When comparing Sennheiser HD 202 II vs Bose QuietComfort 35 II, the Slant community recommends Bose QuietComfort 35 II for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones for blocking out open office noise?” Bose QuietComfort 35 II is ranked 5th while Sennheiser HD 202 II is ranked 11th. The most important reason people chose Bose QuietComfort 35 II is:
Most full-sized, wireless over the ear headphones are quite heavy and bulky. The QC 35 IIs on the other hand are relatively compact and light, yet still deliver great performance, battery life and top notch noise cancelling. The integration of Google Assistant is also a first in headphones, and gives you a host of smart features like notification reading, quick music searches and call making using voice commands and many more.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Good sounding bass with okay detail on the highs and mids
As expected of their price, these headphones are not able to deliver a lot of detail, clarity or accuracy in terms of the sound but they're still quite fun to listen to. There is a slight accentuation on the bass which gives it oomph and presence but is not overpowering. Mids on these headphones are recessed, but are still able to present a good rendering of vocals and guitars. The highs are not very detailed, which means that you will miss some of the more intricate sounds from the music, but they are good enough that the overall sound does not come off as too muddy.
Pro Decent all-plastic build quality
Although it's made entirely of plastic, it does not feel cheap at all. The plastics used are of good quality. They can take a significant amount of flex with no signs of breaking.
Pro Can isolate sound well
With the closed back design, very minimal sound can seep into your music. Likewise, sound leakage is kept to a minimum so you won't be disturbing others near you with your music.
Pro Comfortable to wear for hours straight
The 202 II's are really light so you can wear these headphones for longer periods without neck fatigue.
Pro Great sound performance, effective noise cancelling, long battery life and Google Assistant smart features in a compact package
Most full-sized, wireless over the ear headphones are quite heavy and bulky. The QC 35 IIs on the other hand are relatively compact and light, yet still deliver great performance, battery life and top notch noise cancelling.
The integration of Google Assistant is also a first in headphones, and gives you a host of smart features like notification reading, quick music searches and call making using voice commands and many more.
Pro Great active noise cancelling
Bose's noise cancelling tech is quite effective at blocking ambient noise. This will help you fully enjoy the music by virtually eliminating outside noise.
Pro Fairly balanced sound signature with slight boosts to the mids and highs
Bass is full and punchy. While the sub-bass is not pronounced, there is good and fast bass extension, and this is what gives the music punch and a sense of tightness.
The mids are full and slightly forward so vocals and guitars can be clearly heard.
The highs are clear and do not distort at high volumes. There is a peak on the upper treble which helps to add more detail and clarity to the music, but some may also find the high frequencies to be quite harsh at times.
Pro Very good Google Assistant integration
These headphones are much more convenient to use and functional thanks to the Google Assistant upgrade. Press the long, flat button on the left ear cup to activate the feature, and you’ll be able to make voice commands to search for music, start calls, set reminders, get weather updates and many other features. This addition makes the QC 35 II one of the best travelling headphones you can get today.
Pro Has wired and Bluetooth connectivity
Aside from Bluetooth connection, you can also connect the QuietComfort 35 II to a source using a 3.5mm cable. This makes the headphones usable even with the battery depleted.
Pro Ear cup buttons allow easy control
You can easily control playlist functions using the buttons on the right ear cup. These functions include volume control as well as the play, pause, next track and previous track commands. The on/off switch for the headphones is also on this ear cup.
Pro Very good battery life
The QC35 IIs can play music continuously for up to 20 hours. This should cover most of your trips' duration before needing to recharge.
Pro Mic produces great voice quality
Multiple microphones are strategically located on both ear cups, allowing for great voice quality when taking calls. The noise cancelling also helps to clean up the voice quality that goes into the headphones.
Pro Built in mic allows hands-free calls
You can simply press a button on the right ear-cup to answer a call. This reduces the hassle of having to remove the headphones to take a call.
Pro Not straining on the head/neck
Despite having internal batteries, these headphones are still fairly lightweight, coming in at under 300 grams. This makes the headphones really easy to wear for extended periods, even when you are on the go.
Pro Feels soft and comfortable
The QC 35 II's ear cups and headband feature quality memory foam material which are soft and supportive so they do not pinch on your ears or apply too much pressure to the top of the head. These contact points are also covered with a quality leather material which feels nice and smooth on the skin.
Pro Great for on the go use as they are wireless
With these, you won't have to deal with long and dangling cables that can be difficult to manage.
Cons
Con Ear cup height adjustment is quite limited
The ear cups are attached to a fixed head band, with a ball socket as the connection. Users then move the ear cups up and down the stationary head band. Available adjustment is quite limited though, so these headphones may not be suitable for individuals with bigger sized heads.
Con Very long, fixed cable
The cable is around 10 feet long. While this can be a good thing for certain uses, the long cable can get tangled up pretty easily and can get quite difficult to manage if you decide to take these on the go. The included cable organizer can help mitigate the problem, but some might find it fiddly to use.
Con Ear cups are quite small
Despite being labeled as over-ear headphones, the cups are actually quite small. If you have larger ears, it is possible that these will fit a little too tightly, if not rest on your ears completely, which you may find uncomfortable.
Con Strong clamping force may cause discomfort
These press down on the head pretty tight, which some might find uncomfortable. With regular use and some stretching of the headband however, it is possible that the clamping force will loosen up over time, resulting in a much more comfortable fit.
Con Noise cancelling may cause ear discomfort
Some experience a feeling of extra pressure into the ears when noise cancelling is on. Many find this to be unpleasant.