Bose 700 reviews: Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 review

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 review

Bose took active noise canceling (ANC) and made it mainstream but eventually, the market caught up. Sony has released consecutive ANC hard-hitters, with better features, better noise canceling, and better sound quality than the old Bose QuietComfort35 II. Well, it seems like Bose was listening, because the Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is a complete redesign of its iconic product (and yes, that’s actually the name). The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 have a new design, improved sound quality, a touch-sensitive gesture pad for playback controls, and even USB-C charging, but should you get one of the best Bose headphones around?

We spent two weeks with the Bose NCH 700 and have kept up with its updates to find out if this is the headset for you.

Editor’s note: this Noise Canceling Headphones 700 review was updated on January 27, 2023, to add an updated frequency response chart for the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700, to add the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 to the Affordable alternatives, and to update formatting.

Travelers who want to block out the sounds of planes and trains will enjoy the fantastic active noise canceling. While the headset is expensive, the ANC is top-notch, which suits the needs of students. If you’re tired of the noisy people in your library, these are the way to go. If you’re someone who wants the best, you can’t go wrong with the NCH 700.

What is the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 like?

In short: these headphones are a delight to use. There are a few issues but overall the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is a great and powerful headset. The NCH 700 is lightweight, easy to use, well-built, and gorgeous. The Bose QC 45 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 are newer and outperform the NCH 700 in various ways, but if you want a gorgeous package with great sound and ANC, you’ll fall in love with this expensive pair of Bluetooth headphones.

You can now slide the ear cups into place thanks to the new sliding adjustment which seems more intuitive than the clicky ones of previous models.

The ear cups rotate a full 90 degrees so you can rest the headphones around your neck, but Bose swapped out the notched adjustment mechanism (still found on the QC 45) for one that lets you slide the headphones into place instead. There are no folding hinges, so you should use the included hardshell case when traveling. Unlike previous Bose headsets, the NCH 700 is made of more than just plastic. The headband has a metal construction that will make it much harder to accidentally break. But this is where the praise for the redesign ends because the Bose 700 headphones aren’t nearly as comfortable as the older QC 35 II.

The main reason for this step backward is the change in materials used for the padding. While the ear pads still use comfortable padding, they’re stiffer than the QC35 II cushions. This is great when it comes to isolating outside noise, but wearing the NCH 700 at my local cafe for a few hours results in my ears getting pretty hot. It gets to the point that I’m sweating when I remove the headphones. On top of that, the padding on the top of the headband has been changed as well.

A soft, rubber plastic replaces the microfiber-lined headband cushion of the QC35 II, and while it’s still comfortable it feels like a step backward. Plus, these no longer have folding hinges.

However, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is now rocking a soft rubberized plastic similar to the one found on the Beats Studio3 headphones. Thankfully, the padding here is way more comfortable than Beats‘, but I have the same problem where the plastic occasionally pulls my hair. Again, it’s still comfortable but that level of comfort that’s always present with the Bose QC35 II and even the QC25 before it is missing here.

Unfortunately, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is not waterproof. That said, it is water-resistant and can withstand some sprays of water. According to this post on the Bose community forum, the headset has an IPX4 rating. This should keep you covered if you get caught in light or even heavy rain, but we still recommend using your best judgment when you should stash them in a dry place. Electronics and water tend not to mix very well and these headphones aren’t cheap.

How do you control the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700?

These have three buttons in total, one of which is for pairing, another is for controlling the level of ANC, and a third can activate the Google Assistant.

The minimal design is reflected all over the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700. There are a total of three buttons on the headphones and two of them don’t have any icons or labels, which I don’t mind since you can’t see labels when you’re wearing them anyway. Only the power/Bluetooth pairing button on the right ear cup has a small Bluetooth logo so you can tell it apart from the other two when turning them on. You won’t find any playback buttons here as they’ve been replaced with a touch-sensitive gesture pad on the right ear cup similar to that of the Sony WH-1000XM4.

Bose also made it so that pausing the music takes two taps on the touchpad, which is great. One of my biggest annoyances with touchpads is when the headphones accidentally register a touch and pause the music when you don’t want it to. By making the pause/play function a double-tap, it ensures that the music won’t pause unless you want it to.

Below are the controls of the headphones, laid out in a table for easy reference.

Action	Right headphone
Two taps	Play/pause. Answer/end call.
Hold	Decline incoming call
Swipe forward/backward	Skip/previous track
Swipe up/down	Increase/decrease volume
Buttons	Power, voice assistant, noise control
Customizable controls?	Yes, Bose Music app

Should you get the Bose Music app for the NCH 700?

Even with active noise canceling on max, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 headphones still managed to pump out 21 hours of constant playback.

To get the most out of the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 you should download the Bose Music app (iOS/Android). It’ll walk you through the setup process and is surprisingly simple to use which is rare with headphone apps. If you’re on Android, you’ll get a little drop-down card to quickly pair with and hook up the Google Assistant all in a few screens. Once connected, you can do everything from adjusting the level of active noise cancellation (1-11) to renaming the headphones if you want.

One thing I really like is the ability to switch between devices in the app. As long as you can create an account with Bose, you can then switch between saved devices if the headphones are having trouble figuring out which one you want to listen to. If you’re listening to music on your phone and want to instead start watching a video on your iPad, you can select the iPad in the app. It’s been seamless and beats going through the settings of your devices every time. In the app, you can also choose which Assistant you want to activate when you click the custom button. You can choose between the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Siri if you’re on iOS.

Just like the QC35 II before them, there have been some complaints about a firmware update giving the newer Noise Canceling Headphones 700 some issues. While there haven’t been enough complaints to get a guaranteed fix, we figured it’d be a good idea to put the instructions that worked for most people last time in the hopes that it will similarly resolve this issue for most people as well. If none of these work, then at least you can tell Bose customer support that you’ve already done the “basic” fixes.

Turn off the headphones. It sounds simple, but just restarting the headphones can fix a lot of issues.
Plug the QC35 II into your wall charger for at least 5 seconds, then remove the cable
Connect the headphones to your computer via USB, and go here in a browser
Download and run the Bose Updater app on your computer
Update the headphones using your computer to the latest firmware manually

However, it should be pointed out that despite their exhaustive efforts to recreate the problem, Bose was unable to rule out other factors like earpads coming undone, and poor fits. Ensure that your earpads are all the way clicked in before contacting Bose support.

Should you upgrade to firmware version 1.8.2?

According to Bose, the bug fixes added to firmware version 1.8.2 address a few small improvements to improve the overall quality of the product. You’ll get:

General improvements to the Bluetooth connection to make it more reliable and to provide better voice assistant responses.
Bug fixes to maximize the battery level.

While we generally take the view that you should wait and see what problems people have with firmware updates before making the leap yourself, this is an update that enables some helpful features that might be worth updating for.

Similarly, if you use an iOS device the company recently pushed an update to the Bose Music app that lets you add a Spotify shortcut to the headphones. If you toggle on the setting, you must tap and hold the right ear cup to quickly activate Spotify.

How do you connect the Bose NCH 700 to a phone?

The microphones for the noise canceling can be seen on the ear cups.

The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 connects to your iPhone or Android phone via Bluetooth 5.0 and supports just the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. You can opt for wired listening with the 2.5-to-3.5mm aux cable when you need to enjoy some lossless audio playback.

Yes, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 offer Bluetooth multipoint support and can connect to three devices at a time. Bose has a help page regarding the process if you run into pairing issues.

How long does the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 battery last?

The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 feature a clean with matte-finished ear cups and a steel headband.

When it comes to battery life, Bose remains on the conservative end of very good. While products like the Sony WH-XB910N can push upwards of 37 hours in our battery tests, Bose claims only 20 hours and we measured 21 hours, 25 minutes under these same standardized conditions. This is with active noise cancellation on the maximum setting too, so you might be able to squeeze some more if you lower the ANC.

In the app, you can also set a timer to have the headphones automatically turn off after a pre-designated amount of time. So if you take advantage of that too, you should be able to go a long time before you need to throw this back on the USB-C charging cable.

No, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 battery is not user replaceable. As per Bose’s policy, the company will provide a customer with a discounted rate for a replacement pair. It doesn’t usually repair headphones. You can read more about it here.

How long does the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 battery last?

With the latest firmware, the maximum ANC performance is very good.

The Bose NCH 700 has very good noise canceling, however, it can’t compete with newer headsets from Sony. That said, it’s impressive just how much the NCH 700 does to affect frequencies from 20-300Hz as this is typically pretty hard to nail. This range of frequencies will sound anywhere from one-half to one-sixth as loud as they’d sound without the Noise Canceling Headphones 700.

Passive isolation is also quite good here and will take care of incidental, unpredictable sounds like the clang of your roommate washing dishes or chatterboxes next to you at the cafe. Be sure to stay on top of software updates, because you’ll need the newest version to get the most out of your ANC with these headphones.

As you can see, the XM5 headphones do a better job canceling low frequencies than the NCH 700 but both are good headsets.

Yes, the Sony WH-1000XM5 has better noise canceling than the Bose NCH 700, and you can really see this in the 50-200Hz range. Here, the Sony WH-1000XM5 quiets these frequencies by up to 15dB more than the NCH 700. Passive isolation is also much more impressive with Sony’s headphones. But if you don’t want to shell out $399 USD for Sony’s latest and greatest, Bose’s headphones will still serve you well.

The WH-1000XM4 ANC may be slightly more effective than the NCH 700 ANC but Bose’s headphones have better passive isolation.

Compared to the Sony WH-1000XM4, the Bose Headphones 700 has very good ANC and better passive isolation. However, the Sony WH-1000XM4 does a bit more to attenuate upper-bass and low-midrange frequencies, so you’ll notice a bigger difference when toggling ANC on/off on Sony’s headphones.

What do the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 sound like?

On the whole, this headset sounds good with almost all media.

Now we can talk sound quality because even though the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 doesn’t have aptX—it still sounds really good. Most listeners will find the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 to sound a little more pleasant than the Bose QC 35 II before it because the NCH 700 treble response more closely follows our ideal house curve. You can adjust the frequency emphasis in the Bose Music app through a basic equalizer. Some people find this a little too simple, in which case you may want to get a third-party EQ app.

You can hear this nicely in the bassline throughout the song Sedona by Houndmouth which rumbles softly behind the vocals instead of overtaking them. Because of this, vocals in the mids sound great and are never eclipsed by what’s going on in the low end. The vocals in Midnight Blues by UMI sounds great, and the highs are also handled nicely which you can hear from the bells playing behind her which never get harsh.

In comparison, the Bose QuietComfort 45, on the other hand, has some high-end overemphasis. This means that the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 will sound better in most situations, as it won’t make cymbals and other sibilant sounds too painful or annoying. This may end up being addressed in a software update, so check back for an update down the road if you’re still trying to compare these headphones.

Yes, but really: no. I know that’s not a good answer, but the truth of the matter is that while Bose has an EQ of sorts in the Bose Music app, it’s more or less only good for very ham-fisted adjustments, and not as granular as they’d need to be in order for best results. There’s only a bass, mids, and treble slider, with no indication of where the line is drawn.

Don’t move the mids or treble slider too much, or you’re going to have bizarre drops and peaks.

This is especially frustrating because in order to get the headphones to reach certain profiles, you absolutely cannot move the emphasis in this way that wouldn’t cause an unpleasant swing in certain ranges.

Our best suggestion is to use your music or operating system to equalize your headphones, as those apps will give you much better control over your results. The above chart is for software EQing only, and the vertical pink lines are the bounds of what most software EQs allow you to adjust.

Can you use the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 for phone calls?

The Bose microphone does a good job with the main parts of voices, but anyone with a deep voice will be slightly cut off as frequencies below 200Hz won’t be nearly as loud.

Yes, the microphones here have clearly been given plenty of TLC by the engineers at Bose and they pick up voices nicely as well. The low-frequency attenuation is purposeful and reduces rumbles and noise.

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 microphone demo (Ideal):

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 microphone demo (Office):

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 microphone demo (Street):

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 microphone demo (Wind):

How does the microphone sound to you?

6975 votes

Should you get the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700?

The new design is stunning, and this headset is an upgrade in almost every way thanks to the finely controlled noise canceling, the ability to seamlessly switch between devices, USB-C charging, and the touch-sensitive control pad. The NCH 700 even sounds better than the QuietComfort 35 II (for $329.64 at Amazon) and newer, QuietComfort 45 (for $329 at Amazon). It’s the spec and design upgrade that Bose needed, and moving forward the 700s aren’t leaving my head.

If you only care about owning the headphones with the best active noise cancellation, then you should get the Sony WH-1000XM5 (or XM4) because they are technically better. The Sony WH-1000XM5 (which sells for $398 at Amazon) also has better codec support for high-quality streaming and has a much better microphone setup. That said, at least to me, the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is clearly the more desirable product.

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Excellent ANC • Lightweight design • Rotable ear pads

If you want some of the best ANC you can get, Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 have you covered.

See price at Amazon

See price at Bose

See price at Best Buy

The headphones are built well and connect nicely to any iOS device.

iPhone owners unencumbered by budgets will reap the most benefit from a pair of AirPods Max headphones. Apple’s debut over-ear headset has some of the best noise canceling in town, yes, it even outperforms the Sony WH-1000XM5. In lieu of sound customization, you get the h2 chip and Apple’s Adaptive EQ, the latter of which adjusts the sound on the fly depending on your environment. We think the AirPods Max sounds quite good and it hews closely to the SoundGuys Consumer Curve.

The AirPods Max doesn’t have a standard audio jack though. Instead, you need a Lightning-to-3.5mm cable for wired playback. Even then, if you’re using the AirPods Max with a modern iPhone, you’ll need to grab a 3.5mm-to-Lightning dongle adapter. Those who are willing to overlook this cable/dongle chaos will get to take full advantage of seamless Bluetooth device switching between Apple devices and very solid build quality.

You can read all about how the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 and AirPods Max compare in our versus article.

Apple AirPods Max

One of the best ANC • 20-hour battery life • Well-built pads

A spectacular pair of headphones with best-in-class ANC

The AirPods Max wireless headphones offer best-in-class noise canceling with twenty hours of battery life. They provide excellent frequency response and great audio features.

See price at Amazon

Save $69.01

See price at Apple

What are some less expensive options?

Anker’s design, comfort, and noise canceling is all fairly impressive, but the headset falters with a subpar sound.

While the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are great, there’s no denying that it costs a lot of money. Give Sony a shot if you’re not looking to spend that much. The (rather bassy) WH-XB910N (for $248 at Amazon) and WH-CH710N (for $149.99 at Amazon) headphones offer decent noise canceling, connectivity, and better battery life at significantly cheaper prices. Of course, you won’t have the same beautiful design or build quality, but you will still have a good chunk of change in your pocket.

If brand recognition rates as less important to you compared to functionality, check out the Anker Soundcore Space Q45, which boasts Bluetooth 5.3 relayed over SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs for merely $149.99 at Amazon. Its sound quality is okay, and the ANC is quite impressive. It may look rather pedestrian next to the Bose, but it performs quite well.

Frequently asked questions about the Noise Canceling 700 Headphones from Bose

You will be able to playback FLAC or other lossless files over the Bose 700 with no problems. However, if you’re using them wirelessly you won’t get the full benefit of the lossless file format as Bluetooth applies data compression to the audio stream. This will be the case with any Bluetooth device. To fully appreciate lossless files, you would need to use them with a wired connection. You can read more about it here.

Yes they ship with a standard 3.5-mm jack for the device side.

Yes, you can connect them via Bluetooth, USB or 3.5mm jack.

The Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 have a 10-meter (33-foot) wireless range. Bluetooth connection stability is highly dependent on your environment, though, so you may not quite reach distance if layers of drywall separate your smartphone and the headset.

Yes, you may create a custom EQ in the Bose Connect app. This functionality was made available in May 2020, with firmware version 1.4.12.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 has better active noise canceling than the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700. The Sony cans are also a bit more comfortable and offers speak-to-chat functionality. Both sets of headphones support Bluetooth multipoint, have ambient sound passthrough, and have smart assistant integration.

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 offer vastly improved noise cancelling for both music and calls along with a slick new design

Editor’s Choice

(Image: © Regan Coule)

Tom’s Guide Verdict

Buy the Bose 700 headphones if you want the ultimate in active noise-cancelling cans that offers superior performance for music and calls.

TODAY’S BEST DEALS

Pros

+
Slick, attractive design
+
Excellent noise cancelling on calls and music
+
Precise, balanced audio
+
Intuitive buttons and touch controls

Why you can trust Tom’s Guide?
Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Bose 700 specs

Price: $379
Type: Over-ear
Battery life: Up to 20 hrs
Weight: 8.96 ounces
Cable length: 42 inches (audio cable) 20 inches (USB-C)
Bluetooth version: 5.0
Bluetooth range: Up to 33 ft (10m)
ANC: Yes

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 represents a big step forward for Bose. You get 11 levels of adjustable noise cancellation, so you decide how much of the outside world to let in, and the noise cancellation now works a lot better for making calls.

Plus, you get a sexy new design and balanced, precise audio performance. Other highlights include 20 hours of battery life and support for both Alexa and Google Assistant.

Keep reading our full Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 review to find out why they’re so high up our best wireless headphones and best headsets and headphones for working from home lists.

Bose 700 at Amazon for $299

Today’s best Bose 700 deals

21 Amazon customer reviews

☆☆☆☆☆

Deal ends Mon, Jun 19

Recommended Retail…

Show More Deals

Bose 700 headphones review: Price and availability

The $379 price might give some music lovers pause. Still, that’s a lot cheaper than the $549 AirPods Max, and the pros far outweigh the cons anyway. The new Bose QuietComfort 45 is another option, and we’ve created a full Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Bose 700 face-off to help you choose between them.

For this review, I rocked the black Bose 700 headphones, but the cans are also available in what Bose calls Luxe Silver. Each pair costs $399.95/£349.95, or $50/£50 more than the Bose QC35 II headphones, which remain in our ranking of the best Bose headphones.

Bose 700 headphones review: What’s in the Box?

The Bose 700s ship in a hard carry case in which the ear cups lie flat, ready for transport. A not-so-secret compartment hidden by a removable flap reveals a charging cord, an audio cable and an airplane adapter.

(Image credit: Future)

Past models of Bose headphones, like the QuietComfort 35 II, were handsome, but in a dad sort of way. Available in black or silver, the 700s are definitely DILF-ware. The headband is made of sturdy stainless steel that bisects the middle of the plastic ear cups. The top and bottom of the band are made of a soft-touch plastic that houses a bit of Bose’s proprietary foam.

The headband is designed to evenly distribute weight, which makes for a more comfortable fit. Speaking of fit, if you need to adjust the cans, you simply slide the ear cups up or down instead of manipulating the band. This takes a bit of getting used to, but the overall movement is seamless.

Several buttons located along the ear cups help alleviate the need to touch your connected device. The left cup has the adjustable noise-cancellation button, while the right cup has toggles for Power/Bluetooth and launching digital assistants.

(Image credit: Future)

In case blindly fumbling around for buttons isn’t your thing, Bose has included a capacitive-touch panel on the right ear cup. A double tap will play/pause or answer/ignore calls, while a swipe up or down will raise or lower the volume. A swipe forward or back will skip forward or backward on a track. The right ear cup also houses the USB Type-C charging port, a clear sign that Bose is fully embracing the 21st century.

Bose 700 headphones review: Comfort

I’ve worn the 700s for a week now, and I have found them to be immensely comfortable. Weighing in at 9 ounces, the 700s are lighter than the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones (9.7 ounces) but heavier than their predecessors (8.3 ounces).

(Image credit: Future)

The underside of the headband adds a nice cushion, and this ensured that I never felt any uncomfortable pressure, even after wearing the cans for 2 hours straight. I even fell asleep in them several times during trips home to New Jersey.

The ear pads, made of memory foam and wrapped in black leatherette, are just as comfortable. The oval shape encapsulates the ears and creates a fairly tight seal to help keep unwelcome noise out. My only gripe about the headphones is the sweat that gathers around the leather during a hot summer day. But that’s a rather small quibble.

Bose 700 headphones review: Controls

Bose didn’t load the 700 up with a ton of buttons, which I appreciate. The buttons that are present are slim, slightly raised and positioned along the back of the ear cups. Along the right ear cup, you have the Power / Pairing button and the digital assistant button, while the left has the noise-cancellation / conversation-mode buttons. The three buttons have a nice click when pressed and are easy to find when you’re out and about.

(Image credit: Future)

But Bose didn’t stop at buttons. That’d be rather pedestrian in this day and age. The company also added a touch-control panel discreetly hidden in the right ear cup and controlled with a series of swipes. A quick upward swipe raises the volume, while a downward slash lowers that setting. To skip tracks forward or backward, swipe forward or backward, respectively. To play or pause, quickly double-tap the cup. Aside from getting the tap cadence down pat, the touch controls are easy to master, and they made sure that I rarely had to touch my smartphone.

Bose 700 headphones review: Bose Music App

Just like the hardware in these headphones, the Bose Music app has a clean, sleek appearance. The app is packed with features and settings, which you can use to adjust the noise-cancellation level, choose between digital assistants and pick how much of your own voice you can hear on a call.

(Image credit: Future)

You can also control your music via the app, including changing tracks and adjusting volume. The app additionally allows you to customize your noise-cancellation favorites from the default 10, 5 and Off. There’s also a product tour and FAQ in case you need to do a bit of troubleshooting.

As smooth as using the app is, I’d like to see the company add two features: a find-my-headphones function and a few equalizer presets for people who prefer to tune their own listening experience.

Bose 700 headphones review: Noise cancelling

Providing a ton of control, the Bose 700 headphones give quiet-seekers 11 levels to choose from via the Bose app. Press the ANC button, and you can toggle between three of those settings on the fly: High, Medium and Full Transparency. High is definitely impressive, especially when paired with music, as it effectively drowned out the typical noises of New York City.

(Image credit: Future)

An argument between two frustrated straphangers on the A train transformed into little more than muffled mumbles with the ANC at maximum. At the halfway mark of the noise-cancelling settings, I could make out that the disagreement was about how close the two passengers were standing to each other. Once I disabled noise cancelling, I discovered that they were also arguing about whether one had pushed each other on this obviously crowded train. Rolling my eyes, I returned the ANC to 10 and listened to music.

The 700’s ANC is a big step up from what you get on the QC line. While the former had some of the best ANC in the business, negative noise always insinuated itself into your listening experience. For me, it sounded like an invisible wall sat between me and the music, making it sound cold and distant. With the 700s, it’s the complete opposite.

The bass guitar on VV Brown’s “Bottles” was warm and inviting on the 700s. With plenty of soundstage available, the delicate violin could shine alongside the drums, cymbals and the vocal. And that was at half-volume. When I switched to the QC35 headphones, I actually had to crank the volume to maximum to match what the 700s produced. Even then, that aural wall was front and center, dulling the guitar and the drums. The violin still sounded sweet, but it was quieter.

(Image credit: Future)

Sans music, the Bose 700s still have the upper hand. When I used them in my seminoisy office, they blocked out my co-workers’ chatter more effectively than the QC 35 II cans did. And that’s without the vacuum of their predecessor. True, the 700s don’t block out every single sound, but I’d say they cancel out about 85%, which ain’t too shabby.

But the star of the show, at least for me, is Full Transparency mode. It essentially sounds like you’re not wearing headphones; so when I talked, I sounded like myself instead of being muffled. That means that in those moments when I break into song while riding the subway or walking around, I can hear myself, so I won’t be too off-key (I hope). But outside of impromptu performances, if you like to keep your headphones on during work, this is ideal. You’ll be able to clearly hear everyone without having to remove the cans.

Bose 700 headphones review: Smart assistants

The 700s have Alexa baked right into the interface. And depending on the connected device, you can access Siri or Google Assistant (see our guide to the best Google Assistant features and the best Alexa skills for a taste of what you’ll be able to do). All you have to do is push the VPA button, and your default assistant will be there.

People who use Alexa can trigger Amazon’s assistant with the usual voice command. However, you’ll have to press the VPA button to summon Siri or Google Assistant. Unfortunately, Samsung owners like myself will have to whip out our smartphones if we want to communicate with Bixby.

Still, this is one of the few headphones I would use regularly with a digital assistant. It was nice tapping a button and hearing notifications from Gmail, Facebook and Pokemon Go. And when I got bored with these notices, another quick press of the digital assistant button returned me to my jams.

Bose 700 headphones review: Microphones

Let’s be clear: Bose headphones have always delivered some of the best call quality available on a pair of headphones. With the 700s, the company’s taking it up a notch. Hidden within the headphones’ rather svelte frame are eight individual microphones. Six of those block incoming noise. Two of them pull double duty and work with another two to amplify your voice when you’re on a call or cueing up a digital assistant.

(Image credit: Future)

The result is a sort of audio-rejection beam that blocks the louder ambient noise in the environment, while the mics that are focused on your voice create proper separation.

I’m happy to report that the 700s delivered in real-life scenarios. I’ve taken several calls on these headphones and was frankly taken aback at how well I could hear the person on the other end of the line and how well they could hear me, without me having to raise my voice. In fact, there were instances in which I couldn’t raise my voice, but my callers still heard me loud and clear.

MORE: The best cheap noise-canceling headphones (under $200)

My editor-in-chief, who’s been wearing the QC 35 IIs for a couple of years, is also impressed with the clarity of the talk feature on the 700s. After a while, he stopped using the QC 35 IIs for calls, as it was hard to hear and be heard. Instead, he’d just use his smartphone. But with the 700s, his phone stays in his pocket.

Bose 700 headphones review: Audio Quality

The noise cancelling is good on the Bose 700s, great even. But what about the actual audio quality? Compared to competing headphones, the Bose aren’t as loud, but they are more precise, delivering a wide soundstage, with balanced highs, mids and lows.

The trumpet was front and center on Jay-Z’s “Bam,” but not so much that I couldn’t hear the snare, synthesizer and keyboard over the Sister Nancy sample and Jay’s bombastic vocal. However, the Sony WH-1000xm3 headphones were louder, although I had the volume on the same level for both sets of cans. But louder doesn’t necessarily mean better, as the bass sounded diffused compared to what the Bose produced. That floatiness hid some of the more delicate elements of the track, like the rain effect at the beginning.

When I listened to Isaac Hayes’ “Walk on By” on the 700s, I was taken with how clean the violins sounded compared to the melancholy electric guitar. Hayes’ silky baritone was blanketed by a swell of strings, buoyed by a generous soundstage. On the Sonys, the electric guitar was more forward, as the violins were slightly muted by the muddy lows.

The floaty lows actually worked in the Sony headphones’ favor on Estelle’s “Better,” giving the track a more ethereal quality. However, this sound did take away from the singer’s seductive vocal a tad. The 700s gave a cleaner presentation, keeping the bass in check, so I could notice the bells and snaps layered throughout the track.

Bose 700 headphones review: Battery life, USB-C charging and Bluetooth

In addition to their updated looks, the 700s ditched the micro USB port for a more-current USB Type-C. The new port affords the headphones a measure of quick charging, delivering an estimated 3.5 hours of charge in 15 minutes. That’s pretty good, since the company estimates you’ll be able to squeeze 20 hours out of the 700s.

Wearing the 700s for over a week, listening at about 75% volume with at least 2 hours of listening a day, I didn’t have to charge the headphones until eight days had passed. However, at 20% battery life, the Bose assistant informed me that I had 3 hours of power left, which is pretty good. Keep in mind that you need to turn off the headphones when they’re not in use. The few times when I didn’t, it ate up a decent chunk of battery life by the time I did start using the cans again.

If you’re forgetful like me, you might be better off tweaking the Auto-Off feature in the Bose Music app. I ended up setting my headphones to automatically shut off after 5 minutes of inactivity.

The 700s utilize Bluetooth 5.0, which gives listeners a range of up to 33 feet. I managed to walk 50 feet away and maintain a signal. When I walked farther than that, the signal sputtered and then cut out completely. At home, I left my phone upstairs while I went downstairs to put together a gaming chair, and I there was no hint of stutter.

Bose 700 headphones review: Verdict

Our overall Bose 700 review verdict? These headphones aren’t your daddy’s Bose. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have raised the bar for active noise-cancelling headphones. The eight mics effectively silence outside noise while simultaneously allowing you to clearly be heard, whether you’re talking to someone on the phone or cueing up a digital assistant.

The 700s don’t skimp on audio quality either, offering clean, balanced sound with some impressive, intuitive tech flourishes. The adjustable noise cancellation keeps things quiet without adding distortion to your music, and the Full Transparency mode is similarly impressive.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 is an excellent alternative with a cheaper starting price and a better app and longer battery life. But if you want the best in noise-cancelling headphones, the Bose 700 headphones are the only choice.

More: Bose 700 vs. Sony WH-1000XM3: Which noise-cancelling headphones win?

Bose 700: Price Comparison

21 Amazon customer reviews

☆☆☆☆☆

Deal ends Mon, Jun 19

Recommended Retail…

Show More Deals

Sherri L. Smith has been cranking out product reviews for Laptopmag. com since 2011. In that time, she’s reviewed more than her share of laptops, tablets, smartphones and everything in between. The resident gamer and audio junkie, Sherri was previously a managing editor for Black Web 2.0 and contributed to BET.Com and Popgadget.

Bose NC 700 Review | Premium for all the money from Bowes! Portable. Blog.

Blog filter

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i vs Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700: What’s the difference?

smartphonesvideo cardswireless headphonesprocessors

58pts

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

71pts

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

901 39 € 143

€ 308

€ 143

Comparison winner

€ 308

49 facts in comparison

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Why is Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i better than Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700?

3h longer battery life?
23h vs 20h
Has a battery level indicator?
1 years more manufacturer’s warranty?
2 years vs 1 years
22. 22% more battery capacity?
770mAh vs 630mAh
0.14m longer cable?
1.2m vs 1.06m
Support Bluetooth paring using NFC?
Has a replaceable battery?

Why Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is better than Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i?

10Hz below the lowest frequency?
10Hz vs 20Hz
Has passive noise isolation?
Sweat resistant?
Has a noise canceling microphone?
0.8 is a newer version of Bluetooth?
5 vs 4.2
41g lighter?
254g vs 295g
2 more mics?
8 vs 6
Has a shutdown function?

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Sony WH-1000XM5

90 002 Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Bose QuietComfort 45

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Apple AirPods Max

B ose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Sony WH-1000XM4

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Bowers & Wilkins PX

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 9000 3

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Dolby Dimension

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Apple AirPods Max

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

vs 900 03

Bowers & Wilkins PX7

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Beats Studio3 Wireless

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Bang & Oluf sen Beoplay h5

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

JBL Live 650BTNC

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Beats Studio3 Wireless

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

900 02 vs

Bose QuietComfort 35 II

Price comparison

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Buy used:

€143

Rent from:

€7. 90

9039 9 Price

9039 6

Product		Store
	Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ – Wireless Ear… Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ – Wireless Earphones Nordic Ice		€150
	Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8i Wireless On-E …Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8i Wireless On-Ear Active Noise Cancelling Kopfhörer, schwarz		€240

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Buy at held:

€16

Rent from:

€7.90

9040 4

Product		Store	Price
	Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 – k…Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 – kabellose Bluetooth-Kopfhörer im Over-Ear-Design mit integriertem Mikrofon für klar verständliche Telefonate und Alexa-Sprachsteuerung, Schwarz		€260

User reviews

Overall rating

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

1 User reviews

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

10 User reviews

Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

9. 4 /10

10 User Reviews

Features

Build Quality

10.0 9

Sound quality 03

1 votes

9.5 /10

10 votes

Value for money Comfort

8.7 /10

10 votes

Comfort

10.0 /10

1 votes

8.5 /10

10 votes

Noise isolation

10.0 /10

1 votes

9.7 /10

10 votes

Sound quality

has active noise cancellation (noise isolation)

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

This type of device allows you to listen at lower volume levels, resulting in less ear fatigue because you don’t have to crank up the volume to drown out background noise. Ideal for use on airplanes and morning transport.

lowest frequency

Lowest frequency at which the device produces sound. The lower the low frequencies are set, the stronger and richer the bass.

highest frequency

22000Hz

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700)

The highest frequency at which the device produces sound. The higher the high frequencies are tuned, the cleaner and more collected the treble.

driver block size

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700)

The driver is the component that plays the sound in the device. The larger the drivers, the more powerful they are and can reproduce lower bass.

resistance

24 Ohms

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700)

The electrical resistance of the device to waves passing through it. The lower the resistance, the easier it is to get louder sounds and the less power is required.

sound pressure level

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i)

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700)

Devices with higher SPL tend to be louder.

has a neodymium magnet

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Devices with neodymium magnets are lighter and more powerful than those using ferrite magnets. They also have more bass and cleaner highs.

is passive noise isolating

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Sealed device acoustically isolates your ears from the environment, and the sound is not heard by those around you.

Power

Battery life

Battery life (when in use) as specified by the manufacturer. With a longer battery life, you will charge your device less frequently.

charging time

Time required to fully charge the battery.

Has USB Type-C

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

USB Type-C has reversible connector orientation and cable routing.

has a battery level indicator

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

The indicator shows that the battery level is low.

has wireless charger

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Supports Qi standard wireless charging. To charge your device, you just need to place it on the charging pad.

battery capacity

770mAh

630mAh

Battery capacity, or battery capacity, is the amount of electrical energy stored in a battery. The higher the battery charge, the longer the battery life.

has battery

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

The device’s battery can be charged and used again.

has a replaceable battery

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

In the event of a breakdown, the user can replace the battery

Connection

Connection

Wireless

Wireless

Headphone connection type.

Bluetooth version

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows you to transfer data between devices in close proximity using shortwave radio waves. Newer versions provide faster data transfer.

yes aptX Adaptive

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

aptx Adaptive is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable baud rate (from 279kbps up to 420 kbps), which means it can adjust the bit rate under various scenarios such as listening to HD audio or reducing interference from other devices.

has aptX

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

aptX is a codec used for Bluetooth wireless audio transmission. It is developed by Qualcomm and supports 16-bit audio at 384 kbps.

yes LDAC

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

LDAC is a codec developed by Sony for Bluetooth audio. It supports a very high bit rate of 990 kbps, which provides high resolution audio. It can also automatically adjust the lower bitrate of 330Kbps or 660Kbps to improve stability.

low latency aptX

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

aptX Low Latency is a codec developed by Qualcomm. It uses Bluetooth 5.0 technology to provide low latency audio (around 40ms), which is useful when you want to avoid audio latency (such as when playing games).

yes aptX HD

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

aptX HD is an audio codec for Bluetooth devices developed by Qualcomm. It supports high quality 24-bit audio (with a bit rate of 576 kbps).

yes AAC

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

AAC is the codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250 kbps. Since psychoacoustic modeling is used, AAC can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

maximum range (Bluetooth) bluetooth

The device can connect to another device over a long distance using Bluetooth/IR.

Features

has a noise canceling microphone

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

These microphones are designed to filter out noise from the desired sound. Especially useful in noisy environments.

has Ambient Sound Mode

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

When in Ambient Sound Mode, the microphones will pass ambient noise just enough to still be heard. This comes in handy when you want to listen to music but be aware of what’s going on around you, such as when you’re running but still want to hear cars passing by.

Auto Ear Detection

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

Sensors can detect when the headphones are out of the ears, music playback is paused, saving battery power.

number of microphones

The more microphones a device has, the better it filters out background noise and improves the overall sound quality.

has a shutdown function

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

The device has the ability to mute / unmute the conversation directly from the device.

MPI number

Unknown. Help us offer a price. (Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i)

Multipoint allows you to connect more devices via Bluetooth and easily switch between them. For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without turning them off and on manually.

control panel built into the device

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

The control panel is on the device so you can easily access and control the volume control without messing with a cable or other device connected to it.

can be used as a headset

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

The headset is a single earphone or a pair with a built-in microphone. Can be used for applications that require communication, i. e. Skype, voice chat games, mobile phones, etc.

has a control panel on the cable

✖Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✖Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

The cable has a control panel that you can use to control the device without interacting with it.

Other

has a 3.5mm mini jack

✔Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

✔Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700

This audio jack allows you to connect to a range of devices using a standard 3.5mm jack.

Price match

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i

Buy used:

€143

Rent from:

€7.90
903 95

Product Shop Price

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ – Wireless Ear…Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ – Wireless Earphones Nordic Ice 0396
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8i Wireless On-E …Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8i Wireless On-Ear Active Noise Cancelling Kopfhörer, schwarz €240

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Buy at held:

€16

Rent from:

€7.