Sennheiser HD 598 SR vs Bose QuietComfort 25

The large ear pads feature a velour surface and a soft foam material underneath. The comfort of the headband is also notable. It features a synthetic leather material with a thick foam inside. In combination, these cushioned parts feel like pillows on the head.

These headphones are in a price range that is quite affordable, yet offers sound and build quality that is beyond the standards in its price bracket.

The bass takes a bit of a back seat compared to the other frequencies, yet is still enough to give fullness and punch to the sound. The mids are the star of these headphones' sound signature. They are clear and a little bit forward, which give a lot of extra detail and presence to guitars and vocals. The highs are pretty crisp and clean, and complement the other frequencies really well.

Even for open back headphones, the soundstage that the HD 598 produces is amazing. It is quite wide yet natural at the same time, which makes it feel like you're listening to the artist perform in front of you live. This wide sound stage and great imaging also make these ideal for games and movies, as these can enhance audio immersion.

This makes the headphones quite easy to store, and the cable easy to replace. Also, the attachment mechanism is a twist to lock system which minimizes the chances of the cable getting disconnected while in use.

The traveling case is small and provides room for spare batteries and other components. This makes it pretty portable, for those that can't or don't want to leave their headphones at work.

These headphones use a triple-A battery to power noise canceling. Should it run out of charge, it can easily be replaced.

With the feature switched on, you can really zone in on the music. Noise canceling is very effective at blocking out ambient noise, especially the lower frequencies. On a flight for example, engine noise is drastically reduced, as well as most of the sound from the conversations in your vicinity.

The QC25 feels comfortable even after wearing it for several hours. The pads go over the ear and feel soft, as the ample cushioning is covered with supple and high quality synthetic leather. Aside from the usual headband padding, it also has an inner Alcantara lining that feels really nice on the skin.

You have a number of options as to how you want to use these headphones' active noise canceling feature. You can either have the feature on or off while you are listening to music, or have noise canceling on without audio. This is a nifty feature if you just want to enjoy some peace and quiet when in a noisy place.

These headphones will not tire your head or neck out, even if you wear them for quite some time. These are pretty light at around 196 grams.

Sub-bass is a bit laid back, but the overall low-end production is punchy and with good extension. Mids are clear and forward so vocals, guitars and keys sound good with these. The upper treble is boosted, which results in good detail, but can also give harshness to the sound.
Overall, this is a really fun set of cans to listen to, especially if you just want to have a fun music listening experience.