| Customer Reviews Collected from bose.com |
Bose - QuietComfort 20 Headphones (Samsung and Android) - Black
Average Customer Rating:
4.1
Rating breakdown 499 reviews
5 Stars
295
4 Stars
83
3 Stars
48
2 Stars
39
1 Star
34
Customer Reviews for Bose - QuietComfort 20 Headphones (Samsung and Android) - Black
Customer Rating
4
White noise background level is too high
on October 25, 2017
Posted by: chilehed
Gender:Male
I've had a set of QC25 headphones for about three years, but they're a bit bulky so I got a set of the QC20 earbuds. Yep, they're easy to carry around, a lot more comfortable on long plane rides, they sound pretty good and there are no problems with leakage due to my hair or glasses lifting the ear muffs up.
There are two things I DON'T like. First is the high level of white noise they produce. I understand that it's probably necessary in order to offset the loss of exterior noise suppression that the ear muffs provide, and it's only noticable when background noise is fairly low, but it's very distracting.
Second is the fact that very few of the controls work: volume, forward track skip and call pick up / hang up. Nothing else works, and it's the same with the QC25 even though I went to the trouble of special ordering the Android versions to match my phones.
The only thing the QC20 has over the 25 is comfort and size. The 25 sounds better, mostly because of the lack of white noise.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
Best travel money you can spend if you fly often
on October 12, 2017
Posted by: Dread Pirate Jeff
Gender:Male
I started out ages ago with a set of QC-15s, and I absolutely loved them for travel, which was my primary use. The one complaint I had about them was that it is difficult to sleep on an airplane with big over-the-ear cans on your head. Then the QC-20 came out and my needs were finally met.
Lets be honest, despite Bose claims, acoustically, these are good, but not great. They're probably in the mid-rage for acoustic quality, better than dollar store earbuds, not even close to approaching a good set of Shure or Etymotics, though.
However, I have tried and bought many ANR headsets over the years and nothing really comes close to the Bose noise cancelling setup. And that's why you buy these, and why you pay a premium for them (beyond the typical Bose inflated costs). The noise cancelling on these IS the bar that others try to reach, but pretty much always fall short.
They cancel out so much of that awful drone in-flight, on the train, or just about anywhere, and they do so without having to shove tight fitting foam or rubber tips into your ear canals. The rubber tips are super comfortable to wear. I've worn mine upwards of 16 hours before without complaint. The foam tip buds like my Shures I can only wear for a couple hours at a time before they start to hurt my ear canals.
My only complaint about the QC-20 is that they're cabled, not bluetooth. Bose answered that need also with the new QC-30, however, the QC-30 has significantly less battery life. I fly to Asia often, and the 16+ hour battery life of my QC-20 lasts the entire flight. The 10 hour battery life of the QC-30 means I'll run out of juice before I've even crossed the Pacific.
So for me, I'll probably keep my QC-20s (and maybe buy a newer pair as a back up one day) and find a decent bluetooth adapter for them so I can enjoy the battery life. If Bose updates the QC-30 to extend battery life to 16 hours minimum, I'll certainly consider upgrading.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
2
Big Bose fan but cable broke after 2 years
on October 6, 2017
Posted by: bfc
Gender:Male
I am an avid Bose fan with more than 10 different products in my house. First time I am having a problem...The cable attaching to the male connector wore apart and now bare wires are exposed. I guess I used this about 30 times on various plane trips over the last 2 years. I tried to get help at a store and was told I needed to buy a new pair. I now need new headphones but just can't bring myself to buy these again.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
1
Lame for a brand name
on October 3, 2017
Posted by: Annie
These headphones are big disappointment to me. The sound quality is good, but the inline control volume doesn't work. I can't adjust the sound.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
Best headphones ever don't put them though washer
on October 3, 2017
Posted by: Anonymous
Gender:Male
Had them two years, there definitely worth it. They have very good audio but they don't compare to very high-end custom earbuds. However the sound cancelation is second to none. As long as u don't put them though the wash machine or take them in a monsoon there extremely durable. I also have a pair of QC 35 II but these are better for most things. Especially the bass
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
4
Good quality headphones with room for improvement.
on October 3, 2017
Posted by: madelman99
Gender:Male
The sound quality is very good, not as good as other non-noise canceling earbuds in this price range but it is definitely not a deal breaker. The noise canceling feature is very effective. I have yet to test it on the plane but it works very well on the train and just walking on the street. I know everyone is saying that these are extremely comfortable, but for me, they start to hurt my ears a little after about an hour of continuous use, no matter which tips I used. Maybe I have to get used to them. To note few drawbacks IMO: First, the cable between the main controller and the audio plug is way too short. I had to buy a 7 inch extension to fix the problem so I can comfortably leave the controller in my pocket without putting too much strain on the wire. Second, the wires between the earbuds and the volume controller/mike are a bit stiff. Lastly, I wish the battery was replaceable or better yet, the unit would use a regular or rechargeable AAA battery so a spare cold be used in case the battery died.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
Best headphones I own!
on September 27, 2017
Posted by: link5280
Gender:Male
I purchased the QC20 two years ago for travel and work. No issues with build or sound quality over that timeframe. One of the best headphone purchases I ever made. The QC20 are outstanding for reducing or eliminating background noise. This allows you to keep the volume at a low level yet still enjoy the sound, save your ears!
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
3
Don't use mic in office spaces
on September 20, 2017
Posted by: KC2728
Gender:Female
I love my headphones for their noise cancelling, sound quality, and comfort. Unfortunately, the microphone picks up all of the noise around me. I'm in a walled cubicle in an office with an average amount of noise (calls, but not constant, some mid-hall meetings, but not too many). It's very distracting for anyone on the other end of the skype call - they can hear any conversations and even hear other people typing. I try to mute myself anytime I'm not talking, otherwise everyone else on the call is distracted. It's not great for first impressions when meeting people for the first time over skype. A coworker at another location recommended these. I'm not sure if her location is that much quieter or if it's just my set. I'm purchasing another, much cheaper set of headphones for my calls. I'm very disappointed that for the price of these, they couldn't be the only pair I use.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com