[EYEdROP]

It looks like Bose just released an update to the original AE:  
 
http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/audio_headphones/around_ear_headphones/index.jsp&intcmp=USB02005  
 
Anyone have $150 to burn? It might be worth a shot, since the AE is considered Bose's best headphone here on head-fi. I know Bose is largely hated around here but I actually liked the original AE sound along with a few other folks. If they are anything like the original, they will need lots of burn in and will probably be bassy, and muddy across the rest if the response, but smooth (not edgy or harsh) and impactful in the details.

 

[tdockweiler]

I would like to see someone review this headphone and give it a fair review. People seem to just give them an automatic negative review just due to the price and the Bose name. I'd like to see a review where they just completely ignore the price and who made them. Maybe it's wrong to do this. I'm willing to bet money that 75% of the people on here who hate Bose headphones have never actually tried them outside of a store demo. No, i'm not say they're good or bad.
 
These days, $150 isn't expensive for a headphone, as long as it sounds good and won't fall apart. The build quality on them looks bad, but at least they have a good warranty. I actually had some of the first Triports years ago and actually liked them a lot! I didn't have anything to compare them to though.
 
You'll hate me for this, but I later upgraded to some HD-555's and preferred my crappy Triports! I think it could be due to how I didn't have an amp at the time.
 
I bet if I tried the Triports now I may hate them. Who knows. I no longer have my Triports because they snapped twice due to normal use. Bose replaced them the first time without any questions.
 
I will say though that the Triports were some of the most comfortable headphones ever made for being that small.
 

 

[salannelson]

In my opinion Bose AE phones don't sound that bad, they just are overpriced for the sound they give out. I think for 50-75 bucks I'd buy a pair.

 

[EYEdROP]

Bose is talking a lot of hype about the sound improvements, as well as material quality improvements. If they did improve the sound, it might make the price to performance ratio change. But nobody knows yet...

 

[salannelson]

Yeah, I'm not up for buying a pair.

 

[tdockweiler]

Tempted to buy a pair, test them out and then just return them no matter what. I bet there is a 5% chance I'd keep them. Seems kind of unfair to the (big box) retailer, but oh well. They mark up everything so high anyway, so why should I feel guilty about doing this?
 
One reason is that I'm always curious if I'd still like my original Triports after all these years. Probably not! I imagine these sound nothing like the first Triports.
 
It'd be funny if I got them and thought they were the best headphones i've ever heard. Probably not a chance of that happening, but who knows.
 

 

[jrkong]

I have the on ears and they have been really annoying for the past couple weeks Bose has offered to switch them for something else i am considering the switch to ae2 build quality definetly looks better

 

[rhythmdevils]

They look really flimsy to me.  I'm not sure why anyone would buy these when there's the M50, D1001, and Sure offerings at the same price or less.  But i'm definitely prejudiced.  Even if they sounded great I wouldn't want a pair.  I'd rather support companies with marketing that is what I consider more honest.  I'd be embarrassed to wear those.

 

[Abovetheair]

They are no bargain, but they do offer medicore sound quality and decent comfort. The reason I do not like Bose is because the speakers not headphones they produce, they are terrible and cannot compete at the same price range.It kills me every time I see the commercial about the tiny little speaker that multiplies sound for $500. At least the headphone portion has business persons using them, for noise cancellation on flights. Worth a shot, I am not taking it any time soon.

 

[jrkong]

I got my bose OE's for 40 bucks so it was definetly not an overpriced rip-off but i would like to see if i could take advantage of this opportunity to try the Bose AE2's

 

[TobaccoRoad]

I gotta admit Bose make excellent designs. Sad that their major fault is our biggest priority. If they sounded good I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[paconavarro]

The Triports were the first "expensive" headphone I've got, I must say that they were very confortable, I really hate over ear headphones, can's use them for more than an hour without hurting my ears. I really dont remember very well the sound of them, but the other day I compared some sony, sennheiser, bose (over ear) and beyers. I found the bose's with a huge lack of mids and the highs very shifted to the higher part of the frequency. The bass was good, but not punchy or agile. This new model seems to be less fragile, thats a good point, I'll go to BestBuy with the iPhone+e7 to test one of them.

 

[kingtz]

Quote:

 Even if they sounded great I wouldn't want a pair.  I'd rather support companies with marketing that is what I consider more honest.  I'd be embarrassed to wear those.

Yeah, me too. I'd rather walk around with a large "MORON" stamp on my forehead than with a pair of Bose.

 

[BluFalcon]

I wonder if Bose realizes how much they are despised in audio enthusiast circles.  I wonder if they even care as a company.  Probably not.  I have a set of their HT cubes I bought for my home theater set-up back in 2000.  Still have them to this day.  I really don't care whether people love or hate the company, but the hate definitely outweighs the love no matter what audio video discussion group you're in.  I always find it very entertaining to follow Bose threads.  Now having said that, I would be curious to audition these and compare them to other headphones within the same price range.  Considering I had issues with the Acoustimass 10 series II subwoofer (if it can even be classified as a sub), I most likely won't be buying any Bose products in the future.             

 

[TheGame21x]

Every time I see someone out with a pair of Bose On Ears or some other Bose branded headphones, I can hardly contain my urge to point and laugh so instead of making a public nuisance of myself, I merely shake my head with a knowing smirk and continue about my business.

Different strokes for different folks I guess. I'm confident that my $30 cheaper M50s will sound better than these and wouldn't be too surprised if my HD228s outperformed them as well so I definitely won't be buying a pair but I'm sure they won't be hurting for sales, considering how many people actually buy their supposed superiority in the audio world.