Bose QC45 review: commuter favourite noise-cancelling headphones revamped

Bose is back with a revamp of its most popular noise-cancelling headphones, which improve the technology but keep the good bits mostly the same.

The QuietComfort 45 cost £320 ($330/A$500) and are non-showy and comfortable. The design has been refined with smoother ear cushions and fewer lines and microphone holes in the ear cups for a more minimalist look, but side by side the differences with the QuietComfort 35s are subtle. The headband is now lined with smoother vegan leather rather than the suede-like Alcantara of their predecessors.

The headphones are still light, well balanced and stay put on your head without needing to clamp particularly hard, aiding their long-term comfort.

The construction feels robust and capable of taking a beating, similar to their longstanding predecessors that stood up very well to years of the rough and tumble of travel and my daily commute.

The QC45 are a standard set of Bluetooth 5.1 headphones supporting the universal SBC and AAC audio formats, which are compatible with most phones, tablets, computers and other devices. They can connect to two devices at once, such as a phone for calls and tablet for video, and had a rock solid connection to iPhones and Android devices. You can use a cable for wired listening even when the headphones are out of battery.

A sliding switch turns the headphones on and off and puts them into pairing mode, while a trio of buttons control playback and volume. A button on the left cup switches between sound modes. Unlike most high-end rivals, the QC45 do not pause the music when you take them off, however.

All Bose headphones have a signature sound that has proven divisive in audiophile circles, typically because they heavily process sound, which means music is considered to be removed from what the artist intended.