A lot of people will think they're overpriced, and they'd be right to think that. But for a certain subset of the headphone-buying population, the QC20s are an excellent product that's strongly worth considering.

The Bose QuietComfort 20 and 20i are compact in-ear headphones that sound good, are very comfortable to wear, and offer surprisingly impressive noise cancellation; The noise cancellation is powered by an integrated rechargeable lithium battery that delivers up to 16 hours of battery life

Expensive; they don't sound as good as many competing in-ear headphones in this price range; rechargeable battery isn't replaceable

Bose has been a go-to choice for noise-canceling headphones since the company's original QuietComfort headphones debuted in 2000. The line has been updated over the years with an on-ear model (the QC15s) and new over-the-ear models (the QC3s), but the QuietComfort 20 you see here is the company's first in-ear headphone with active noise cancellation. It actually comes in two versions -- the standard QC20 is for non-Apple products, and the QC20i is designed for use with Apple products. Both cost a lofty $299.95.

Despite some downsides, including a high price, the Bose QuietComfort 20 offers the best noise-canceling in an in-ear headphone and should tempt frequent travelers looking for a more compact alternative to a full-size NC headphone, such as the Bose QuietComfort 15.

The Bose QuietComfort 20 and 20i are compact in-ear headphones that sound good, are very comfortable to wear, and offer surprisingly impressive noise cancellation; The noise cancellation is powered by an integrated rechargeable lithium battery that delivers up to 16 hours of battery life.

Expensive; they don't sound as good as many competing in-ear headphones in this price range; rechargeable battery isn't replaceable.

Whenever I'm on an airplane, as soon as passengers are allowed to use electronics, at least a half-dozen pairs of Bose's Quiet Comfort headphones pop out of carry-on bags. Despite increased competition, Bose's noise-canceling headphones are pretty much the standard for air travel.

Excellent noise-canceling; Aware Mode lets you hear some outside sounds at the touch of a button; Comfortable to wear.

Noise-cancelation can bother some sensitive users

With first-class noise cancellation, clean detail, and a comfortable fit, the QC20i provide an enjoyable, almost meditative way to escape the outside world.

First class noise cancellation; Clear sound across all genres; Comfortable; easy to insert earbuds; Good feature set

DSP creates a synthetic quality to the music; Battery/electronics bar is awkward; Expensive

There are two slightly different QC20 models, the QC20 has an in-line microphone and two-button control which is designed for Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone devices, while the QC20i is for Apple devices and has the in-line microphone and a four-button remote.

Having recently acquired a Sony Xperia Z1 for myself and already owning a DSC-QX10 Lens I decided to get myself a case for the Z1 which would allow me to attach the lens to the camera without the need to use the slightly chunky mount that comes with the QX10.

Bose is well known for its QuietComfort 15 headphones and now it's made an in-ear version. Here's our Bose QC20 headphones review.

The Bose QC20 headphones make for an impressive set of in-ears which you're unlikely to regret if you travel a lot. Although sound performance isn't the best, the sensational noise cancelling, comfortable design and handy aware mode make these a great buy.

These headphones do exactly what you want from them. They are comfortable to wear, easy to handle and do the job. When noise cancelling is switched on they are very effective but control is just as the fingertips so that you can switch back into a safer mode when you need to hear what is around you.

James Harrison is a graduate IT & Systems Officer currently completing his Masters in Business Process Management. Over the course of a day, he's constantly confronted by noisy people, places and/or devices. He's also the final winner in our recent Bose QuietComfort 20 competition .