Today I wandered into a Bose store and asked to see the new in-ear noise-cancelling headphones. I didn’t expect too much but I was surprised. I was abslutely astounded, not by the sound of music but by the silence. After plugging in the earpods and switching on the noise cancelling device (a fairly hefty in-line rechargeable block, only a fraction smaller than an Apple remote) I was in almost complete silence. I could hardly hear the sales assistant, just the high tones of her voice, but the silence spoke more than words. I was smitten on the spot.
The astonishing thing is that Bose has managed to achieve this level of noise reduction in such a small earpod which rests just inside the ear but not inside the canal. I own the larger Bose Quiet Comfort 15 over-ear phones and, frankly, the level of noise reduction on the new earpods is as good, if not better.
The QC15s are hefty and come in a rigid case which offers good protection but makes for a bulky addition to airline hand luggage. Often I’ll put the QCs on my packing list and then remove them when squeezing all the necessary paraphernalia into a small carry-on bag. I cannot remember the last time I actually travelled with them. With the new earpods there are no such reservations and I am sure I would carry them with me at all times.
I am tempted. The only snag is the enormous price tag. At £260 the QC20i phones are the same price as their bigger brother and will be more easily lost (I have a Masters in losing earphones). Still, the results are extraordinary, even without experiencing the music reproduction. I could definitely live with a pair of these earphones if I can muster the cash.
At such price, if cables are not detachable, that is the major drawback. Because these plastic/rubber does not last more than two years if you use it a lot. And if it can’t simply get replaced, it would be a really luxury short life span toy! Bose needs to think! So do the customers.