When comparing Superlux HD 681 vs Bose QuietComfort 35, the Slant community recommends Bose QuietComfort 35 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Bose QuietComfort 35 is ranked 1st while Superlux HD 681 is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose Bose QuietComfort 35 is:
Bose's noise cancelling tech is quite effective at blocking ambient noise. This will help you fully enjoy the music with little to virtually no outside noise interfering.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Not tiring to wear
The HD681 will not put a lot of strain to your neck and head, even for long periods. Coming in at around 220 g, they are relatively light. This is due to the use of plastic as the primary build material, along with small metal tubes on the headband frame instead of large plastic or metal parts.
Pro Bass and treble are emphasized
These headphones have what is called a V-shaped sound signature where the bass and treble is boosted while the mids take a backseat. The bass is powerful, deep and satisfying. Listening to bass heavy music will certainly be a good experience. The boosted treble makes audio detail up front, so nuances in the music can be clearly heard.
Pro Fairly wide soundstage
Due to the semi-open design, the sound is not completely trapped inside the ear cup housing. This gives the sound a wider, more natural feel.
Pro Effective noise cancelling
Bose's noise cancelling tech is quite effective at blocking ambient noise. This will help you fully enjoy the music with little to virtually no outside noise interfering.
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.
Pro Very good battery life
The QC35s can play music continuously for up to 20 hours. This should cover most of your trips' duration before needing to recharge.
Pro Connects to multiple devices
Bose QC35 connects to 2 devices (for media and phone calls) allowing one to listen to music on the laptop and get calls from the cell phone. Allows to change the music provider (laptop or cell phone) automatically. With Sony or Senheiser all you can do is connect media on one device and phone on the other device... functional but really restricted one you get used with QC35.
Pro Feels soft and comfortable
The QC 35'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 Light and easy to wear
Despite having internal batteries, these headphones are still fairly lightweight, coming in at 235 grams. This makes the QC35 really easy to wear for extended periods and even while traveling.
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 Has wired and Bluetooth connectivity
Aside from Bluetooth connection, you can also connect the QuietComfort 35 to a source using a 3.5mm cable. This makes the headphones usable even with the battery depleted.
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 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.
Cons
Con May feel cheap and flimsy
The plastics used in the construction of these headphones are not of the best quality. They feel flimsy and will often flex and rattle.
Con Thin ear pads may cause comfort issues
The ear pads are made of cheap feeling synthetic leather which can get warm rather quickly. To potentially add more discomfort, the cushioning inside these ear pads is quite thin, and can hurt the area around your ears when worn for many hours straight.
Con Mids can be lacking
Some may find the mids to be inadequate. Vocals, guitars and other sounds in the mid-frequencies may sound distant or too soft.
Con Treble can be harsh
While the bass benefits greatly from the V-shaped sound signature, the highs are boosted by quite a lot, and can make the treble sound too harsh for some. Cymbal hits for example can be too washy and near distorted and can be fatiguing.
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.
