over ear ) Noise Cancelling headphones and I was utterly dissapointed. The noise cancelling was minimal fairly dull, and the audio quality was really bad.
I found using my smaller and cheaper $15 on ear Yogi's better!
If I had Music playing or watched a Movie on my Tablet in-flight I didnt really ever hear any engine noises or other passengers.
I also found them to be overly cumbersome and after a while it became annoying having to carry around such gigantic headphones, even if they were housed in a nicely constructed case. Some of my friends have raved about Sennheiser or Bose in ear models, but in ear headphones always fall out of my ear canal!
Grrrrrr......
A pity really as that would be such a compact light weight option.
Oh and was it just me, or do you guys also get people staring at you as though you are some alien pulling out these ginormous on ear or over ear headphones?
Everywhere I went. Like no one has seen large headphones before!
Admittedly this happened alot more in Economy Class and whilst waiting to board economy flights. LOL
By the way, these are supposed to be awesome too
https://www.parrot.com/zik/au/
Hi Guest, join in the discussion on Bose releases new QuietComfort 25 noise-cancelling headphones