 Bose QC15 vs. Sennheiser PXC 450 vs. Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7b |
| Review Date: December 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Joshua Brooks, |
Disclosure: I have tried all these on an airplane. I am not an audiophile. Noise Cancelation is the most important attribute to me.
The Carrying Case: All three are quite durable and stiff.
1.) Bose- the smallest, a low profile, room for an Ipod, accessories too.
2.) Sennheiser- Square shape, low profile, however not a lot of room for anything else in case.
3.) Audio Technica- Nice big case if you want to carry extra stuff (Nintendo DS, ipod, etc).
Build Quality:
1.) Sennheiser- you can tell this is built VERY well. Strong plastics, good components, thick cord. Top notch. You feel like you are getting something really high quality.
2.) Audio Technica- Nice solid construction, appears durable.
3.) Bose- If this had a Sanyo logo on the side, I would not have flinched. How can something $300 be so incredibly cheaply made.
Size:
1.) Bose- as far as over the ears go, these are pretty small.
2.) Audio-Technica- mid-sized.
3.) Sennheiser- These are big. No question, but they store flat.
Comfort:
1.) Sennheiser- Very comfortable, will fit almost any size ears. Keep on for hours.
2.) Bose- Also comfortable. I did not experience "highs" discomfort.
3.) Audio-Technica- Perfectly satisfactory. Larger opening than previous AT model.
Sound:
1.) Sennheiser- I actually wore these at home too, simply to hear parts of songs I had never heard before. Astounding. My 10yr old music collection sounded totally NEW.
2.) Audio-Technica- Well balanced, good sound.
3.) Bose- Great sound, but very heavy on the bass. I listen to a lot of rap and pop, so it was mildly annoying. I ultimately had to turn my treble settings up on my ipod to balance the sound.
Features:
1.) Sennheiser- nice cord, push to talk button (temporarily mutes NC and sound which is great for interruptions on airplanes).
2.) Bose/Audio Technica- just the basics. Bose simply an on/off switch.
Price:
1.) Audio Technica- $150 to $225 depending on how you shop.
2.) Sennheiser- $200 to $275
3.) Bose- Hard to find below $300+.
Noise Cancelation:
1.) Bose- No question here, far surpassed the other two. Best Noise Cancelation.
2.) Audio-Technica- Good Noise Cancelation.
3.) Sennheiser- Not sure what happened here. Incredible sound, satisfactory noise cancelation.
Summary:
I ultimately kept the Bose because I was only using these for flying and the Sennheiser's (as much as I loved them) let me down in the Noise Cancelation department. The Sennheiser's had by far the most superior sound, but the Bose Noise Cancelation was night and day. The Bose are made very poorly for a $300+ product, it was disappointing.
Final assessment:
Audio-Technica- best balance of value for money
Sennheiser- Best sound and comfort
Bose- Best Noise Cancelation
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Wonderful for the price, not quite as good as the Bose QC side-by-side, but close
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| Review Date: October 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Baliana, San Francisco, CA |
When I was initially trying to decide between the Bose QC2 and this, it was a bit hard to find someone who had done a side-by-side comparison. So here it is, hopefully future buyers can benefit from this review.
So, I ended up buying both the Bose QC2 for myself, and the Audio Technica ATH-ANC7B for the wife (sorry wifey). I am a bit of an Audiophile, so the first thing I did after getting both was to do a side-by-side test.
In one sentence, I like Bose better for sound and comfort, and ATH better for the price and noise cancellation.
Pros of the Bose QC2:
- Sound is fuller and warmer
I was listening to Josh Groban, and you can truly hear his Alto voice clearly, full, and warm. ATH, on the other hand, sounds a bit tighter, with the midrange a bit distant, and hence not as warm and full.
- More natural
ATH's bass is quite strong, and treble is also quite clear. But overall Bose sounds more natural, covering more range of the bass and midrange, with slightly less strong on the treble. For the Audiophile out there, a good way to think of the difference is to compare the sound when you have an equalizer set to Rock/Disco vs. when you leave the equalizer off.
Also note, however, that my wife could not tell the difference in sound quality between the two, even on a side-by-side test. She is not an Audiophile like me. So, consider the sound difference to be fairly small.
- More comfortable to the ears
QC2's padding is softer. The tension is also less on the ear (lighter spring). The size may also makes a difference. In short, overall the ears feel more comfortable. I can wear the QC2 for hours without noticing.
Pros of the ATH-ANC7B:
- Better price (of course)
- Better noise cancellation, slightly. I didn't try this at a super noisy environment, but I did have the dishwasher running nearby. Without music, ATH sounds quieter overall. Once music is on, hard to tell the difference.
The other thing I didn't like as much of the ATH is the sound leakage. I can hear the music when my wife is wearing it - could be annoying to a fellow passenger.
I am also getting the Bose QC15. Will write more when I have it in a few days.
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Quietcomfort for a great grandfather
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| Review Date: November 30, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Alfred G. Rillo, Santee, CA USA |
I live with my Granddaughter, her husband and 2 great grandchildren; ages 4 and 2. This will be the third generation of children I have lived with. At my age, the playful, noisy children really stress me out. Sometimes I lose it and yell at them and hate myself later for losing my temper.
The first day I got these headsets, I enjoyed a full afternoon of peaceful bliss. I can watch TV and listen to music without interruption. They are comfortable enough to wear all day. The only complaint is that I missed taking my pills because I couldn't hear the timer.
Because of these headphones, happy days are here again. |
About the sound leakage!
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| Review Date: September 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Andre Luis Boll, Sao Paulo, Brazil |
Ok, let's be serious now. I own the original Audio-Technica ATHANC7 Noise-cancelling Headphones and I know many people complain about the sound leakage issue. I tell you something, there are only 3 ways this problem could happen: either people are listening to VERY LOUD music and then the leakage happens, OR they don't test it correctly, OR they got defective units.
First of all, nobody listens to headphones on the highest volume setting. It's insane. If you're listening to music like that, you have a serious hearing problem. It hurts your ears, people!
Second, people should be wearing the headphones so that other people can check for leakage. I'm sure many people just lay the headphones down on a table or cushion and pump the volume all the way up. Come on people, of course there will be leakage that way, the table or cushion do not fill the earpads as your head should.
Finally, I guess if your unit really has a problem, you can always return it and ask for another one, right? Or at least ask for a refund...
Also, here's a little comment on the bass sound. Some people complain that it fades or isn't clear or whatever. You guys know it also depends on the music you're listening to, and the player you are using, right? Please, PLEASE check if your EQ is not set to 'Treble Booster' before writing your review. Remember that music straight from a CD is already equalized by the sound engineers/mixers, so the perfect way to check for bass is a non-equalized player (be it an Ipod, LP player, or a freaking WALKMAN).
I bought mine new for US$ 104, less than half the price at the time, and it was the best deal I made in years. If I had bought it here in Brasil, it would have cost me around US$750, the same as a Bose QC3 (yes, lot of taxes over here). It has a great sound quality, blocks efficiently most of noise from outside, has a solid, comfortable and well-thought construction, looks good, and battery life is great. And for what I think, it's better to have a sturdy pair of headphones that won't break in 5 minutes than having a brand-expensive flimsy headphone such as the Bose.
It may not be the perfect can for audiophiles, but come on: audiophiles know that the perfect place to listen to music is NOT aboard a noisy airplane, right?
Tks for your time. ;)
EDIT: As user Brian C. Pierce commented, there may be real quality control issues with this and the previous models. Hopefully it was only a few batches from the factory, and I sure am not one of the unlucky guys who got a defective unit.
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Best-in-class, at nearly half the price of the heavily-advertised alternative.
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| Review Date: August 26, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Tony Polito, Greenville, North Carolina |
Point-blank, an awesome product/solution.
The sound quality is off the charts and these over-the-ears seal off and/or cancel out every drop of sound during an airplane flight. Though they don't fold up, the earpieces turn so it packs flat into a well-thought-out, quality carry case ... and the superiority of the product makes it well worth putting up with something less compact.
Too bad there's been a serious price increase. I snagged the original release of this product, the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7 QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones (note the missing "b" in the model number) here on Amazon for about $125. From looking at the company's website, I can't find any (non-cosmetic) difference in the two models.
There's a lot of thought put into the design of this product as well as into the quality of the build and materials. For example, to replace the battery (in the original version), you just flip down a hinged strip on the outside of the earpiece, drop the new battery down the chute, then snap the strip back shut. QED. I've seen/owned headsets where you have to twist off one of the earpads, where you had to tote a battery box built into the middle of the cord, and all sorts of other whatnot.
Another example of the detail/thought built into the product: the wire that connects the headphones to the MP3 player (or whatever). The wire is plug-in/plug-out (at both ends). That means that if it wears out, or if it's too long/short or whatever, you can simply replace it (instead of having to trash the entire unit or having to do brain-surgery on it). That also means it's quick&easy to pack. And the tips are gold-plated. And one end/tip is done as a 90-degree/right-angle, if that works better for you. [ Personally, I use this Scosche 3.5mm Retractable MP3 Cable - - under five smackers, packs/unpacks in a jiffy, and you just pull it to the exact length that suits you. ]
I've compared these ATs to that other certain well-hyped & heavily-advertised brand of noise-cancellers -- which are hanging everywhere from Best Buy to airport kiosks so you can try them out -- and these ATs sound better ... and at around one-half the current price (& nearly a third compared to what I paid).
Yes, you stand out wearing a large set of over-the-ear headphones. Once, I was given an airline employee discount in the airport food court ... simply because I had them draped around my neck (well, I had a suit and tie on as well). But I really don't care if other travelers spot them as a bit odd/huge, I mean the whole purpose of these things is to tune all of them out anyway!
I upgraded to these ATs after a four-year affair with a pair of Kensington Noise Cancelling Headphones, using those almost exclusively in-flight. The upgrade was worth every durn penny. |
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