[ayn]

 
I can confirm it does support AAC coded, but Mac OS X Bluetooth implementation is buggy. I had to download the latest version of Bluetooth Explorer (an Apple developer tool for Mac combined in the Hardware IO Tools), and enable AAC in the Audio Options. I have no idea why it was not enabled earlier, but I have tweaked Bluetooth settings before on the Mac. 

Wow, nice, enabled AAC and now it's not running on SBC anymore! Thanks for the tip!
 

 

[gavinfabl]

From a listening session with Spotify Premium and Loosless tracks the Senn Momentum 2.0 Wireless are inferior in terms of:
Speed, Accuracy, Clarity, Detail

Actually surprisingly my Sennn HD650 also falls short of Speed for some tracks compared to the Bose QC35. Senn HD650 driven by Creative E5 Soundblaster.

Were the Sennheiser Wireless Momentums v2.0?

I have been curious to try these to see if they sound better then the QC35.... What music were you listening too?

Thanks

 

[Soundizer]

From a listening session with Spotify Premium and Loosless tracks the Senn Momentum 2.0 Wireless are inferior in terms of:
Speed, Accuracy, Clarity, Detail

Actually surprisingly my Sennn HD650 also falls short of Speed for some tracks compared to the Bose QC35. Senn HD650 driven by Creative E5 Soundblaster.

Were the Sennheiser Wireless Momentums v2.0?

I have been curious to try these to see if they sound better then the QC35.... What music were you listening too?

Thanks

Yes they were Wireless Momentums v2.0 and were broken into as I was at a Hifi demo shop.
I was listeng to so many different types of music:
Sade, Dire Straits, Marvin Gay, Rihanna, Adele, Classical music, Tony Bennet, Chris Rea.
Listened via my iPhone 6 plus from Lossless ripped CD's and also Spotify Music.

PS. I am a big fan of Sennheiser and it hurts me to say the Bose are better. Love the Bose Base much more, sounds more accurate.

One thing else is that you can really tell the difference in Source Quality with Lossless Ripped tracks sounding much better than Spotify Premium. The analytical side effect is a result of clear clarity. I might have to terminate my Spotify Subscription and stick with ripping CD's.

Some very heavy Base tracks such as Deadmouse sounded more enjoyable on the Senns because it is all about Base in certain EDM music. The Senns do have more extended base but i can hear the sound of the Base on Bose. Hope that makes sense.

 

[bubsdaddy]

  You can download the dmg in https://developer.apple.com/download/more/?name=for%20Xcode
It is called Hardware IO Tools for Xcode 7.3 (current version). Mounting that image will reveal BT Explorer. You open the app (which doesn't feature an UI after run)
 
Then you should go to Tools->Audio Options and see the option to turn the AAC on. (screenshot below in imgur as I'm a noob and not allowed to attach images yet )
http://imgur.com/viyruja
 
After that, disconnect your headphones and reconnect. AAC should be available from now on. Haven't tried a reboot though, but I'm assuming it's a config that will stay

I downloaded the Hardware IO tools Xcode 7.3 and opened the BT Explorer. Where do I click on Tools>audio options?

 

[bubsdaddy]

Never mind. I found it.

 

[Hexameron]

Hey guys, new member here.
I singed up because I am about to spend a lot of money on a pair of Bose QC 35's and just wanted to know what people's experience was with Classical Music and these headphones.
 
I study music, and want to use these at home, at university, on the bus, walking etc. etc.

For the amount of money I would be spending on these, do people know of headphones that would give me a better sound quality? There is not much written online about these headphones and classical music. 
 
I tried them on in store and I was completely blown away. I could hear each instrument individually, and it was nuts. 

However, having said this, that might just be because before this the best headphones I had were some in ear Sennheiser ones. I have never had a really good pair of headphones before so maybe what I perceive as exceptional is not even that good in the market - if that makes any sense!! 

 
Thanks in advance for any help I could get.

 

[Soundizer]

On my Bose QC35 I listen to allot of Classical Music and especially Movie Soundtracks by Composers: John Williams, John Barry and Jerry Goldsmith. They are great for this genre. What I do advise is ensure you have high quality source. I listen to lossless ripped music from Original CD's. Apple Lossless. I listened to Spotify Premium downloads and it does not sound as good, less air to the music and edgy.

 

[RamGuy]

I've tested these and my first impressions are favourable. They do sound a tad bit more dynamic compared to the QC25 which to me sound extreme flat. Not "natural", but simply "flat", aka no dynamic to them at all. The QC25 doesn't sound bad, they don't feel coloured in any way, not overly bright, and not remotely close to being dark or warm. They are just flat all around, no lows and no highs to them.
 
 
Bose QC35 still feels flat, but they've got more punch in the lows without the audio feeling coloured dark or warm. They retain the same feel to the audio, just with better lows giving them a more dynamic feel to them. But I still feel they lack when it comes to highs, resolution and soundstage. But they are improved compared to QC25 and I prefer flat audio, compared to overly dark and warm like B&O H8 and Beats Studio / Pro. But they do lack "sparkle" and they don't really feel "a live" in neither end of the spectrum.
 
 
One thing Bose have gotten right is range and stability. Bluetooth range seems to be stellar, and I have yet to have any issues with stability (hiccups and whatnot) at all. The only pair of bluetooth headphones I have had better range and stability with is Beats Studio Wireless. Compared to headphones like Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear and Around-Ear Wireless, B&O BeoPlay H8 etc QC35 simply knocks them all out of the park.
 
And that's something one should not take for granted. I will argue that both Momentum On-Ear and Around-Ear have better audio quality, but that doesn't really matter when they are frustrating to use on Bluetooth due to poor range and questionable stability.
 
 
The active noise cancellation remains the best on the market. There is no real doubt about it. Sennheiser got huge problems with wind, wind noises seems to be escalated through the active noise cancellation making them horrible to use when there is too much wind outside. And when you can't disable the noise cancellation, you are getting in trouble. QC35 is not perfect in windy conditions either, but they are tolerable whereas the Momentum's simply are not. Same goes AKG and Sony headphones with active noise cancellation. The only ones I have found to not be next to useless in windy conditions are Beasts and Bose.
 
 
 
The are very lightweight and comfortable to use. And it's really easy to upgrade the firmware. And they got physical buttons! And multi-point is awesome when switching between devices, and the battery lasts forever.
 
 
 
The only drawback with these are; The audio quality and the fact that you can't disable the active noise cancellation. At this price point one should be able to expect slightly better audio quality if you ask me. And not being able to disable the noise cancellation is simply a stupid thing, that pretty much every one seems to make for some awkward reason... There are situations where I do not want to be isolated from everything around me, and there are still some drawbacks to having the noise cancellation active like the "dunk" effect you get if you are trying to move fast with too hard steps, or moving in steep downhills and whatnot. And I would still prefer to not have it active under windy conditions.
 
 
 
I would still rate Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H7 as the best wireless headphones I've used thus far. They have better audio quality, with better dynamic, better resolution, better soundstage. They look and feel more exclusive. The QC35 still look and feel rather industrial. They feature the same battery life, but they have the advantage of removable battery and they are slightly more comfortable and the fully support both AAC and APT-X and features about the same bluetooth range and stability.
 
So unless you really, really need the active noise cancellation, and you are willing to toss better audio quality for the noise cancellation I would say H7 is a better option and the cost about the same.

 

[ktosiek]

Hi Guy,
I've just got these headphones 2 days ago. I think there are great in most areas, however I find two annoying issues with those:
 
1. When watching videos I get a slight sound out of sync. It's not really bad (around 100 ms too early I think), but still annoying, especially that my other headphones (Sony XB950BT) have perfect timing. I tested it on my Macbook Pro and Iphone 6 on VLC and Netflix...Does anybody else have that issue? 
 
2. They leak a bit too much sound for such a high end headphones. Even at moderate volumes anyone can easily tell what I'm listening to in a quiet enviroment...Again the XB950BT leak less and they are 1/3 of the price...
 
I would appreciate your feedback.

 

[gavinfabl]

I got the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 today. Sorry to report but musically I think they have the edge over the QC35. The QC35 definitely have the NC edge plus are firmware upgradable. Depends what matters most.

 

[bubsdaddy]

I have found the range and stability on all Bose bluetooth headphones to be remarkable. Many brands cut out if I just have my iPhone in the wrong pocket - the Bose have a range that I never worry about. Also, the Bose support AAC.

 

[Soundizer]

I've tested these and my first impressions are favourable. They do sound a tad bit more dynamic compared to the QC25 which to me sound extreme flat. Not "natural", but simply "flat", aka no dynamic to them at all. The QC25 doesn't sound bad, they don't feel coloured in any way, not overly bright, and not remotely close to being dark or warm. They are just flat all around, no lows and no highs to them.


Bose QC35 still feels flat, but they've got more punch in the lows without the audio feeling coloured dark or warm. They retain the same feel to the audio, just with better lows giving them a more dynamic feel to them. But I still feel they lack when it comes to highs, resolution and soundstage. But they are improved compared to QC25 and I prefer flat audio, compared to overly dark and warm like B&O H8 and Beats Studio / Pro. But they do lack "sparkle" and they don't really feel "a live" in neither end of the spectrum.


One thing Bose have gotten right is range and stability. Bluetooth range seems to be stellar, and I have yet to have any issues with stability (hiccups and whatnot) at all. The only pair of bluetooth headphones I have had better range and stability with is Beats Studio Wireless. Compared to headphones like Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear and Around-Ear Wireless, B&O BeoPlay H8 etc QC35 simply knocks them all out of the park.

And that's something one should not take for granted. I will argue that both Momentum On-Ear and Around-Ear have better audio quality, but that doesn't really matter when they are frustrating to use on Bluetooth due to poor range and questionable stability.


The active noise cancellation remains the best on the market. There is no real doubt about it. Sennheiser got huge problems with wind, wind noises seems to be escalated through the active noise cancellation making them horrible to use when there is too much wind outside. And when you can't disable the noise cancellation, you are getting in trouble. QC35 is not perfect in windy conditions either, but they are tolerable whereas the Momentum's simply are not. Same goes AKG and Sony headphones with active noise cancellation. The only ones I have found to not be next to useless in windy conditions are Beasts and Bose.



The are very lightweight and comfortable to use. And it's really easy to upgrade the firmware. And they got physical buttons! And multi-point is awesome when switching between devices, and the battery lasts forever.



The only drawback with these are; The audio quality and the fact that you can't disable the active noise cancellation. At this price point one should be able to expect slightly better audio quality if you ask me. And not being able to disable the noise cancellation is simply a stupid thing, that pretty much every one seems to make for some awkward reason... There are situations where I do not want to be isolated from everything around me, and there are still some drawbacks to having the noise cancellation active like the "dunk" effect you get if you are trying to move fast with too hard steps, or moving in steep downhills and whatnot. And I would still prefer to not have it active under windy conditions.



I would still rate Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H7 as the best wireless headphones I've used thus far. They have better audio quality, with better dynamic, better resolution, better soundstage. They look and feel more exclusive. The QC35 still look and feel rather industrial. They feature the same battery life, but they have the advantage of removable battery and they are slightly more comfortable and the fully support both AAC and APT-X and features about the same bluetooth range and stability.

So unless you really, really need the active noise cancellation, and you are willing to toss better audio quality for the noise cancellation I would say H7 is a better option and the cost about the same.

Perhaps the BeoPlay H8 are more directly comparable to the Bose QC35 as they are both wireless and noice cancelling. But in the UK they are £399, and the Bose QC35 = £289.
I did hear the BeoPlay H8 at a BO Store with my iPhone 6plus and the issue I had was the volume did not get high enough. Listening Apple lossless ripped CD's. Spotify premium volume was sufficient, but not high enough for rippped CD's. They sounded good but not loud enough.

 

[wanderingsounds]

 I got the QC35. I also have the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 (AEBT), already for about 8 months. 
I bought the QC35 because the AEBT put a painful pressure on my left ear after 1-2hrs of listening and because I the 2,5mm jack is recessed, which prevents me from using a 2,5 > 3,5mm adapter to plug a boom mic (V-Moda Boom Pro mic).
 
Subjective aesthetics and sound quality points aside, these are my observations when compared to the Sennheiser:
 
Pros:
- More comfortable
- Better noise cancelling, though not much better but I'll take all I can get. Test conditions: I have a school next to my office and have kids talking loud and screaming all day long. This gives an impression of performance with random human voices. I also have a fan to give an impression of constant noises (representative of an aircraft sound).
- Folds into more robust and compact case - I’m happier to carry the Bose around compared to the Sennheiser
- Ability to manage paired devices via the mobile app
- Compatible with 3rd party 2,5mm jacks, unlike the Sennheiser (unless you hack it, but still limited to hole's width)
 
Cons:
- Can't use NC while charging. The Sennheiser work while charging which is a big plus for me. Now the Bose will give me charge anxiety
- Passive wired performance not as good as active. You feel it immediately in the bass. The Sennheiser offer no shortcomings when used passively on wire.
- Noise floor noticeably higher when active. To me this is only a con because they make it more noticeable you’re wearing the headset when not playing music (useful when you just want to cancel outside noise). I have to pay attention in order to feel the little noise that the Sennheiser make when active (but not playing).
- The Bose noise cancelling make this weird air/sound pressure in your ears. The Sennheiser have none of that.
 
In terms of other functional aspects, they both perform similarly. 
 
BT connection cracks and dropouts are the same with my MacBook - that is to say the Bose will also crack here and there and range is not great. Much more reliable with iOS devices, like the Sennheiser. I think there's nothing that Bose or Sennheiser can do here, you're basically dependent on the quality of the paired device's BT transmitter.
 
I was pleasantly surprised to know that the Bose support AAC as opposed to AptX like the Sennheiser. I prefer AAC since that’ll give the best quality on iOS devices, which are otherwise limited to SBC. Both headsets had to somehow be forced to use the higher quality codec in macOS. The Bose required AAC to be explicitly enabled in the Bluetooth Explorer utility. The Sennheiser have to be manually connected via the Bluetooth menu (as opposed to automatically connect). This is another indicator of how much Bluetooth sucks with Mac hardware and software.
 
Sound quality-wise: Sennheiser are more balanced and have more pronounced bass. Normally I favor better bass, but the Bose are still quite good and have noticeably more detail to my ears, especially in the treble area. I’m enjoying the Bose more than the Sennheiser.
 
I'm not gonna go into aesthetics since that's totally subjective. Both look and feel good to me in their own way.
 
Conclusion:
If I didn’t need to connect the external boom microphone and if I didn’t have the issue of discomfort with my left ear, I wouldn’t even have thought of getting the Bose. As it is right now, I think these are two competent headsets and would say it’s a tie. Not for sound quality (difference is subjective at this level of quality IMO), but for functionality and for the noise cancelling experience. 

 

[wanderingsounds]

  1. When watching videos I get a slight sound out of sync. It's not really bad (around 100 ms too early I think), but still annoying, especially that my other headphones (Sony XB950BT) have perfect timing. I tested it on my Macbook Pro and Iphone 6 on VLC and Netflix...Does anybody else have that issue? 

 
Can happen with any BT headphones. My QC35 are sometimes out of sync, and sometimes in sync. Same applies to my Momentum Wireless and a pair of Plantronics Backbeat Fit. I haven't figured out the trick to have it always in sync.

 

[ktosiek]

   
Can happen with any BT headphones. My QC35 are sometimes out of sync, and sometimes in sync. Same applies to my Momentum Wireless and a pair of Plantronics Backbeat Fit. I haven't figured out the trick to have it always in sync.

Thanks for your feedback. Strange thing is that nobody complains about that and I even asked a question on Amazon - everybody claims that those headphones have absolutely no delay in movies. For me it's apparent most of the time. The sound feels so detached from the actors lips, but if I try to messure it the delay (or correct it in VLC) is really fraction of a second...