Bose has some new over-ear headphones. The QuietComfort Extremely Headphones change the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 as Bose’s range-toppers, and if our hands-on is something to go by, they appear mighty spectacular.
However can they compete with the five-star Apple AirPods Max? That is what we’re right here to search out out.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones vs Apple AirPods Max: value
The Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones are pitched as a premium pair, and priced accordingly. They’ll value £450 / $429 (AU$649) after they go on sale in October. That is nonetheless a good bit cheaper than the AirPods Max, which retail for £549 / $549 / AU$899. However there is a twist…
Specifically that the AirPods Max are three years outdated now, and so do go on sale for a value a lot nearer to the QuietComfort Extremely. On the time of writing, there’s solely £50 in it. And we have seen them drop as little as £420 / $450 / AU$800 previously. So do not – ahem – low cost the AirPods Max.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones vs AirPods Max: design
Bose has had loads of expertise making premium wi-fi headphones, and it reveals. The Extremely mix tactile surfaces and premium supplies in a really enticing bundle. However there’s operate in addition to type – they fold flat and get even smaller due to their hinges. Stick them within the carry case they usually’ll take up minimal area in your bag. Which isn’t one thing that may be stated concerning the AirPods Max.
The Bose headphones are snug, being comparatively light-weight and with a grip that is not too tight. And the scarf has loads of room for changes.
You management them utilizing a capacitive contact strip, which is sweet and responsive, and a button to which you’ll assign completely different features like switching listening modes and answering calls.
The headphones are available in both a Black or White Smoke end.
That is far fewer than the AirPods Max, which boast 5 completely different color choices: Silver, Area Gray, Sky Blue, Pink and Inexperienced. The Max are additionally extra spectacular when it comes to supplies, with pristinely machined, single-piece anodised aluminium ear cups, a stainless-steel headband and memory-foam cushions. All this does make them fairly heavy, at 385g, although it is distributed so evenly that they by no means really feel weighty or uncomfortable.
Controls? You get a button for switching between noise-cancelling modes and a dial impressed by the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown. Typical for an Apple product, they are a delight to make use of.
Much less so the case. Not solely does it look ridiculous, it additionally does a poor job of defending the headphones. Not ideally suited while you’ve spent this sum of money.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones vs AirPods Max: options
So what makes these Bose headphones so Extremely? They’re the primary with Bose’s Immersive Audio tech, which is its personal tackle spatial audio. The concept is to make the audio sound much less prefer it’s being piped into your ears and extra prefer it’s coming from a pair of audio system.
You get two modes: Nonetheless and Movement. Nonetheless is for while you’re in a single place and need the music in a hard and fast place. Movement retains you immersed whereas on the transfer.
Qualcomm’s higher-quality aptX Adaptive codec is onboard, as is multipoint Bluetooth for connecting to – and switching between – a number of sources concurrently. Battery life is 24 hours with Immersive Audio turned off and 18 hours with it turned on.
That is just below the 20 hours of the AirPods Max, however each headphones provide lower than the 30 hours of rivals Sony WH-1000XM5 and B&W Px8, and round a 3rd of the 60 hours delivered by the Sennheiser Momentum Wi-fi 4.
The AirPods Max characteristic an Apple-made 40mm driver with a twin neodymium ring magnet motor. Apple claims that this design permits the AirPods Max to keep up whole harmonic distortion of lower than one per cent throughout your complete audible vary.
Every earcup options an Apple H1 chip to analyse data coming in from eight microphones round and contained in the headphones (a ninth microphone picks up your voice). This not solely helps the noise cancellation, however it additionally adjusts the sound 200 occasions a second to the match and seal round your ears.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones vs AirPods Max: noise cancelling
ANC is a serious characteristic of each headphones. Bose’s embrace the corporate’s CustomTune calibration and Conscious Mode with ActiveSense, which robotically adjusts the quantity of ANC you’re listening to primarily based in your environment, so your music isn’t drowned out by notably loud noises.
Bose claims to have improved name high quality within the over-ears too, with extra superior microphones in a beamform array that reduces the impression of exterior noise. Every earpiece has 5 microphones, up from 4 within the NC 700.
The noise cancelling appears spectacular. Throughout our transient hands-on demo, a band performed music that was combined reside and transmitted straight to the QuietComfort Extremely Headphones. When Bose fed exterior noise into the room, the ANC ramped up, retaining the band entrance and centre. However we’ll reserve our remaining judgement till we have given them a full evaluation (the headphones, not the band).
We have now absolutely examined the AirPods Max’s noise cancelling, and might confidently say that it is wonderful. Whereas others (just like the Sony XM5) are higher at blocking constants like engine noise, the Max nonetheless let little or no via, they usually’re marginally higher at inconsistent irritants like chitchat (and its terrible cousin, banter). The ANC does flatten the dynamics and barely soften the punch too although, so we’d advise leaving it switched off till you want it.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones vs AirPods Max: sound
We have not absolutely examined the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones, so cannot remark definitively on their sound high quality. However in our hands-on session, first impressions had been promising.
Bose was eager to point out off its new Immersive Audio tech, which took up the majority of the demo time. The Nonetheless mode gave a better sense of immersion with a fuller soundfield, a extra open presentation and extra spacious really feel. Turning Immersive Audio off, stereo appeared to sound somewhat flatter against this.
General, the cans appear to ship a good quantity of element, weighty bass and good dynamics. However we’ll must spend some correct evaluation time with these headphones earlier than we are able to ship a remaining verdict.
No such points with the AirPods Max – we have been residing with them for nigh-on three years now, they usually sound as spectacular now as they did after they first launched again in 2020.
They’ve readability and power in spades, and it is all delivered with Apple’s impartial sonic stability. The openness and spaciousness make it sound as if you happen to’re sitting within the room because the musicians mess around you. They do not shrink back from exhibiting up poor recordings, notably within the excessive finish due to their very good treble.
They’re nice for motion pictures too, with spatial audio offering a digital encompass sound expertise from 5.1, 7.1 and even Dolby Atmos content material. Not solely that, however built-in head monitoring signifies that the sound is all the time relative to the display, even while you transfer your head or the iPhone or iPad on which you’re watching.
All instructed, the impact is excellent. The entire presentation may be very open, spacious and convincing, and the monitoring is amazingly clean and correct as you progress your head.
Android person? Knock no less than a star off the AirPods Max’s rating, as sure iOS-only options aren’t obtainable to you.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones vs Apple AirPods Max: early verdict
We’re but to check the Bose correctly – the closest we have come is a hands-on demo. However they definitely look thrilling on paper. They’re cheaper than the AirPods Max, provide Bose’s new tackle spatial audio, and have an upgraded model of Bose’s noise cancelling, which was already among the best choices round. If Bose can nail the sound high quality, they may very well be a incredible, to not point out cheaper various to the AirPods Max.
We’ll replace this web page as soon as we have given the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones a full evaluation.
MORE:
Learn our first impressions of the brand new Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones
Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Bose 700: Bose’s outgoing wi-fi noise-cancelling headphones in contrast
Apple spatial audio: what’s it? How do you get it? And is it like Dolby Atmos?
I switched from the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II to the Sony XM5 and… I’m torn
