New headphones from Bose create a lot of consumer buzz; which is a fail on the part of the high-end industry because there are so many other alternatives from great brands like Sennheiser, Master & Dynamic, Sony, and 1More. The reality is that most consumers know Bose and that explains the interest surrounding the forthcoming Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones.
Their award-winning QuietComfort noise-cancelling headphones have been around for almost 5 years and they are the best-selling headphones in the category. Bar none.
Audiophiles love to bash Bose and we’re starting to wonder if that level of fervent hatred is based on anything real. Why do you hate Bose?
The Bose QuietComfort noise-cancelling headphones may not be our favorite based on sound quality alone (we give the nod to the Sony WH-1000XM4), but let’s give credit where credit is due.
Bose has done a fantastic job with the noise-cancelling aspect and need to be considered the leaders in this category.
Apple has also taken a sizable chunk of the market with its AirPods Max so Bose is no longer running away with the title.
But with the new Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones on the horizon with an official launch date of September 23rd in N. America — it felt like the perfect time to take a closer look.
They don’t look very different from the previous model — but you will notice that that the ear cups are not the same. There are vents designed into them to improve the soundstage width and depth when listening.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 feature synthetic leather on the cups and headband for a more comfortable wear, while glass-filled nylon reinforces the headband to protect against falls from your head or hands while running through the airport and to help maintain the shape.
Bose claim that the new QuietComfort 45 headphones are good for 24 hours of use before needing a recharge, a full one of which will take two-and-a-half-hours.
A quick 15-minute charge will give you two-and-a-half hours of playback. They can also connect to two devices at once, so you can switch from listening to music on your tablet to taking a handsfree call on your phone.
Bose has earned the right to claim that the QuietComfort Series are the “most popular headphone for frequent flyers” and they have maintained the foldable design that fits nicely inside your bag.
The brand has rejected fancy colors over the years so it’s either Black or Smoke White still.
Listeners will be able to fine tune the tonal balance to their liking using Bose’s Active EQ app and battery life has gone from 20 hours to 24 hours with the new model.
Phone call clarity has also been improved with a new “beam form array” that helps with external noise rejection.
We plan on reviewing a pair in September. Stay tuned to see how they compare to the Sony and Apple AirPods Max.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 will run $329 at Bose.com (USD) or $449 at Bose.ca (CAN) in black or white smoke.
Bob Lafayette
October 8, 2021 at 12:59 pm
I purchased a pair of the Bose QC 45’s. On one level they’re terrific.
This is not my first time with Bose headphones and I am not quite a geek but I’m a pretty advanced smartphone user.
My smartphone is a OnePlus 9 pro 5G. T-Mobile is my service provider.
However when I have a conference call I attempt to use the headphones and the person on the other end typically says there’s lots of static and they can barely hear me.
I’m doing whatever research I can to determine if it’s the person with whom I’m speaking or the headphones.
When I stop using the headphones and speak strictly from the handset she hears me clearly.
What I mean is, is it possible that whatever comes out of my phone that is input through Bose QC45 Bluetooth headsets will get jargled on the other end to someone who’s also using a smartphone? I’ve yet to ask her if she is using headsets herself but the business conversations we have are not geared to that kind of analysis just yet.
Technology says no. But I’m trying to understand why she always has a bad connection with me when I’m using the Bose QC 45 headphones.
I’ve attempted conversations both with aware mode on and off.
I wonder if there are specific settings for the phone I’m using and or for the Bose app itself.
Any detailed suggestions will be gratefully appreciated.
Baffled in Dutchess County.
Ian White
October 8, 2021 at 1:37 pm
Bob,
I’m going to do a little research before answering but the Bose headphones are not the only ones that have that issue.
Ian White