Sennheiser vs Bose? A No Frills Guide to This Year’s Top Picks

Sennheiser vs Bose Which Brand Is Music To Your Ears?

As a smart consumer, you’re probably doing your homework. You realized you needed a product: headphones. But, then what? Which brand name to select, who is recommending to whom, how and where do you find your answers?

Here’s a look at the two biggest players in the industry: Sennheiser and Bose.

The Sennheiser brand is a German-engineered product. This is the same country which created the SAAB, an unstoppable vehicle built to last no matter how it’s used. If you’re looking for quality, look no further than the Sennheiser HD 598 series. PCMag.com’s editor ratings gave it a 4.5 out of 5. Although, it is listed as having an MSRP of $249.95, Amazon.com offers the product for a cool saving.

In comparison, PCMag.com rates Bose QuietComfort 35 series at 4.5 out of 5. It’s recommended MSRP price is quoted at $349.95; but, oddly enough, Amazon.com keeps the price relatively unchanged for both Model I and the newer Model II.  So, what exactly is going on for the near double the amount price difference? To fully answer this question we have to get into the specs.

Both products are designed circumaural, meaning over the ear fitting. This is great to provide comfort to the wearer, and to cancel outside noise interference. Both have a removable cable feature. And both offer a quality, 3.5mm stereo for listeners. Here’s where things diverge.

The differences in features between Bose QuietComfort 35 and the Sennheiser HD 598.

Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones offer a bluetooth feature. You’d think at this day in age every new piece of technology would have this feature as standard, but here you’d be wrong. Not only that, but where Bose offers wireless and phone control features, Sennheiser falls short. Perhaps the best-upgraded feature, Bose uses Active Noise Cancellation technology.

Active Noise Cancellation Technology is an essential must. Ever traveled via plane and found yourself unable to tune out the ventilation system above your seat? I never realized how different and easy a plane ride could be until the day I flew with these headphones. A small baby was crying nearby, and I had neighbors to either side of me maintaining their conversation… The very moment I flicked the switch to turn on the feature, the background noise immediately canceled. I could easily hear the baby and my neighbors, but the continuous stream of underlying noise was gone. Once the music and videos came on, the baby and neighbors were drowned out.

The engineering of the QuietComfort 35 series emits a sound wave with the same amplitude, known as antiphase, as that from the environment. The inverted sound wave collides with the sound waves generated by the environment causing destructive interference. Effectively, the two sound waves are canceled by one another’s presence.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not wearing a Team Bose jersey over here. I’ll be the first to admit, a noticeable flaw was discussed on PCMag,com. It being, their DSP (responsible for digital sound processing) slightly interferes with EQ sculpting and various sound shapes. Sound quality is key, and most people love their deep bass shapes and nuances.

Sennheiser

Now the question remains, Sennheiser, what are you offering people in your HD 598 series?

“…the Sennheiser HD 598 creates a sonic field that seems lifelike.” Tim Gideon as quoted in PCMag.com’s Editors’ Choice.

Sennheiser HD 598 cannot be ignored in its sleek design and comfortable wear. The acoustic look and feel reduces the users connection to mimicked and digital effect supplemented sounds. Coupled with pale, teak-stained color, users are transferred to a one-on-one concert with their favorite folk artist.

Who’s to say which is better ?

Each company offers their own special features. And whether it’s just getting ready for some early Christmas shopping or a personal treat-yourself moment, you can’t go wrong with either brand.

(For those of you curious of the upgrade between the QuietComfort 35 and 25, here’s your quick and dirty breakdown. The Bose QuietComfort 35 series is a mere $50 upgrade from its previous model, the Bose QuietComfort 25, priced at $299.00 on Dell.com. With that $50, you’re paying for Bluetooth and wireless features to optimally work with noise cancellation technology.)

Remember to enjoy the new toys and excellent quality of product. With Sennheiser, you are retaining exceptional quality in the product without breaking the bank. With Bose, you’re stepping into a separate world from your peers. The underlying tones and frequencies we pick up on a day-to-day are no longer visible. It’s pretty remarkable, but it comes with a bit of a cost.