If you're considering buying the Bose QC45, you're probably also considering the Sony 1000XM4 headphones too. They're both priced about the same currently and are both getting great reviews.
Yet I was torn between the two so I decided to buy both and keep the one I liked the most. At least that was the plan.
The Sony XM4s have been a runaway success only recently replaced by the XM5 which are £100 more, so I left these out as they were just a bit more then I wanted to spen.
Here's what I liked and disliked about them both.
Build quality and comfort
The Bose QC45 feel light in the hand and well made. However I did not like the exposed screws. The Sony XM4s are better sealed at the joints and feel better well built in the hand. The Sony is a fraction heavier but there's nothing in it between the two.
The ear pads are better on the Sony. They just feel more cushioned than the Bose. The Bose feel cheaper. I also noticed that the headband on the Sony is slightly more comfortable. I found the Bose headband would dig in to the top of my head slightly. You notice you're wearing them after a while.
The Sony cups feel they have more space in them for your ears. I felt my ears were touching the inside of the cups on the Bose.
Noise cancelling/transparacy mode
I like the way you can switch the Bose between transparent and noise cancelling. It's just a single press of the button on the left cup. Simple. Both modes work brilliatly. I've used the transparency mode while walking so I can still hear some traffic, and the NC mode in my local noisy coffee shop. Both modes work very well.
The call quality is excellent. The other person on the call could hear me very well during a walk outside on a rather windy day. No issues with calls.
Controls
The Bose has physical buttons for the volume controls and to pause play. The Sony has touch sensitive controls which are getting some bad reviews online. This is totally wrong in my opinion. The touch controls work very well on the Sony. I found with the Bose that when I wanted to adjust the volume, I had to place several fingures on the right cup before pressing down on the volume with my index finger. I found that otherwise the cup would slightly move from my ear which became anoying having to reposition it again for comfort. The Sony is just a one finger swipe and very easy to do without disturbing the cup position.
The Bose buttons don't feel that high quality. They don't have that satisfiying click or feel.
You get a nice satisfying confirmation sound when toggling the on/off button, again a phyical switch that does feel it will break at some point. You get a voice confirmation that you are connected and the battery power remaining. The Bose has a very old computer generated voice which is terrible. The Sony voice is much more modern and clear making the Sony feel more up to date.
The Sony has a press and hold button to power on/off. This also gives you a confimation that your Bluetooth has connected.
Sound
So the important stuff. I've played several tracks over and over on both headphones switching between the two and repeating the track.
There are some differencs and it is all subjective.
I found the Bose was clearer in the midrange and higher tones. I also felt there was a little more clarity in the words of the song then in the Sony.
But the Sony came across more powerful lower down with base. You just feel the Sony has more capacity and power. The music sounds stronger.
The Bose is very good but just lacks the real strong base of a track.
App
I tried both with no EQ straight out of the box. When I adjusted the EQ on both, I got even stronger sound from both. The Sony still feels more punchy. The Bose is very good for podcasts, super clear and great noise cancelling.
The EQ on the Bose is very simple with very little adjustments. The Sony is more comprehensive.
The Sony has a much better App with more ajustments. It can even learn your regular locations and adjust the sound and NC accordingly. The Bose does none of this.
The Sony has a great feature that pauses the music if you simply start to talk to someone. It also switches to transparent mode so you can hear them. Great when ordering a coffee! The Bose doesn't do this.
The Sony pauses the music if you lift the headphones off your head, resumes play when you place them back on. The Bose doesn't do this.
You can cover the right cup with your hand on the Sony to temparaliy switch to transparancy mode to listen to someone speak. The Bose doesn't do this.
Conclusion
Overall, both headpones are brilliant in their own way and in isolation.
I just feel I keep leaning over to the Sony for some reason. They just feel better quality, sound stronger and have better controls and features. They just feel more expensive.
I feel you're paying for the Bose branding and would truly price the Bose QC45 between £150-£200 max. The Sony on the other hand feel a bargain at £240 currently.
Both have a nice small case yet the Sony case seems more thought out with better internals. The Sony case has a canvas feel, the Bose a hard shell feel. Both very protable in your bag.
One final thought which has been overlooked by online reviewers. The Bose branding on the side of the cups stands out. This made me feel concious of wearing them while walking in the street letting others know I have a pair of expensive headphones on. The Sony are much more discreet and can be mistaken at a distance for their cheaper £50 headphones. I just felt more relaxed wearing the Sony out in public.
Yet it felt the opposite while sitting in a coffee shop wearing the Bose. I felt good wearing a quality product and brand everyone knows. It's a small thing but I noticed how it made me feel.
I'm reluctant to return the Bose QC45s but between the two, I feel the Sony XM4s are just better.
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This item  Bose QuietComfort SE Bluetooth wireless noise cancelling headphones with microphone for phone calls, with Soft Case -Triple Black |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | £238.21 | -41% £189.00 RRP: £319.95 | -17% £249.00 RRP: £299.00 | £279.00 | -32% £259.00 RRP: £379.00 | £449.00 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Friday, Aug 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Sold by | Amazon Warehouse | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
| connectivity tech | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | wireless | — | Wireless | — | wireless | — |
| noise control | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 2.5 mm Jack | 35 month Klinke | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — |
| cable feature | Without Cable | Detachable | Detachable | Retractable | Detachable | — |
| control type | Volume Control | Noise Control | Noise Control | Voice Control | Voice Control | Noise Control |
| material | Leather | Plastic | Faux Leather | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic |
From the manufacturer
QuietComfort 45 wireless headphones
Iconic quiet. Comfort. And sound.
Built with lightweight materials for premium comfort and proprietary acoustic technology for deep, clear audio.
-
High-fidelity audio
Acoustic architecture adds depth and fullness. Volume-optimised Active EQ keeps it all balanced.
-
Really clear calls
Four tiny mics focus on your voice while the noise-rejecting algorithm filters out other sounds.
-
Powerful battery life
Up to 22 hours from one charge. A quick 15-minute charge offers 3 hours when you’re on the go.
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Truly wireless
Bluetooth 5.1 provides a strong, reliable connection to your device within 9.1 metres.
-
Simple setup
Find guided setup, get tips and personalise your settings in the app.
1 Sound 2 Microphones 3 Battery 4 Bluetooth 5 Bose app
Reviews with images
Bose qc 45 triple black, hard case.
OK, I've read a lot of reviews on here and let's put a few things straight.Me as background, 53 year old guy, using headphones for over 40 years, currently own xm4 and xm5 headphones and xm3 earbuds.CONNECTIVITY.Linked instantly to my Samsung a22 5g phone and sonru bluetooth 5.2 transmitter (for watching TV) no lip sync problems at all, walked all around my flat with no drop outs at all. 10/10ANC.This is superb, it's certainly as good as my wh xm4's if not slightly better because you have almost zero white noise. I am very surprised by this. "aware mode" is also very good. 9/10SOUND.Out of the box these are treble heavy, not good at all. But once you connect to the "bose music" app you can adjust the eq (please see pictures), once you reduce the treble to - 6 and add +2 to the bass these sound fantastic. I would put them on a par with the xm4 easily. Very detailed, warm bass and the mids are all there. I'm using Spotify highest quality setting and aac codec. (I run my Sony headphones on aac codec as this sounds great with no drop outs), so don't worry about ldac and aptx etc, there are NO lip sync issues at all. 9/10BOSE MUSIC APP.This is simple and basic compared to sony, but it is just exactly what you need, no silly gimmicky functions, just straight forward. Once you adjust your eq you can save these settings so when you reconnect your headphones they are ready to go. I have tried this personally and it works. So I give the app 9/10 purely because it's simple and does what you need it to do.PHONE CALLS.Sorry! I use headphones for music.BUTTONS.These are responsive and work very well, I'm used to sensor pads (swipe gestures) on my Sony"s but these can be awkward sometimes so I actually enjoy having buttons again. 9/10.CONCLUSION.I paid £209 new for these and I don't regret this at all. £319 rrp! I would feel uncomfortable with that price.Oooh! Nearly forgot.....COMFORT.Very comfortable as good as my wh xm4's and with the added bonus that these don't creak at all, no hinge clicking etc. Worn for 3 hours as we speak and I hardly know I'm wearing them, no hot ears, 9/10.Hope this helps you people make an informed decision.I'm selling my xm5 now as these and my xm4's are my goto headphones now.....UPDATE.After about 10 hours plus of listening to my Spotify playlists, I can say that the qc 45 are actually better than my Sony xm4's and xm5's! I'm hearing instruments and backing vocals that I never knew songs had! I'm seriously impressedBeen for a walk outside and traffic noise is literally just gone! Even my xm5s let the tyre noise through, but listening at 50%volume it's just the music.So 10/10..
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Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 July 2023
Colour Name: Triple BlackStyle Name: Hard CaseVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2024
Colour Name: BlackStyle Name: Soft CaseVerified Purchase
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 July 2023
Colour Name: Triple BlackStyle Name: Hard CaseVerified Purchase
OK, I've read a lot of reviews on here and let's put a few things straight.
Me as background, 53 year old guy, using headphones for over 40 years, currently own xm4 and xm5 headphones and xm3 earbuds.
CONNECTIVITY.
Linked instantly to my Samsung a22 5g phone and sonru bluetooth 5.2 transmitter (for watching TV) no lip sync problems at all, walked all around my flat with no drop outs at all. 10/10
ANC.
This is superb, it's certainly as good as my wh xm4's if not slightly better because you have almost zero white noise. I am very surprised by this. "aware mode" is also very good. 9/10
SOUND.
Out of the box these are treble heavy, not good at all. But once you connect to the "bose music" app you can adjust the eq (please see pictures), once you reduce the treble to - 6 and add +2 to the bass these sound fantastic. I would put them on a par with the xm4 easily. Very detailed, warm bass and the mids are all there. I'm using Spotify highest quality setting and aac codec. (I run my Sony headphones on aac codec as this sounds great with no drop outs), so don't worry about ldac and aptx etc, there are NO lip sync issues at all. 9/10
BOSE MUSIC APP.
This is simple and basic compared to sony, but it is just exactly what you need, no silly gimmicky functions, just straight forward. Once you adjust your eq you can save these settings so when you reconnect your headphones they are ready to go. I have tried this personally and it works. So I give the app 9/10 purely because it's simple and does what you need it to do.
PHONE CALLS.
Sorry! I use headphones for music.
BUTTONS.
These are responsive and work very well, I'm used to sensor pads (swipe gestures) on my Sony"s but these can be awkward sometimes so I actually enjoy having buttons again. 9/10.
CONCLUSION.
I paid £209 new for these and I don't regret this at all. £319 rrp! I would feel uncomfortable with that price.
Oooh! Nearly forgot.....
COMFORT.
Very comfortable as good as my wh xm4's and with the added bonus that these don't creak at all, no hinge clicking etc. Worn for 3 hours as we speak and I hardly know I'm wearing them, no hot ears, 9/10.
Hope this helps you people make an informed decision.
I'm selling my xm5 now as these and my xm4's are my goto headphones now.....
UPDATE.
After about 10 hours plus of listening to my Spotify playlists, I can say that the qc 45 are actually better than my Sony xm4's and xm5's! I'm hearing instruments and backing vocals that I never knew songs had! I'm seriously impressed
Been for a walk outside and traffic noise is literally just gone! Even my xm5s let the tyre noise through, but listening at 50%volume it's just the music.
So 10/10..
Me as background, 53 year old guy, using headphones for over 40 years, currently own xm4 and xm5 headphones and xm3 earbuds.
CONNECTIVITY.
Linked instantly to my Samsung a22 5g phone and sonru bluetooth 5.2 transmitter (for watching TV) no lip sync problems at all, walked all around my flat with no drop outs at all. 10/10
ANC.
This is superb, it's certainly as good as my wh xm4's if not slightly better because you have almost zero white noise. I am very surprised by this. "aware mode" is also very good. 9/10
SOUND.
Out of the box these are treble heavy, not good at all. But once you connect to the "bose music" app you can adjust the eq (please see pictures), once you reduce the treble to - 6 and add +2 to the bass these sound fantastic. I would put them on a par with the xm4 easily. Very detailed, warm bass and the mids are all there. I'm using Spotify highest quality setting and aac codec. (I run my Sony headphones on aac codec as this sounds great with no drop outs), so don't worry about ldac and aptx etc, there are NO lip sync issues at all. 9/10
BOSE MUSIC APP.
This is simple and basic compared to sony, but it is just exactly what you need, no silly gimmicky functions, just straight forward. Once you adjust your eq you can save these settings so when you reconnect your headphones they are ready to go. I have tried this personally and it works. So I give the app 9/10 purely because it's simple and does what you need it to do.
PHONE CALLS.
Sorry! I use headphones for music.
BUTTONS.
These are responsive and work very well, I'm used to sensor pads (swipe gestures) on my Sony"s but these can be awkward sometimes so I actually enjoy having buttons again. 9/10.
CONCLUSION.
I paid £209 new for these and I don't regret this at all. £319 rrp! I would feel uncomfortable with that price.
Oooh! Nearly forgot.....
COMFORT.
Very comfortable as good as my wh xm4's and with the added bonus that these don't creak at all, no hinge clicking etc. Worn for 3 hours as we speak and I hardly know I'm wearing them, no hot ears, 9/10.
Hope this helps you people make an informed decision.
I'm selling my xm5 now as these and my xm4's are my goto headphones now.....
UPDATE.
After about 10 hours plus of listening to my Spotify playlists, I can say that the qc 45 are actually better than my Sony xm4's and xm5's! I'm hearing instruments and backing vocals that I never knew songs had! I'm seriously impressed
Been for a walk outside and traffic noise is literally just gone! Even my xm5s let the tyre noise through, but listening at 50%volume it's just the music.
So 10/10..
Images in this review
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