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 enlarge | Brand: Bose
Category: CE
Buy Used: $135.00
New (4) from $269.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  219 reviews
Color: Silver
Media: Electronics
Model: 2 Acoustic Noise Cancelling
UPC: 017817377218
EAN: 0017817377218
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Great for Planes, Trains, and Automobiles June 10, 2006
75 out of 77 found this review helpful
First, I am going to discuss the options for noise canceling headphones. Then, I am going to go into detail about the Bose QC2 headphones.
If you are looking for a great pair of high-end traditional headphones that cup your ear, you are looking in the right place; the Bose QuietComfort 2s are for you! If you are an audiophile (probably not if you are considering buying something from Bose) then look at the Sennheiser HD 650s ($400). If you don't have a large budget and want reasonable noise-canceling, then look at the Sony MDR-NC6s ($35). If you like the supra-aural style of the Sony MDR-NC6s, but want a higher quality headphone, then wait for the Bose QuietComfort 3s ($349, release date June 15, 2006). If you are looking for noise canceling while operating landscaping equipment and OK audio performance, then look at John Deere's Noise Canceling Headset ($89). If you are looking for a really lightweight supra-aural noise canceling headset, then consider the Sennheiser PXC 300 ($150). Finally, if you want noise-caneling ear canal headphones, then the Etymotic Research ER6i's ($85) are for you.
The QC2 comes in two flavors: champagne and silver (2005). The older champagne version has a problem with the headband breaking. If the headband breaks during your warranty period, Bose will send you a brand new pair of silver QC2s. The only other major difference between the two flavors is that the silver headphones work with Bose's cell-connect accessory. The cell-connect connects your compatible cellphone (there's a list on Bose.com) to the QC2s and has a mic. I personally don't know why one would need this accessory... but it's a neat add-on. I have used the cell-connect and QC2s with my Motorola E815 with no problems (other than the fact that I wasn't sure how loud to talk).
The QC2s shine when worn on airplanes, trains, and public transit. They are also very good in the office to drown out the hums of air conditioning and computers. THEY do not make it completely quiet. High-frequency sounds such as people talking are NOT canceled out.
I find the QC2s to be very comfortable. Make sure to test them out before you buy them, because the circumaural design is not for everyone. The headphones come with everything you need--1/4" and 3.5mm connectors, a great semi-hard shell case, and more. The strap for the case is not included with the silver headphones. The earcups on the headphones swivel to flatten and fit inside the case. An iPod can easily fit inside the case, and an iPod Nano can reportedly fit inside the small clear velcro case that initially holds "customer courtesy cards" (which are business cards that you can give to people that ask about your QC2s).
Make sure to stock up on AAA batteries for the QC2s. The QC3s use a custom Bose rechargable lithium battery instead. Battery life is good, and a light will blink on the side of the headphones when your battery is low.
Overall, I'm very satisfied with my QC2s, and I think other people are too. I even saw someone wearing them while driving! (Don't do that).
 Pricey for the performance December 8, 2005
51 out of 53 found this review helpful
I purchased both this item and the Sennheiser at the same time to see which was the better purchase. Both my wife and I tested them and independently (we did a blind vote so to speak) and both concluded the Sennheiser was equivalent noise reduction and sound quality - at half the price. We returned the bose and purchased three more Sennheiser's for ourselves and our boys.
tom
side-by-side comparison of Sony MDR-NC50 & Bose QuietComfort 2 January 31, 2006
47 out of 53 found this review helpful
I was reading about noise canceling headphones because there is this loud noisy AC unit over my cube at work. Also, I am planning a trip to China.
My buddy let me try his Bose QuietComfort 2 head phones. The Bose did eliminate the noise. I was impressed, but the price of $299 was a little steep. Then I read all of the reviews on the Sony MDR-NC50 for $123 and decided to get a pair.
In a quiet space, I first tried the Sony MDR-NC50s and then the Bose QuietComfort 2s.
The Sony's are known for needing a high volume level. The Bose have a switch on the plug for low and high input. The Sony's do not. The Bose uses its internal circuitry to amplify the sound and they stop playing when you turn the noise cancellation off.
The results are: I noticed immediately the Sony has a slight (annoying) hiss when I first switched on the noise cancellation with no music. I then tried on the Bose, and no hiss; they were full quieting.
The noise cancellation of both the Sony and the Bose was essentially very close. The AC unit is pretty loud. Haven't tried either one on an airplane or commercial jet yet.
In this comparison test, I then played a number of things such as classical, classic jazz and a little Pink Floyd. All CDs, no MP3s.
Switching the Sony's on and off is when I discovered the loss of sound quality with the noise cancellation on. When I turned the noise cancellation off, the loss was restored.
Starting at about 1 kHz, the frequency response was not flat. The MDR-NC50s seemed to have a noticeable round off in the higher frequencies. To very this, I put on the Bose and then the MDR-NC50s. There is definitely distortion in the upper frequency range. The MDR-NC50s are not that clear and vivid with the noise cancellation turned on. The Bose are much improved. But the bass was somewhat less. On the Sony's the bass was a little better.
Also, both my Sony Walkman devices pay too softly through the Sony's. I have to turn up the volume all the way. With the Bose, there is plenty of volume.
Well, the Bose are defiantly better, fidelity wise and noise wise. They have no disheartening loss of fidelity and absolutely no annoying background hiss. Also, they require much less volume.
The things about the Sony's that are better are: the bass is better, they are less than half the cost of the Bose, they look like they are more durable, and the battery lasts a little longer.
But, if you are an audiophile like me, the Bose are better. I am returning the Sony's and I ordered the Bose.
Several times the cost of competing products. Then again it's not much of a competition. May 11, 2006
43 out of 44 found this review helpful
As a consultant I traveled 2-3 days per week. I spent a lot of time listening to one-sided cell phone conversations, inane chatter, jet engines, train noise and bad music in coffee shops and airport concourses. I purchased the Bose Quiet Comfort headphones right before I departed on a 5 day, 3 city trip.
From the moment I put them on I knew this was a breakthrough product. Sure - I noticed something akin to pressure on my ears but that sensation passed in a few minutes. It's just like getting used to wearing a watch - you end up not noticing it at all after a short time. What has not passed is the joy in letting the rest of the world just fall away so that I can get some down time while traveling.
Not only was the background noise from the plane's engines gone, but I could actually turn the volume down on my Creative Zen Vision much lower than would be the case with other headphones because the music wasn't competing with the roar of the engines.
The same with the volumn while watching movies - I didn't have to crank up the volume just to hear what was being said. I could even hear the dialogue of movies played on my laptop and those played by the airline. I cannot emphasize this point enough - for the first time ever, I could actually hear music and videos without cranking up the volume to the max - saving my ears from damage as well as avoiding dirty looks from my fellow passengers.
On my honeymoon, my wife and I both brought along a pair. Being able to distance ourselves from all the background noise really did increase the relaxation factor and allowed us to travel 12 hours each way in relative peace. Speaking of honeymoons - this item would be a GREAT wedding gift. There is nothing worse than to spend your time enroute to some fabulous tropical destination for your honeymoon listening to the kids behind you scream while their father snores away.
Even at home, my wife will sometimes wear her headphones while reading. It completely eliminates any noise from the television in the next room.
Contrary to what one other reviewer has stated, the sound from these headphones is anything but distorted. I find that I can hear subtleties in music that I cannot hear over my home entertainment system. The fact that I can still hear these subtleties while in a loud environment is an added bonus.
You probably will not wear these headphones while in the gym (though I have actually seen people wearing them while on the treadmill at my local gym - the same type of people that wear designer workout shorts). There are also times where you don't need noise reduction. For these times, I have inexpensive headphones. I would not however deduct any points from Bose for making a specialty set of headphones just because they are not perfect for all situations. I would not take points off my favorite leather jacket because I can't wear it to the beach in July.
Yes, these things are expensive. But if you feel the need to shield yourself from the pervasive noise of the modern world, there really is no substitute on the market.
Update on 5/12/2006 - A friend of mine had an interesting observation when she tried these headphones. She's a violinist and said that she did not think the feelings in her ears was 'pressure'. Rather she commented that she thinks the feeling is actually the response of the ears to a lack of normal background noise. We spend all our time being bombarded by an array of sounds. When those sounds disappear, the ears are confused and express this as a feeling of pressure. That's only her theory but it makes some sense to me. I scuba dive a few times a year and I know what pressure in the ears feels like. The feeling I used to notice while wearing my bose headphones wasn't anything like that kind of pressure - either in feel or magnitude. It's interesting to note that the absence of sound may be able to cause a physical reaction.
Update on 6/6/2006
Just came home from vacation in Hawaii. On Kauai I took a helicopter tour. The company running the tours, Blue Hawaii, provided Bose noise cancelling headphones on the flight. Many of the other companies in Kauai did not offer noise cancelling headphones.
A few minutes in to the flight I took the headphones off to see what the noise level would be like. It was close to deafening and I could not even hear myself speaking loudly. I put the headphones on and the noise became little more than an after thought. If you find yourself looking to take a helicopter tour at some point in the future, make sure you find a company that offers Bose on its tours.
Much better build-quality than the previous QuietComfort 2's... October 13, 2005
36 out of 37 found this review helpful
First, let me explain how I came to own this version of the QC2's. I bought a pair about two years ago. Within 6 - 8 months the casing where the metal extension band is joined to the earpiece section cracked and then disintegrated. I took them back to the Bose store, which replaced them with no questions asked. Six months later the second pair disentegrated at the same point; back to the Bose store where they gave me a third pair. By this time I no longer had my original receipt, but the store didn't argue, which suggested to me that this was a known design deficiency. Eight months later, same problem, even though I'd handled the third pair so gingerly I didn't think they could possibly disintegrate. I went back to the store once more, and they gave me my current pair, which represents a new version, even though they didn't rename them (a la QC 3's). According to the rep, Bose redesigned the joint and substituted a different plastic. You can clearly see the difference in the joint, and the plastic is a slightly different color. Also, the earpiece plastic, which was a gunmetal color in the original QC 2's, is now silver
The sound of the previous generation, while not true audiophile quality, was very good, and the comfort and noise-canceling feature overcame any audio deficiencies. I have a home recording studio where I primarily use Sony MDR 7506's. Those have better audio fidelity than the Bose, but they aren't nearly as comfortable to wear for a prolonged period. I can wear the QC2's for hours without discomfort; the Sony's start to annoy me after 30 minutes.
The store rep told me they slightly "improved" the audio characteristics in this modified version. The only audio difference I've really noticed though is that this version is significantly less loud than the earlier one. With the old version, I seldom maxed out the volume when using them with my iPod. With the new ones, I find that I max out the volume pretty regularly. Still, I look forward to these being sturdier and more reliable.
A word about Bose customer service. I got no resistance during any of my three trips to the store to get the broken units replaced. I was in and out of the store in each case in less than 10 minutes with a replacement pair, and I didn't even have the original receipt on the 3rd and 4th visits. The store guys were profusely aplogetic each time, and when they gave me the latest set, they even issued me a new receipt so the one-year warranty would start anew. That means they've given me three years of warranty coverage, and four pairs of headphones. I'm amazed, given the abysmal state of customer service these days. Admittedly, at $300 a pair, the service should be outstanding, but I've been disappointed more than once by the "customer service" provided by companies that sell premium-priced products (so far, Apple Computer has been the worst example I've encountered - try getting them to fix or replace a defective product; bring your lawyer!)
In conclusion, if you're thinking of getting these, be sure and get the newest generation. They're still called QC2's, but they're easily distinguished from their predecessor by the silver color on the headset (vs. the older gunmetal finish). Stay away from the old ones; they will eventually break no matter how gently you handle them. Also, if you can, buy directly from a Bose store. I've heard some horror stories here and elsewhere about owners dealing with Bose via phone and the web and running into the kind of experiences I've had with Apple. The stores are much more like Lexus dealerships; if you have a problem, they take care of it with no fuss (at least in my multiple experiences).
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