Why I Chose Bose QC15 Over Beats Studio Headphones

There is a lot of debate about which is the best set of consumer noise-cancelling headphones.  The two main camps are divided between the Bose QuietComfort 15 (QC15) and Monster Beats Studio by Dr. Dre.   Both have the same retail price ($299.99), and each have their own pros and cons.

Doing research on each of these headphones will reveal a lot of information, some of which are informed, but most of which are bandwagoned opinions  I have tested both of these headphones, and I finally chose the Bose QC15.

Both of these headphones compete very well against one another, and each has their own features that may or may not be a deal-breaker for you.  As far as sound goes, both are pretty much on par with each other and will give you an excellent auditory experience.  You will be able to pick out sounds and nuances of your music that you have not heard before.  Many people have said that the Beats has a slight edge on bass, which may be true but for me it wasn’t a night-and-day difference.

The Monster Beats does have metal hinges and folds up, and the earcups of the Bose fold down to lay flat on a desk.  We don’t think either would stand up to be accidentally stepped on, however.

One thing to note about the Beats is their shiny look.  Some people think they are very sleek, but that shiny texture picks up fingerprints.  You just touch the headset to take them off, and you have smudges.  The kit does come with a microfiber cleaning cloth, but to keep these at their best you’d be polishing them all day.

Both come with two sets of detachable audio cables (one with an in-line remote and microphone for Apple iPods and iPhones, and one for normal devices).  Both also require batteries: the Beats requires two AA batteries while the Bose only requires one.  Both headsets will only operate with noise cancellation on, and when the batteries run out, so does the music.  This is really par for the course in a noise-cancelling set, and it shouldn’t be a major factor in your decision.

Audio cables

The Monster Beats Studio are a very nice set of cans, and has a few features that the QC15 does not.  For one, it comes with Monster cables that are much beefier than the ones provided by Bose.  The Beats also has a “mute” button on the right ear-cup that you can press so that you can hear what’s going on outside your personal music world.

 

The Bose audio cables are thinner and are technically proprietary.  The end of each cable terminates with a little “cartridge” that fits snugly into the left can, and when installed looks completely integrated, as if the cable were permanently attached.  The cable also has a “high/low” gain switch so you can adjust the volume on high-gain devices.

Using the Beats, the AA batteries are installed in the left ear-cup, which are revealed when you twist the “B” logo counter-clockwise.  This cap feels cheap like it will fall off, and is a little loose when clipped on.

Bose’s battery implementation has a more clever design.  You just pop open a hinge to reveal the battery compartment, which is discretely tucked away once installed.

The Beats requires two AA batteries because in addition to its noise-cancelling technology, they are also amplified.  You do notice a slight volume difference between regular headphones and the Beats, and they just appear to have more energy.

Noise Cancellation

The noise cancellation on the Beats does work, but just doesn’t cut out outside noise very well.  Monster doesn’t actively give out specification information about these headphones, but we found an old document that states that the active noise cancellation will negate 17 dB, which isn’t very much when you consider that a quiet office is at least 30 dB.  When trying these in an office, I could still hear others around me and office rumble.

in contrast, the noise cancellation on the Bose QC15 is practically perfect.  If you have ever been in a padded “quiet room” for a hearing test, then you know the difference between quiet and complete utter silence.  The QC15 replicates this complete silence.  Previous versions of the headset (QC2) had a slight hiss when the circuitry was on, but this slight noise has been practically eliminated.

Both noise-cancelling headphones are ported because they have to release air pressure from the sealed cups, and they use microphones to sample ambient noise (The Bose uses four).  There will always be a bit of sound leakage, especially when compared with ear-buds.

One of the major factors that influenced my decision was the ambient sound that the headphones generate.  Everyone in my general vicinity could hear exactly what I was listening to, so my experience was far from private.  For me, this is a major flaw because one of the major points of having headphones is for privacy.

The Bose QC15 leaks sound about as much as any normal set of headphones, which isn’t noticeable from a few feet away.

 

Comfort

The Monster Beats is rather comfortable, but the earcups were a little small and the pressure was a little much on my head.

The Bose QC15 has a much lighter grip and is the most comfortable pair of headphones I’ve ever tried.  Since the pressure is less, they may slip off while exercising, but most people interested in these are commuting or sitting at a desk.

Another thing that may be a factor for you is the carrying case.  The Bose QC15s fold flat, and the case is far slimmer (so it can slip into a laptop bag) and has room for all the cables and even a pocket for your iPod.  The case for the Monster Beats is much bulkier and won’t slip into anything smaller than a gym bag, but does have a carabeaner so you can clip it to your bag, albeit with much more bulk.

 

Sound

People will debate the sound quality between the two all day long, and many “audiophiles” will argue that there are other solutions that sound better for less.  In all honesty, both the QC15 and Beats Studio sound just as good as one another.  The sound separation is excellent and bass reproduction is true.

I did run a bass test on both.  While the Beats Studio claims to have more prominent bass, it could not reproduce sounds below 20Hz and the volume started to drop off.  The Bose QC15, however reproduced sounds to about 10Hz and maintained volume throughout.  The bass is there in the Bose, but just not as exaggerated, which leads some to claim that the Beats are “gimmicky” and “suited only to hip hop”.  I find it quite ironic that a headset that claims to have awesome bass could not produce the lowest bass frequencies.

The major deal-breaker for me was the sound leakage of the Beats Studio.  If you’re in an environment with other people (open office, bus or airplane), then everyone will be able to hear what you are listening to.   The Beats do produce very good sound, but what’s the point if it’s not private?  You might as well have a ghetto-blaster on your shoulder.

The major factors for me are the noise cancellation, comfort, and sound leakage; all without sacrificing quality audio.  If one of your primary criteria is noise cancellation, then you have to choose the Bose QC15: there just is no substitute.  End of discussion.

 

Some will argue that neither are acceptable, and a popular choice for these folks is the Seinheiser PXC450.  The major problem with this is that Seinheisers are not available in most retail stores, and nobody should buy a set of headphones without first hearing and wearing them.  If you go to any average retail store you will have two high-end choices: Bose or Monster.

Both come with two sets of detachable audio cables (one with an in-line remote and microphone for Apple iPods and iPhones, and one for normal devices).  Both also require batteries: the Beats requires two AA batteries while the Bose only requires one.  Both headsets will only operate with noise cancellation on, and when the batteries run out, so does the music.  This is really par for the course in a noise-cancelling set, and it shouldn’t be a major factor in your decision.

As mentioned before, both of these headsets produce very good sound that is head-and-shoulders above even the best in-ear plugs.  For what I need, the Bose QC15 is the winner, but that is just my opinion.  When considering either the Bose QC15 or Monster Beats Studio, you have to decide which features matter to you.