I've read quite a few impressions and reviews for the Bose QC20 but have only seen mixed information about how well they work blocking for non-droning noise. I work in a collaborative office in which people are constantly talking, so I'm looking for something that will be comfortable for many hours (they seem to fit the bill) and will also block out nearby conversations. I find IEMs that sit really deep in my ears uncomfortable after an hour or two, so isolation is not a particularly strong option for me.
Can anyone comment on how effective these are in practice at canceling this type of sound?
Among the various headphones I have, I have the Bose QC15 circumaural and the "SoundSport" I use for cycling. Both are fine, and of the various noise cancelling systems I've used (Philips, Sony, etc) the Bose had the least amount of continuous pressure applied to negate outside noise. I've used then in server rooms at data centers and not had the nauseation or dizziness you can get with some active systems when moving around. There's a reason why pilots are preferring their aviation sets over everything else.
As for IEMs (full-on canal fittings and "canal-buds" like the Sonys) and such, I've used UE, Shure, Etymotics, Sony, V-Moda, Samsung, and a variety of others. The Etys were the worst with the cable microphonics, and the Sonys (and that "canal-bud" style in general) are easier to insert and remove for talking to others. Foamies can be irritating and worn out quickly when having to fiddle with them, and all of those listed can pull on the ear-drum depending on how well they seal to get your bass response and mechanical isolation. I like my Sony MDR-EX600s, Sony MDH-50/MW-600 (Bluetooth), and UE TripleFi 10 for general use and mechanical isolation, but I work in some environments that are pressurized and they can be annoying. But if you're normal, in a normal world, then they should be OK.
When writing code and just tuning out people at work, I use the QC15s since I can quickly slide one can off the ear to listen to someone, and then got back to normal. Having the inline controls on any of them could be useful if using a mobile device, but I tend to use a USB DAC/amp from the desktop and a FiiO X5 DAP. Because of a recent cut in personnel, I've been using my AKG Q701s and Bose SoundSports to review my recently imported FLACs and my own production masters, although I sometimes use my Pioneer HDJ-2000K because they're super easy to move one aside to hear what's going on.
The whole "Bose is just marketing" bit is one of the more annoying responses to get. I've sold all kinds of gear back when I was in retail and worked for Kenwood, and they've made some pretty cool things every now and again, just like everybody else. It's a matter of you, and what you're pairing them with. I know that my QC15 and SoundSports are driven easily when I only use my Galaxy Note 3 or other devices, and my MDR-V6 (on my DAW) and Q701s favor the amp or outboard I/O interface. It's a matter of trying them in general, but if you're relying on the noise canceling functionality, Bose seems to win the most competitions.
