When it comes to headphones with active noise cancellation, Bose is probably the most well known player on the block. The QC15s – QC stands for quiet comfort – are lightweight and comfortable. They come with a slim case that should fit into most laptop bags.

In designing its fourth-generation consumer noise-canceling headphones, the QuietComfort 15s, Bose has done something interesting. Instead of coming up with a whole new look for its headphones as it did with the QuietComfort 3s, Bose has left the basic design of its popular QuietComfort 2s intact and simply redesigned them on the inside, adding even more effective noise-canceling circuitry and improving their sound quality.

While they're no bargain, the Bose QuietComfort 15s currently offer the best sound and silencing capabilities in a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Extracomfortable design; improved sound; highly effective noise-canceling circuitry; device folds for compact storage in included carrying case; 30-day home trial.

Expensive; when the battery dies, so does the music.

- I've been using a little meadows 1 week. - Level headphones I've tried a lot as the best known. (HD 25, Beats by dre, the Sony MDR ..) - Advantages: Comfort! A great headphone for the meeting at ear level, ambient noise completely disappeared!

Reassuringly expensive. Every time I open the neat carry case, I get the sense of satisfaction you only ever get from something quality, expensive and desirable. I wanted a set of these for years, then finally gave in and bought a set from the Bose store in Burlington, Boston, while on holiday.

Sound; build and isolating prowess

Nothing

This is an article I never thought I'd write. I sold hi-fi (well, Circuit City's version of "hi-fi") within sight of The Mountain. I developed early an audiophile's distain for the four-letter marketing juggernaut.

: The Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Canceling Headphones (about $299 on Amazon ) have tiny microphones mounted on the outside of each ear cup. Sophisticated mini-computers constantly monitor ambient noises and produce an equal and opposite noise into the ear cups to cancel them out.

I've been looking at getting these headphones for a really long time, and I had made up my mind on my last flight to CA that I would get the Bose QuietComfort 15 Headphones before I fly again. I'm sitting on an airplane right now with these things on and they are simply incredible.

While they're no bargain, the Bose QuietComfort 15s currently offer the best sound and silencing capabilities in a pair of noise-canceling headphones.

Extracomfortable design; improved sound; highly effective noise-canceling circuitry; device folds for compact storage in included carrying case; 30-day home trial

Expensive; when the battery dies, so does the music

"Read around on the internet and you will find a fairly reliable consensus emerging on Bose noise-cancelling headphones. Audiophiles tend to hate them, because they are expensive but have low fidelity (compared to headphones in their price bracket); people...

Although the price is high, if you suffer from a hearing loss (as I do) these headphones are a good choice. I connected my headphones to my Yaesu 857D (with a mono adapter in the speaker jack.) I was impressed on how well I was able to hear the audio of the rig.