The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones maintain the hallmarks of the brand's predecessor in terms of leading active noise cancelation performance, all-day comfort and stability, super- simple controls, rock-solid connectivity, and an update to the iconic design that made QCs one of the most recognizable wearables ever. The QuietComfort 45 headphones will be available starting September 23, 2021 for $329.95.
"QuietComfort headphones are legendary for a reason," says Mehul Trivedi, category director, Bose wearable audio. "What started as a product for traveling became a product that makes every day better and easier for millions of people all over the world. Our customers have told us for years that it’s the balance of benefits that make a QuietComfort so different and indispensable. They’ve always been a great example of excelling where it matters most. And the QC45s are no different."
While for most consumers, the Bose QuietComfort headphones remain a icon for noise-cancelling headphones, for Bose, the new flagship product is actually the awkwardly named and marketed Bose Headphones 700, which offer more customization, with 11 levels of noise cancelling. The Bose Headphones 700 have also been designed to offer the convenience of capacitive touch controls and hands-free access to Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. Nevertheless, the almost 3 years-old design is now behind in battery life, offering up to 20 hours of use, while the new QuietComfort 45 headphones are now able to work for 24 hours.
The most important change is that the QuietComfort 45 headphones feature just two settings, both achieved using a new active noise cancellation system and new electronics package. In Quiet Mode, the microphones positioned inside and outside the earcups combine with a proprietary processor to sense, measure, and respond to more unwanted sounds in mid-range frequencies — those typically found in commuter trains, busy office spaces, and cafés. "The now famous “whoosh” associated with Bose noise cancelling technology happens in a fraction of a millisecond to tune out entirely, or enjoy music, podcasts, or movies with lifelike clarity, detail, and no distractions," Bose explains.
The main reason for the upgrade is the new Aware Mode (aka transparency) which leverages the updates microphone array to let environmental sounds in, and effectively remove the feeling of wearing headphones. When the QC45 headphones switch to full transparency, everything is heard again, allowing interactions and awareness, without ever taking the headphones off.
For phone calls and voice commands, users can also share their noise cancellation. A beamforming array isolates the user's voice, while a rejection array dampens and blocks the surrounding audible distractions — like a coffee grinder or barking dog — from being picked up and transmitted to whomever they’re talking to. That means friends, family, coworkers, and personal assistants can hear what’s being said, paving the way for more productive Zoom meetings, happier video chats, and more accurate VPA responses on everything from text dictation to getting directions to controlling a smart home.
The QC45 builds on the iconic design of its predecessor, maintaining all the elements that made it an identifiable classic, and all the comfort and stability that made it an all-day-everyday headphone. The improvements are there but are hardly noticeable. Pleats and puckers have been removed from soft materials like the cushions, gaps between components have been replaced with smooth transitions, and construction and materials are more durable, and lightweight.
Impact resistant glass-filled nylon reinforces the headband to protect against falls and maintain its shape. Custom cast metal hinges on each pivot point make sure the headphones remain strong and durable. And the luxuriously plush synthetic leather on the earcup cushions and top of the headband ensures a great tactile experience and all-day comfort. The headphones fold flat to store in the included compact carrying case, which also holds the included 12" USB-C/A charging cable and 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio cable.
Bose engineered the QC45 headphones to maximize its existing TriPort acoustic architecture and volume-optimized Active EQ, to improve the audio reproduction experience. The proprietary TriPort design vents the earcups to add depth and fullness — all without increasing their size. And the volume-optimized Active EQ allows a consistent frequency target response curve independently of volume differences. Bass stays consistent when the user turns down the volume.
The QuietComfort 45 headphones have four buttons on the right earcup: volume up, volume down, power, and Bluetooth pairing, and one for the most common tasks — to answer and end calls, play and pause music, and access to native VPAs. There’s another button on the left earcup to toggle between Modes and to mute the mic during calls. The Bose Music app offers additional help for setup and use, including multi-point connections supported by Bluetooth 5.1 for iOS and Android devices — and Bose SimpleSync to pair a QC45 with compatible Bose Soundbars for home viewing. Bluetooth connection remains Class 2, working within 30 feet (9 meters) from the source device.
As already discussed, the QC45 headphones have up to 24 hours of battery life — outlasting the longest flights in the world, or allowing a full day and night of back-to-back conference calls. The updated design now charges via USB-C, which means that it takes only two hours for a full charge, and a quick 15 minutes for three hours of playback.
Bose kept the color choices for the QuietComfort QC45 restricted to Triple Black and White Smoke, both with a beautiful matte finish.
www.bose.com
