Bose Headphones The Most ‘Sound’ 2013 Christmas Shopping Deal For Audiophiles?

Bose headphones reviews are calling the noise cancelling version the best 2013 Christmas shopping deal for sound lovers. But would a true audiophile be caught dead wearing any Bose headphones?

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, free shipping day 2013 is today and marks the deadline for when parcel carriers can get your gift to your loved ones in time for Christmas day.

In general, most reviews would agree that the Bose QuietComfort 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones are best for commuters. These Bose headphones are best used when in a noisy public setting or if you’re traveling in an airplane or train.

But the QuietComfort 15 isn’t your only option for noise cancelling Bose headphones. The Bose QuietComfort 3 is a smaller version that shrinks down the technology for over-ear headphones. And if you want noise cancelling tech for in-ear earbud headphones then the Bose QuietComfort 20i is another good option. Better yet, some reviews claim the earbuds are actually better for cancelling noise than the full sized Bose headphones. Of course, it depends on whether you want higher quality music or if the noisy environment is your biggest concern.

Unfortunately, neither one of these Bose headphones is cheap. The Bose QuietComfort 15 starts at about $260 while the QuietComfort 3 and QuietComfort 20i start at $309.99 and $279.99, respectively.

But would an audiophile consider these Bose headphones acceptable? Head-Fi seems to think it depends on your environment:

“The Bose QuietComfort 15 has the most effective active noise cancellation circuit I’ve yet used in a consumer headphone, and by a noticeable margin. If the amount of active noise attenuation is your primary consideration, the QC15 would easily be my top recommendation, as it’s uncannily good in this regard. Musically, the QC15 sounds good, too; but, if you’re used to ultra-high-end headphones (like ones we more typically discuss at Head-Fi in this price range), the QC15 is not likely to wow you with its musical output while sitting in a quiet room at your desk or in your easy chair. Use it in its element (plane, train, data center, any place with loud droning background noise), and it’s a very hard over-ear headphone to top.”

But if you’re not an audiophile, let’s put this review in context. Many audiophiles tend to think Bose headphones or speakers are overpriced based upon the performance, and it’s really the brand name driving the cost. But audiophiles also tend to want headphones that cost $1,500 on up, like the Fostex TH900 or the Sennheiser HD 800.

So, to put things in perspective, it’s actually quite a good thing for some audiophiles to be recommending any of the Bose headphones. What do you think?