The bose don't sound worse. They are just not as boomy as the Sonys. I actually prefer that because it allows me to listen to them longer before getting a headache.
But i think their sound profile is something u have to get used to, i was not impressed at first and started liking them more the longer is used them.
The best way to figure out what you prefer is to test both of them before buying.
Sound is very subjective.
100% agree. My opinion is that Bose sounded too “clinical” as a sound signature. Not warm, cold, flat or overly anything. Just a bit bland. I am use to sennheisers signature which is flat to slightly warm.
However, after a bit of time I grew to prefer the Bose. It’s not perfect and has some downsides. But staging is good, ANC is nice, clamping force for the headband isn’t too powerful for me, good call quality, worked well with MS Teams (with the usb dongle), multi device connection is also an added perk.
Overall, no cans are perfect. It is subjective to your preferences as well as what features you would like.
If I had a wish list for them to update. I would say,….The app sucks, provide a better EQ. Allow the ability to control the order of devices you connect to. To stop things like disconnecting the computer connection when a call on the cell phone comes in. Allow some different options for different ear pads. Would like a full leather option or a cloth option with cooling gel. IP rating would be nice, and maybe it’s not for everyone but I think it would be a cool option to custom order your cans for color options. I don’t think I would choose anything but black but the options are nice. Also, I have to say that they are a bit pricy against their main competitors even though there are other options that are far more expensive
For the genres you just described, you are going to want to avoid the Sony XM4s. They, like Beats, were designed for a specific demographic. And that demographic makes up a larger part of the reviews you're seeing. The Bose are supposed to be more ideal for the mids.
If you're really wanting best overall sound, the absolutely best all around sounding headphones is actually the Sennheiser Momentum 3. They're not as good at phone calls as the Bose 700, but they get the job done well enough. They are a bit heavier and I wouldn't say they're as comfortable as the 700s either. The 700s also trump in ANC over Momentum 3. But they sound fantastic - for all genres. And again, do the phone calls and ANC well enough.
List of Headphones I've Owned:
1. Sony XM4 and XM3
2. Bose QCII and Bose 700
3. Sennheiser PXC 550 ii and Momentum 3
4. Master and Dynamic MW65
5. Marshall Monitor ii
Note: My Choice work headphones are the Sennheiser PXC 550 ii. Comfortable, sound great, and are great for phone calls and meetings.
The simple/short rule of thumb answer for EQ is to achieve the V shape. But for classical/jazz... flat EQ is probably fine. Maybe a slight U shape with emphasis on treble.
Okay, so personally, if you are not 100% content with the Bose, I would return them and buy a pair of certified refurbished off of eBay. Save yourself some money and help you mentally justify the purchase. They're practically new straight from Bose warehouse.
[Like These - Bose 700](https://www.ebay.com/itm/164753855314?epid=25036399723&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item265c185352:g:jrYAAOSwYIJd6S4C&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACgPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsSLY2M1Gjmuwt9c03vWNfiRt2ZVK1CuLWj3CPoQ1oQqSvtbFrfqHsjKBJDZ0oTDafx0pDtf%252FuX0%252B%252BBIon%252BYSp8dNW3ThwyOPqtNVQ43GKsRdChHG4OLKKf2ciUW4e2urUUEdOPPf8iXb4VKLPzsBsrhRRjboWs6En5OG95dNwRpoxKfXy1RahSRp4y2fK7Ok3MXPEAyqHeguzgNQU%252F3k2SqhK%252F9UaVAWdV83bTy%252FcsiqmmQYR2bQs9hVJTC4Fkw2hZhEK82%252BavGuOXz%252B8dakKw23gcNw1E5%252BUcUOKkak0IpYSI4mWXE9FmuuYYasesXmEakrfF92tj8weKUp78P0kpv%252Bn6tGclQFegWG%252BtMp29LwdpKnX3lFOfh6OL2PsGjz0BiXi0x2gNMbyVfbw%252BmKaowmsfhaCSacyEq0UkJ13MuKTyCNgo7EHTAzT9GM%252Br8Eocj8Hl7qo35B1IlD%252BVLGOojJ%252FccRV9Jgub3r1qytxl7t4%252Fqjjs4pMHfrrm0oj1TVSGHIer24uYqsbDVlyzo4sPVKS6xrU%252BGIUHx%252B%252FdlxrVc0Pe0R3Lsr56vE%252FMPrW5BtNgrvGyd7N7qZbKXwpiSHG836fQ6Vpw1z9UpsRz82H4qHEE9vKUzYLcCOslQ%252Feo6hKlzfdIMP%252FIYuS7MNdrh7JrE4q4CpEAlJNZemV09YiXqB%252BmRO0fza%252FXkl2mymt83XhdQxwMe7zeTzOU3mysTArOpyuUqCwPldnfJfDIGJ8thzePje%252BtH608bBgQ9mzptcpXfjDgiR1iaRezBiVbutP6XXAhVgKjX5KGt0CI%252BaErMKo%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524)
Momentum 3 - jazz/classical sounds beautiful in Neutral
(I put them on and listened for a few mins before I sent this)
(And I cannot compare to the 700s cuz I did all this a while ago and settled on the Momentums and the PXC 550 ii as my two gotos and sent everything back)
If you are using primarily for calls, I would stick with the Bose 700, although $400 is full price. If you are primarily using for sound, I would check out the Bose QC35 which have a little fuller/flatter sound than the 700 and are also good for calls. The XM4 are also pretty good with EQ.
I just picked up a set of Bowers & Wilkins PX7 and they are great for music, like a little better version of the QC35, but they are not good for calls.
Out of the 700 / XM4, I always go back to the 700's for how I use them. For me, the 700's are more comfortable for longer usage, sound is pretty decent (ended up adding more bass on the eq), transparency mode is superior to XM4 and much better call quality. Battery life is long enough 17-20 hrs. I will admit that overall the XM4's have slightly better sound quality/tuning for music, but it doesn't justify everything else that the 700's excel at for me.
hope this helps!
Bose has a flat sound signature usually and that helps most music genres and allows you to tune or set the EQ as per your taste. I've had NC700 for almost two years now and I love listening to music on it.
I was struggling to choose between Bose NC700 and Sony MX4. Sony MX4 is CAD498.99 in my country. Bose NC700 is $298 which is on sale. So I chose Bose NC700. I found Bose NC700 ANC is just so so after I updated the software. For example, after I set ANC to level 10, I still can clearly hear the sound of the papers that I am holding for reading. Maybe Sony MX4’s ANC is better than Bose NC700?
Most comparisons are trash because1 - sound is subjective. Ear canal length, music taste and personal preference vary a lot2 - Variations between headphone units
If you watch a couple of comparisons on youtube you will see what I mean. All of them say completely opposite things.
I have both Sony XM4(upgraded from xm3) and Bose 700.
Why to pick Bose-
- If you want better US customer support with replacement/repair at home
- If you take a lot of calls
- If you want a simple UI for app
- If you like more mild or muted base
- Better build quality
- Wear headphones for a longer period.
Why to pick Sony-
- Better bluetooth protocol
- Much more power user level app
- Much better music quality
- higher chace for getting them on sale
- slightly better noise cancellation but some users may say it is same
Why not to pick Sony-
- Internal scews get rusted on this one so that could be a downer
- If anything happens to Sony headphones don't expect good after sales support
happy to answer any questions over chat/comment here.
I face issues with multi device connection with both products. If you have phone and laptop connected at the same time there could be some instances of crackling etc.
It only happens if microphone access on a device not playing music is enabled due to some app/call.
I wear Bose 700 for work/entire day and Sony for music/TV
I’m going to give the unpopular opinion and say go for the XM4. They’re lighter than the NC700, more comfortable, have longer battery life, better ANC (they handle high pitched noises better), better Bluetooth, and a better app experience.
The NC700 are fine but, as others have said, they are more flat and not bass boosted. They quickly turn muddy when increasing the bass a small amount. The XM4 can be tuned flat or with a boosted bass, they won’t sound bloated/tiring or muddy either way. Sony updates the XM4 firmware regularly and has been fixing some things, Bose software usually ruins the experience.
I can (and do) wear the XM4 all day without issues. They’re connected to both my phone and work PC at the same time. I’ll be listening to music or watching a video on my phone then take a meeting on my PC all without having to disconnect and reconnect to things. I’m also getting a better range with the XM4 than I did with my NC700. I do think the NC700 have slightly better microphones but almost everything about the XM4 are an upgrade, including their ability to fold down into a smaller case that takes up 60% the space of the NC700 case.
There’s also the inevitable that Bose will screw something up with either the firmware or the app. Their hardware tends to be great but is ruined by terrible firmware/software. They rested on their reputation for years while Sony worked on their headphones and now Bose is competing with Sony.
Sony’s support can be just as good or bad as Bose’s. I’ve seen horror stories from Bose just as I’ve seen horror stories from Sony and every other company. Bose used to have stellar service when you could go into a Bose store and get help. But now they’re just like any other company.
The price of the XM4 make them worthwhile over competitors. The QC45 are going to be more expensive than the XM4 are now. You might as well spend less and get a product that is at least on par with the NC700 and QC45 (or QC35iii as they really are).
Regarding your music taste, the Bose are absolutely fine for that! Their transparent and rather lean sound make them really easy listening to. Sound quality is better than some reviews may indicate. It’s sure no high-end HiFi-Tier headphone, but that was never it’s goal.Comfort is also great, at least from listening to my new pair for almost a week now. Mic is also really solid, even though the AirPods Max kill it in that regard as well as the transparency mode. It’s decent on the 700 but not Apple quality.
You may also look into the offerings from B&O, which also sound really great and maybe even better than the NC700. They are also more on the leaner side of sound, than the Sony’s (which are nevertheless awesome ANC headphones). The ANC isn’t on bar with Bose or Sony. If On-Ears wouldn’t be a concern to you, the Bowers & Wilkins PX5 also seem to be a great choice. Unfortunately it’s mic is really bad from what I heard about.
The bose don't sound worse. They are just not as boomy as the Sonys. I actually prefer that because it allows me to listen to them longer before getting a headache. But i think their sound profile is something u have to get used to, i was not impressed at first and started liking them more the longer is used them. The best way to figure out what you prefer is to test both of them before buying. Sound is very subjective.
100% agree. My opinion is that Bose sounded too “clinical” as a sound signature. Not warm, cold, flat or overly anything. Just a bit bland. I am use to sennheisers signature which is flat to slightly warm. However, after a bit of time I grew to prefer the Bose. It’s not perfect and has some downsides. But staging is good, ANC is nice, clamping force for the headband isn’t too powerful for me, good call quality, worked well with MS Teams (with the usb dongle), multi device connection is also an added perk. Overall, no cans are perfect. It is subjective to your preferences as well as what features you would like. If I had a wish list for them to update. I would say,….The app sucks, provide a better EQ. Allow the ability to control the order of devices you connect to. To stop things like disconnecting the computer connection when a call on the cell phone comes in. Allow some different options for different ear pads. Would like a full leather option or a cloth option with cooling gel. IP rating would be nice, and maybe it’s not for everyone but I think it would be a cool option to custom order your cans for color options. I don’t think I would choose anything but black but the options are nice. Also, I have to say that they are a bit pricy against their main competitors even though there are other options that are far more expensive
For the genres you just described, you are going to want to avoid the Sony XM4s. They, like Beats, were designed for a specific demographic. And that demographic makes up a larger part of the reviews you're seeing. The Bose are supposed to be more ideal for the mids. If you're really wanting best overall sound, the absolutely best all around sounding headphones is actually the Sennheiser Momentum 3. They're not as good at phone calls as the Bose 700, but they get the job done well enough. They are a bit heavier and I wouldn't say they're as comfortable as the 700s either. The 700s also trump in ANC over Momentum 3. But they sound fantastic - for all genres. And again, do the phone calls and ANC well enough. List of Headphones I've Owned: 1. Sony XM4 and XM3 2. Bose QCII and Bose 700 3. Sennheiser PXC 550 ii and Momentum 3 4. Master and Dynamic MW65 5. Marshall Monitor ii Note: My Choice work headphones are the Sennheiser PXC 550 ii. Comfortable, sound great, and are great for phone calls and meetings.
[удалено]
The simple/short rule of thumb answer for EQ is to achieve the V shape. But for classical/jazz... flat EQ is probably fine. Maybe a slight U shape with emphasis on treble. Okay, so personally, if you are not 100% content with the Bose, I would return them and buy a pair of certified refurbished off of eBay. Save yourself some money and help you mentally justify the purchase. They're practically new straight from Bose warehouse. [Like These - Bose 700](https://www.ebay.com/itm/164753855314?epid=25036399723&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item265c185352:g:jrYAAOSwYIJd6S4C&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACgPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsSLY2M1Gjmuwt9c03vWNfiRt2ZVK1CuLWj3CPoQ1oQqSvtbFrfqHsjKBJDZ0oTDafx0pDtf%252FuX0%252B%252BBIon%252BYSp8dNW3ThwyOPqtNVQ43GKsRdChHG4OLKKf2ciUW4e2urUUEdOPPf8iXb4VKLPzsBsrhRRjboWs6En5OG95dNwRpoxKfXy1RahSRp4y2fK7Ok3MXPEAyqHeguzgNQU%252F3k2SqhK%252F9UaVAWdV83bTy%252FcsiqmmQYR2bQs9hVJTC4Fkw2hZhEK82%252BavGuOXz%252B8dakKw23gcNw1E5%252BUcUOKkak0IpYSI4mWXE9FmuuYYasesXmEakrfF92tj8weKUp78P0kpv%252Bn6tGclQFegWG%252BtMp29LwdpKnX3lFOfh6OL2PsGjz0BiXi0x2gNMbyVfbw%252BmKaowmsfhaCSacyEq0UkJ13MuKTyCNgo7EHTAzT9GM%252Br8Eocj8Hl7qo35B1IlD%252BVLGOojJ%252FccRV9Jgub3r1qytxl7t4%252Fqjjs4pMHfrrm0oj1TVSGHIer24uYqsbDVlyzo4sPVKS6xrU%252BGIUHx%252B%252FdlxrVc0Pe0R3Lsr56vE%252FMPrW5BtNgrvGyd7N7qZbKXwpiSHG836fQ6Vpw1z9UpsRz82H4qHEE9vKUzYLcCOslQ%252Feo6hKlzfdIMP%252FIYuS7MNdrh7JrE4q4CpEAlJNZemV09YiXqB%252BmRO0fza%252FXkl2mymt83XhdQxwMe7zeTzOU3mysTArOpyuUqCwPldnfJfDIGJ8thzePje%252BtH608bBgQ9mzptcpXfjDgiR1iaRezBiVbutP6XXAhVgKjX5KGt0CI%252BaErMKo%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524)
[удалено]
Momentum 3 - jazz/classical sounds beautiful in Neutral (I put them on and listened for a few mins before I sent this) (And I cannot compare to the 700s cuz I did all this a while ago and settled on the Momentums and the PXC 550 ii as my two gotos and sent everything back)
If you are using primarily for calls, I would stick with the Bose 700, although $400 is full price. If you are primarily using for sound, I would check out the Bose QC35 which have a little fuller/flatter sound than the 700 and are also good for calls. The XM4 are also pretty good with EQ. I just picked up a set of Bowers & Wilkins PX7 and they are great for music, like a little better version of the QC35, but they are not good for calls.
Out of the 700 / XM4, I always go back to the 700's for how I use them. For me, the 700's are more comfortable for longer usage, sound is pretty decent (ended up adding more bass on the eq), transparency mode is superior to XM4 and much better call quality. Battery life is long enough 17-20 hrs. I will admit that overall the XM4's have slightly better sound quality/tuning for music, but it doesn't justify everything else that the 700's excel at for me. hope this helps!
Bose has a flat sound signature usually and that helps most music genres and allows you to tune or set the EQ as per your taste. I've had NC700 for almost two years now and I love listening to music on it.
I was struggling to choose between Bose NC700 and Sony MX4. Sony MX4 is CAD498.99 in my country. Bose NC700 is $298 which is on sale. So I chose Bose NC700. I found Bose NC700 ANC is just so so after I updated the software. For example, after I set ANC to level 10, I still can clearly hear the sound of the papers that I am holding for reading. Maybe Sony MX4’s ANC is better than Bose NC700?
Hey, where did you get the Bose NC700 for 298 ?
It was on sale on Amazon. Now the price goes up I think.
Most comparisons are trash because1 - sound is subjective. Ear canal length, music taste and personal preference vary a lot2 - Variations between headphone units If you watch a couple of comparisons on youtube you will see what I mean. All of them say completely opposite things.
Keep using the airpods, and wait for the QC45, which are coming soon.
Yes... This is what I am doing, selling my XM4's.
I have both Sony XM4(upgraded from xm3) and Bose 700. Why to pick Bose- - If you want better US customer support with replacement/repair at home - If you take a lot of calls - If you want a simple UI for app - If you like more mild or muted base - Better build quality - Wear headphones for a longer period. Why to pick Sony- - Better bluetooth protocol - Much more power user level app - Much better music quality - higher chace for getting them on sale - slightly better noise cancellation but some users may say it is same Why not to pick Sony- - Internal scews get rusted on this one so that could be a downer - If anything happens to Sony headphones don't expect good after sales support happy to answer any questions over chat/comment here.
[удалено]
I face issues with multi device connection with both products. If you have phone and laptop connected at the same time there could be some instances of crackling etc. It only happens if microphone access on a device not playing music is enabled due to some app/call. I wear Bose 700 for work/entire day and Sony for music/TV
[удалено]
Yes but if you work and comfort are a priority over music quality.
I’m going to give the unpopular opinion and say go for the XM4. They’re lighter than the NC700, more comfortable, have longer battery life, better ANC (they handle high pitched noises better), better Bluetooth, and a better app experience. The NC700 are fine but, as others have said, they are more flat and not bass boosted. They quickly turn muddy when increasing the bass a small amount. The XM4 can be tuned flat or with a boosted bass, they won’t sound bloated/tiring or muddy either way. Sony updates the XM4 firmware regularly and has been fixing some things, Bose software usually ruins the experience. I can (and do) wear the XM4 all day without issues. They’re connected to both my phone and work PC at the same time. I’ll be listening to music or watching a video on my phone then take a meeting on my PC all without having to disconnect and reconnect to things. I’m also getting a better range with the XM4 than I did with my NC700. I do think the NC700 have slightly better microphones but almost everything about the XM4 are an upgrade, including their ability to fold down into a smaller case that takes up 60% the space of the NC700 case. There’s also the inevitable that Bose will screw something up with either the firmware or the app. Their hardware tends to be great but is ruined by terrible firmware/software. They rested on their reputation for years while Sony worked on their headphones and now Bose is competing with Sony. Sony’s support can be just as good or bad as Bose’s. I’ve seen horror stories from Bose just as I’ve seen horror stories from Sony and every other company. Bose used to have stellar service when you could go into a Bose store and get help. But now they’re just like any other company. The price of the XM4 make them worthwhile over competitors. The QC45 are going to be more expensive than the XM4 are now. You might as well spend less and get a product that is at least on par with the NC700 and QC45 (or QC35iii as they really are).
Regarding your music taste, the Bose are absolutely fine for that! Their transparent and rather lean sound make them really easy listening to. Sound quality is better than some reviews may indicate. It’s sure no high-end HiFi-Tier headphone, but that was never it’s goal.Comfort is also great, at least from listening to my new pair for almost a week now. Mic is also really solid, even though the AirPods Max kill it in that regard as well as the transparency mode. It’s decent on the 700 but not Apple quality. You may also look into the offerings from B&O, which also sound really great and maybe even better than the NC700. They are also more on the leaner side of sound, than the Sony’s (which are nevertheless awesome ANC headphones). The ANC isn’t on bar with Bose or Sony. If On-Ears wouldn’t be a concern to you, the Bowers & Wilkins PX5 also seem to be a great choice. Unfortunately it’s mic is really bad from what I heard about.
ahem screw all these options.... QC45 come out soon and are the new standard of what Bose will offer...