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Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs Sony WH-1000XM4
Two of the biggest names in audio technology are Bose and Sony, but which set of flagship noise canceling headphones is the best? We are pitting the Bose QuietComfort 35 II against the Sony WH-1000XM4. But since the former has been discontinued, and the latter superseded by the WH-1000XM5, are these headphones still worth looking for in 2024? Let’s dig in.
Editor’s note: this article was updated on November 28, 2024, to note that both products have been superseded by newer options.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs Sony WH-1000XM4: How are the headphones built?
While the Bose QuietComfort 35 II is named for its comfortable build, the Sony WH-1000XM4 feels great as well. Both sets of headphones have plush ear cups, though the thin padding on the WH-1000XM4 headband makes it slightly less comfortable.
As for onboard controls, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II has physical buttons while the WH-1000XM4 is controlled through a series of taps and swipes. Through the Sony Headphones Connect app, you can program the Custom button on the Sony WH-1000XM4 to access its integrated voice assistant or to toggle noise cancelation, but you cannot have both at the same time. However, you can access your smartphone’s native assistant with a press-and-hold of the touchpad.
Similarly, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II has an Action button that can be programmed in the Bose Connect app to access your smart assistant or toggle your active noise cancelation settings. Its multifunction button can be used to access your smartphone’s native voice assistant.
The headsets are both of a similar size and weight, but the Sony WH-1000XM4 has a USB-C connection whereas the Bose QuietComfort 35 II has an outdated microUSB charging port.
Does Sony or Bose have the better mobile app?
When you cup your hand over the left ear cup of the Sony WH-1000XM4, ambient sound mode is activated so you can listen to surrounding noise. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II doesn’t have an ambient sound mode. Additionally, the Sony WH-1000XM4 features auto-pause/resume functionality, and the Bose QuietComfort 35 II has neither.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 has a few software features that only become available if you download the Sony Headphones Connect app. The speak-to-chat function will pause your music when it detects you speaking. However, its detection is very sensitive. The feature can be disabled through the app though.
Additional app functions include noise canceling optimization, mixing the amount of ambient noise to pass through, and customizing the equalizer. You also need the app to use Sony’s 360 Reality Audio with high-quality music streaming services.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is compatible with the Bose Connect app, but doesn’t offer nearly as many features as the Sony WH-1000XM4. Within the app, you can program the Action button to an assistant or an ANC toggle, but it starts out being programmed to Google Assistant. The ANC is enabled automatically without using the app, but you can’t disable it unless you have the app.
Of course, some people find that headphone apps collect too much personal data, in which case you can still access the primary functions—listening to music, canceling noise, and taking calls—of either set of headphones without using an app.
Which headset has more Bluetooth codec options?
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II supports just two Bluetooth codecs: SBC and AAC, whereas the Sony WH-1000XM4 supports SBC, AAC, and Sony’s LDAC for the highest quality streaming. The Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort 35 II both have Bluetooth multipoint, so you can easily switch between two devices. However, the Sony WH-1000XM4 forces AAC streaming in order to use Bluetooth multipoint.
Connecting your smartphone to your headphones is simple with either pair, especially if you use the headphones apps, and both headsets have stellar connection quality. Both headphones use Bluetooth 5.0, and if you want, you can connect either with a 3.5mm cable for wired listening. If you’re using an iPhone you’ll need a dongle for wired playback, otherwise, you’re left with SBC or AAC. For Android devices, the LDAC codec is a big plus when it comes to high-quality wireless playback.
The battery life is better with the Sony WH-1000XM4
The Bose QuiteComfort 35 II lasts 21 hours, 12 minutes, which is a bit longer than the Sony WH-1000XM4’s battery life of 19 hours, 59 minutes. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II charges via microUSB and can play 150 minutes after being charged for 15 minutes. The Sony WH-1000XM4, however, charges via USB-C and can play 300 minutes after being charged for only 10 minutes.
Does the Bose QuietComfort 35 II or Sony WH-1000XM4 have better noise canceling?
The winner for best noise canceling is the Sony WH-1000XM4, though the race is quite close. These headphones are excellent at canceling low and midrange-frequency noise. In addition, the thick ear cups result in great passive isolation even when the ANC is disabled; this improves high-frequency noise cancellation.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II has excellent noise canceling especially in the low end, and remains one of the best noise canceling headphones even a few years after its initial release. Some people have reported the Bose QuietComfort 35 II ANC quality decreased after installing a firmware update, if that’s you there are solutions.
No matter which headset you choose, you’ll be very pleased with the noise canceling performance. Still, the Sony WH-1000XM4 edges out the Bose QuietComfort 35 II when it comes to gross attenuation, meriting an ANC score of 7.7 compared to Bose’s score of 7.3.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Sound quality
Both the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and the Sony WH-1000XM4 offer a somewhat neutral-leaning frequency response. All genres of music will sound great through either headset. Listeners who don’t want to fiddle with equalizing should go with the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, though.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 emphasizes bass notes a bit more than our headphone preference curve (pink), which might lead to a noticeable degree of “quieter” mids during particularly bass-heavy segments of a song. The headphones emphasize bass notes in the way a lot of consumer headphones do — which isn’t always ideal. The upper notes are also more emphasized than our house curve, which can simultaneously make a track seem more “detailed” but also more shrill and grating. If you’re listening to classical music, you might find the treble response a bit too loud and want to EQ it down in the mobile app.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II also has a slightly pronounced sub-bass response, which gives your music that extra oomph right out of the box — however, that’s pretty much limited to very low-frequency sounds. Bose’s headphones reproduce audio with greater accuracy across the frequency spectrum compared to Sony’s headphones, which is good since you can’t adjust the sound in Bose’s app.
Low mids and bass follow our house curve posits. The treble is a bit under-emphasized except for a slight bump between 2-5kHz.
Does the Bose QuietComfort 35 II have a better microphone than the Sony WH-1000XM4?
Both headsets’ microphones are pretty decent, and both cut off low frequencies to combat the proximity effect. This shouldn’t be a problem unless you have a particularly deep voice. The Sony WH-1000XM4 microphone array does a good job of blocking out background noise and focusing on the speaker’s voice. The newer technology gives the edge to Sony for anyone who takes calls outdoors.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II mic sample (Ideal):
Sony WH-1000XM4 mic demo (ideal):
Which mic do you think sounds better?
Bose QuietComfort 35 II vs Sony WH-1000XM4: Which headset should you buy?
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II holds up today but its ANC can’t compete with the shiny and new Sony WH-1000XM4. Given that these headphones have been superseded by both the Bose QuietComfort 45 and then the Bose QuietComfort Headphones, you’re unlikely to find these at major retailers’ stores, and only at clearout prices. Given that the Sony WH-1000XM4 can still be found at a discount, we have no trouble recommending this set of headphones over the Bose cans. You get more software features, better sound and microphone quality, and more advanced noise canceling.
Sound quality
Connectivity options
Auto-wear detection
Strong connection
Customizable controls
Alternative noise canceling headphones to consider
Trying not to mess with a good recipe too much, the newer QuietComfort Headphones look and feels familiar for $349 at Amazon. With updated USB-C charging and improved ANC, it’s a tempting proposition. The treble-heavy frequency response, unfortunately, sounds slightly worse than the QC 35 II. However, these newer headphones will cost you a bit more by virtue of the fact that they’re… newer, naturally. Nothing much is different, though.
Should iPhone owners just get the AirPods Max?
This is an especially good choice for iPhone users, the Airpods Max has some of the very best ANC available. With seamless connection, there’s not much to miss, except the high price will give many of us reason to pause. Android users may want to keep looking, because the AAC and SBC codecs won’t best serve the device.
The Sony WH-1000MX5 improves on the greatness of the WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is very similar to the WH-1000XM4, with the same software features and same controls. However, the battery life is much better at just under 32 hours, and the noise canceling is even better. The sound profile is also improved by lowering the highs a bit compared to the XM4. The microphone quality is also incredible, since the noise suppression makes wind noise practically inaudible. The Sony WH-1000XM5 sells for $387 at Amazon, so it is pricier, but it’s worth it if you want some of the best performance from noise canceling headphones.
Frequently asked questions about the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and Sony WH-1000XM4
The original winner of the mic comparison was the Sony WH-1000XM4 based on our objective microphone test. However, now that over 2000 SoundGuys readers have voted, we are changing the winner to the Bose QuietComfort 35 II. Thanks for your question!
The new Apple AirPods Max (for $499 at Amazon) have memory foam ear pads so they’re on the same playing field for comfort as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, though they are bulkier. These active noise canceling headphones are direct competitors to both the Sony and Bose headphones. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II ANC isn’t as good as the AirPods Max. Apple’s proprietary H1 chip makes for easy pairing and battery optimization with iPhones, and they also have spatial audio, which mimics surround sound, and is much like the Sony headphones’ 360 Reality Audio. Noise canceling is tighter against the WH-1000XM4 vs the AirPods Max.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II Gaming Headset is almost exactly the same as the regular Bose QuietComfort 35 II, just with a detachable boom microphone. The mic also enables connecting to your console via the 3.5mm cable. If you haven’t yet bought a pair of the QC 35 II but you’re planning to, and you’d like this detachable boom mic, it might just be worth the extra $30. Unfortunately, the microphone is not sold separately, though, so if you already have the QC 35 II, you can’t just get it as an add-on. If you take the mic out, you can enable Bluetooth listening and active noise canceling. As for how it performs as a gaming headset, it doesn’t have any additional features that the QC 35 II has except for the microphone and its wire, but its a super comfortable pair of headphones that you can wear all day while gaming.