The Bose QuietComfort 45 is the successor to the Bose QuietComfort 35 II , a wireless headset that once won favor with users and critics alike thanks to its excellent ANC and sound quality, but can the next generation of headphones repeat the same same success?
Design
In general terms, the Bose QuietComfort 45 looks similar to the aforementioned Bose QuietComfort 35 II, but there have been slight improvements to the design. Be that as it may, they have a minimalist and slim look where you can only see the logo of the brand. As expected, they have a folding design that allows them to be carried more easily or stored in their respective case. In the same way, they feel robust and light at the same time, and that is because the headband is reinforced with metal, although yes, they are mainly made of plastic.
These headsets are surprisingly comfortable to wear , and for us that makes up for any other design-related shortcomings. In this sense, they are light (240 grams) and do not squeeze the head much. The padding on the ear cups and headband also feel high-quality, not to mention that they’re very stable once you’ve got them on.
When it comes to physical controls, the Bose QuietComfort 45s have 3 buttons on the right ear cup and one on the left . Those on the right correspond to the volume (+ and -) and music playback control, but the latter also allows you to reject/answer calls. The button on the left ear is multifunctional and depending on how long we keep it pressed, it alternates between completely silent mode and “aware” mode; In the same way, it is used to activate the voice assistant of the mobile, either Google Assistant or Alexa.
How about the sound?
Noise canceling features and profiles aside, what most defines a pair of headphones is their sound quality, and there are mixed feelings here, because while it’s good quality sound (in general terms ) , this one is nothing to write home about and has failed to make significant advances over the previous model.
Going into detail, the Bose QuietComfort 45 has a very neutral sound profile that is well suited to a variety of audio content , but there is an overemphasis on the highs. The latter is good for speech and lyrics, but makes songs with a lot of high frequency content like 90s and 2000s punk and pop sound bad.
Not everything is lost, because using the Bose application we can access many sound equalization options to improve the result and optimize it based on the content we listen to.
When it comes to microphones, the Bose QuietComfort 45 features 4 external microphones capable of effectively isolating the user’s voice and focusing on it. As if that weren’t enough, a noise cancellation algorithm filters out ambient sounds to ensure clear conversations.
Active noise cancellation
The ANC was one of the main virtues of its predecessors and this winning formula is repeated in these new helmets. This feature does an excellent job of canceling outside noise with its upgraded ANC system ; we can say that it is particularly good at attenuating noise in the mids and highs, sounds that most headphones with ANC find difficult. Additionally, the redesign of these helmets contributes to achieving better isolation from external noise than the previous model.
Not everything is rosy, because unfortunately the Bose QuietComfort 45 does not allow you to adjust the levels of noise cancellation or the new “aware mode” , which filters ambient sounds so that we can hear the environment when we need it. In fact, we can’t even disable ANC entirely, but we can forgive these details thanks to the power of the feature itself.
Commendable battery
The manufacturer promises up to 22 hours of use from these headphones and we are pleased to report that the Bose QuietComfort 45 lives up to the letter, and that is with noise cancellation active at all times, although yes, with the volume at half. , which is still commendable. Equally commendable is the fact that they recharge in a jiffy, since a 15-minute charge is enough to enjoy almost 3 hours of music . In a matter of 2 and a half hours, the battery can be charged to 100% through its USB-C port.
In case of running out of battery completely, we can always connect the 3.5mm audio cable to use them the old-fashioned way.
PROS:
- Noise cancellation is very effective
- Good autonomy with fast charge
- Comfortable, stable and durable
- Sound equalization via app
CONS:
- Does not support aptX codec
- Can’t disable ANC completely