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Battery life on the QC35s is very good. Bose promises that the headphones will last 20 hours when operating wirelessly, which rises to 40 hours when used as a pair of wired headphones. I didn't time exactly how long the battery took to run down, but the headphones lasted me several days of on and off use before needing to be recharged. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II are, like the headphones that preceded them, simply brilliant personal audio companions. While they may not be able to match rivals for sound quality and looks, in terms of all-round practicality and comfort they’re second to none. The headband connecting the two earcups is well padded, and the way the headphones sit on your head is very comfortable overall. Partly this is because their weight is nicely distributed, but it's also partly because of the quality of the cushioning on the cups. I have personally worn these headphones for hours at a time and have found them to be comfortable throughout. The following test group's text has been updated following TB 1.6: Bluetooth Connection. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages to match these results. When I switched to Active mode (powered up, connected wireless via Bluetooth to my iPhone), the headphones went into full throttle, producing louder audio with noticeable active noise-cancelling effects. I would strongly suggest using the units in active mode to achieve the full benefits of the sound-design technology that Bose has worked many years to perfect.
We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.6 , which updates how we measure latency. We've updated and renamed the following test groups: Wired Connection, Bluetooth Connection, and Wireless Connection (Dongle). We've also added new codec latency measurements and provided an audio sample of recorded latency. The headphones are very good at switching between multiple connections. I had my pair of QC35s connected to both my laptop and my phone, and the headphones had no trouble switching between the two as I played music alternately from both devices. Pairing the QC35s is a breeze. You slide the power slider all the way to the right to put the headphones in pairing mode, and then you simply select them from your phone or laptop's Bluetooth menu. The QuietComfort 35 II felt right at home atop my head and snug against my ears, sealing out the distractions from people who might want to ask for directions.The noise-cancelling sensation is a little odd at first and feels a little like being in a pressurised cabin, but you soon get used to actually being able to listen to your music rather than the world around you. Dynamically, these headphones can take changes in intensity in their stride. From the quieter drums and strings that rise up when the song begins to the hearty, husky tones of Lisa Gerrard’s idioglossia (her invented language) that fill the space, these headphones make smooth transitions allowing you to really become immersed in your music. They won’t completely silence the world outside. You’ll still be able to hear (faintly) the tip-tapping of typing on a nearby keyboard but, for the most part, you’ll be completely undisturbed while you enjoy your music, podcast, TV show or movie. The QC35 II is almost identical to their predecessors, with one major difference: a dedicated button for Google Assistant located on the left side of the headphones. The volume and skip/pause buttons are located close by the power/pairing switch on the right ear cup, making it easy to navigate without fumbling around. I really liked the button design and the ease with which I was able to control the headphones.
I found myself tapping the Google Assistant button to ask about the weather, find nearby restaurants and set up daily task reminders.
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Sound quality, too, is superb. Yes they’re not the last word in sparkling excitement and, yes, the bass is a touch overblown at times but, by and large, there’s plenty enough dynamism and detail for most people. They’re better from a sound quality perspective than the Beats Studio 3 Wireless for instance, though they can’t match the Sony MDR1000X. The features that I enjoyed the most were the abilities to name to my headphones (Pope of Mope), adjust the noise-cancelling levels and set up Auto-Off, as I forget to turn off my headphones way too often The one criticism I have is that there’s no support for the superior AptX or AptX HD codecs and certainly nothing like the LDAC support you get with the Sony MDR1000X. And the latter is no longer completely proprietary; anyone with an Android O phone can take advantage, not just owners of Sony Xperia handsets. Pairing via Bluetooth yielded a cheerful female voice that informed me when the process was completed and popped up if I happened to wander out of pairing range or if the battery level dropped too low. The entire process of setting up the QC35 II took under 10 minutes and completed without requiring me to restart my device or the headphones. Bose QuietComfort 35 II review: Bose Connect App Yep, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II (QC35 II) are the first headphones – aside from the Google Pixel Buds – to build in support for Google’s smart voice assistant, and this capability comes courtesy of a button built into the left earcup of the headphones. Tap it and the headphones will tell you the time and read out any unread notifications; hold it and you can run Assistant queries just as you would on your phone, except you don’t have to embarrassingly shout “OK Google” before you do it.
Another area where the QC35 II’s lag behind a little is Bluetooth range. You only have to wander a few metres away from your phone or laptop before the audio signal starts to cut out where the Beats Studio 3 Wireless were able to hang onto that signal much further away. Battery life is excellent, though, rated at 20 hours with both noise cancellation and wireless enabled. Bose QuietComfort 35 II review: Verdict I preferred pairing via the app, as I could also configure the headphones by, for example, naming the units and adjusting the level of noise cancelling to fit my environment. The QuietComfort 35 II's integrated microphones delivered crystal-clear call quality. It was nice to make calls and not have the person on the other end complain that I sounded like I was inside a soup can. Most of my calls were made from the home or office, but I was brave enough at times to call from the windy streets of NYC and was pleasantly surprised to hear the same clear sound quality. I used the headphones for a half hour video call in a noisy office and was perfectly audible throughout thanks to the efforts of the noise-cancelling technology. We liked Still, if you're happy to sacrifice that last little bit of sonic ability in the name of added comfort, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II could well be the noise-cancellers for you.
How does the Bose QuietComfort 35 II sound?
Bose continues to be the gold standard for noise cancelling, helping you create your own fortress of solitude even in aurally chaotic settings. The Bose QuietComfort 35s offer great sound quality and the best noise cancelling out of any headphones I've tried. They're super comfortable, and despite the fact that they don't use the newer AptX Bluetooth standard, the wireless doesn't harm their sound quality one bit. We disliked I was able to leave my iPhone about 35 feet away without losing the call or my music in between calls. This was a welcome feature, especially when I worked from home and needed to retrieve something I left downstairs. I found myself sending a lot of voice-to-text messages and interacting with Google Assistant, because the built-in microphone technology was excellent. I didn't need to repeat myself often when speaking. I just wish that this technology were built into young kids. It's a minor point, but whenever you turn the headphones on they helpfully play a short audio notification of both the device they're connected to as well as how much battery life is left. It rounds this to the closest 10%, but it's still a helpful indicator to have. Once I removed the QC35 II from the comfortable protective pouch, it was clear that these headphones were ready to take on my long and noisy train ride to and and from work, as well as on the loud and busy streets of New York City.
The Active EQ is subtle, but personally I don't think it added anything to my listening experience. Verdict These headphones are bluetooth headphones and an effective upgrade from the QC 35 which are also hugely popular. Google Assistant has been added which is a welcome addition and the same button can be used to trigger noise cancellation. Quiet Comfort Design Alternatively if your phone is one of the increasing amounts of Android phones that support NFC pairing then you can connect your headphones by simply putting them in pairing mode and tapping the rear of your phone against them. But while these headphones have an enjoyable sound, their rivals are a clear step ahead. The WH-1000XM3 (and newer WH-1000XM4) have an earthier bass and more insight, while the PX (and more recent PX7) have a better sense of rhythm and dynamics. Verdict
No matter how much confidence you place in a brand, there are bound to be some hiccups with its products or flat-out duds. One of Bluetooth audio’s greatest shortcomings is reliability, relative to its wired alternative, so here are a number of ways to fix any wireless connection issues that arise. The headphones won’t re-connect to your phone
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