My 16 y/o son has asked for a set of headphones like his brother has. They are the Beats headphones that came with a Mac purchase as part of their back to school deal a few years ago. Are Beats still the one to get? Are Bose better, or is there another perhaps?

Beats headphones are like Monster cables... Massively overmarketed, overhyped, and overpriced, compared to their actual performance and quality.

Beats are more fashion accessories/status symbols than serious headphones. But that may be exactly why your son wants them... They're what the "cool kids" wear.

If he's serious about quality, you can do a lot better. But he may be more serious about the fashion/status.


For a similar price to a set of Beats, you can get a higher quality set from someone like Bose, Sony, or Audio Technica.

Sennheiser 4.50 if you can find them. They go for about $100, and are almost as good as the Sony WH 900N, which run $200.

The best I have every tried - and I've tried the Beats, Bose, Sony and JBL's, are the Sony WH-1000.
I've had the Sennheiser 4.50 since October 2018 and been very pleased for the price.

Look up Jim’s Review Room on Youtube. He does some great comparisons of all the major brands and models. Honest reviews that have helped me out on some purchases.

I did a lot of research for mine, everything came up Bose for the best. I didn't need them for frequent use so I found what I thought were the next best AKG N60, I paid about $165 a couple of years ago. They work great and sound great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh yeah, Beats r poop

I love my Bose. Those things are maybe close to 15 years old, I use them every time I fly. Well, guess they may not get much use this year.

However, for a 16 year old, the name is going to be as important as the actual product. You may need to research what the cool name is just as much as you research the best brand.

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Originally posted by holdem:

However, for a 16 year old, the name is going to be as important as the actual product. You may need to research what the cool name is just as much as you research the best brand.

True, I usually see a pair or two of Beats in the pawns shops, that could save some $$

I have had a pair of Bose QC35s for two years now and they’re used almost daily ... up until I bought a set of AirPod Pros about a month ago. The AirPods are just a little more convenient so I find myself wearing them more.

Both are amazing quality and the active noise cancellation is excellent.

I would highly recommend both.

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AirPod Pros about a month ago....... and the active noise cancellation is excellent.

I got some for Christmas and was shocked at how well they accomplish this.

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Originally posted by 280nosler:
The best I have every tried - and I've tried the Beats, Bose, Sony and JBL's, are the Sony WH-1000.

By the best, do you mean in noise cancelation, or in the fidelity of the music itself? Or both I suppose. What decrement in the others? Mostly noise cancelation, or fidelity? Or comfort, weight etc?

I'm amazed at how many great options there are. Thanks everyone!

I have Bose and love them. I have heard good things about Sony, but Bose has always worked well and Bluetooth is a cinch.

Did a bunch of research a while back and ended up with Bose QC 35 II

I've got the Bose QC30. I bought them on a co workers recommendation when I started having to do a good bit of air travel for my job. I was never really a fan of Bose until I got these, but they've been great. Sound quality is very good for a set of Bluetooth in ears, and the noise cancelling is excellent. I've occasionally worn them on long interstate rides on the bike and they cut out probably 90% of engine noise and most of the wind noise. You can even adjust the level of noise cancelling for when you are in places or doing things where you need to hear more of what's going on around you.

They make a crowded noisy aircraft a lot more livable, that's for sure.

As was said above, Beats are a status symbol. They are decent quality (if generally WAY bass focused) but you can get better quality for the same or less. For a teenager the name brand might carry more import than sound fidelity...

Current Bose has excellent noise cancelling and the sound quality is surprisingly good in the mid range and treble.

Sennheiser is excellent in my experience, but I've never used any of their noise cancelling. I also really like Klipsch.

I've got a pair of Bose QC30 and Wireless Soundsports and I really like them both, BUT... the build quality is not good. I am on my fifth pair of QC30's. The rubber overmoulding alway peels away from the neckband and it becomes very difficult to turn them on and off. The same thing happened to my first pair of soundsports, but it didn't really hinder the use of that. The soundsports did stop charging one day (53 weeks after purchase) and the ear peice with the battery felt like it was hot enough to almost start a fire.

good thing Bose has excellent customer service and has always sent me a new set of headphones with a new warranty.

While I prefer open back headphones, I’d put Sennheiser in front of any other headphones.

I know it’s a contrary view, but I think Bose products are way overrated and their glowing reviews suspect.

I bought a pair of the Bose Quiet Comfort headphones and compared them with comparable pairs from Hifiman, PSB, and Sennheiser.

Sennheiser had the best sound, although PSB was close. Hifiman was a step down. Bose was another big step down.

You may want to check out the YouTube channel ‘Z Reviews’. He reviews all kinds of headphones, DACs, headphone amps, etc. even if he doesn’t review the specific pair you’re looking at, he’s pretty knowledgeable and very entertaining.

EDIT: Just to clarify, my research was focused on sound quality (I looked at open back, closed, and noise cancelling headphones). IMO, if noise cancellation is your primary requirement, I think you can find products to do that for a lot less money than you'll spend on Bose headphones.

I often sit on my deck and watch movies via my iPad. Last night I was wearing my Beats Studio 3 and did not know the neighbor was mowing his grass and running a chainsaw until the movie ended and I took them off.

AirPod pros

Noise cancelling? Bose or Sony. Listen to them both and decide which one sounds better.

I have the Bose NC700 and I love them.

I’m very impressed with my AirPods Pro. Bought a set for my wife for Mother’s Day as well.

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Originally posted by JohnV:
I’m very impressed with my AirPods Pro. Bought a set for my wife for Mother’s Day as well.

I am too, but I must have weird ears; cannot get any of the inserts to keep tight when I work out.