Planning headphone replacements.

Totallycasual · December 12, 2025

Hello, currently i have a pair of Bose QC35II's that are getting to be very old, typically i'll just replace the muffs when they get a bit tatty but of late the batteries aren't lasting as long as i would like so I'm looking to upgrade within the same product line. I'm not totally married to the idea of getting the same pair (but the modern version of course), but i just love the comfort level of them, I have also recently purchased a new OLED (C5) and plan to grab a PS5 Pro too, i feel like i have been doing myself a disservice just connecting my old headphones to the old TV via bluetooth and calling it a day, so here i am!

My questions are as follows:

- Is the noise cancellation tech used in the different versions of the Bose over the ear headphones as the marketing suggests, or is it just the same shit? (trying to decide between the same ones i have v the premium)

- Am i getting the full sound quality benefits when connecting to my TV via bluetooth, or should i have them plugged into my controller via a wire, or even the PS5 itself via a dedicated bluetooth dongle?

- If there is something else out there on the market that delivers the same comfort level, what would you recommend?

Psittac · December 14, 2025

I'm assuming you are in the UK or EU by your verbiage, I'm also assuming that your budget is about $200usd based on the current price of the QC35ii's.

IMHO bose is still a relic of 30 years ago when it was the bougie thing that no one had. But I can recognize that they have done great thing's in the headphone space. I would try and recommend a wired product for what is imo "consumer done right" but absolutely nothing of your requirements says a wired solution is what is needed.

I haven't heard a bose product in 25-30 years, long before I got into actual audio. Also the grape vine I follow doesn't cover "consumer" audio at all so I'm completely in the dark from the first and second person perspective.

Since everything you list is right up the alley of what you know and love, either replace them directly or get the upgraded set. I would guess that ANC is important so I won't recommend the Audeze Maxwell, but you have to ask if it's important enough to spring for what ever the higher cost line is. With ANC I'd imagine that it is progressing rather quickly and Bose, known highly for it's ANC, should be on top of it. So balance your desire for better ANC with the cost of the better solution.

Totallycasual · December 14, 2025

I'm Australian

I was really just hoping that someone here was well informed on the nuance between the mid range and high range of the product line so far as how it could impact my decision based on the use i outlined. I didn't get much in the way of responses here or Reddit so i just did a bunch of googling and read post from the past about people making a similar decision, the replies to those helped enough i think, looks like i'll just grab a new set of 45's. Thank you for being the only reply! lol

Psittac · December 16, 2025

On 12/14/2025 at 5:10 AM, Totallycasual said:

I'm Australian

I was really just hoping that someone here was well informed on the nuance between the mid range and high range of the product line so far as how it could impact my decision based on the use i outlined. I didn't get much in the way of responses here or Reddit so i just did a bunch of googling and read post from the past about people making a similar decision, the replies to those helped enough i think, looks like i'll just grab a new set of 45's. Thank you for being the only reply! lol

No problem, sometimes thing's can be too niche for someone to have first or second hand experience with. I've purchased 30+ headphones and my exposure is limited still. Unless you find someone who works somewhere that sells bose, find someone that has tested them or someone who has owned both. I'm certain there are people like that but a very small percentage of headphone owners talk about it online at all and of those an even smaller percentage continue to frequent boards.

The problem I'm finding is that I've become a gatekeeper in this sub-forum and have taken over the narrative and the regulars have left. It's somewhat understandable, there's always a narrative in forums, for a while it was nothing but get phillips headphones, anyone asks any headphone related question and it was to get one of 3 or 4 headphones with a boom mic. Maybe I came across poorly in trying to make my points about my experience's, but the result is the same, most of the regulars are gone.

Anyways now you get to be the Internet's foremost expert in the bose QC line go answer the questions others asked so someone else will know.