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Superlux HD 681 vs Bose QuietComfort 20

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When comparing Superlux HD 681 vs Bose QuietComfort 20, the Slant community recommends Superlux HD 681 for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones?” Superlux HD 681 is ranked 5th while Bose QuietComfort 20 is ranked 7th. The most important reason people chose Superlux HD 681 is:

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.

Specs

TypeOn/Over-Ears

TypeIn-Ears & Earbuds

Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking

Common Questions

What are the best headphones?

Pros

Pro
Not tiring to wear

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
Best in class noise-cancelling

These headphones are ideal for long flights. In addition to having overall impressive noise-cancelling (-33dB across all frequencies on some tests), these headphones excel when you need to cancel out low frequencies like jet engine sounds (-45dB).

Pro
Comfortable

The headphones stay comfortably in your ear. They don't always offer a complete seal but surprisingly, this doesn't affect noise cancellation or reduce comfort. Also included are 3 sizes of eartips to help better fit your ear. Note that these tips have a unique design so you won't be able to use aftermarket tips.

Pro
Cord doesn't tangle easily

These headphones have a 2.5 ft cord that's split chest high with a control module near the jack. It does a good job of not getting too tangled.

Pro
Comes bundled with a small pouch

The pouch will make it much easier to bring the headphones and its accessories on the go.

Pro
Disable noise-cancelling with "Aware Mode"

You can disable active noise canceling at a press of a button. Aware Mode can be quickly accessed from the remote, which will disable active noise-cancelling and open up the microphones to allow you to hear your surroundings better.

LEDs on the control module will let you know when this mode is turned on.

Pro
16-hour battery

These QC20 has a lithium-ion battery that promises to work for 500 charge cycles without diminished returns. After that it will still work, but won't last as long.

Note that the battery is non-replaceable so when it finally does stop working, you will need to buy a new pair of headphones.

Pro
Different remote options for different phone OSs

These headphones come in 2 flavors:

QC20 that includes a 1-button remote intended for Android users
QC20i that includes a 3-button remote intended for iOS users

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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
Expensive

The suggested retail price for these headphones is $300. And although you can get a pair on Amazon for around $200 it still is a lot to pay for a pair of earbuds.