Bose are considered the pioneers of Noise Cancelling Headphones for Frequent Flyers and Business Travlers, so when they launched their latest offering the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones we decided to grab a pair to give you this in-depth review.

Bose have indeed gone back to basics with Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones, for a start they have reduced its size by making it a similar size to the Bose QuietComfort 2 set and also replaced the custom lithium Ion battery that was found in the QuietComfort 3 set for single AAA battery.

Cheapest Price Online: US $299.95 

Design

Unlike the last version in the Bose QuietComfort family the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones have been shrunk significantly taking them down in size in line with that of the QC 2, which sees this set move back to an on ear style headset rather than the over ear set of the of the QuietComfort 3 model.

As mentioned in my introduction Bose have also moved back to a single standard AAA Battery design rather than that of the custom design lithium ion battery that they first introduced in the earlier QC 3 set, I don’t think Bose’s plans are to abandon this design, instead to offer customers a choice between the two different technologies. I know many of my colleagues’ either loved or loathed the introduction of the custom style Lithium Ion battery. I for one loved it. Moving back to the AAA battery format Bose seems to have done the impossible and increased the average battery life to 35 hours, which is great for anyone who spends a large part of their life commuting by plane, train or bus.

On the design side Bose have also improved the noise cancellation effectiveness on the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones by totally redeveloping its electronics including the addition of microphones both on the inside and outside of both headphone ear cups.

In addition Bose have redesigned their ear cushions which give a better acoustical seal providing additional passive noise cancellation, that will help to have a more quiet trip by cutting out more of the high frequency sounds such as voice which active noise cancellation cannot eliminate.

Looking closely at the set the batteries, noise cancellation activation switch and circuitry can be found in the right side headphone ear cup. The audio cable pugs in the left side headphone ear cup.   

Cheapest Price Online: US $299.95 

Comfort

The totally re-designed headphone ear cushions do more than just greatly increase passive noise cancellation but also help to set really good fit, one which will feel comfortable for the entire length of a long haul flight.

Sound Quality and Performance

Sound Quality wise Bose have yet again delivered with this set accurately reproducing music from the strong and powerful sounds of a hard rock tune through to the minute nuances of a classical piece from Beethoven. We were truly impressed by this set and can recommend it to anyone who wants the absolute best in music reproduction.

In terms of noise cancellation the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones go above and beyond in with their improvements in technology and headphone cushion design to produce a set that beats all previous sets in the Bose QuietComfort range.

If you are after a Bose set with the best sound reproduction and noise cancellation that will make you feel that you are anywhere but on a noisy aircraft, bus or train then the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling headphones are well worth considering, and come highly recommended by the Business Travel Guru

What’s in the box?

The box includes the following items:

1 x set of Bose QC 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones
1 x semi-soft carry case
1 x detachable audio cable
1 x mini phono to dual mono airline style airline adaptor
1 x AAA battery

What we like

• Sound Quality and Reproduction - Superb sound reproduction and noise cancellation, perhaps the best of any QuietComfort before it
• Smaller size – Bose have made the QC 15 set smaller than the previous QC 3 set, and comparable in size to the QC 2
  

What we dislike

• AAA battery – personally for me I loved the custom lithium ion battery found in the QC 3 set, but this is a personal preference and I know a more than a few people that will rejoice that Bose are going back to the AAA type battery
• Other than the above there is not much which we don’t like about this set

Final words and comments on the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling Headphones

If the quality of your music as well as the performance of noise cancellation is of paramount importance to you then the Bose QuietComfort 15 Noise Cancelling headphones are for you. This set does cost a fair bit more than other brands but you know that you are getting true quality with this set.

Cheapest Price Online: US $299.95 

The Sennheiser PXC 250 II Noise Cancelling Headphones is the second generation of the hugely popular PXC 250 model, which promises greater noise cancelation along with a greatly improved battery life.

On the outset this set looks fairly similar to the previous generation a compact foldable set of on-ear headphones but this is where the similarities end and these headphones start revealing the improvements that can be had from just a few years of technological innovation.

If you are a regular reader of this site you will know that I have owned a set of the first generation for a number of years now, and I absolutely love them so the Sennheiser PXC 250 II Noise Cancelling Headphones need to be exceptional for me to approve them.

Cheapest Price Online: US $134.39 

Layout & Design

Like the first generation the MK II is a foldable set of compact on-hear headphones, which feel slightly more rugged then the previous model, this set can be easily distinguished from the earlier version by the silver banding on the outside of each ear cup as well as a white Sennheiser logo on the headphone arms.

Technologically Sennheiser have put a lot of innovation in to this set, for a start it is powered by a single AAA battery (that’s right single) as opposed to the double set which powered the original MK I model, and get this that single AAA can power the set for up to 50 hours of continuous use, which nearly enough juice for two Los Angeles to Sydney return trips

Like the original model this set houses its noise cancellation circuitry, battery and noise cancellation activation switch in a small compartment approximately halfway along the audio cable, which is a clever design which allows this set to be a lot more compact than if it was to be included in the main headsets.

Comfort

Trying the Sennheiser PXC 250 II Noise Cancelling Headphones on for the first time they feel much the same as its predecessor, so going by my previous experience with the original model you will be able to comfortably ware them for the longest of long haul flights.

Cheapest Price Online: US $134.39 

Sound Quality and Performance

In my opinion this is the part of the review that either makes or breaks a set of noise cancelling headphones, the moment of truth. On activation of the noise cancellation is quite evident blocking out the vast majority of repeating low frequency noise.

Comparing side by side the original and the Sennheiser PXC 250 II noise cancelling headphones there is a noticeable improvement in both noise cancellation and sound quality, notably this set slightly improves on the bass issue that I mentioned in my previous review of the original model.

What’s in the box?

1 x Sennheiser PXC 250 II Noise Cancelling Headphones
1 x Soft Carry Case
1 x AAA Battery
1 x 3.5mm to 6.3mm (1/4”) Phono Adaptor (Mini to Large phono adaptor)
1 x 3.5 to 3.5 double mono phono adaptor (mini to double pin airline type adaptor)

What we like:

• Improved an already great set - Sennheiser has made this all time favourite NC headphone set even better
• Battery Life - Up to 50 hours on a single AAA battery
• Foldable Compact Design – Sennheiser has given this set the right balance between quality and compactness

Final words and comments on the Sennheiser PXC 250 II Noise Cancelling Headphones

Sennheiser has done the near impossible making the original version even better, this set is ideal for anyone from your most demanding Business Traveler or Frequent Flyer through to you daily commuter.

If you are a regular flyer this set is compact enough that you don’t need to worry about the amount of space it takes up and with the 50 hour battery life you should not be caught out too often with no power, however we do recommend packing at least one extra AAA for the unlikely scenario you are caught out mid flight.

On the noise cancellation side this set is tops and will ensure you get the quiet and peace in-flight which you deserve.

Cheapest Price Online: US $134.39 

Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling headphones Review, flying regularly or just a casual trip once or twice a year, a set of noise cancelling headphones can more often than not mean be difference of either having a horror flight or getting the in-flight peace and rest which you deserve.

For those of you after a review of the next version/generation of this set I have just done a review of the PXC 250 II :  Sennheiser PXC 250-II Noise Canceling Headphones Review

I have owned the Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling headphones for a few year  now and while I have reviewed other sets that have come my way since owning the PXC 250 I have never until now set down to write a review for these.  

Paraphrasing what I will reveal further in the review “The Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones are an awesome set of compact on-ear Noise Cancelling Headphones, that do a great job at active noise cancellation, also it a set that  won’t break the bank!”   

Cheapest Price Online: US $159.98  

Performance

Active Noise Cancellation wise the Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones are a great set with very good Active Noise Cancellation properties. In terms of passive noise cancellation (through the padding in the ear cup) they don’t compete the with larger (Cups sit over ears & additional padding) and more expensive over the ear headphones such as the Bose QuietComfort range or the Sennheiser PXC450’s

As I have mentioned in other reviews and articles on this site I have troubles sleeping in-flight on even on the quietest of flights, but with the Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones this has changed and I have always been able to get a good in-flight sleep, everytime I have travelled with this set.

Sound Quality as you can expect from Sennheiser sound reproduction on this set is very good, however I find they could do a little better in the low range, this minor flaw gets back to the compact design, and is where most and if not all smaller on-ear sets usually struggle with. But if you compare with other similar size on-ear sets the Sennheiser PXC 250s are on par and if not better than the other models.

Layout & Design

As mentioned the Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones are a foldable set of compact on ear headphones that are probably the most compact set of on-ear headphones Noise Cancelling Headphones that I have tested, the reason Sennheiser has been able to make this set smaller is because the electronics and batteries (as well as NC activation on/off switch) are all housed in a separate compartment approximately half way along the audio cable phono plug and the headphone set.

 The Sennheiser PXC 250 (Bottom of photo) compared with bigger brother the on-ear PXC 450 NC headphones

All in all the Layout and design of this set is great; you get great quality noise cancellation in a small package that is ideal for Business Travellers and Frequent Flyers.

Cheapest Price Online: US $159.98  

What’s in the Box

1 X Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones
1 X Soft Carry Case
1 X 3.5mm to 6.3 mm (1/4”) Phono adaptor
1 X 3.5mm to 3.5mm double mono Phono adaptor (airline type)
2 X AAA Battery

What we like:

• Foldable design which means this set is ultra compact

• Noise cancelling effectiveness

• Sound Quality

• Can use/listen when Noise Cancellation (NC) function is turned off -  Unlike many other models I have tested this set passes through sound/music when the NC function is turned off, which is handy if you have run out of power and you don’t have a spare set

• Price – An exceptional price from one of the leaders in headphones Sennheiser
  

What we dislike:

• Lower frequency bass suffers but this is the same for all compact models

• There is not much we don’t like about this set its ultra compact, sound quality and noise cancelling effectiveness is high and the price is very reasonable.

Final words & comments about the Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones

Comfort: As this is the first set of Noise cancelling headphones I ever purchased I have used the Sennheiser PXC250 Noise Cancelling Headphones on many long and short haul flights, and have never felt uncomfortable wearing them

Sennheiser PXC 250 Noise Cancelling Headphones are an ultra compact set of foldable on-ear Noise Cancelling headphones which won’t break the bank, and are a great for business travellers, frequent flyers and casual travellers alike for those who crave peace and quiet in-flight along with a good sleep.

If you are after a good quality set of compact on-ear noise cancelling headphones at a great price this set, that will allow you to get some in-flight peace then this set is a good choice.

Cheapest Price Online: US $159.98  

The Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones one of the latest models in the Bose QuietComfort range has yet again stepped up to the mark by significantly improving the popular QuietComfort brand

When it comes to Noise Cancelling Headphones for Frequent Flyers and Business Travellers the most well known name is Bose, for a start they introduced the first set of Active Noise Cancelling Headphones for Business Travellers the Bose QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones back in mid 2000, since this first set they have released two subsequent models, each with greatly improved noise cancellation capabilities and extra features to keep the most demanding business traveller happy.

Price: From US $349.95  

New features

The main features that can be seen in the QuietComfort 3 that distinguishes it from a set of QC 2s is the sets size, and the switch from a AAA type battery to a custom lithium-ion battery.

On the point of size as you can see from the comparison below the Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones are a fair amount smaller than the previous model, which for those business travellers who like to pack light this is a big bonus.

As for the custom rechargeable lithium-ion battery there are both advantages and disadvantages in Bose taking this option. The downside is that you need to maintain yet another battery and charger type; however the upside is that with this design Bose has been able to both extend the battery life of the set (around 20-25 hours) as well as dramatically reduce the size of these on ear headphones.

Performance

Noise cancellation wise the Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones are up there with the best and if not the best we have ever tested, the new noise cancellation implemented technology in the QC 3 set is outstanding taking this technology to the next level.

One note as this set is smaller than its predecessor it has a little less ear padding therefore the passive noise cancellation effectiveness is a less. Having said that this is only noticed when the Active Noise Cancellation electronics is turned off when switched on the newer noise cancellation technology shines through providing superior results.

One of the flights I tested this set on was particularly noisy, your typical mostly holiday maker flight with more than a few noisy kids, and even though this technology only cuts out repeating low frequency noise such as the drone of the engine and wind noise, it seamed to a great job with the higher frequency sounds, dulling them down and allowing me to some well earned rest.

Talking about performance the next point I should cover is sound quality, now Bose being Bose are renowned for their high quality gear and the QC 3 did not disappoint with near flawless sound from strong great quality low range bass up through to the high range.

Layout & Other Details

Layout of the Bose QuietComfort 3 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones is fairly straight forward with the custom battery slots on the top part of the right ear cup and the power switch & Power/Noise Cancellation indicator light slightly lower on this same cup, with the audio cable plugging into the bottom of the left ear cup.

This set is silver in colour (sorry no other color options) and folds compactly into the 3 In by 8 In by 2 In (72mm by 213mm by 51mm) storage case.

What’s in the box?

Along with the set of Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling headphones in the box you will also find:

1 X lithium-Ion battery – rated 25 hours each that’s a lot of flying (Australian model has 2 X batteries)

1 X Battery Charger (with 6 plug adaptors for Australia/New Zealand, China, Europe, Korea, UK/Hong Kong/Singapore, USA/Japan)

1 X Case which holds all plugs adaptors, cords & battery charger

1 X 4.5 ft (137 cm) cable with 3.5 mm phono plug which plugs into Headphones (custom plug at headphone end)

1 X 5 ft (152 cm) extension cable (3.5 mm female phono one end to 3.5 male phono other end)

1 X ¼ inch Stereo phono plug adaptor

1 X 2 pin airline to phono adaptor

1 X User Manual

1 X Business Card holder

What we like:

• Noise Cancelling Effectiveness one of the best we have tested – Slip this set of Noise Cancelling Headphones on your ears and you will be in sound tranquillity rather than cabin class Chaos

• Sound Quality Sound Quality for this set is quite amazing producing awesome sound from low to high frequencies.

• Comfort is an important factor when selecting a good set of Noise Cancelling headphones and this set is up there with the best we have tested. You would be able to easily ware the Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones for the longest of long haul flights. Other sets we have tried they could not be worn for more than a few hours without feeling sweaty and sore

• Ease of Use  These headphones are very easy to switch on and off along with swap the battery while on your head.

• Custom battery and Battery Charger – As mentioned above this is either an advantage or disadvantage whichever way you look at it but for me a light set that lasts the distance is what I want.

What we dislike:

• Price The price is on the high side, but having said that you do get what you pay for and this is a top quality set.

• Noise Cancellation feature must be activated to listen to music (no bypass mode) and therefore if you ran out of batteries because you forgot to charge after your last long haul flight then you are out of luck.

Score 4.5/5

Final Word

As I have stated in my previous NC headphone reviews, I find it hard to sleep on an Aircraft at the best of times even business or first class, but with this set cabin noise and outside air noise is virtually eliminated allowing for a good sleep allowing you to arrive at your destination well rested.

Despite its few flaws this is a set that I am proud to own the Quality and Noise cancelling abilities of the Bose QuietComfort 3 Noise Cancelling Headphones are second to none.

This is truly a high quality set in terms of noise cancellation, sound quality and design, which I and I know you, will take and use anywhere.  

If you do decide to by this set I highly recommend you also purchase an additional battery (Australian & New Zealand versions comes with additional batteries)

Price: From US $349.95  

If you were to ask us here at the Business Travel Guru the best thing you can take along on a flight to help you travel better, our answer would be a good set of noise cancelling headphones. For many years I flew without a pair, but after purchasing my first set I don’t know how I flew without them!  I mean I used to be one of those people who could never sleep on a flight, how things have changed now I sleep on the plane when I want or need to.

Having had the opportunity to own or demo most of the major Noise Cancelling Headphone sets on the market today, we decided write up this Noise Cancelling Headphones Review & Comparison, so that you can select the best pair for your needs and budget.

Not being someone shy of technology, I decided to take up an offer to review a set of Sennheiser PXC 450 Noise Cancelling Headphones. My previous experience with noise cancelling headphones includes owning the following sets, Sennheiser PXC 250, PlaneQuiet Platinum, and Bose QuietComfort2 Noise Cancelling Headphones.

At first sight the Sennheiser PXC 450 Noise Cancelling Headphones are comparable in size to Bose QuietComfort2 Noise Cancelling Headphones, yet much larger than the Sennheiser PXC 250. Sound quality & noise cancelling wise all three of my previous sets have nothing on the Sennheiser PXC 450’s. Simply put its sound quality is superb & its noise cancelling abilities are second to none.

 Picture 1: PXC 450 (top) compared in size with the PXC 250, both folded

The Noise cancelling technology which Sennheiser has implemented in it PXC 450s is referred to as NoiseGard™ 2.0 and claims to eliminate up to 90% of unwanted background noise, this is achieved thru both the headphones superior noise cancelling electronics & also passively thru the headphones  well designed earpads.

Check for the cheapest price of the Sennheiser PXC 450 Noise Canceling Headphones

 Picture 2: Sennheiser PXC 450 folded in its soft carry case

Most of the controls for the PXC 450 are located on right side headphone, these being the power on/of, Volume +/- and the talk through buttons. On first use I found these controls a little hard to find (now are the controls on the right or left side and which button was Volume -) this is especially true if you are used to noise cancelling headphones with controls on the audio cable, however after my second flight I knew the exact positions for each button.

A neat feature I love about the Sennheiser PXC 450 noise cancelling headphones is the Talk Through feature which allows the wearer at the press of a button to listen & talk to someone without having to take off their headphones, this is achieved by using the same built-in microphones, used for noise cancelling to pass the conversation thru to your headphones.

 Picture 2: The controls on the right hand side headphone 

Even though the Sennheiser PXC 450 Noise Cancelling Headphones are a tough and durable set of foldable, they are a little larger than what I am used to after owning Sennheiser’s PXC 250 for many years, initially it was hard to travel with this larger set, however I do take my music & in-flight comfort seriously and in my opinion the larger set was a small trade off for the superior sound quality and noise cancelling abilities of the Sennheiser PXC 450.

What comes in the Sennheiser PXC 450 box:

• Sennheiser PXC450 Noise Cancelling headphones
• Set of AAA batteries
• Soft protective case
• 2 plug adaptors (1 X Airline plug & 1 X 6,3 plug adaptor)
• Instruction Manual

Cheapest Price Online: US $240.00 

Score 8.5/10

Pros

• Outstanding Sound and Noise Cancellation quality
• Detachable audio cable Long 1.4 meter cable length
• Talk through feature allowing you to hear someone/take part in a conversation without taking off your headphones.

Cons

• Large size (Well larger than my set of Sennheiser PXC 250s)
• Cost - A fair bit more expensive than an average set of Noise Cancelling headphones

PLANE quiet Platinum Noise Cancelling headphone review - One of the most annoying facts of air or bus travel is low frequency cabin and road noise, for most travellers it stops them getting any sleep on route, which is bad news if you need to get straight into a meeting or start your holiday adventure on arrival.

The Solution Noise Cancelling headphones, the PLANE Quite Platinum Noise Cancelling headphones are a high quality US designed set of Noise Cancelling Headphones priced at a cost, (US$99.00 with free delivery to the US) which won’t break the bank or your holiday budget.

So how about the feel and sound?

Once I put the PLANE quiet Platinum Noise cancelling headphones on I found they very comfortable indeed and the noise passive noise cancellation from the headphone padding alone was very good, my next thought was imagine how much better the noise will be reduced once the Active noise cancelling is kicked in! After switching the noise cancellation switch to the on position, I was instantly transcended into a state of near noise peacefulness and tranquillity, now I work in a room with several PCs that have noisy fans, and these headphones did a great job of cancelling out this unwanted noise.

When connecting my PLANE quiet Platinum Noise cancelling headphones to my IPod I found the music actually be enhanced, this is because the surrounding noise (repeating low frequencies) from my room was eliminated, enabling the full range of sound  from my music to be heard and fully enjoyed.

The PLANE quiet Noise Cancelling headphones are well constructed, with a decent amount of ear and head padding that will see you thru the longest of flights without feeling uncomfortable,  the headphone cord is long enough yet not too long that the cable will tangle up too much, half way down the cable is the on/off switch for your active noise cancellation along with the battery compartment (2 X AAA) to power the active noise cancellation circuitry, in all a very good design.

In the PLANE quiet platinum noise cancelling headphones box you get the following:

Plane Quite Platinum Noise Cancelling headphones

• Set of AA Batteries (2 X AAA)
• Zippered Carry Pouch
• Dual-pin Airline Adapter
• 1/8  in to ¼ In Adaptor

The PLANE quiet Platinum noise cancelling headphones are a highly recommend addition for any business or holiday traveller, who wants great quality noise cancellation at a great price. I cannot wait for my next flight in a few weeks to give the set a full workout, also drop back soon for my video review of this set.

You can purchase the PLANE quiet noise cancelling headphones at the great price of US$99 with free delivery, from  Pro Travel Gear.