Bose QuietComfort 45: Improved over-ear headphones with ANC officially presented

About two weeks after the leak, Bose has officially unveiled its new QuietComfort 45 over-ear headphones. In the process, most of the specifications have been confirmed: The successor to the QuietComfort 35 II is said to score with top-notch active noise cancellation (ANC), and to step up again in terms of battery life and audio quality.

New high-end headphones from Bose

The design of the Bose QuietComfort 45 hardly differs from that of its predecessor, which already enjoys cult status. Especially on the technology, however, the manufacturer has screwed according to its own statement strongly.

Especially the active noise cancellation (ANC) is said to have been noticeably improved once again. Especially noises in the mid-frequency range are supposed to be better detected, measured and suppressed in “Quiet” mode. However, the QC 45 only has one ANC level – unlike the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, which have eleven levels of noise cancellation.

In addition, there is the so-called “Aware” mode, which can be activated by pressing a button on the left ear cup. This is more or less the familiar transparency mode, which amplifies ambient noise in traffic or on the train track and thus provides additional safety.

The Bose QuietComfort 45 can be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.1, which allows a range of around 9 meters, or via the included AUX cable. With the help of the Bose Music App, which is also used for the QuietComfort Earbuds (our review), the sound can be individually adjusted thanks to various equalizer options.

Multipoint, i.e. simultaneous connection with two Bluetooth audio sources, is also supported. In addition, the QC 45s can be paired with compatible soundbars from the manufacturer using “Bose SimpleSync”.

Higher wearing comfort, longer runtime

Thanks to their foldable design, the QuietComfort 45, weighing just under 440 grams, are also suitable for travel. The joints on the ear cups can be turned in, which allows the over-ear headphones to be stored in the included hard case to save space. At the same time, Bose uses a new headband made of fiberglass-reinforced nylon, which is particularly robust. The leatherette ear pads have also been optimized and are supposed to offer even more wearing comfort.

The transmission of the user’s own voice is also supposed to be even clearer thanks to a fourth external microphone. The headphones isolate and highlight the voice, while a noise-cancellation algorithm filters out ambient noise.

In terms of battery life, the QC45s are also said to have made noticeable gains. Up to 24 hours of music playback (with noise cancellation activated at a volume of 50 percent) are possible, according to Bose, still almost four hours more than with the predecessor and the Bose 700. Charging is via USB Type-C, and a charging process of 15 minutes should be enough for 3 hours of music playback.

Price and Availability

The Bose QuietComfort 45 over-ear headphones with ANC are available for pre-order now from the manufacturer’s website, as well as Amazon. The MSRP is 349.95 euros, and shipping starts on September 20. The colors black and white are available.