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Bose QuietComfort 15s: best noise-canceling headphones ever?

In designing its fourth-generation consumer noise-canceling headphones, the QuietComfort 15s, Bose has done something interesting. Instead of coming up with a whole new look for its headphones as it did with the QuietComfort 3s, Bose has left the basic design of its popular QuietComfort 2s intact and simply redesigned them on the inside, adding even more effective noise-canceling circuitry and improving their sound quality.

The QuietComfort 15s look identical to the QuietComfort 2s, with the same over-the-ear design, including earcups that swivel and fold flat to fit in a stylish case. (To be clear: the QC15s replace the QC2s, which … Read more

The Gizmo Report: Klipsch's Image S4i In-Ear Headset

If you've flown on a commercial airline since 2000, you've probably seen people wearing Bose QuietComfort headphones. They're expensive and large, and I don't like them.

Their noise-cancellation circuitry actually generates noise of its own, and my ears are good enough to hear it as long as I'm not seated too near the engines.

I started wearing earplugs on airplanes in the 1980s when I discovered the squishy memory-foam type. They block noise better than headphones ever could, and they don't make any noise themselves.

But when I bought my first iPod, that strategy didn't seem quite so perfect anymore. The ear-bud headphones that came with the iPod never fit me at all; they just fell out. After some experimentation with small folding travel headphones, I decided I was happiest with in-ear headphones. They gave me most of the noise reduction of the foam earplugs along with the ability to listen to music.

The problem with in-ear headphones is finding a model that fits me. I gather that this is a common problem with this type of product. I went through several low- and mid-priced models before settling on the old Apple In-Ear headphones--they just worked the best for me. (Interestingly, I had the same experience as CNET's Steve Guttenberg when he reviewed them: they only fit well when inserted upside-down.)… Read more

Bose unveils new QuietComfort 15 headphones

If you were thinking that the next pair of Bose noise-canceling headphones would be called the QuietComfort 4s, you'd be wrong. Instead, Bose has decided to go with with QuietComfort 15, though they're technically Bose's fourth pair of consumer noise-canceling headphones to hit the market.

Why the jump in number? Well, it appears that even though the QC15 headphones share the same design as the QC2s, which they will replace, Bose really wanted to set them apart from earlier models, declaring that they offer the best noise-canceling and sound quality of any QuietComfort headphones to date. The … Read more

Comfortable and durable on-ear headphones--Ask the Editors

Q: I have been digging through the CNET Web site for a perfect set of on-ear or over-the-ear headphones for listening to music on the subway--but I just can't find a pair that fits all my needs. I'm not an audiophile, but I do need the headphones to be comfortable for extending listening, durable (head band that won't snap easily), and portable (not too bulky). Since I am using them on the subway, it'd be great if they offer some kind of noise cancellation (passive or active, whichever). And I'm a student, so I'm … Read more

Bose SoundLink Wireless Music System streams music from your PC to a portable speaker for $550

The digital music revolution has made is easy to amass hundreds of hours of tunes on your computer, but it's not always as painless to listen to your collection away from your PC. Bose's newly announced SoundLink Wireless Music System (coming August 27) is focused on solving that problem as simply as possible; just plug a USB dongle into your computer, and it promises to stream your digital music collection and streaming audio services (like Pandora or Internet radio stations) to the included speaker. Even better, the speaker has a built-in, lithium ion rechargeable battery, making it easy … Read more

Choosing between headphone types--Ask the Editors

Q: Recently I have been considering a new pair of headphones because I am getting quite tired of the standard Apple earphones that the iPods come with. I have three products in mind, and I am having trouble deciding which one is the best choice. They include the Bose QuietComfort 3, the Beats by Dr. Dre, and the Shure SE530. As you can tell, they aren't the cheapest ones out there, but price at this point really isn't an issue. Which one out of the three is the most comfortable, has the best audio quality, and is the … Read more

2010 Mazda3 5-Door is surprisingly good

The 2010 Mazda Mazda3 5-door just kept surprising us every time we got behind the wheel.

Earlier this year at Mazda Laguna Seca Speedway, the Mazda3 surprised us with its rather poor racetrack manners. Perhaps our experiences with the previous-gen Mazdaspeed3 variant had our hopes a bit high, but the 3's suspension and automatic gearbox were just too soft for our tastes. On public roads, however, we were again surprised to find that those same components provided a fantastic ride at less than breakneck speeds.

Once in the cabin, we were taken aback by Mazda's unorthodox navigation system, … Read more

Gadgettes 139: The summer episode

Whether you're BBQ'ing, lazing by the pool, or showing those (un)fortunate souls all of your summer vacation photos, this episode has a little something for everyone.

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EPISODE 139

Livio Radio review: Pandora streaming, with a high-end look

Bose unveils SoundDock Series II for iPod–and iPhone

TomTom GO 740 Live is our GPS Editors’ Choice

Sharp’s sun-powered phone almost beach-ready

Powerbrella juices up your gadgets while you lay in the shade

Pico projector roundup… Read more