 Amazing Product with Service to Match |
| Review Date: February 4, 2007 |
| Reviewer: M. Keller, Culver City, CA USA |
Let me tell you why I am a devoted fan of Bose and will be well into the near future. I have a pair of both the QC3s as well as the QC2s. While the QC2s are great from a sound perspective, I did find them bulky for frequent travel. In fact, my travels had put wear and tear on the QC2s to the point where they cracked at the screws, meaning they no longer tightly fit, a prerequisite for noise cancellation. So I decided to spring for the QC3s with the intention of getting the QC2s repaired. The Bose salesperson who sold me the QC3s dutifully gave me a card and a 800 number to see about attending to the QC2s.
I called several weeks ago about having the QC2s repaired; I'd had my QC3s for a few months and loved them but thought it would be nice to have the QC2s as the "at-home" pair and the QC3s for travel. I explained the damage to the young man who took my call, and he said, "Well, unfortunately, we don't repair the units, sir." I'm sitting there thinking, "Great. Just great. Nice bait and switch."
He continues, "I see your warranty has expired as well."
Yep. That guy that sold me the QC3s totally did a number on me.
The young man continues unabated. "Here's what I'd like you to do. Send the QC2s to this address, and we'll send you a replacement pair, seeing as we don't offer repairs."
You could have knocked me over with a feather, at that very moment as well as the moment I unboxed a shiny new pair of QC2s a week or so later - but it gets better.
I often use the QC3s purely for noise cancellation on airplanes. In fact, I put in earplugs, then the QC3s, and it's like I'm floating in space - almost no sound at all (and until you have a pair of these, you have NO IDEA how much airplane noise contributes to general travel fatigue). Because the headphone jack is then loose, I sometimes just take it out and put it in my pocket or wherever, just so it's not just dangling. Well, sure enough, I put it "wherever" and effectively lost it.
I went into the Bose store here in Century City, CA this afternoon after being unable to find a replacement cord on the Bose website. I figured I might be able to order one. I explain my situation to a salesperson, and he says, "Well, we usually have a few around here..." Within 2 minutes, he's found one and hands it over to me. "Here you go."
For free. Not for $19.95. Not for some service charge. Free.
It's obvious to me Bose stands behind their products, and they can afford to -- you pay top dollar for them. But when you combine an excellent product (I haven't even written much about the sound, but that's a given -- you'll hear things in your favorite songs you've never even known were there) and top-notch customer service like I experienced on these two separate occasions, then I'm a lifelong customer.
Are there better headphones out there? Maybe. Cheaper? Definitely. But to my mind, the "Bose Experience" is unmatched, and I'm willing to fork over my hard-earned cash to be a part of it. People sometimes look at me cross-eyed when they realize how much I've invested in Bose products, but if the perfect blend of quality, service, and performance is important to you, don't hesitate -- start enjoying your music (or just more peace and quiet) by ordering your Bose headphones today.
(And, no, I'm not being paid or a Bose employee -- I'm just seriously stunned by how well I've been treated by Bose and think service like this should be praised from the rooftops. It's incredibly rare at any price point.) |
The QC-3s on the subway, buses and trains
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| Review Date: November 29, 2006 |
| Reviewer: JLP, New York, NY United States |
| As a NYC commuter I am subjected to the very loud sounds of the subway system up to 80 to 100 decibels at times. And I want to use my iPod without going deaf. For a while a set of in ear headphones worked really well. The problem being is they aren't large enough to produce an expansive sound and wide dynamic range. I gave the QC-3s a try. I got everything I wanted with one or two tradeoffs. The sound quality is excellent. It reproduces AAC files ranging from 128 to 192 kps with superb fidelity in the bass, midtones and higher ranges. The sound is very clear and perhaps just a bit warm as Bose seems to prefer its audio products to sound. The noise cancellation is impressive performing at 15% of the effectiveness of the in ear headphones without the hassel of sticking something into my ears. All continuous low frequency sounds are eliminated entirely. You can hear other people speaking but if they aren't right next to you and/or speaking loudly they will be pleasantly muffled out as are other higher frequency noises. The build quality of the headphones is excellent but I would use the included case if you are throwing them into a bag with a lot of other stuff in them. They are substantially smaller than the QC-2 and lighter. They seem to stay on place on my somewhat round and a bit large head well. Only after 8 to 10 hours of use in a 24 hour period did I feel some discomfort on my ears. The lithium battery charges very fast and seems to have good battery life. The charger is very small. The headphones come with a larger stereo plug adapter and an adapter for planes. The headphone cord is adequately long for a commuter such as myself. So there are a few tradeoffs with this headphone. The first is the proprietary battery. If you run out of juice then no sound. Fortunately the battery seems to charge pretty quickly and the charger is very small. The second is that the headphones though less bulky than the QC-2, they are not as compact as my Shures. Certain individuals may not find them comfortable because of the way the headphones rest on the ears and the head. Others may not like the warm sound that is trademark of Bose. So I would recommend you try before buying these fine headphones. |
Great one for classical and vocal music
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| Review Date: November 24, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Mr. Raphael Hukai, |
My Panasonic noise cancelling earphone was broken and I need a new one. I read the reviews here before I decided on the SHURE E4C ($299) earphone. It sounds fine with the store demo CD player, but when I tried it on my laptop on the airplane, that earphone really sounded cheap. When I played the "Prelude to Act I of Carmen", the bass was totally cut-off, I decided that is definitely not the one for me.
I brought my laptop to the Bose store and have a set of testing music. I mainly tried the QC2 and QC3. As many other mentioned, the QC3 has a little stronger bass, and the QC2 has a little clearity (but very hard to tell the difference). But the noise cancelling on the QC3 is a lot better than the QC2, you can very easily tell the difference. Although, I strongly prefer the QC2's regular battery, but I decided to try the QC3 first.
My first in flight try was about 4 hours, long enough to see if the on-ear design cause any problem for me. I have to say that I don't feel tightness at all. Everything feel good, and the sound quality is better than I expected (because I read a lot nagative feedback here :)
The music type I like covers vocal, instrumental, classical, pop/disco, rock&roll. The classical music is the most challengign to speakers/earphones. The QC3 performs well on all account so far. The bass is just right, I didn't feel it is over amplified as other mentioned. The high frequency was reproduced acurately, and vocal is very beautiful.
There is a free Lexar MP3 player, which is a plus for me since I don't have one. I love the Lexar design, which allows me to add SD card. I ordered a 2GB Kingston for $26, it will give me enough space to put all the music I need to store. The build, on the other hand, feel quite cheap.
I highly recommend this headphone. Yes the price is high, and I hope it will drop to a more reasonable level.
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I have it for a while now, and took it on two bus trip in Mexico, this thing works even better on bus! The noise cancelling worked so well, that you hear the noise from your own mouse all the time :) I have to say I like it more and more. And luckly, none of the problem people complaint about here happens to me. The bass is just right for me. I don't get the "too much" feeling at all. If I'd got the QC2, I might complaint about a "weak bass" by now.
Battery Life:
1. The headset battery runs 20+ hours as advertised. But I do perfer a regular AAA battery, which is cheap and easy to find anywhere in the world.
2. The MP3 player uses AAA battery. A regular AAA runs 4-5 hours, a rechargable runs 5+ hours. An interesting thing to use rechargable is that the battery indicator on the player never shows "Full", I guess the rechargable has a lower voltage than the regular, but it runs longer. |
very nice, but check the sound quality
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| Review Date: July 26, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Dean Radin, CA USA |
I've enjoyed using the original QC for years and needed another pair, so I bought the QC3. The ear cup design tends to flatten your ear after a while, so if you have sensitive ears and a long flight, expect some pain. I was disappointed with the sound quality -- very muffled on the high end, leaden on the low. I returned it to the store to swap for a QC2, but decided on a whim to try another pair of QC3s. The new pair sounded much crisper on the highs and significantly richer on the lows, and to my surprise, the salesman agreed.
So there appears to be a quality control problem with the QC3. It is possible (as in my case) to get one with poor sound quality, especially for $350 headphones, but then the very next one you try can be spectacular. I'm glad I bought this in a store so I had a chance to easily swap it.
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If you want the best, you have to pay
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| Review Date: July 25, 2006 |
| Reviewer: Robert W. Beasley, Simi Valley, CA |
I recently ordered the Bose QC3s and am using them at present. I personally own a pair of Sennheiser 250s, and have also used the QC2s.
Let me start by saying first that my Sennheiser 250s WERE awesome. I loved the portability and sound they put out. They are the best value headphones out there. However, the battery exploded in my noise canceller, and now there is static that goes with the noise canceller.
The Quiet Comfort 2s are simply amazing. If you are using headphones for home use and airplanes strictly, I would probably take these over the QC3s. However, I needed to be a lot more portable, as I am a college student, and I wear my headphones everywhere. The QC2s were a little too bulky for me. The extra $50 is a bit rough, but the sound is priceless.
I love the portability of the QC3s. The noise cancelling is excellent, and better than my Senn250s. I would not recommend wearing them anywhere an emergency may be imminent, as you really can not hear people call your name from about 10 feet away (unless your volume is really low). I personally think the QC3s are overpriced, but if you can stomach the $350, you will love these headphones. There is definitely a feeling of prestige when you open the box. I would only recommend these headphones to die hard music lovers, as I think anyone who only uses them once a week will regret the purchase. I use them everyday :). |
Might not be the best headphones ever but they are awesome in a plane
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| Review Date: November 12, 2006 |
| Reviewer: CapRoberts, Sydney, Australia |
Living in Australia but still having family in Europe I do fly frequently and for long hours. A couple of years ago I bought noise canceling headsets from Sennheiser, and having them has certainly made a difference, enabling me to actually understand what is being said in the movies shown during the flight. On my last trip I purchased the new Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headsets on a stop over in Japan. And they are a totally different ballpark, filtering out much more of the hissing air sound, actually delivering clear sound and crisp voices.
For airplane travel I can defiantly recommend them. |
My decision to go with the QC 3 instead of QC2 (or another brand entirely)
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| Review Date: July 17, 2008 |
| Reviewer: D. Yang, NYC |
Just bought my QC3 yesterday and wanted to share my thought process. For starters, I'm an average consumer. No specially trained ear and not using it for studio purposes. I care about quality, sound and look. I live in NYC and the noise from the subway, traffic and city life were enough for me to buy a pair of noise cancelling headphones. Went with Bose because they are a premier name and brand. I know that they stand behind their product. Plus, you can always find retailers who carry the products so you can test them out in the stores before buying etc.
First, sound from the noise-cancelling versus regular headphones were astonishing. Really superior sound and QC'a literally create a small sound vacumm and reduces background noise dramatically.
Second, between the QC2 and the QC3, go for the QC3 and here's why, for $50 more, you get:
1) NEWER PRODUCT - the satisfaction of knowing that you bought the latest technology to date
2) GREENER - you are getting a rechargeable battery (vs. triple A's that costs money to buy and constantly replace... not to mention, tossing batteries isn't environmentally friendly). QC3 also comes with the charger, that's plus the cost of not constantly replacing your battery is worth more than the $50
3) WEIGHT - QC3 is lighter than the QC2
4) COMFORT - It doesn't go over your ear like the QC2 (great for people who wear glasses). Plus even without the over the ear design, the QC3 still creates a vacumm to block out noise without the headphones being so large that it will press against the frams of my glasses (hard to cope with when you are on a 12+ hour flight)
5) LOOK - the shape of the QC3 looks better around your head. Look carefully, the QC2 has this unattractive slight bulge where the headpiece sticks further out than in the QC2. For a girl like me, I thought the QC2 made it look more masculine, bulky and "street tough". The QC3 definitely has a more streamlined look
I bought my QC3 from the Bose store in SOHO. Without the benefit of speaking to their reps and trying the products, I probably would have just bought the $125 regular headphones (which is why I'm sharing my review with you all who may not have a Bose store where you are). These are pricey but an investment. I'm really looking forward to creating a sanctuary for myself and tuning out in my QC3's.
After using this product a bit longer, if there are any negatives, I'll be sure to provide an update. |
Love the Q3!
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| Review Date: May 13, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Timothy Melander, St. Paul, MN |
| I travel extensively and if it were not for the Bose Q3 travel would be a drudgery. I also like how compact they are; perfect to reduce more bulk to haul around. The case is great! I have a iPod Nano that I use with them to listen to Podcasts on flights, and the Nano fits nicely right inside the Bose case. The pair is a perfect travel companion. Excellent value! |
Impressed...so far.
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| Review Date: August 26, 2006 |
| Reviewer: C. Dopp, Miami, FL |
| I should preface that I am far from an expert (just a normal user), but (so far) I have been impressed with the QC3 headsets. I have a reasonable amount of experience with theQC2's & (personally) prefer the QC3's from a comfort & fit standpoint although the QC2's will give you better ambient noise/sound isolation/insulation because of the over-ear design. It all depends on individual need...I think the packaging & overall quality of the product although, granted, they do not come cheaply! I just got them this week & will have much more experience with them soon as I have a few upcoming trips, but even using them at the office I am finding them very capable in keeping the distractions out of earshot. |
Noise???
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| Review Date: January 18, 2008 |
| Reviewer: N. kaplanis, |
Qc3 are the best noise canceling headphones I've ever used. The frequency response of this product is very good and it is the best way to listen to music without disturbances. Low frequencies are sounding as they can sound in large loudspeakers.It is very good combination with ipods and less with laptops headphone out.It is really working and the result is unbelievable! You wear them and you can feel the noise cancellation since they are on-ear headphones.if you open the switch will be amazed. I am currently a student in audio engineering and i have made some test on this pair headphones.They are really good. Although they are expensive in comparison with other brands.. It's bose... You bought the name , the quality, their technology.
The noise cancellation can be more -60 dB (S/N) just with switch on!
You feel that the music is played just for you.. !!
p.s Since it's a digital device and you are really into sound you can detect noise coming from the speakers.Although it is really really low level noise. |
Very nice set of headphones.
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| Review Date: April 26, 2008 |
| Reviewer: _G., |
Many of you out there who are reading this review, are considering to buy a noise canceling headset. There are many to choose from with brands starting from audio technica to sony. But the one brand that I have always been particularly fond of are the ones from Bose. Offering quick and nice build quality, the bose quietcomfort 3 is one of the best headphones I've owned so far. I've had other noise canceling headsets, from the sony mdx series to the in-ear shures e5c. None of them how ever, could match to the sound quality/weight/build quality of the quietcomfort 3.
Now remember, the quietcomfort 3 is a set of headphones that are put-on-ear headphones. It is built for people who do not enjoy the idea of over the ear headphones with added sound white noise "pressure". Simply because it uncomfortable for some (including myself and my girlfriend). Also the weight of these headphone are supremely light, in comparison to the sony mdx headphone series. And the headphones do offer monitor support, as there are two out monitors of the headphone that constantly seeks outside noise, while maintaining a noise canceling environment. It is a hard concept to adapt, as I didn't understand it at first either.
Get yourself a pair of headphones and try it for yourself, Bose offers 30 day trial money back guarantee for this product as well as the quietcomfort 2, and compare for yourself which of these headphones would you like to wear. :)
By the way, for those wondering, I am a 19 year old college student studying in southern california, and let me tell you how many times this pair of headphones saved my a** while studying when there was a party outside of my dorm :). |
Worth the price
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| Review Date: May 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Krykie, |
| Though I had the demo and assumed I would like the phones, I choked at the price. I was at the airport, and the BOSE stand offered the 30 day free, give it back if you don't like it trial. I figured I'd travel with it, and then dump it back off on my return trip. What the heck. That was two years ago, and I still have them, and if I ever lost them -- I would replace them immediately. Great for flying, great for everywhere. In fact, I took them with me when I deployed to Iraq. In my offtime, the sound of the generators always humming is an annoyance, but in my hooch I put on the headphones, and was able to drift thousands of miles away.... Strongly recommend. |
Awesome Sound & Noise Cancellation
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| Review Date: April 10, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Apple Geek, |
I bought the Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones right before I went on a cross-country flight to the west coast. I was tired of barely hearing my earbuds while on planes, so I decided to finally make the purchase which I had been contemplating for months. When my QC3s arrived from Bose, I was anxious to try them out. I had used them previously a few times (albeit briefly) at my local Apple store, so I already knew they sounded great, but when I popped the battery in, flicked the switch, and selected a song on my iPhone, I was amazed at the sound these things could produce. The QC3s deliver AWESOME bass and everything is crystal clear. As for noise cancellation, I did not get to experience its true greatness until I left on my flight. I was shocked at how much of the engine noise was eliminated; at the flick of a switch, 90% of it was gone. I was finally able to listen to my music in its full glory for the first time in the sky. I will never fly without these headphones again. The difference is like night and day, they're worth every penny.
Just a note, if you plan on using these with Apple's iPhone, you'll need to buy Bose's "mobile communications kit" in order to get a cord that has a headphone connector of the right size. It's $39, but it also comes with adapters for Blackberries and other phones, and lets you talk through the microphone integrated into the cord (at least on the iPhone, not sure about other phones).
$349 might sound like a lot for a pair of headphones, but when you experience for yourself the sound quality and effectiveness of the noise cancellation, it's a small price to pay for your own acoustic oasis. |
QC3 are expensive, but well worth it!
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| Review Date: May 18, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Kalibr, Florida |
| I've owned the QC3 headphones over 2 years now. I've used them lounging around the house as well on flights. They do an excellent job of cancelling out about 80% of most ambient sounds. This in itself is worth the cost especially if you want to nap on a plane. But most importantly, the QC3 provides superb sound quality. The battery life is more than adequate. I'm able to get several uses between charges. The QC3 comes with a nice case to house the headphones, battery charger, adapters and cables. They are expensive, but well worth it! |
Hearing Problems? Maybe these are for you....
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| Review Date: March 9, 2007 |
| Reviewer: V. Garr, Herndon, Virginia |
I'd just like to add my comments on the Bose Quiet Comfort 3 Acoustic Noise Canceling Heaphones.
I have a very annoying hearing problem; whereas I get distorted sound in my right ear triggered by sounds either directly entering the ear, or through the middle ear. This occurs when I wear an earplug on the right side, but not the left.
These sounds then trigger a high pitched, loud tone that doesn't go away for a few hours afterwards.
I tried these Headphones to strictly cut out the noise and eliminate distracting sounds. In a busy house, with dishwashers running, dinner cooking, TVs on and a CD player going in the kitchen, there is plenty of noise to trigger a ringing sound in my ear. They also seem reduce the fan noise of routers, switches and server room products. I wear these at home, in labs at work, in the home and work offices.
I am not saying these headphones solve the constant ringing. But they eliminate the triggers effectively and I don't have to deal with the ringing occurring, and re-occurring because most of the noises that trigger it in a are reduced drastically.
They also are effective in the subway/train, the Accela, and of course with jet engine noise- real or simulated.
These are very good headphones for listening to music, but plenty of folks have already testified to that attribute. I'm saying if you like peace and quiet, but would still like to hear conversations going on in the room, as well as eliminate the 'junk' noise- do not hesitate to buy these headphones.
I am very pleased with all the features and benefits, but of course they are expensive. I tried a good friends' pair before making the plunge. They are worth every dime (to me... maybe even to you too!). |
Heaven!
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| Review Date: September 27, 2007 |
| Reviewer: R. Berry, SLC, UT |
| Long flights w/ an Mp3 player are tolerable, at best. Swap out your stock headphones for these Bose QC3 headphones and your next long haul will be Nirvana. Whether battling distractions in the office or reclining on an endless flight, these headphones will quickly become your best friend. I'm a music lover, and these have just made me crave more of what I love. They're comfortable, they come in a great carry pouch, and are so freaking sleek. The rechargeable battery is a thing of beauty. I might be a penny-pincher, but these were worth every cent. |
A life savour for long flights
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| Review Date: September 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Shaun Rotman, Toronto, Ontario Canada |
When on a flight, put them on, flip the power switch, and enjoy the silence!
There's a reason these are so popular. They work incredibly well and sound great. |
Actually more then I expected
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| Review Date: September 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Isaac M. Forbes, Honolulu Hi. |
| I Travel to Thailand 4 times per year from Honolulu Hi. The first leg of the flight is 11 hours. One of the amenities on such a long flight is each seat even in Coach Class is an inter-active Video Screen with current Movies so new that they still aren't out on D.V.D. Anyway the headphones supplied leave allot to be desired. Because the noise generated from the engines and turbulence actually affect the sound on the movie. One trip recently I looked around and noticed a few people using a unique and smart looking set of headphones that covered the entire ear. On closer inspection I noticed a brand name "Bose" so upon arrival back home, I start a search to find out more about this product. The cost as it turns out was about half the price of my coach ticket. Prompting me search for an alternative. AMAZON ! A thirty minute electronic foray on the inter-net and I came up with exactly what I was looking for and at half the price. After one email and one week I had my headphones. I have just returned from Bangkok and that 11 hour leg.I can report the noise was non existant the sound quality from the headphones was times ten and mine were used. I know it is hard to rate sound quality for every individual, so whatever that's worth. A suggestion to an enterprising individual is offer up-graded headphones at $10 flight with an option to buy. Just a thought. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. A good movie can knock hours off a long flight. Thanks for listening. |
an excellent noise cancelling headset
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| Review Date: October 5, 2009 |
| Reviewer: D. Phan, |
| I travel alot for work and was using the QC2 for many years. After trading in my QC2 I took the QC3 to Asia. I no longer feel painful pressure on my right ear. This is something I would get for wearing the QC2 for a long period of time. The noise canceling is most excellent. They do not produce white noise like other headsets and I can't hardly hear the engine noise. Definitely worth the money. |
can't live without...
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| Review Date: March 26, 2010 |
| Reviewer: A. Mosnov, |
What can I say, my heart fell through the floor when I realized I left my QC3 headphones in the pocket of a flight a couple months ago. With an upcoming flight to Asia it was like ok wait two weeks to hear if they show up in L&F and then if not found, what shall I do. After two weeks and no luck (of course) I bit the bullet and padded the Bose bank account for another $300.
There really is no alternative, years ago I tried cheap ($75) active noise cancellation which were useless, followed by not so cheap ($150 range) in-ear passive noise cancellation ear buds which were grossly uncomfortable and would not stay in my ears, until finally nirvana with the Bose QC3. One caveat I must mention is that I will not play music through anything with the Bose name on it. Music and Bose are an oxymoron, in my opinion. For music I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT880, that is a headphone for music. No, my QC3s are for noise cancellation and voice (as in movies, audiobooks and podcasts) period. Also I do agree with a couple other posts that there is a sensation of pressure with the headphones on and you are not playing anything through the headphones. I can stand it but its not all that pleasant. Finally no I don't care that I can't use the headphones when they are turned off. The battery is more than ample for a 13hr flight over the Pacific. It was my first time in a Boeing 777 and that plane is just as noisy at altitude as a 737, thankfully I had my QC3s. In short, I love these headphones for my use model. It's really five stars for how the QC3s suit my use not because they are the best headphones on the planet. |
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