More than likely due to the fact I haven't had the chance to try many other headphones because
1) Don't have the money to throw at tons of headphones. Hardly have money at all.
2) Don't know anyone that has a good selection or other headphones from AKG, Beyer, etc.
However, I purchased the Bose OE's (Not QuietComfort, just the regular OE's) a few months ago, and I have not been disappointed with them at all.
The bass is a bit heavy, but I do not find that disturbing, and I have not noticed it getting in the way of the mids or highs.
I listen to a wide range of music, from industrial (NIN, KMFDM) to acoustic rock (dashboard confessional, denison witmer, bright eyes) to metal (lamb of god, the red chord, nile, etc.) to ambient music and other genres. even a little rap (as a guilty pleasure). In all of these genres of music, the Bose have had quality sound, the clarity of the highs is pretty good to my ears, and the mids are present and balanced.
If listening to all these types of music except orchestra which seems to be an audiophile favorite, for testing at least, I mean hey if I don't listen to orchestral music / classical music, then I don't really give a crap if orchestral music sounds horrible through the Bose, because it will never be listened to.
Even in rap, metal, industrial, and hard rock, despite loud bass (which I like), the treble and mids are still quite present and do not get distorted. Maybe I have the golden pair of OEs? Who knows. Maybe my ears are just different and I really enjoy the Bose sound? All I know is I am hearing things in my music I never have before, and its like night and day coming from crappy headphones.. heck its night and day coming from the Shure E2Cs (which on a side note are PAINfully uncomfortable!!).
The Bose are comfortable, compact (folding), lightweight, and yet I think they perform quite well. I also got them at a great deal. I understand that for paying a little more I could have gotten other headphones that probably surpass the Bose by miles, but I think Bose is underrated by audiophiles, and overrated by the general public.
I am NOT convinced that Bose is the "best" maker of audio gear, infact I am SURE they are not, but what I hear is quality sound coming from these headphones.
On a final note, someone said that the sound from the displays does not represent the headphones. My headphones sound nearly exactly as good as the display model, if not better. The music they use is common music, because they are appealing to people that listen to common music! I heard rock, R&B, acoustic, and latin music last time I tried the display. The pair I own sounds just as good, and I believe even slightly more balanced.
The OEs have better quality sound IMO than the AEs but the soundstage/seperation are better in the AEs.
oh, and hi btw... haha my first post. been lurking around head-fi's buy/sell forum forever though...
I also own the Bose QC2s that my dad bought for me, to be honest yes u are correct that the bass doesnt over power the highs and the mids sounds ok, and everything seems balanced, but if u listen to them carefully the sound kinda sounds muted, liking its lacking that potential brightness, the mids are ok but since the QC2s have alot of bass that dont overpower the mediorce highs the mids actually a lil muddy in my opinion because of the bass, but all in all the bose really lacking that brightness im looking for when im listening to my music. It can be too much at times that destroys music.
