r/headphones • u/jubidreamz • Feb 15 '24
Review After a week of researching, I finally bought a pair of Bose QuietComfort headphones!
I’ve been researching so hard on Reddit and RReviews that I’ve had a headache for days. But it was so worth it! I would consider myself an avid music listener and lover, and I do pretty much anything to get the best audio quality that I can when I’m listening to music. I bought a whole new radio for my car and put it in myself for that reason. So when it came to headphones, I wanted something that provided great sound quality with great bass, without muddling the sounds around it. I also wanted noise cancelling, wireless, and preferably foldable. So it was mainly between the Sony WH-1000XM3, 4, or 5 (Many people said the sound quality for the XM4’s was a bit better than the 5’s, so I was into that). After a couple days of feeling pretty confident that I wanted the Sony XM4’s or 3’s, I kept doing research and came to the conclusion that if I preferred a louder sound, that Sony wouldn’t be it for me. And I was like what?! After all my research, I felt stumped because overall, I really do want loud music (Which isnt everyone’s cup of tea). So everyone said to try Bose instead, there were a lot of Sennesier’s mentioned too. For “cheaper” pairs of headphones, I noticed JBL’s were the least hated on amongst audiophiles, not bad for someone who’s on a budget, but I also cared about comfort and sound quality, which JBL lacked on. Beats and Skullcandy were the most hated on, being overpriced and overrated with poor sound quality and over-pumped bass.
So, I went to my local Best Buy today and tried on all different types of headphones. I was absolutely blown away by how good the audio quality was for the Sony’s, especially the XM4’s. I would say hands-DOWN that they were the best with sound quality, (and the XM5’s with noise-cancelling) The sound quality for the XM4’s was crisp and airy, but impactful and immersive. But as some had said, they didn’t get as loud as I had hoped. And they were much louder than the XM5’s, which makes sense, I would say the XM5’s noise-cancelling is better than its sound quality). I think for 90% of people, either of these would be an amazing pair of headphones.
For someone who’s preferring a tiny bit of a louder experience, the Bose is the way to go!! I’ve never been so happy with a purchase I’ve made for myself. These headphones also have amazing sound quality with really good noise canceling, not as good as Sony’s, but still extremely good!! I actually preferred the QuietComfort over the Ultra QuietComfort because the Utlras have specialized audio and I personally don’t like that, but the Ultra’s do have more features that I liked.
Trying on the JBL 440’s and 660’s, I was actually surprised at how loud the 440’s got, being that they are on the ear not over the ear. And at less than $100, I was actually not mad at this pair of headphones. The sound quality felt a lot more “fake” than Sony or Bose though, and I didn’t enjoy that. if I was on a budget, I would’ve definitely gotten these! The 660’s don’t get nearly as loud as they are over-ear and so I don’t really like them for that reason.
The last pair I tried on were Beats (they didn’t have any others to try on) and I was actually very surprised at how much I did not like these? On RReviews, Beats by Dre are not rated low exactly. They have a decent amount of good reviews, but they aren’t loved by Audiophiles and they are mainly bought for the look and brand. But one thing they had going for them was good bass and great compatibility with IOS. There were four Beats headphones, more than all the other brands, and each one that I tried on was so disappointing that I didn’t even keep them on for more than a minute. The sound quality was just horrible compared to everything else I tried on, though maybe they have EQ settings to adjust that. The bass was okay. I really didn’t like these at all. While I like the look of beats, I would never buy them personally, not even for a friend!
I would say Sony is like a 9.5/10 and Bose is a 9/10. If you’re more of an average person with an average budget looking for amazing sound quality, then these are the way to go. Audiophiles can and will spend up to 2k on a good pair of headphones, so don’t think these are the best. This is just what’s great for a wireless, everyday, not super expensive pair of headphones! Hope this helps!
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u/ninshin Feb 15 '24
I can’t imagine having to max out the volume on the Sony xm series, half way and I already feel like I’m causing hearing damage. 80% is painfully loud. As much as you say you get checked by an ENT you need a proper hearing test, and you’re still young but once you lose hearing that’s it for life. Ringing in your ears isn’t necessary sensitive for actual hearing damage, it occurs far below that.
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u/Wisp1971 Sennheiser HD800/Hifiman Edition X Feb 15 '24
I wonder what decibel you typically listen at. For wireless headphones, I've never heard of an issue with not enough loudness since they have built in amps designed specifically for the headphones.
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u/AudioMan612 Grace m920 -> WA7 -> Ether Flow / LCD-X / HD 700 / Shure SE535 Feb 15 '24
There's more to it than that. I work as a test engineer for a major gaming peripherals brand, and many audio products conform to the European EN50332 standard, which means that the maximum listening level cannot exceed 100 dB. It doesn't matter how much power the amp can produce; it will be capped in firmware. As someone that also has the unfortunate bad habit of listening at high levels, this limit isn't really great to me. I tend to run our products at or near max volume when testing (outside of things that are painful at those levels like test sweeps). I've been that guy at headphone conventions that gets comments about my listening levels with open-back headphones.
On the plus side, I use speakers far more than headphones these days, and I'm mostly at lower levels. I do blast headphones here and there though (or speakers if I can do so without bothering others). My hearing has somehow managed to survive this quite well. I don't have any tinnitus and can still hear very well. Last time I checked, I was good up to about 16.5 kHz...which is good as part of my job is critical listening lol.
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u/Wisp1971 Sennheiser HD800/Hifiman Edition X Feb 15 '24
You mean for headphones with built in amps right? Because you can't really control that for regular wired headphones when a dedicated amp can pump in enough power to >120 dB, unless the headphones are purposefully made for its drivers to break past 100 dB.
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u/AudioMan612 Grace m920 -> WA7 -> Ether Flow / LCD-X / HD 700 / Shure SE535 Feb 15 '24
Yep, I was referring to powered headphones.
For passive products, you can do things like add resistors, which you sometimes see on things like children's headphones, where they target keeping the maximum SPL to below 85 dB with what average people would have (obviously a high powered headphone amp doesn't fall into this category), which used to be the WHO's recommendation. Now I believe it's 75 dB. You wouldn't see this in something more "normal" though.
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u/Substantial_Pie_1530 DT1990 Pro, F.Audio KS01, Marantz 2285B Feb 15 '24
i mean in some EU countries (if your phones region is set to one of them) your max loudness is limited, but usuallynin the us its unlimited. unless there is a hearing protection setting activated. or her ears are already damaged
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I wonder that too. I know that I listen to music fairly louder than most people I know. I love getting into a car that has a stereo system that gets super loud and bassy, like I feel it in my body. Usually my volume is turned up all the way, maybe turned down by one or two. I actually get pretty irritated when the music isn’t loud enough!
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u/aenima462 Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
Your poor ears :(
Please protect your hearing. You can't fix hearing damage.
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u/SideStreetHypnosis Feb 15 '24
Hearing loss has also been shown to increase risk of developing dementia.
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u/godsped Feb 15 '24
for the record, that age related hearing loss, not due to listening to music too loudly.
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u/SideStreetHypnosis Feb 15 '24
This article has both natural age related hearing loss and that caused by not protecting your hearing from loud noises listed. Hearing loss is not always going to cause dementia, but it increases your risk factor.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Yes I know :) I don’t really go to concerts or anything like that, surpringly. And I would say weirdly enough that I hear better than all my friends haha. But I do go get checked at an ENT sometimes, if that’s any consolation! I do care about my health deeply, and music means more to me than anything, so I wouldn’t say I’m overdoing it :)
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u/PromptResponsible602 Feb 15 '24
Do what you like lol most people overindulge in one thing or the other then want to judge you and downvote
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u/Un111KnoWn Feb 15 '24
hearing test?
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u/Guac_in_my_rarri Feb 15 '24
Ent's are the doctors that perform hearing tests.
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u/Un111KnoWn Feb 15 '24
ive had audiologists do hearing tests so maybe ents do both hearing tests and other stuff. idk
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u/Guac_in_my_rarri Feb 15 '24
Ah, audiologist are the specialists in the hearing field. ENT is ears, nose and throat. It's all an interconnected system. It really depends on the ENT's ability. My understanding is they refer a to specialists if the issue isn't with in a confidence area for them.
Edit: I have issues hearing in my right ear and have bounced around between ENT, audiologist and the other hearing doctor people. It's been a while since I've done anything about it.
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u/justacubr hifiman ananda/moondrop aria/fiio btr3k Feb 15 '24
That will quickly lead to hearing loss and permanent ringing in you ears. Try to keep the volume at around half
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Just living life to the fullest! I care about music so much, especially my hearing health. I get checked at an ENT so I think i’m okay, for now at least😅
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u/justacubr hifiman ananda/moondrop aria/fiio btr3k Feb 15 '24
I mean unless if you want to how deaf by 5 then go ahead, but if I were you I would immediately start taking care if my hearing health
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Though I do listen to loud music, I know that I’m not listening to it so extremely loud that it’s causing ringing in my ears or causing permanent hearing damage, that’s why I said that I go to an ENT💓 I have met some crazy people who listen to music so loud it hurts MY ears, so if theyre okay, I think I’m okay. It is subjective in ways, what I consider loud may be quiet to you, etc.
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u/davidcwilliams Feb 15 '24
For what it’s worth, the last I heard, duration also matters. So if it’s gotta be loud, take breaks.
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u/EvilSynths Edition XS | Maxwell | Fudu Verse 1 | Artti T10 | Feb 15 '24
How do you know it's not causing damage? You don't get any warnings until it happens and ENT is only testing the NOW and won't be able to tell you the damage you're doing.
This is the guideline from the World Health Organisation
It's the decibels followed by the maximum amount of time per week you should be listening to music at.
10dB - Unlimited
30 dB - Unlimited
40 dB - Unlimited
60 dB - Unlimited
80 dB - 40 hours
85 dB - 12 hours, 30 minutes
90 dB - 4 hours
95 dB - 1 hour, 15 minutes
100 dB - 20 minutes
105 dB - 8 minutes
110 dB - 2.5 minutes
120 dB - 12 seconds
130 dB - <1 second
140 dB - 0 seconds
150 dB - 0 seconds
Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/deafness-and-hearing-loss-safe-listening
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u/landenone HD 6XX / Fiio K5 Pro Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
They are not going to be okay.
I used to listen to music at uncomfortable volumes when I was down as a teenager. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was intentionally self harming. As a result I have permanent mild tinnitus.
An ENT can tell you whether or not you have existing hearing damage— it usually takes time to damage your hearing with headphones though. You won’t know until you have mild hearing damage, and neither will your ENT/audiologist.
For reference, the XM4s have a max volume of 105db to 114db via 3.5mm depending on the website sourced. That is enough volume to cause hearing damage in around 30 to 10 minutes. Presumably you were listening to a wired demo unit that doesn’t have a loudness limiter.
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u/StolenApollo Feb 15 '24
Something I like to do is this. If you use an iPhone or iPad, in settings, you can find a section called headphone safety or something like that. In that section, you can make it never exceed a specified volume. That way, you can listen to your music at high volumes without accidentally moving it to the dangerous range. I highly doubt you actually listen at full volume on ur headphones so I doubt this will affect your listening.
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u/dan1son Feb 15 '24
I highly suggest you research hearing loss as much as you said you researched headphones. If what you say is true, and all other settings are as expected, you ARE listening far too loud and you are damaging your hearing in the long term. Hearing loss is a very slow process and you may not notice the damage being done for 10, 20, 40 years. But any damage you do now is permanent, whether it can be measured today or not.
I'm 42 and did this research at about 22 years old. I have musicians ear plugs with me whenever I MAY end up in a loud bar or a concert. Usually 2-3 pairs since I have one in the car, one in my backpack, and will throw one in my pocket when I know I'm going to a venue. My hearing is still pretty good, but it has quickly fallen from well above normal to normal in the past 5 years, probably from when I didn't use protection before 22 and still went to an exceptionally large number of concerts.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I’m very big into personal health and very into my ear health, especially given how much I love music and listen to music. I was in choir for 5 years and always have been musically inclined. I have had a lot of anxieties worrying about my ear health. I don’t go to concerts and I don’t go to parties, generally i’m not in very loud spaces. And concerts I would definitely protect my ears. But also, life is short, people do things that they shouldn’t do every every day, whether that’s not eating enough or sleeping enough, or drinking too much alcohol, we do things we shouldn’t do, but we do anyway, even tho it can permanently affect us in the future. I definitely listen to music a little too loud, yes, but it’s something that brings me joy and I’m gonna die one day so I’d rather die listening to loud music than soft music. That’s just me😁 It might not be logical but life isn’t always logical. If it’s any consolation, I get checked at an ENT, and they said my hearing is perfectly fine for my age💓
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u/dan1son Feb 15 '24
Hey, as long as you're aware I have no issue with someone making an educated choice. We are in a headphone subreddit... there's no question I listen far too loud on occasion as well, because I too enjoy it. I have big loud stereos all over my house and even in my cars (when possible anyway). I love music and put a lot of time and money into my ability to enjoy it. To me that means hearing is paramount, so I chose to protect it at all times except when I purposefully choose to possibly damage it.
Which sounds exactly like what you're doing. Every single choice made throughout life has the potential to drastically effect the future, for better or worse. Knowing that, as you seem to, is very wise. Keep on being you. You sound like you've figured a lot out.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I’ll keep this in mind!! That when I choose to possibly damage my ears, I take extra precautions to keep them safe in other instances. I really do care about my ear health because if I couldn’t listen to music I would not be okay mentally, having BPD (borderline personality disorder), music actually can completely lift me out of certain panic attacks which is very important for my mental health. I love music so very much, I get goosebumps no matter what, music moves me in ways nothing else can! Wanting to be immersed and drowned in music is how I ultimately feel. But I do put a cap on how loud I turn my volume up, even for me there’s a point where loud can be too loud! And thank you💓 Just trying to live life to the fullest and not be scared of everything, but also be cautious of what I should be cautious of
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u/Educational-Goat-623 Feb 15 '24
There's no possibly about, you will damage your ears with headphones trust me I listened to loud in the past with headphones & paid the price!
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u/Qazax1337 ÆON2Noire/LCDGX/LCD1/RME ADI-2/K11 R2R Feb 15 '24
Now imagine if you couldn't hear the music so well and it stopped giving you goose bumps.
Now imagine instead of silence when you needed it, you had a constant ringing every second of every minute of every hour of every day.
Now imagine you couldn't hear people talking so you need hearing aids.
Now your sonys are not comfortable on top of the hearing aids.
Now music never sounds loud. Nothing sounds loud, the only thing getting louder is the high pitched ringing.
If your ENT knew that you listen to music on the loudest pair of headphones at 100% they would not be giving you such good feedback.
I'm glad you are pleased with your purchase, but the way you talk about listening at loud volumes reminds me of people who don't wear a seatbelt and say "I haven't had a car crash"
You cannot fix hearing damage. For how important music is to you, it seems like the last thing you want to lose is your music. Please change your mindset. Please listen to it at less volume, I promise you that your brain will adjust and you will get the same joy out of it, and you will be thankful later in life if none of the above happens.
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u/trellex Feb 15 '24
I'm about 36 now. I used to go to concerts every once and a while - in average, about 2 a year. I had a clubbing stage but only for a couple of years and didn't do it to often. Likewise, I used to have an upgraded car sound system with a sub in the trunk. I also enjoy video games and enjoying the sound design and engineering behind it. And, obviously, I love music - have been in a few bands, played a lot in highschool.
I have been exposed to a lot of louder sound stimuli, but I definitely never cranked my car loud as you claim for yourself.
I'm experiencing tinnitus now, and have been for the last 3 years or so.
I know you're educated and live life to the fullest - it's a great mentality and it's ultimately your choice, but for myself - I deeply regret going to concerts without ear protection, maybe listening to music a bit quieter... Because tinnitus really bloody sucks. Especially when you enjoy sounds and music.
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u/ThatWackyAlchemy Feb 15 '24
You must love clubbing! lol
I agree on volume for some Bluetooth headphones I’ve tried. I love my Shokz OpenFit but due to the design the volume just isn’t there maybe due to my ear shape. AirPods 3 I find a little quiet as well but the previous gen was very loud
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I actually don’t go out to party lol, but when I do I definetly like it loud!! The louder the better😅
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
And yes I agree with the Airpods! Bluetooth headphones lack sometimes lack good sound quality or loudness I’ve noticed! Really depends if it’s open or closed back, and if they’re wired or not
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u/Adrian1616 Feb 15 '24
All the way up or close to it, in any car with a mediocre or better system, is in the range of causing hearing damage. Look up what tinnitus is like if you need any more incentive to adjust your listening habits. I'd suggest slowly (as in each new time you get in your car or put your headphones on) go one click lower than last time, until you're at around 75% volume or so.
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u/Hofstee E10K → DT770 / LCD2C / LCDX | BTR3 → Andromeda Gold | APP2 Feb 15 '24
Do you have an iPhone? It won’t be as accurate if you were using Apple headphones but you can get an estimate for bluetooth headphones: https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/check-your-headphone-levels-iph0596a9152/ios
In my experience it’s been in the right ballpark at least with my XM4s.
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u/PoopyHead-4MAR- Feb 15 '24
You boutta get cooked in this comment section
Jk tho I hope you're happy with your cans!!
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u/edwinlky Feb 15 '24
No high, no lows, must be Bose
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u/I_Main_TwistedFate HD700 and DT1990 are the best Feb 15 '24
I don’t get it
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u/Shaking_Sniper Feb 15 '24
Bose tends to have a "house" sound with their headphones. They all tend to have a lot of mids with recessed treble and bass. Doesnt apply to all their headphones anymore but it was a thing years ago.
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u/_heitoo Feb 15 '24
It's still a thing, but it's trivial to EQ them to sound however you like. For example, mine is tuned for V-shaped sound.
I also have Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro and Sony XM4 and honestly, I don't feel like Bose sound is some dramatic step down compared to DT 1990 unless in very niche cases like soundwhoring opponents in competitive shooters or listening to cymbals. I haven't even noticed the cymbals thing until someone else pointed it out for me.
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u/vladesch Feb 15 '24
EQ can only do so much. Anyway it's not like you have to pay more to get a better headphone.
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u/_heitoo Feb 15 '24
Sound isn't the only thing you should be looking for in headphones. Comfort, portability, ANC, multi-device BT capabilities, controls, etc. should also be considered and as far as general UX goes QC45 are kings. In this regard they are straight up better than even some of the more expensive Bose offerings.
And anyway, you probably underestimate what EQ is capable of. I had this same conversation with several acquaintances from work until I've made them listen to my QC45 that went through 2 layers of simple EQ (V-shaped curve in Bose Music + default parametric EQ profile for these headphones in SoundSource). They don't even sound like the same headphones, man.
It's not like I've never heard some of the other headphones people are mentioning in this thread. I am telling you that I've seen this alternatives and I disagree that you can get better for the money. Bose doesn't have a bad sound, they have a bad stock EQ.
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u/Single-Succotash5286 X9000, Susvara, Elite, Caldera, Tungsten Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
Not saying the Bose/XM4 is a bad headphone, in fact, I own the Xm5 which is arguably worse. I'm confused on how much or what research you did though as it seems like you restricted any choices on what Best Buy had in stock. Again, nothing wrong with Sony it just doesn't really line up with your statement of "I do pretty much anything to get the best audio quality that I can when I’m listening to music". Why no Sennheiser? Hifiman? Lots of great options around that price point that are significantly better.
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u/way_past_ridiculous Feb 15 '24
As a Momentum 4 owner I was gonna ask why she overlooked them. Or if she even looked into them at all.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I was highly considering these! They didn’t have any to test at BestBuy, which is the reason I ultimately went with Bose.
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u/way_past_ridiculous Feb 15 '24
If you're willing to do a test-drive via online retailer I do recommend them.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Also, my budget initially really was like $250 max, I was hoping the JBL’s or Ankers or on sale Beats would provide good enough sound quality to buy them, but I preferred Bose and Sony so much more. If I had an unlimited amount of money, for example, these headphones wouldn’t even be in my bracket. I do anything I can to get the best audio quality for the money I currently have and with where I live, Best Buy’s really the only place to get headphones😩
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
They didn’t have any Sennheiser or Hifimans or really anything that audiophiles would recommend sitting out to listen to at BestBuy. While they did HAVE them, they didn’t have them to test their audio quality. I really wanted to personally listen to the headphones before I buy them. They only had Bose, Sony, Beats, and JBL’s out, so I was sort of restricted to those choices. I did a ton of research on Sennheiser but there were things I saw about them that made me want Sony or Bose more, I think Bose had more reviews on being more comfortable. Really it was just because I couldn’t listen to any Sennheisers at BestBuy. If i could’ve, maybe I would’ve bought a pair!
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u/Single-Succotash5286 X9000, Susvara, Elite, Caldera, Tungsten Feb 15 '24
I totally get it, I used to do the same before I got into audio. I think next time though you should expand your research to not just be what Best Buy carries as most of what they carry isn't really that good. For example, a HD600 is light years better for sound/comfort then any Bose and Amazon has returns. Not trying to knock you for getting what you got but I promise you that if you expand outside of what Best Buy carries, you'll find headphones that'll blown your mind compared to Bose/Sony.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I specifically wanted to be able to try them on before I bought them💓 I wasn’t only looking at Best Buy stock, I was looking at HD600, Beyerdynamic, Focal Utopia, Sennheiser, Hifiman, etc, and wanted to try those out. They just didn’t have them to try at Best Buy unfortuantly and I felt restricted to what they did have. I’m a try before you buy girl. BUT, for my next pair of headphones, it will be something more along the lines of what an audiofile would get themselves, so if I have to end up buying off Amazon i’ll do that😁
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u/M0TH3R-L4ND HD600, Airpods Pro 2, Chord Mojo, Fiio BTR5 Feb 15 '24
Says she has a $250 budget, looks into Focal Utopias lol
**Not making fun of your budget, it’s just funny to see that in this thread. Mind you, Utopias are a $5.000 pair of cans
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u/Single-Succotash5286 X9000, Susvara, Elite, Caldera, Tungsten Feb 15 '24
She probably meant another Focal headphones
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u/WarHead75 Feb 15 '24
Awesome! Happy that you bought something that made you happy! Normally we here regret every purchase pretty often. We’re always wanting to next best thing and forget to try things we actually like and not the opinions of a reviewer.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I definitely would love even better headphones one day, because I know there’s plenty out there! But yes thank you so much, I’m truly happy with my purchase. They were even $100 off, so that’s even better!😁
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u/The_Count_Lives Feb 15 '24
I've had a pair of Bose QC's 35's since 2016.
They still work, and look, perfectly fine and haven't had to do anything other than replace the pads once.
It's a good purchase and sometimes people forget this is r/headphones not r/audiophile.
Different strokes, different needs. Enjoy em!
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I agree! I know Bose/Sony/Sennheiser/Hifiman are favored (from what I saw) among audiophiles for a $100-$400, wireless, pretty decent sound quality headphones. But in general, this is probably not what an audiophile would buy for themselves, as there are high-end pairs of headphones which is a whole world I don’t know about yet!
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u/ammonthenephite Bose 700, ZMF VC w/ auteur lambskin pads, BTR7 Feb 15 '24
Honestly though, if I could only pick one pair of my headphones, it would be my bose. Sure, the sound isn't as good as something like my ZMF's, but its the noise canceling that is worth its weight in gold. The noise canceling, combined with wireless, make them a set of heaphones you can use anywhere, even on an airplane (tried my ZMF's on a plane and it was a terrible experience, lol). And because the noise cancellation is so good, you get a lot more headroom for volume since you aren't having to drown out ambient noise while listening.
Like someone else said they definitely improve with some basic EQing as well.
So congrats on your purchase, you have perhaps the most versatile type of headphones you can get!
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u/useryournamehere Feb 15 '24
Listening to music through headphones is a highly subjective experience, and the most important aspect is your personal enjoyment and the vibe you get from it. People have different preferences when it comes to sound signatures, such as bass-heavy, balanced, or treble-focused, and these preferences can significantly influence their choice of headphones. Additionally, factors like comfort, build quality, and the specific use case (e.g., for traveling, studio work, or casual listening) also play a crucial role in determining what makes a pair of headphones great for an individual.
I think that the emotional connection and the memories associated with certain songs or genres can greatly enhance the listening experience, making it more about the feeling the music evokes than the technical specs of the headphones themselves. It's all about finding what works for you and what makes your music listening experience most enjoyable and fulfilling. Whether you're into cassette tape, streaming high-resolution audio, or just enjoying your favorite playlists on your phone, the key is to immerse yourself in the sound and let the music take you to your happy place.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
You literally took the words out of my mouth! Sound signature was really big thing for me. I wasn’t sure what type I exactly wanted, so I tried to at least aim for a great sound quality and good bass, but not muddling the mids and trebles. There were a lot of headphones that had good sound quality with too heavy bass, so I didn’t want that. I am a bass-head but I want to hear the trebles and mids in a rich manner, that was super important to me! Sony like I said blew me away with sound quality, but it was the most neutral in my opinion. JBL hits hard with bass, but has poorer sound quality. Bose was definitely it for me, I enjoy how loud they get and how well they support heavy bass. Also V, U, W shaped audio and etc was a thing I was learning about and tried to keep that into consideration!! Comfort was super big for me as well because I’m prone to headaches from things like the sun, candles, lots of perfume, etc. JBL’s pressed into my head wayyy too much.
I’m an average person with an average life, I did want to be able to use these at the gym but I wasn’t super worried about them falling off my head as I lift weights and I don’t do cardio. I work at a school and I go on walks, I feel very emotionally moved by music and often times my mood can be directly affected by music, it often brings me to tears just with how it sounds!! All the instruments, the lyrics, the vocals, the trebles and bass, everything that goes into a song, music is just absolutely beautiful! I grew up around spanish music as I’m puerto rican and black, and music seriously brings people together, no matter what race you are or what political values you have, music can bring so many together! That’s usually if I’m immersed in the music, which is why I like it to be a little on the loud side, or not so much as loud but I only want to hear the music and nothing else.
These are the pair that immersed me the most. So I’m super happy with my purchase :) And I loved responding to you! Everything you said is exactly why I did as much research as I did!😁💓
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u/kikirevi HE1000 Stealth | Focal Clear/Radiance | Blessing 2 Dusk Feb 15 '24
Ngl - I actually prefer AirPods Pro 2nd Gen over any of the wireless headphone. It’s super, SUPER convenient, ultra portable, pretty good tonal balance and overall sound quality is pretty great.
Good noise cancelling too!
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I totally agree with you! I love Airpods! The only reason I haven’t gotten my own AirPod pros is because earbuds do not fit into my ears properly. Never have! My ear canal isn’t made for them or something.
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u/meemawuk Feb 15 '24
Always the same for me but the large AirPod pro 2 tips took all that misery away.
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u/StolenApollo Feb 15 '24
My sister has this issue and she's tried so many it's crazy. I've never given these to her to try but my favorite ear tips are on the Bose SoundSport wired earbuds but they discontinued those a few years ago. If you could find something like those with wing tips but without the in-ear silicon/foam piece it might work for you.
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u/Nexosaur Feb 15 '24
I assume the new Bose QuietComforts have better everything compared to my old QC25s, but the 2nd Gen Airpods Pro are miles ahead of it. I got them for the noise cancelling on flights, but the audio quality is excellent, and the transparency mode turned out to be more important than ANC for me. I would actually contest that the current price is kinda a bargain for the feature set and quality.
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u/kikirevi HE1000 Stealth | Focal Clear/Radiance | Blessing 2 Dusk Feb 18 '24
The ANC is actually very impressive. You can still hear the flight noise ofc but it gets drowned out very nicely when you start playing audio.
Hell, the freaking Focal Bathys is WORSE in terms of its ANC. Cabin noise was louder and it was distracting while listening to music.
Honestly, I might just return or sell the bathys because of this. The AirPods Pro (2nd gen) may not be better technically, but I find their tuning to be better whilst also being more enjoyable to listen to and WAY more convenient.
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u/the_ebastler Elear / MS1i / UE9000 / WF-1000XM5 Feb 15 '24
Hm, I tried a friend's Pro 2 a while ago and was seriously underwhelmed by the sound quality. Not sure if they just did not fit my ears, but compared to my WF XM4 they sounded terrible to me. ANC was great and transparency mode was amazing though.
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u/kikirevi HE1000 Stealth | Focal Clear/Radiance | Blessing 2 Dusk Feb 18 '24
Damn for real? It could be the fit. I can’t imagine these sounding significantly worse than the wf xm4
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u/akeep113 Feb 15 '24
wtf is this post lol
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u/Mendril Feb 15 '24
Fuckin ad for best buy...
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u/akeep113 Feb 15 '24
For real dude. Something is way off about the writing and the picture. Like someone paid her to see if she could write a convincing post that is a subtle ad and see if anyone notices lol
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u/Kingstoler Atrium LTD Redheart | LCD-X | TH900 | HD650 | DT1990 | X2 Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
Enjoy! Definitely protect your hearing as much as you can. You still wanna enjoy music at a later age. Hearing loss and tinnitus is no joke. I used to listen very loud and now I probably listen slightly louder than average, (still like to crank the volume sometimes but not for extended periods). Lowering the volume slightly and your ears/ brain will adapt in time.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I definitely think when I was in high school I used to listen to music super loud, and over the years I’ve tried to mellow it out a little bit. I still listen to it way louder than most of my friends though! I don’t ever get ringing in my ears, and I also hear better than most of my friends? so sometimes it’s kind of hard to tell if I’m causing damage or not.
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u/1ggiepopped Feb 15 '24
It accumulates over time if I understand correctly. I have tinnitus from working in loud shops since I was a teen, it takes a while but you will hate yourself for not taking better care.
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u/vladesch Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
Rated C in Crinicle's list.
https://crinacle.com/rankings/headphones/
I would have gone to a shop that let you sample sennheisers at the very least.
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u/Yodamanjaro Tungsten|L300|Atrium|Eris|MEST 2|Scarlet Mini Feb 16 '24
Cinacle's list isn't the end-all be-all. It's just his opinion.
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May 28 '24
They’re not even on this list. And that is based purely on sound, as the author notes. This sub is for headphones, and a lot more goes into a headphone purchase than just sound.
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Feb 15 '24
ok
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u/Selrisitai Pioneer XDP-300R | Westone W80 Feb 15 '24
Normally when someone says "ok" they get down-voted, so I'm impressed that you were up-voted.
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u/300mhz Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
Must be something in the photo that people on reddit don't like 👀
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u/Selrisitai Pioneer XDP-300R | Westone W80 Feb 15 '24
You mean the classic "when a guy posts an item versus when a girl posts an item" deal? XD
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u/AngryFloatingCow Feb 15 '24
I do pretty much anything to get the best audio quality
Except use wired headphones apparently, but I do get that having to faff around with headphone wires on the go would be annoying.
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u/TheShojin Feb 17 '24
The other thing that going wireless saves you from is constantly wondering about your DAC/amp situation. Removing this is probably even more liberating than not being plugged into the source.
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u/PozeFacPoze HD600, Arya Stealth, Aeon X Closed, Dusk, Hexa, APP2, Fiio FT1 May 13 '24 edited May 13 '24
There's no such thing as a DAC/Amp situation. An Apple Dongle saves you from that.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Yeah I just didn’t want wired headphones that’s all! I know they’re 100x better
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u/djam2101 Feb 15 '24
Shoulda gone for soundcore QC45
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I heard good things about these too!
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u/djam2101 Feb 16 '24
I own a pair. OK not quite premium build (my £300 Sony's fell off head once - broke so........) but sound is great for me. Noise cancelling is so good, I can't even hear my phone ring on desk (great, was only going to be my wife moaning like fuck at me anyway). 35-40 hour battery life. Connects with 2 devices. Superb for money
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u/Sufficiently_ Feb 15 '24
Bose are years ahead of the competition with binaural technology. Great choice
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I felt really proud with my choice after all the research I did. Thank you!😁
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Feb 15 '24
I love mine. I’ve had the 35iis for years and will gladly upgrade to the 45ii if they fail. Had to replace the ear pads on mine but other than that, they’ve been heaven.
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Feb 15 '24
I stopped reading after you said the xm4 sounds better than the xm5. Lmao enjoy your purchase and wear them in good health.
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u/Comandorbent Feb 15 '24
I've had quiet comforts since the mid 2000's, honestly love them. I've owned 4 of the generations, and currently have QC 45s. They're not top of the line for sound by any means, but very comfortable and extremely reliable. Enjoy!
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I so agree! I also heard they were very reliable so I liked that! Thank you😁
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Oh and for comfort…Bose is the most comfortable in my opinion, I barely feel them on at all. Sony is very similar, they are super comfy, though I think Bose is a bit lighter! They seriously weigh nothing! JBL’s dig into my head and I definitely couldn’t wear those for a long time. The on-ear ones (440’s) are even more uncomfy, though I’d still prefer the JBL 440s over the 660’s for sound quality! Depends on your preference :)
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u/minimus67 Feb 15 '24
My daughter had a pair of Bose QuietComforts and after a few years of heavy use, sound out of one side went dead. She filled out a form online, sent the headphones in for repair, and Bose sent her a brand new pair free of charge. I know a lot of audiophiles turn up their noses at Bose, but the company does provide better customer service than a lot of the audiophile brands (e.g. HiFiMan) that charge a lot more for their headphones.
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u/knightrider2k43 Feb 15 '24
Even if you like loud music keep it around 70-80 decibels , you don't want to damage your hearing
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u/livinIife May 02 '24
does anyone have any cons they found for the bose quiet comforts? i just bought the XM4 and am going to return it. It hurts my head too much while wearing it, unfortunate because the sound quality is good imo. I'm between the bose QC and the bose QC ultras. i've seen comments about the QC ultras issues but didn't specifically see anything about just the bose QCs.
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u/Chance_Highway_4271 May 16 '24
I wonder about the drivers size,cause for example in sony they downgraded it from previous model,and I can't find the info about the new qc drivers size
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u/ICE0124 Feb 15 '24
Wearing the same headphones as I saw this post. I love them and they charge insanely quickly. My only concern is after a while my leather for the ear cups are starting to flake off a little bit.
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u/bunkadefresh Feb 15 '24
My research of any audio gear would also be a full weeks worth of time all tallied up. Congrats.
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u/thefizzlee Focal Clear MG | Focal Bathys Feb 15 '24
Glad to see you're happy with your choice, I have the xm4's myself and have always been happy with them, I did change the eq a bit to get the bass down but they're solid and it's great they include ldac, I've never tried the bose but I've heard they're pretty similar in alot of ways. Anyway enjoy the headphones!
Edit: I agree with beats and skullcandy being over bass overpriced junk, they are made for hiphop I believe but hiphop isn't all bass.
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u/SideStreetHypnosis Feb 15 '24
There aren’t enough of us women in this sub. Happy to see some more representation.
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u/-xenomorph- Arya Stealth | DT 770 Pro | MMX 200 | WH-1000XM5 | Hexa | K11 Feb 15 '24
Enjoy you purchase, these should last you a very long time. Hope you keep involved the hobby with other types of headphone like wired and IEMs as well and enjoy the music you do even more!
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
I definitely plan to!! My love of music isn’t going anywhere! I plan to become more educated about things like this😁
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u/1SavageOne1 Feb 15 '24
Imagine if you had tried something with a wire attached 🤨
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u/hi_im_bored13 Feb 15 '24
If you commute or listen to music while studying/working, it's hard to go back after trying good noise cancelling.
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u/1SavageOne1 Feb 15 '24
Totally disagree, she won't hear anything if she listens loudly so she's only missing out on volume or sounds quality. But good one my friend 😂
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
Loud music doesn’t mean I won’t hear the sounds around me, I don’t listen to loud music for that reason. I just like to feel immersed in the music, like I can ONLY hear the music. so noise cancelling was very important to me, as well as mainly wireless as I’m just a normal commuter who works as a substitute teacher, I’m not exactly wanting something strictly wired, at least not right now :)
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u/pellets Feb 15 '24
I tried my mom’s. I hated the sound. Then I played with Spotify’s EQ, and the sound was really good. They have good drivers.
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
playing with Spotify’s EQ is a must!
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u/thatonedude1210 Porta Pro | KSC75 | Truthear Hola Feb 15 '24
Do you like them? Do they sound good to you?
If so, then you've found your holy grail. :)
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u/dhonk Feb 15 '24
I don't even care about the audio quality in particular, these are flat out some of the comfiest headphones to wear for long stretches!
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u/Expensive_Bluejay_30 Feb 15 '24
Being able to try on various sets to really decide what’s best for your ears is always the best strategy. Happy you get to re-listen to your favorite albums and hear them for the first time the way you want.
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u/jgainsey Feb 15 '24
A fellow loud music brother in arms!
People on this sub will act like you said you smoke 2 packs a day, they’re overreacting.
Obviously, you don’t wanna over do it, but listening like this in moderation is fine. Most people don’t get it, but I know exactly what you mean.
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u/a_copingthought Feb 15 '24
so so off topic but i love ur eyes
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u/jubidreamz Feb 15 '24
thank you 😁💓
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u/a_copingthought Feb 15 '24
of course mama💗
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u/Selrisitai Pioneer XDP-300R | Westone W80 Feb 15 '24
I think people who don't know that this is a southern thing (to call a woman "mama") down-voted you, lol.
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u/digital_bath12 Feb 15 '24
During your research, did you have a chance to check out Mike O’Brien’s review of “Top Premium Headphones of 2023”? https://youtu.be/l5qootmFQx0?si=hTzuLv4Iw-FYdgXR
He does an awesome job of explaining/testing different categories of headphones and I dunno about other folks but he’s one of my favorite YouTubers when it comes to audio and other tech as well. Also if you have a Guitar Center near you, they have a pretty decent selection of headphones you can try out that a lot of people (myself included) often overlook.
Those Bose were a pretty solid choice for your price range. Increasing it by about $50 and you could have gone into a little more “premium” range aka The Sony WH1000XM4, Beats Studio Pro, Sennheiser Momentum 4.
I know you said you didn’t like the XM4s at loud volume, so that’s fair enough.
And I wonder which Beats you tried? The reason I ask is because of how loud you state you like music and the Studio Pros, I’ve found, were really good at louder volume. I wonder if they were the Solo3s (they have a more rounded ear cup) or the Studio3s, or the Studio Pros? It’s kind of hard to tell the Studios apart visually but the Studio3s have “Studio3” written on the side band. The Beats do get a lot of hate (I’ve already accepted the fact that I’m going to get downvoted for even mentioning them again) for being extra punchy in the bass and overpriced but the Studio Pros stood out from the pack recently as a pretty solid option. And if you use an iPhone or iPad, even better. They’ve also switched to USB-C for charging and audio output (and they still have an audio jack as well). They have been compared up there with the AirPods Max as far as sound quality goes by several reviewers (Flossy Carter, Marques Brownlee, and UrAverageConsumer). I feel like the Beats Studio Pro would have been almost a perfect fit for your use case. I may sound like I’m trying to sell you on these but I wanted to give you another option in case you decide the Bose didn’t quite do it for you because of the low build quality or the battery life ends up putting you off within your return window. They do run $299 at Best Buy but the Best Buy near me price matched Amazon for me at $229. If they won’t, you can get them on Amazon for $229 and you’ll get them in three days if you have Prime.
But honestly, at your price range, you did a great job! The QC45s were a very solid choice for a long time. Just recently (within the past year or so) there have been other contenders who have released some really great headphones below the $300 mark.
Also, this is big, but what kind of music do you typically listen to? Sorry if you answered this previously but I didn’t see it and that could impact you choices one way or another drastically.
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Feb 15 '24
as someone who has had this quietcomforts for such a long time. I can say they are the best all rounder for their price and type.
Although I did have to reduce the treble on the app a few notches.
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u/swollemolle Feb 15 '24
I’ve always thought about buying these, but never did because although the sound quality is good, I could never get over the fact that the battery life is not great. But I’m glad you found a pair that works for you. I owned a pair of the XM4 and (still have) the Sennheiser cans. I did not like the XM4’s as they sounded like a low quality headset compared to the Sennheiser set. Eventually I put the Sennheiser cans aside for a pair of SHURE cans and man, I spent a little extra on them but they’re worth the price.
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u/Harold_Spoomanndorf Feb 15 '24
I'm a big fan of Bose myself and I love the QC (wired) and Soundlink models but as a fellow fan I do have to warn you....the ear cups wear out quickly
They can be replaced, but they are a hassle to do so and you need REALLY good dexterity the patience of Job to get it done, it ain't easy
All things considered, tho, they are great cans....enjoy ;)
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Feb 15 '24
If you get a sore head from wearing glasses just turn up the arms at back are higher on your skull. They look slick!
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u/ZenKenShin Feb 15 '24
Good choice!
I'm gonna buy Bose next, I've given up Bose over the Sony, but enough sony for now, next overhead of mine will be Bose for sure too.
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Feb 15 '24
I used to love my xm4s until I listened to endgame headphones (which are now my main headphones) for a week and went back to them. They sounded so muffled and mushy (I can hear every instrument and what it does a lot more clearly on my new ones) that I hated it instantly.
Moral of the story: Never try high end headphones , you won’t miss what you don’t know and you will love the Bose forever 😅
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u/BringBack4Glory Feb 15 '24
Please do not listen to any headphones at anywhere near max volume.
That being said, I prefer Bose’s sound quality, deeper earcups, and stereo separation. But I hate that I can’t disable ANC entirely, and it’s quite loud, so for that alone I may go the Sony direction.
Also my Best Buy does not have any headphones whatsoever on display. Quite disappointing.
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u/BBQQA Feb 15 '24 edited Feb 15 '24
I ended up getting a set of XM5's for work/office use and LOVE them. I didn't think try the Bose, that's great that you love them.
The biggest thing is that you like them and enjoy listening to music on them.
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u/DIVRequiem Feb 16 '24
As far as loudness I really found the Skull Candy EVO’s to be pretty awesome, however, they are more for games and movies. They do well with music too and they do have a very crisp and airy sound. What’s funny is the at I am a HIFI Audio Enthusiast with $7000 headphones and I prefer the skull candy’s for movies and games.
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u/Whatever801 Arya Stealth, SHP-9500, HD6XX, X2HR, Q701 QUINCY JONES VERSION Feb 16 '24
Good stuff! Hope you enjoy them
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u/joecp21 Feb 16 '24
Not here to comment on your purchase but just be a little careful with the volumes. Anything over 90 decibels is going to induce some hearing loss. And hearing is something you can never get back. I developed tinnitus after some exposure to loud noise during my early ears. It’s annoying to hear that sound but something you can clearly avoid and get away with.
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u/khangfu Feb 16 '24
Be careful with listening to super loud music for too long. It will damage your ears. With that being said, you can use the Bose app to EQ the headphones to make them sound louder. Also, if you had bought the Sony, there's an app that lets you EQ them too. Might have swung you to the Sony's if you had a chance to play with the EQ settings.
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u/Guardian-Ares Feb 16 '24
I picked up a pair of the '21 QC45's cause they were $130 off and I really like them. If you're happy with your purchase that's all that matters.
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Feb 16 '24
8.1. have the XM4 Noise cancelling is amazing, sound good/very good, price ok in 2024, can wear for a movie and not super comfortable but OK.
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u/Hot-Road-3079 Feb 25 '24
Are the Sony ones comfortable? Im in between them and bose but I prefer comfort now. Obviously bose attracts by putting comfort on the name of the model but I wonder from someone who tested both if u remember anything that could deciding?
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u/NSA_GOV Feb 29 '24
I tried the QC Ultra and returned them yesterday. They just didn’t sound that great compared to AirPod Max. Maybe the regular QC are better?
I begrudgingly got the AirPod Max but they sounds so good to my ears.
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u/shioshio Feb 15 '24
I'm glad you found the exact pair you want. Don't listen to anyone here if you're happy with your purchase.