Hey everyone! I’m looking to buy a pair of noise-canceling headphones and am torn between the Bose QC and Sony WH-1000XM4( also considering Momentum 4s). I’m prioritizing comfort and effective ANC. How do they compare?

Also, I’m planning to wait for Black Friday for deals on either option. Do you think that’s the best time to buy, or should I look out for sales at other times? Thanks for your help!

I was pretty decided on the XM4 but just came across the Bose QC SC on Amazon at a pretty significant discount (Sony are £194 and Bose are £189) so I wanted to know your opinions. Thanks!

Last week, I bought both the Sony WH-1000XM4 and the Bose QuietComfort (2023) to test them side by side for a week. Here's my honest take on both headphones.

TL;DR: I returned the Sony XM4s. The Bose have better noise cancelling, fit more comfortably on my head, and are overall more pleasant to wear.

Background

I'm a student in my 20s looking for headphones that will last me the next 3–4 years. I’m a bit of a tech enthusiast (though not a full-on audiophile), and sound quality is very important to me — especially for music and watching movies.

I live in a shared apartment with three other students, so good noise cancelling is crucial for studying and relaxing. I also commute by train twice a week, work 10 hours a week in an office, and occasionally take video calls.

For the gym, I prefer in-ears due to heavy sweating — so I didn’t test either headphone there. I'm upgrading from the Sony WH-CH720N and also own the Sony LinkBuds S, but their battery life has dropped to about 2,5 hrs after just over a year. That’s why I want to rely more on over-ear headphones now.

I’ve generally been a fan of Sony products, I even have a Sony home theatre system, so returning the XM4s wasn’t an easy choice for me.

Price paid:

• Sony XM4s: ~186 € with student discount

• Bose QC: 176 € with soft case + 9 € for a hard case from AliExpress → Roughly the same price overall.

Sound Quality:

This was a tough one. I had to tweak the EQ on both, as I wasn’t impressed with their default sound profiles.

• Sony XM4: Sounded slightly muffled to me. That said, I found it easier to distinguish individual elements in the music.

• Bose QC: Clearer and warmer overall, with stronger bass.

In the end, I preferred the Bose for music and watching YouTube — but honestly, neither of them blew me away, which was a bit disappointing.

Comfort

Clear win for Bose. My ears don’t touch the drivers at all, which is impressive. There’s a bit of side pressure at first, but I got used to it within two days.

The Sonys, however, made my ears very warm, and after 1.5 hours they started to hurt. I always found myself going back to the Bose -> and that’s what ultimately made my decision!

Noise Cancelling

When sitting still, both perform similarly, the Bose are just slightly better.

However, while commuting or walking, the Bose outperform the XM4s, likely due to the firmer fit. Still, it’s worth noting that the XM4s are five years old and still hold up surprisingly well!

Both produce a subtle hiss when ANC is on and no audio is playing. The hiss is quieter on the Bose, in case that matters to you.

Connectivity

Both support multipoint, which is a must for me.

• Sony XM4: Flawless connectivity — no issues at all.

• Bose QC: Occasionally makes a crackling sound when pausing media while connected to two devices (e.g., Phone and laptop). They once wouldn’t connect to my phone, but restarting fixed it.

Features & Controls

• Sony XM4:

  • Great features like ambient mode by holding a hand over the earcup and auto-pause when taking them off.

  • I love the Sony app and its customizable equalizer.

  • Touch controls feel a bit inconsistent.

• Bose QC:

  • I love the wind noise reduction, there’s virtually no wind noise while biking or walking, which makes a big difference outdoors. The only downside: you have to manually turn it on every time you go outside, either through the app or by pressing the custom button. That can get a bit annoying over time.

  • Fewer EQ options, but I quickly found a sound profile I liked.

  • Physical buttons are better than Sony’s touch controls, but the custom button is a bit stiff.

Conclusion

I decided to keep the Bose QuietComfort. If they had Sony’s ambient and auto-pause features and better connectivity, they’d be perfect.

I probably would’ve kept the Sonys if they were more comfortable, as I really liked their features and stable connectivity.

If you’re deciding between these two, try wearing both for 2–3 hours. Comfort is key, even the best features don’t matter if your ears start to hurt.

Hope this helps anyone who's considering one of these headphones!

As a college student, I was looking for good quality and long lasting headphones with noise cancellation, and also something I can answer phone calls with/voice record with. Saw the Bose QC headphones on sale for Black Friday, so I bought them.

Cons:

1. They’re smaller than I thought

2. Gave me bad migraines/tension headaches when wearing them

3. Depending on your head shape, they can feel a bit tight yet they still fall off and lack grip, so it’s not exactly ideal for working out

4. Noise cancellation is mediocre, my old $30 headphones had about the same quality

5. This was especially my dealbreaker: they didn’t work on calls or any voice audio for some reason. I tried troubleshooting with customer service, rebooting them, using the aux cord, and still nothing. None of my friends could hear me on calls unless I hovered both of my hands over the headphone muffs, and even then, they could barely hear me.

Pros: -Great customer service, they were as helpful as they could be and offered to get me a replacement (but transportation is tricky where I live, so having to mail it back for a new one for 7-12 days seemed like such an inconvenience) -good discounts -sound quality is pretty decent, not so much for the noise cancelling

For $199-399, I expect these to atleast work on a phone call and to be a little bit more comfortable. Now, if you don’t have migraines and you have a smaller head shape or you just want casual headphones for just music listening, these might be ideal for you. But the Sony ones were on sale for around the same price, and I got an extra $25 off for my first purchase, so this seemed to be exactly what I needed. I highly recommend switching to Sony if you want something more reliable for around the same price, or perhaps upgrading to the newer Bose headphones.

Hello, l’ve recently got the option to choose between the Sony XM4 and the Bose QC Ultra; Please could you help me between the both.l’ve had the XM4s before and they have done me good wanted to explore the other route if you could help me with suggestions and reasons which one is better. Thank you

I need it for blocking noisy neighbors (rumbling low frequencies noises above my ceiling), and intent to use it daily for long hours (while reading for example) which one is better in terms of ANC and comfort?.

hi
I am hesitating between the bose quitecomfort SE and the Sony wh-1000xm4 but am not sure which one I would buy. i am looking for a a headset for just daily use on train, plane, studying and so on. both headphones seem pretty similar to me but I am not an expert on this. which one would you guys buy?
thanks in advance

I’m trying to find out which one of these to get for Christmas. I had a pair of original quietcomfort 35s but they are worn down and its time for an upgrade.

So my question is, Which one of these do I get? A couple of factors to point out:
- Longevity: I want these to last preferably the next 5 years so longevity is definitely a big factor here.
- Comfort: I am a college student and I want something I can use in the library or in my apartment and not hear anybody. Also needs to be comfortable to wear during long study sessions.
- Price: If the XM5’s are considerably better than the other options, I would push the price and get them. I know they don’t fold up though so it makes carrying them around a little difficult.
- Exercise: Needs to be good for the gym. So wont get messed up with sweat.
- Style: want them to look good. I am a bit in favor of the Sony look but if they sound any worse than my old QC’s I would go the Bose route.

I appreciate any help any of you can offer. I feel like I’ve been researching this all day with everybody saying something different.

Alright everyone, I've been digging very deep into the rabbit hole trying to figure out which headphone is best for my personal needs and hit a roadblock. I wanted to get this discussion going with others who may be in the same spot as me to hopefully come up with a solution.

Background: I've been in the market for noise cancelling headphones because my partner and I work in the same room and she spends the majority of her time in Zoom meetings, which I am unable to tune out. I have plenty of other headphones that I produce/DJ on, but unfortunately I am able to drown out the noise without having to blast my ears off.

I have never used any noise cancelling headphones prior to this, so my experience is limited to these two models.

For reference, these are other headphones that I use on a daily basis:

• Audio-Technica ATH-M40X (I've had the 50's in the past so I have a good idea of what they both sound like) for producing

• Sennheiser HD25 for DJing

• Sennheiser HD6XX for producing

• Airpods (First Gen) for working out

I read a bunch of blogs + watched reviews on YouTube but wasn't 100% convinced so I decided to purchase both the BOSE QC35 II + Sony XM4 to test it out myself. I'm still deciding which one I like better so that I can return one of them...but still haven't made up my mind here.

Here are my thoughts/review based on 5 categories that I personally care about (the whole call quality/zoom thing is irrelevant to me, everyone has terrible mics/speakers anyway) --

1. Sound Quality: XM4 => QC35 II

QC35 II: 8.5/10
XM4: 9/10 (8.5 before/9 after adjusting EQ)

This was actually what captured me to pick the QC35 II over the XM4 initially at Best Buy when I was listening to the demos. You don't get a wide stereo field like the XM4 on the QC 35 II, but the QC35II sounded so good out of the box. As someone who bought monitoring headphones based on specific frequency responses, I personally never dab with changing the EQ of headphones b/c I listen to all music objectively. The XM4 is really bass heavy and I had to adjust the EQ using the app to get it to a taste that I am happy with.

The XM4 provides a more robust experience of being engulfed in your music and definitely makes it more enjoyable to listen to music. However, my needs revolve around something that I can block out noise and listen to music all day long, and the QC35 II provides a balanced experience which doesn't fatigue my ears over a long period of time. I have not tried the 360 audio or other extended offers on the XM4 b/c I feel like it's not something that I would use on a normal basis, but seems like a cool concept.

2. Comfort: QC35 II > XM4

QC35 II: 10/10
XM4: 8/10

Man, this is another big factor for me -- to have headphones that I can wear for hours without feeling hot or uncomfortable. I would say that the QC35 II has the right amount of pressure around my head and also does not get warm, which is very important for prolonged usage. The XM4 is not bad in anyway, but I definitely feel like I need to take it off every hour or two due to it making me feel warm or slightly fatigued. Whereas the QC35 II's are the first pair of headphones besides my open-back HD6XX that I think I've worn for hours without taking off.

There is a sort of vacuum feeling with the QC35 II on without music with noise cancelling on, which I know is a deal breaker for some people. For me, this doesn't matter b/c I'm listening to music 99% of the time I have my headphones on.

I have relatively small ears so I did not notice any discomfort from hitting the inside.

3. Noise Cancelling: XM 4 > QC35 II

QC35 II: 9/10
XM4: 10/10 (no complaints at all!)

The QC35 II does a great job, but the XM4 is definitely superior here. I don't care for all the adjustable settings on the XM4 b/c I feel like it's unnecessary, but I can have my music at about 60% volume and not hear anything outside of me, versus the Bose QC35 II have to be an upward of 75-80% before I feel like it drowns out the external world.

I'm not sure how it performs based on mechanical noises, outside, etc. but for human voices, the XM4 performs better by about 1-2 levels in sedentary conditions.

4. Apps/Tech: XM 4 > QC 35 II

This is a no brainer. The XM4 feels like something from 2020 versus the QC35 II uses dated technology. USB Micro, 2.5mm to 3.5mm (what is this even), lack of app diversity, no touch senses, etc. makes me worried that the headphones won't be competitive by the end of next year.

I wouldn't completely say that the QC35II is outdated because it still gets the job as a really solid pair of noise cancelling headphones. The recharge time isn't that bad as long as you remember to charge it overnight, and who really cares about all the tech if the goal is to listen to music comfortably anyway?

I haven't tested out the full battery life on either devices, but it has gotten me through multiple days without having to recharge them which is great.

The Sony app is far superior to the Bose App, along with all the additional noise cancelling features available, which makes me wish the QC35 II had more advanced tech in them (in the app + in the hardware)

5. Other Nuances: QC35 II > XM 4

To be honest, this has been another big factor for me leaning towards the QC35 II. I listen to long sets on YouTube and SoundCloud, and I've been noticing some sporadic clicking sounds (definitely not clipping on the master) on my XM4 while I use my laptop for other needs. Not sure what the deal is, but I hate it when I get distracted by random sounds during a set and it's been really getting on my nerves because it makes me feel like the music is clipping and I end up trying to figure out the cause is.

Switching between multiple devices on the QC35 II feels smoother than the XM4 despite the better technology. Not a deal breaker, but I definitely noticed a bit slower connectivity with the XM4's.

So after all of this, which one is better? I honestly can't decide for the life of me. They both have pros/cons where if they could fix each other's shortcomings and fused into one device, they would be the perfect wireless headphones.

What are your thoughts? Would love to hear what you think about both these headphones, so that I can finally make a decision!

Hi everyone! Haven't found a proper channel on which posting this, so I thought I'd come here and ask (so tell me if this is, in any way, "inappropriate").

I've used my AirPods Pro for a very long time now: they're a great pair of headphones but when I keep them on for a couple hours they kinda hurt my ears, and it can be pretty annoying since I travel a lot and I always want (and need) to listen to some sort of content. So that's why I'm asking this.

I've watched and read so many reviews about these two in the past few days and I just can't understand which one I should purchase.

If I'm not mistaken, the major differences between the Bose and the Sony ones are the different levels of noise cancelling and the in-app equalizer (which, I heard, has been added recently to the Bose app too).

I was gonna buy the Bose because I don't think I really need either of those things, but then I read of those white noises issues that the QC45 in particular have and that kind of stopped me.

The only thing I need is a great pair of noise cancelling headphones with as few connectivity problems as possible (I have an iPhone-MacBook combo, if that can be relevant) that can deliver a great sound quality.

If you have experienced/tried both these two pair of headphones, I'd love to hear what your experience was like and which one, in your opinion, I should buy!

Thanks in advance :)

After five years, my Sony WH-1000XM2 is finally starting to fail. I know I'll need new headphones soon, and initially I was just going to get the XM4s because of the upgrades on the model. However, I also tested my dad's Bose QuietComfort 35 II, and loved them. Sound quality and noise cancelling on both the XM2 and QC35 are very similar, but what I like about the QC35 is how comfortable and lightweight they are in comparison.

So now I'm not sure which model to upgrade to. My main musts for my headphones are: noise cancelling, sound quality and comfort - especially since I use public transport a lot and have some sensory issues, and will also be going on a long-haul flight in September. I've heard good things and bad things about both. Which would you recommend?

(EDIT: thought it would be worth adding, I use a Samsung Galaxy S10 for streaming. I also use a Walkman NW-A45, since I listen to music a lot and do this to save battery on my phone. One thing I love about the QC35 is how it can connect to multiple Bluetooth devices at once unlike my current headphones; apparently the XM4 can also do this, which is a bonus for either option)

Hey there yall, I asked my dad for his XM4 so I could see how these are compared to my QC Ultra, I kinda wanted a Sony headphone since a while but didnt got them due my priorities, but I used them for a while and listened to them for a while and here is what I can tell you...

-Comfort
Both are so comfy, like really comfy, QC Ultra have a more spacious inside of the ear cups so your ears will be more "free", but the XM4 have this feeling when your ear touch the "fabric" that feels so niceeeee, I do prefer Bose here tbh, I feel better, but this will depend on every person tho.

Winner : Bose QC Ultra (Subjective)

-Battery Life
Bose do fall behind a little when it comes to battery, they have a 24h battery life and a 18h battery when Immersive Audio ON, rememer you cant turn off ANC on the Ultra so you wont get the battery life any better than 24h.
While the XM4 have a 30h battery life while ANC ON, thats pretty good, and If I remember well they have a 38h battery when ANC OFF, even better, but tbh yall going to use ANC in the XM4, thats why you are buying them in the first place probably.

Winner : Sony WH-1000XM4

-ANC
I did some testings on my speakers featuring with Plane Engine Ambient Noice / Coffee Shop Ambient Noice / Office Ambient Noice and heres what I got.

On the plane test I was a little surprised tbh, It is said the ANC on the XM4 its better when it comes to low frecuencies, while the XM4 cancelled probably a 85%-90% of the noice, the QC Ultra cancelled all of it (100%), like, all of it, I couldnt hear a sh**, while on the XM4 I could, but like a pretty low low amount of the engine sound, now when on a real plane idk if things change, I havent got a chance to prove both there, probably it changes because Sony Atmospheric Pression thing or smth like that, but as far as low rumbling noises here on the floor, QC Ultra do a better job.

On the Coffee Shop simulation, things got way closer, in the XM4, the ambient voices sound, you know, the tumult of all the voices you hear was cancelled like 85% while in the QC Ultra it was cancelled 90% probably, It was better on Ultra but by a very small difference, but both let in sudden and high frecuencies like cup, but they muffle them quite well tbh, Its very very close, but QC Ultra win by half of a step.

On the Office Simulation was quite the same, both of the cancelled 90% of the back noices, but I noticed the QC Ultra cancelled the main voice you could hear on the audio more than the XM4, not by much, but they did a better job, QC Ultra win here, not by too little and not by far.

Yall need to remember XM4 were released on 2020 and QC Ultra were released on 2023, 3 years difference and the XM4 keep up pretty good tbh.

Winner : Bose QC Ultra

-Sound Impressions
Okay, here its mainly about how YOU like to hear your music, but this is what I felt with both of these when its about sound.
Bose have a noticeably flatter respond compared to the XM4, though they arent flat, they do have an emphazised low frecuencies sound, but not as much as the XM4, in the XM4 you could feel the Bass, you could really hear and feel their deep and strong bass, while in the Bose you wont feel it, you will hear it, but its more tight and "weak" you could say.
Something I also noticed, is that Mids were clearer on Bose, hearing different Artists and songs I could tell the QC Ultra did a better job making that clear voices, while the XM4 seemed a little bit muffled? they did sound good tbh, but I liked the vocies on the Bose better, they feel more present and clear. In highs frecuencies is pretty much the same thing, I couldnt really feel a change, maybe Bose was more present, but nothing far.

In general I do like the XM4 sound more, I like to feel my bass in my music, but also have a good and clear mids and highs, I feel that XM4 fail there a little bit, but I liked Sony sound in general more than Bose, tho in some cases for chiller music with less bass I do prefer the Bose, they sound more clear and you still will have some bass, but I listen to Rock and Hip-Hop a lot, so XM4 will fit more for me in most of cases.

Winner : WH-1000XM4 (Subjective)

-Aware / Ambient Mode
Bose Ambient mode Is pretty damn good tbh, not at Apple level but its pretty natural and clear, definitely better than XM4, XM4 ambient mode its kinda muffled and robotic, definitely better on Bose, no question.

Winner : Bose QC Ultra

-Mic Quality
Again, Bose microphone is better than XM4, they did a better job when it comes to the microphone on the XM5, but the XM4 arent as good as QC Ultra, though XM5 have better mic than Ultras on noisy / windy conditions, we are comparing them to the XM4, not the XM5, so Bose takes the win here.

Winner : Bose QC Ultra

Bose QC Ultra is better over-all comapring them to the WH-1000XM4, though XM4 arent bad at all, somethings like Comfort and Sound are subjective, I do prefer Sony sound in some cases, but ANC and Aware mode on Bose is quite superior, tho if you have the XM4 or QC Ultra it isnt NECESSARY to buy the other, tho If you want a different experience overall you should buy them.

Thats my opinion remember! I might get the XM5 in a future tho, I will come back then and do a comparative of the XM4, XM5, QC Ultra and Momentum 4 :)

I recently posted about my thoughts on the XM4s and XM5s https://www.reddit.com/r/SonyHeadphones/s/xANuTNjAiR and decided I prefer the XM4s. Here is my comparison between the Sony XM4s and the Bose QC45 SE.

Things going for the Bose: •Lighter and abit more comfortable. They don’t clamp much against your head that much and the ear cups are slanted and deeper on the inside giving your ears more space. Adding to this point, my ears felt nice and cool after wearing these for 4 hours. With the Sonys, I sometimes feel warm after an hour or two. •The noise cancelling is slightly better but still comparable to the Sonys.

Things going for the Sonys: •The Sony pair is packed with smart features that are missing on the Bose. •Sound quality wise, the XM4s are far superior. They actually made the Bose sound like a cheap pair when compared side by side. The sound profile is also much more customisable able with a 5 point Equaliser compared to the Boses 3 point (Bass mid treble adjustment). •The Sonys are built better and feel more robust and expensive. •Longer lasting battery. •Much better case than the Bose QC45 SE, which only come with a soft case. You can pay more and get the Bose QC headphones which come with a hard shell case and larger battery.

In conclusion, this is a no brainer. The Sonys are far superior but if you can get a good deal on the bose and/or you primarily want travel headphones that are comfy and have good ANC then go for it.

Hi!

I'm thinking of buying either one as a Christmas gift to myself but with all the debate around both I don't know which one to choose.

Things to note:

- I wear glasses most often

- I would be wearing those headphones for 6 to 8 hours at a time (student life...)

- I don't think I have a big head (?)

- Noise-canceling is really important even without music on

- For transport reasons I want them to be foldable

If anyone wishes to weigh in on this that would be very helpful