Before there was Beats, there was Bose. The QuietComfort line is the original über-popular headphone line, even if it's aimed more at business travelers than teenagers and celebrities.

Powerful lows and crisp, bright highs with no distortion at top volumes; Exceedingly comfortable; Best noise-cancellation technology available; Can be used as passive headphones without power

Runs on a AAA battery rather than a built-in, rechargeable option; Sculpted sound signature is not for purists; No auto-off function

The QuietComfort 25 (QC25) is the latest model to join Bose's massively popular noise-canceling headphone lineup; it replaces the QuietComfort 15, the best noise-canceling headphone I've heard, till now.Weighing just 6.9 ounces, the QC25 is one of the lightest full-size models on the market, and its...

The best noise-canceler; period; Headphones can play after batteries are drained; Light and very comfortable

Sound quality isn't stellar

Upgraded from the QC15 about two (2) years back, mainly because you could turn the noise cancellation on/off. The sound quality wasn't all that much better, and at times I've also felt as if the QC15 was slightly better.

Great Noise Cancellation; comfortable

Not Durable; flimsy; noise leak

There seems to be a lot of issues with the sound quality for these 2nd gen Bose phones. These came out before wireless headphones were in any significant use, and when few other companies were making a serious attempt at noise reduction.

Very very good noise cancelling; Industry standard for their time

Not intended for the highest quality audio

Since their introduction in 2009, the Bose QuietComfort 15 have been the premier headphones for anyone who wanted the best in active noise-cancelling headphones. Even as many competitors tried to take the crown, the QC15s remained on top.

Attractive; sturdy design; Comfortable fit; Can play music without battery; Excellent active noise-cancelling technology; Loud; balanced audio

Expensive

The QuietComfort 25 model takes Bose's already stellar noise-canceling headphones and levels them up to new heights.

Extra-comfortable design; clearer, more dynamic sound; highly effective noise-canceling circuitry that's been slightly improved; new folding design allows the headphones to fit in a smaller carrying case; if the battery dies, the music now doesn't die; 21- to 30-day risk-free home trial

Fairly pricey

In my experience, Bose quite simply makes the best noise canceling headphones available today. While I've heard a few noise cancelers that sound a bit better, I've never heard one that isolated as well from outside noise...and that's the important bit for noise cancelers, isolation.

Even though some of the tweaks seem more like lateral movement than actual improvements on previous models, the Bose QuietComfort 25 are indeed the best active noise canceling headphones we've seen from Bose yet.

When it comes to trusted audio equipment names, few match the reputation of industry stalwart Bose. Since the company first dipped its toes into the tranquil waters of noise-cancelling gear in 2000, it's over-ear QuietComfort headphone line has evolved to become recognized as some of the best in the...

After good experiences with Beats (2 pairs), which were pretty fragile, I came home to Jesus with these Bose headphones. The noise-cancelling part is battery (AAA) powered, but everything else is just mechanical -- no need to charge the headphones themselves, which is a big improvement over my last...