Bose QuietComfort 20 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Apple Devices (Black)

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I think the QC20 really needs to have a detachable wire on the device connection side that’s maybe 40 cm long or so.

These things work. It’s amazing actually. You throw the switch and the world simply quiets down by about a factor of 10. Literally. So I am comparing the Bose QuietComfort 20 in-ear headphones to other noise cancelling earbuds we have reviewed on webBikeWorld and also to the Moldex PuraFit 6800 ear plugs that are a favorite around here. Just as a side note, I have never owned a pair of the full-size Bose noise cancelling over-the-ear headphones.The only issue I had right away is with the on/off switch, which is located on the side of the battery. These Bose Noise Cancelling earbuds provide an amazing amount of noise reduction. I used them on a recent flight on a mid-size plane and they cut out enough engine and flying noise to make the flight bearable. I was able to listen to a movie without having to turn the volume up really loud. Unfortunately, driving a motorcycle with those sorts of big sound isolating headphones would prevent us from wearing a motorcycle helmet. I’m not sure that’s a tradeoff that a motorcyclist should make. We noticed this right away and just about every time I try them in a new sound environment, I’m very impressed.

As processing gets faster, I suppose it’s possible that the signals moving through wires and processors will travel closer and closer to the speed of light (much faster than the speed of sound). It’s also possible that earphone driver design will have to mature to be able to produce SPLs high enough to cancel the high noise levels found in a motorcycle helmet.

I suspect that, when combined with active noise-cancelling technology, would accomplish a lot for us motorcyclists. Perhaps they are “tuned” to reduce certain sound frequencies but the noise inside a motorcycle helmet and an exhaust are beyond the scope of intended use.

A good set of ear plugs reduces noise and sound to safer levels and helps prevent the motorcyclist from permanent hearing loss. This effect may have something to do with the types of sound that the Bose headphones are designed to reduce. Editors' Note: This review is based on tests performed on the Bose QuietComfort 20i, the iOS-compatible version of the headphones. The QuietComfort 20i and the QuietComfort 20 are identical in price and design with one distinction: the QuietComfort 20i has a three-button iOS-compatible in-line remote, and the QuietComfort 20 has a one-button Android-compatible in-line remote.

The Bose QuietComfort 20 headphones (Bose calls them “headphones” and not “earbuds”) do reduce most of the surrounding noise quite dramatically. But, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re comfortable with the risk of driving your motorcycle without a helmet. When you carry the cell phone or MP3 player, you have to carry the battery right along with it also. The big news for the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is they feature Bose Immersive Audio, which is basically the company’s spatial audio tech. To me, it’s a sign of intelligence and intellectual integrity. It makes your opinion as a journalist all the more valuable.