Buying new headphones – At the beginning of this year I made the decision that it was time to invest in new headphones. Not just new headphones, but good ones. Online research led me into the minefield that is tech comparison website, blogs and countless reviews before purchasing what I thought was the best pair for me. Now that I have had my Bose QuietComfort 35 II headphone’s for a couple of months, I can say with confidence that they deserve a place on my design blog and here’s why.
First, it’s best to set the scene to explain what I value in headphone design and why I felt now was the time to buy. I love listening to music wherever I go. Whether it’s studying in the library or commuting to it, my headphones get used every day. I am even using them now as I write this post, the Six Nations commentary is crystal clear I must say. For years I had used nothing but the standard Apple earphones that come included with iPhones and iPods. They were fine for the best part, easy to stuff into a pocket when needed and comfortable. However, as expected, the noise quality was never great and you forget about any noise cancelling ability. But I expected those, I knew what they were, my main reason for retiring them was the build quality. Constant issues with the headphone jack’s connection plagued the lives of many pairs of these Apple earphones. I would often have to resort to the infuriating dance of twisting and turning the connection to find the perfect angle for both headphones to work. Several years ago I tested the waters of over ear headphones with a pair of Panasonic RP-HTX7-C1, a significantly cheaper alternative to the pairs I’m about to discuss, but they never saw much use. They weren’t comfortable with glasses, the noise quality still was not what I wanted it to be and they were bulky with no folding abilities.
I was in the market for a new pair and this time was willing to spend the money for a quality pair that would solve all of these problems and hopefully elevated my music experiences. For everyday use I wanted a lightweight, comfortable pair that would cut out background noise to let me focus on work or just enjoy my music. I knew I wanted to be able to wear them for prolonged periods of time, particularly during exam leave or on long haul flights, and not feel irritated or sore afterwards even with glasses on underneath. I was open to either over ear on in ear option, so I initially looked at both. And above all, I wanted them to be wireless.
This blog post is dangerously close to me simply listing the pros and cons of several market leader’s without actually explaining why I like the pair I finally selected and what makes them great. But, there are some honourable mentions first. In ear options such as Sony’s true wireless WF-1000XM3 (catchy name right) and Sennheiser’s CX Sport semi-wireless were considered. Despite good reviews, I wasn’t totally sold that wireless earbuds were the best choice for me. I can be clumsy and the nightmare scenario of one falling out into the road or whilst hopping on a train might become a reality. The lower battery life and noise cancelling abilities of semi-wireless ruled them out too. The hunt was now for the perfect over ear pair for me. The two front runners were Sony’s WH-1000XM3 and Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II. On paper they seemed very similar; aesthetically sleek and simple, excellent noise cancelling, and similarly priced. For a music loving student the price was significant so I had to try these on before buying. This made my decision an easy own, since I wear glasses all the time comfort in conjunction with them was a deal breaker. For me, the QuietComfort’s softer touch of the foam and shallower cup felt remarkably better and, therefore, made my decision easier.
These headphones are now my access point to most of the music I listen to. The fortune of access to high quality music with no wires is not lost on me. However, the real marvel of these, and similar headphones, are their noise cancelling capabilities. I can’t begin to grasp the complexities of how they produce the opposite signals necessary to cancel out sounds but the applied technology works amazingly well. They’re light, only weighing about 300g. Some of the key features and details are clearly conscious choices from the designers. Three different levels of noise cancelation can be toggled between via a discrete action button. Its sister button on the right ear cup can pause and skip music as well as control volume. These controls are intuitive to use and each button has a pleasing range of motion to feel when it’s been clicked. Similarly, the on/off slider is either in one or the other position, hence immediately rectifying Sir Kenneth Grange’s problem with his Mac computer- it’s impossible to tell whether you’ve pressed the on button. The earcups’ double hinged mechanism allows them to be folded flat for easy storage in the hard case which also stores the charging and optional aux cable. But in my opinion, the best design feature is the of the touch points including the material chosen for them. The cushioned earcups and headband feel so smooth and soft, there is so little pressure built up even after a day of wearing them. The quantity of compressive force built up by flexing the earcups apart grips the head just enough to be secure without excess.
To summarise, the combination of product design and engineering has triumphed in both the technological and ergonomic features. I spend so much time in constant use with such few products that for it to be a lasting relationship, they have to be great. They execute their function and excel in ease and intuition. Maybe my research into Grange’s function over form ethos has impacted the way I view the products in my life? Regardless, I suspect he would also like these headphones.