Bose QuietComfort 35 II Headphone Review

As these headphones are designed to be used on the go with either a Bluetooth connection or wired, a designated headphone amp is not a necessity. 

Bose QuietComfort 35 II’s are built to be on the move. You can use it either with a cable or in Bluetooth mode. They are made from durable and lightweight materials. Although most of the body is made from plastic, it does not feel cheap. The metal plating on the cups adds extra protection and feels nice to the touch. The hinges of the cups move smoothly and allow to fold the headphones compactly so they fit in the small-sized traveling pouch. The headband is very flexible and allows for various head sizes. Overall this is a nicely built headphone appropriately to the price.

Right out of the box the QC35II are not even close to neutral frequency response and it changes whether the headphones are turned on or off.

First, let’s look at probably the most popular way these headphones are being used – turned on. This is possible either with a cable or Bluetooth connection. There is a mild low end bump but the real issue is with the high mid and high frequencies. A dip between 500 Hz and 2 kHz and uncomfortable resonances above the 5 kHz region colors the sound in the most unflattering way. Although the big ear cups are comfortable, the position of how they are placed on the ear noticeably alters the frequency response. 

When the headphones are turned off, the frequency response changes drastically. A significant 5 dB boost at 100 Hz and a massive, more than 7 dB void at 2 kHz region really shatters the clarity at the top end. Using these headphones turned off should be the last resort in case the battery dies. 

Up until 1 kHz, the difference between channels falls in 1 dB range but above that, depending on the unit, it may reach +/- 5 dB difference in some narrow resonances. Looking at the sample pool, it can be concluded that there is no channel balance consistency above 1 kHz. Some examples show very similar channels, but others show substantial differences.

The Bose QC35II are great over-ear headphones designed to be worn for long periods of time and would be a great pair to use for the daily commute or longer flights. The ear pads are quite big and fully cover the ear so there is no pressure on the pinna. For some people, this might be an issue, as the cup might move too much around the ear. Ear pads are soft and even after long usage, ears don’t heat up nor get sweaty. 

The biggest selling point on these headphones is the noise cancelling and it delivers. You can forget about the daily low end rumble of the city and dive into your tunes undisturbed. The Bluetooth connection is very stable and connects super fast. These are one of the best noise cancelling Bluetooth headphones in the game only rivaled by Sony WH-100XM3 and the rest 1000X series. You won’t get much audio work done with these though, but for your daily needs, these cans will leave you satisfied with your purchase.