[amrbadrawy]

I can not justify the new price of QC35 II for adding just one extra essential key... and it is not even a key that turn on something like attention mode in Sony or Sennheiser!

 

[cresny]

They don't support AAC either, do they? Aren't they regular SBC-only for some awkward reason?

I tried out the QC 35 2 yesterday at a Bose store, paired to my Google Pixel running Android 8. Using Developer Options you can see what codec was auto-selected and switch between supported codecs. I was hoping to see aptx selected, as it is on my own BT phones. Much to my surprise, the selected codec was AAC! I didn't even know this was possible using Google Play Music on Android. I switched to SBC and discerned a slight thinning of the sound, as I also noticed when test switching from aptx on my own set. But the room was really noisy (even with ANC) and my trial period very brief. I'm in the market for some ANC phones so I'll probably try to A/B these, and I'll see if it does the same codec switch then.

 

[Zimmy68]

My Target had these in stock today.
I noticed the price tag as the on sale $329.99 that is probably meant for the version 1.
I'm sure if you want these, you could argue for that price pretty easily.

 

[ben_r_]

My Target had these in stock today.
I noticed the price tag as the on sale $329.99 that is probably meant for the version 1.
I'm sure if you want these, you could argue for that price pretty easily.

Yea noticed yesterday at Best Buy they dropped the price of the version 1 to $329.99 also.

 

[StanD]

The whole ting about SBC being bad is old. Nowadays with the newer versions of Bluetooth, we have EDR and faster data rates,which doesn't require all of the lossy compression that we don't like.

 

[dannybgoode]

Having just picked up a pair of QC35 II's I thought I would post my initial thoughts. I think first off it is important to say I bought these for one reason - ANC. At home I listen on a pair of HifiMan HE1000K mkII's through a Trilogy 931 amp and a Rega DAC and if I want the ultimate listening experience I'll get it at home and not on the daily slog to work.

On the commute I want silence above anything else. I have been getting increasingly irritable on the train listening to inane conversations, arguments, phone calls etc (depression hasn't helped with my patience it must be said) and even my venerable Beyerdynamic T51P's weren't doing enough to drown out the din. So with this in mind I am not nearly so interested in SQ (although it needs to be passable), the ability to make phone calls, touch controls, aptX etc.

I did have a pair of QC35's when they first came out and I was a bit disappointed with them. I was expecting more from the NC (conversations in particular cut through far too much) and the pressure on my ears was uncomfortable so they went back under Bose's excellent 30 day money back deal. This time round I thought I would try something else so I initially went with a pair of Sony WI1000X (note NOT the WF1000X - to different headphones) and I assume there is some issue with them in their current release as the NC simply doesn't work so they went back to Amazon.

I then demo'd a pair of 35 II's and the Sony WH-1000XM2. At first I thought I would go with the Sony but I am not impressed by the looks and build quality plus they didn't quite fit my head properly. The NC with no music playing also seems to replicate whatever background music was playing in the store - almost like they were over-compensate. Whether this was a one off I don't know but given my experience with the WI1000X decided not to take the risk.

So the QC35 II's it is and I am incredibly impressed. I don't know whether Bose have updated their NC algorithms since the 35's were first released but even on a noisy, packed train they let through virtually no sound at all. Sure train announcements and very loud people still break through but the majority of the time they are almost silent and much more like I was expecting first time round. Having no interest in Google Assistant either I have reassigned the button to cycle through the NC levels which just adds a layer of usability to them. I still need to test the 'Low' NC in the wind as it is meant to be much more bearable than before.

SQ - well it is what it is. Heavily processed with the Bose active EQ doing its thing but they're entirely inoffensive and sound nice enough to have just playing away in the background. Listening on the move is too compromised to try and compete with my home rig anyway so what's the point?

Overall very happy and would recommend the 35 II's over the 35's for anyone contemplating Bose for the first time if only for the NC button.

 

[amrbadrawy]

Does anyone think that a new firmware update can allow the new function key in the QC35 II to act as attention mode in Sony, where all the mics capture the surroundings? the reason why i am asking this because i don't care much about google assistant in the QC35 II or even choosing different NC by clicking this key but the killer feature for me would be this attention mode, the price difference between the two models on amazon is not small

 

[dannybgoode]

Does anyone think that a new firmware update can allow the new function key in the QC35 II to act as attention mode in Sony, where all the mics capture the surroundings? the reason why i am asking this because i don't care much about google assistant in the QC35 II or even choosing different NC by clicking this key but the killer feature for me would be this attention mode, the price difference between the two models on amazon is not small

I guess they could if they wanted to. The question is whether they ever will. The current option is Google Assistant or cycle NC between High/Low/Off - at the moment that's the closest you're going to get. For me seeing as I was buying from new I decided to get the II's as the ANC cycling is useful.

 

[amrbadrawy]

I contacted Bose customer support and they say that these headphones are neither water proof or even water resistants and i shouldn't use them during workout and sweating and of course i shouldn't use them outdoor when it is raining? did anyone had any failure experience due too excessive sweating or rain? i can understand that they may not be water proof but as far as i know most new gadgets have a nano coating that repels water so it can withstand some rain or some sweat even if it is not advertised as waterproof? what do you think guys?

 

[PDevil]

i can understand that they may not be water proof but as far as i know most new gadgets have a nano coating that repels water so it can withstand some rain or some sweat even if it is not advertised as waterproof? what do you think guys?

It’s never safe to assume that electronics offer some level of water resistance. When it comes to headphones, they all either list water resistance or water proofing as a feature. I have come across multiple people who have ruined their headphones because they wore them while exercising. The QC35’s are not sports headphones and there’s nothing about heir design or feature list that would indicate their survival if they came into contact with water/sweat.

 

[matm]

I'm using QC35 (series I) with firmware it came with (1.0.5 if I remember correctly). I didn't I update for almost a year due to strange noise and poor ANC issues (at some point I even got them replaced by Bose - my 1st pair was significantly louder in right can and I could fix it only by shifting balance in audio settings on Mac).

The question: is it worth updating to latest firmware (1.3.4)? What do I gain, what do I loose? Is the sound quality better, is ANC improved? (I understand this might be subjective and I won't see definitive answers).

Thanks a ton for any tips here helping making the decision.

 

[amrbadrawy]

It’s never safe to assume that electronics offer some level of water resistance. When it comes to headphones, they all either list water resistance or water proofing as a feature. I have come across multiple people who have ruined their headphones because they wore them while exercising. The QC35’s are not sports headphones and there’s nothing about heir design or feature list that would indicate their survival if they came into contact with water/sweat.

Oh really i didn't know this! i used to believe that almost all new headphones produced in the last five years are water resistant by nature due to new manufacturing techniques cause i also used a ton of high end inearphones during rain and never had issues but the QC35 is my first over earphones and i was looking to this big mic holes and thinking if it was safe to use it while it is raining!

 

[amrbadrawy]

I'm using QC35 (series I) with firmware it came with (1.0.5 if I remember correctly). I didn't I update for almost a year due to strange noise and poor ANC issues (at some point I even got them replaced by Bose - my 1st pair was significantly louder in right can and I could fix it only by shifting balance in audio settings on Mac).

The question: is it worth updating to latest firmware (1.3.4)? What do I gain, what do I loose? Is the sound quality better, is ANC improved? (I understand this might be subjective and I won't see definitive answers).

Thanks a ton for any tips here helping making the decision.

I think the connectivity is better i don't know why and also you get the option of choosing through the app the ANC level which to be honest i find useless.

 

[galocza]

hi,
im thinking about getting noise cancelling headphones. qc 35 is widely acclaimed so it is now the favourite. however i have a few questions, id be grateful if somebody could answer my worries.

1. im not even sure that nc cans could help me out. i suffer from noisy neighbours: running kids in the apartment above and drumming. reading about how nc cans work, how much effective could these be against non-repetitive, not rhytmical sounds? (mostly low frequency noises, so thats good i think.)

2. i dont like the not replaceable battery thing. maybe qc 25 would be a better fit? has qc 35 a real advantage in matters of sound quality/nc? i wouldnt like much giving up wireless, but wired has its advantages (not dealing with anything bt 8).

3. im far from being an audiophile but i have quite clear ideas how some music that i listen to for decades should sound like and im a bit afraid of bt. i dont have any experience with bt, qc 35 doesnt even have aptx and i dont want to downgrade for this amount of money. now i use a sennheiser rs 160 (wireless rf but KLEER!) which i find if not amazing a good fit. in terms of music should i expect some compromises or similar capabilities or superior output? (pc use only, i think i cant use aac, only sbc.)

4a. as i described above, the new cans would be only used at home. can i enjoy walking around the apartment freely like now? 6 meters (~18 feet) maximum, but two brick walls at places.

4b. i would listen to pc only, no mobile devices are used. do i need a special dongle or any would do (i have 3 in my drawer)? also in relation with 4a: is range determined by the dongle?

4c. as i would use it only with pc, the question arises: do i need mobile apps to fully use it?

(5. keeping all the above in mind im also open to alternatives.)

thank you in advance,
g

 

[Yubacore]

hi,
im thinking about getting noise cancelling headphones. qc 35 is widely acclaimed so it is now the favourite. however i have a few questions, id be grateful if somebody could answer my worries.

1. im not even sure that nc cans could help me out. i suffer from noisy neighbours: running kids in the apartment above and drumming. reading about how nc cans work, how much effective could these be against non-repetitive, not rhytmical sounds? (mostly low frequency noises, so thats good i think.)

2. i dont like the not replaceable battery thing. maybe qc 25 would be a better fit? has qc 35 a real advantage in matters of sound quality/nc? i wouldnt like much giving up wireless, but wired has its advantages (not dealing with anything bt 8).

3. im far from being an audiophile but i have quite clear ideas how some music that i listen to for decades should sound like and im a bit afraid of bt. i dont have any experience with bt, qc 35 doesnt even have aptx and i dont want to downgrade for this amount of money. now i use a sennheiser rs 160 (wireless rf but KLEER!) which i find if not amazing a good fit. in terms of music should i expect some compromises or similar capabilities or superior output? (pc use only, i think i cant use aac, only sbc.)

4a. as i described above, the new cans would be only used at home. can i enjoy walking around the apartment freely like now? 6 meters (~18 feet) maximum, but two brick walls at places.

4b. i would listen to pc only, no mobile devices are used. do i need a special dongle or any would do (i have 3 in my drawer)? also in relation with 4a: is range determined by the dongle?

4c. as i would use it only with pc, the question arises: do i need mobile apps to fully use it?

(5. keeping all the above in mind im also open to alternatives.)

thank you in advance,
g

Hi,

Since you say this would be for use at home, I would recommend listening to these before buying, and compare to some closed cans and maybe IEMs (if you are comfortable with those) in the price range. ANC can be great for flights, commute, etc, but it is a compromise for most people on here, and I think for home listening you really should check out other options thoroughly before buying. With that said:

1) Reports vary, but generally sudden noises will breach the NC
2) I haven't tried the 25, but I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that probably there's a significant difference in the ANC quality. This is relatively new tech still, and improving steadily.
3) You should be happy with the QC35 compared to RS160 I think, but try them, then try some new closed cans, and then let your ears be the guide!
4a) Brick walls are a problem, but the good news is a good external bluetooth transmitter for your PC can go a long way in reducing this since traffic is basically one-way.
4b) Should work perfectly on your PC. See above. Try with the ones you have, if the walls are a problem try searching google for tests on strong/long range transmitters, and get one you can return if it doesn't work for you.
4c) Works fine with PC.

5. I'm repeating myself here, but … just my 2 satoshi: Check out the QC35, the Sony MDR-1000X (gets high praise for its efficient ANC, plus great black friday deal!), some closed non-ANC cans, and then let your ears decide! Hurry up and try some, stores will be packed this week.

Good luck!


Edit: Just saw that the MDR-1000X deal is not available, went from 228 to 348 USD. This makes the new WH1000XM2 (Sony really, really needs to work on naming their products!) a better choice at the moment, obviously. But look out for deals this week