Bose's QC-30 headphones are a good bet for a near-perfect noise-cancelling experience
Published: Fri 31 Mar 2017, 12:00 AM
Last updated: Fri 31 Mar 2017, 2:00 AM
Just like the QuietComfort 35 we reviewed some time ago, Bose is making sure they make you listen to their talk. The headband-looking QC 30 does offer pretty nice noise-cancelling tech - and the best part is you can control how much you want blocked off, thus staying true to its slogan.
The control panel is located along the wire of the right earpiece, which may give you some time deciding whether to use your right or left hand for it. In any case, the panel has five buttons; when the earpiece is on your ear, the volume up/down and play/pause/skip/answer/end buttons are facing outward - with the latter acting as your gateway to Siri or voice commands. The noise-cancelling controllers are located at the back. Don't worry, you will get the hang of it after a few uses. The power/Bluetooth button on the headband is on the same side (still prefer the slider from the QC 35, though), with the micro-USB port tucked away just above it.
Speaking of earpieces, they have Bose's own StayHear+ tips, which gives additional support when the QC 30 is slapped on. Three sizes of earbuds are also included in the box.
Going back to the noise-cancelling feature, it is impressive, and the controls enable you to pick a comfortable level, which is perfect when dealing with certain situations (for instance, when you are at the airport waiting for your flight or enjoying music while working at your desk or making sure your boss' voice is audible).
As for the design, I personally find it lacking some flash: only an all-black design is available and there aren't any fancy ridges or curves. The neckband itself can cause a little trouble if you feel that one of the earbuds is slipping from your ear, it's probably because the neckband is tilting more to the opposite direction.
Furthermore, these are purely wireless headphones; run out of juice and there's no way you can use them as there's no 3.5mm audio jack. At 10 hours, battery life is decent too. And don't forget about the Bose app, which allows you to switch between devices easier.
AND SO.
At its price point, the Bose QuietControl 30 may be a bit steep, though its sound quality coupled with the noise-cancelling feature is nice. Its design also allows you to use it as a headband. Could you possibly ask for more?
Dimensions
6" x 6.5" x 0.75"
Connectivity
Bluetooth; up to 10m (33ft)
Battery
Up to 10 hours; charging time less than 3 hours
Noise cancelling
Yes, variable
Price
Dh1,199
Pros
Great sound and noise cancelling, earbuds stay firm
Cons
A bit expensive, tilted neckband can disturb earbuds' positioning, design is too simple
Author's Rating
7.5/10
How does noise-cancelling work?
Alright, you've been hearing this for quite some time now. In layman's terms, noise-cancelling technology is the ability of audio equipment to block out any unwanted sound - or ambient sound, as it is termed.
There are two types of noise-cancelling mechanisms - passive and active. The former is, technically, present in any kind of headphone, because the material used by the device can block out some ambient sound, although the best passive noise-cancelling headphones have specific construction to minimise as much noise as possible. Active noise-cancelling, on the other hand, goes a step further. As How Stuff Works explains it, active noise-cancelling headphones have an additional level of noise reduction by actively erasing lower-frequency sound waves. To save you the technicalities, think of it as creating their own sound waves to cancel out the rest.
There are specific components used in active noise-cancelling headphones: a microphone that "listens" to external sounds that cannot be blocked passively; a noise-cancelling circuitry, which creates the sound waves (the "anti-sound"); a speaker, in which the anti-sound is fed to without affecting normal audio; and a battery, which refers to the energy needed to produce the noise-cancelling effect. Put all these together, and you will know that noise-cancelling headphones can effectively block out majority of ambient sounds and let you enjoy your music without any external interference.
alvin@khaleejtimes.com
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