I’ve been devout fan of not only Sony headphones but also being wireless. For
the last few years I have been using the Sony MDR10RBT Bluetooth Wireless
Headphones.
There was a lot to like with them. They were quite
comfortable to wear for extended periods of time with glasses. They got 30+
hours of use on a single charge. I thought they sounded great as well, both
wired and over bluetooth.
The problem with them, which wasn’t evident when I first got them is that they
were quite bulky for travel. Perfect for desk use just not as compact as I’d
like for flying. The lack of noise cancelling meant that I would have to turn
them up pretty loud to drown out the plane engines. After they started to show a
bit of wear on the cushions, I decided to trade them in and find something new.
Noise cancelling headphones have always made me feel closed off and
claustrophobic. Over the ear headphones would pinch my glasses and cause
problems after prolonged use. Then one day I tried the Bose QuietComfort
25s at the local Target.
They impressed me with how comfortable they were. They didn’t make me feel
claustrophobic but still made me feel like I had shut off the world. I think it
may have been because the cups sit around your ears and not don’t pinch against
it to create a seal.
When looking for recommendations, I couldn’t ignore that almost everybody at
AppSumo have them. My buddy Justin has also been talking them up. He
said they are the item he would immediately replace if they were to get lost or
break.
Side note, if you want to make the Internet a better place with me and the rest
of the Sumos, we are hiring!
Even though I fell in love with the QC25s, I didn’t feel like they were going to
be as portable as I would like for travel. Marketing Sumo, Nat sang the
praises of the QC20’s portability and helped me with my decision. Also, I didn’t
care for the QC25’s need for a AAA battery instead of an internal rechargeable
battery. I’m also tired of having headphone indents in my hair from over the ear
headphones. #firstworldproblems
At this point, I’ve been using the QuietComfort 20s for Apple devices in white
for a couple of weeks. I love them and am unsure how I went so long without
them. There is also a separate model for Samsung devices if that’s your thing.
The included case is no larger than my iPhone 6 with a BulletTrain SAFE Waller
(review to come). The headphones feel sturdier than the Apple EarPods I was
using before their arrival.
Even though I’m not a fan of wires, they do have their advantages for
headphones. No Bluetooth pairing issues on my older devices. Consistent sound
quality. No lag when using the built-in control. Not just that, when the battery
dies, the headphones continue to work. In fact, you can charge the battery while
using noise cancellation!
Some of my friends said they don’t always use the noise cancellation, saving
battery. I almost always have it on and have to charge every few days. I’ve
spent years of cranking the volume to drown out the world. It’s been nice to
listen at a reasonable volume and achieve the same effect.
The QC20s come with the headphones, case, a short micro-USB cable for charging
and 3 sizes of tips. The medium tips come pre-installed and I felt they were a
bit tight in my ears. I ended up switching to the small tips for about a week
and a half before feeling like they were a bit too loose. Theory is that the
tips need broken in.
I do have two minor gripes with the QC20s, both related to the noise
cancellation. First, I find the battery module to be somewhat awkward.
Especially when I have my phone in my pocket and I have the module hanging
outside of my pocket. There are phone cases out there that address this but I am
already committed to my existing case.
The other thing is that I feel there should be a button to pause noise
cancellation as well as pause your music. There are two buttons for this and I
find their positioning makes it hard to hit both with one hand. If they were
were on opposite instead of adjacent sides, it would be easier to snap both in
one fluid shot.
People immediately start talking when they see you hit a button because they
assume you can hear them. Pausing the track and I can’t hear you well since
noise cancellation is on. Pausing noise cancellation and I can’t hear you well
because the music is still playing. Minor inconvenience but an inconvenience
nonetheless.
Even though I was targeting portability, I have yet to leave the house with
them. That said, I have no doubt that their smaller footprint will be a pleasure
to travel with. The noise cancellation will improve my time in the air or if I
ever stop being a recluse and work from a coffee shop.
Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones – Love ‘em.
Well worth the price. Would definitely buy again. May buy a pair for the wife
too.
