(Headphone) Which one of thse 2 most comfortable for long journeys?

[admin_exported]

Hi guys.

I am a frequent traveller by train and looking to upgrade my senns 201.

I know both are comfortable but which one would you choose for longer journeys ( That is 4-7 hours one way trip)

B & W P5 or

Bose QC 15.

And why?

I am doubting between these to, but comfort is a huge factor. Of course also looking for some better sound, but comfort first..

 

[quadpatch]

I think I would go for the Bose for long period comfort because they mostly sit around your ears, I say mostly because they are not that big so front the part will touch the parts of the ear for most people (did with me anyway). I found the pads on the Bose really nice and soft so whatever does touch your ear you can barely tell.

The B&W sit directly on your ear squashing it which I personally can't take for more than about an hour until the pain kicks in. Unlike Grado however I found the Bose really comfortable for that initial hour or so. Really clever design too with the magnetic earcups and cabling and they look the best.

I thought that the sound was slightly better on the B&W but mostly because it didn't have active noise cancelling - which can't be turned off on the Bose so you are stuck with it muddying your sound.

Have you considered the Beyerdynamic DT1350?

 

[dalethorn]

If you want real discomfort, the DT-1350 will give you that.

 

[Clare Newsome]

I'd broadly agree with Quadpatch, though a lot depends on size of your head/ears. Definitely get a decent time with them in store before you buy; at this price point that's not unreasonable

 

[Anonymous]

Ehm.. There one thing though. Sorry for not mentioning that earlier... I also need a headphone thats blocks the grumle grumble from the outside. The B&W and the Bose do that better then the Beyers T1350.

Does the Bose have got a hiss or a feeling that you need to 'pop' your ears when wearing it?

O yes. I wear glasses..

 

[dalethorn]

Two things: I used a Bose QC2 (same as QC15) for a year, never felt uncomfortable, and never felt any unusual or uncomfortable pressures or "pops" when using them. The second thing is, the DT-1350 requires a tight fit for decent bass, and it takes some getting used to. It gave me headaches for a couple weeks until I adjusted.

 

[bigboss]

I've got Bose QC15 & no, I've never heard a hiss, or needed to 'pop' my ears. I would heartily recommend it. There's a reason why Bose has consistently won the best noise cancelling headphones award from WHF for a few years now.

 

[quadpatch]

If you want real discomfort, the DT-1350 will give you that.

Oh yeah we were talking about comfort, sorry got carried away

 

[Anonymous]

Definitely get a decent time with them in store before you buy; at this price point that's not unreasonable

About 7 hours in store should help you decide!

 

[dalethorn]

Definitely get a decent time with them in store before you buy; at this price point that's not unreasonable

About 7 hours in store should help you decide!

It's interesting, that while audiophile stores are getting fewer on the street, places to buy headphones like the Apple store are becoming more common, but not always with the best selection. It would be nice if I could Google "headphone store" with a postal code and get a list.

 

[Anonymous]

yesterday I tried the B&Q P5 and the QC 3.

To bad they hadn't the QC15 as a demo.

One thing I mentioned is that the QC3 almost had no bass whatsoever compared to the P5.

Is the QC15 better in that department?

 

[quadpatch]

Hehehe @ B&Q P5

Hmm well I haven't tried the QC3 but I doubt they are much different. I found the QC15 athough good overall pretty lacking in bass. Saying that found the B&W's low end to be pretty conjested an not very pleasant, nowhere near as nice as the mid tones, which both cans did quite well. It sounds like you are leaning towards the B&W.

 

[dalethorn]

Compared to a neutral headphone like the Sennheiser HD-800, the Bose QC-15 is very bass-heavy. The QC3 is beyond description. In terms of high fidelity, the QC3 is not even on the map. I tried adjusting the EQ with the QC3, but it was hopeless.