Calvin Horn
As you all might be aware, Bose and Sony are two big names in the audio industry. They are making some serious devices to take your listening game to the next level. While Bose QC 35 II has been ruling the market for quite a while, Sony WH-1000XM4 is a new addition to its product lineup.
Both headphones are winning the hearts of users. We wanted to put them head-to-head and watch them fight to win the ultimate title of the best headphone between the two.
We will go deep down into their features and determine which headphone performs better, hence providing better value for your money. Let’s get going.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II Technical Specifications
What’s In the Box: No Noticeable Difference!
Let’s unbox these headphones and find out what the package contains.
| Sony WH-1000MX4 | Bose QuietComfort 35 II 🏆 |
| In the box, you will find the sleek headphone along with other accessories. They include a 1/8” TRS cable and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. You will also get an airline adapter so that you can charge your headphones on the flight. Besides, there will be a user manual so that you know all the details about the headphones. And there will be a hard carrying case to carry the headphone safely no matter wherever you go. | The package content is the same here. You get a pair of headphones with a 1/8” TRS cable. Besides the Micro-USB charging cable, you will also get an airline adapter to use on flights. The user manual is the only documentation you will find inside the box. A carrying case comes with the package so that you can carry the headphones. It seems to be a bit bigger than that of Sony. |
Though both headphones have the same content inside the box, the case of the Sony headphones looks more premium and feels sturdier. So, we put Sony before Bose here. Let’s get to the next section.
Design: Sony Is Sleeker than Bose
We will take a close look at the design language of both headphones and find out who wins the battle.
| Sony WH-1000XM4 🏆 | Bose QuietComfort 35 II |
| As it is newer than the Bose headphones, it has a sleeker look. Though the ear cups of this headphone are padded enough, it will look more modern than the Bose one. It borrows its design from its predecessor, the XM3. You will see a matte finish on the headband. This headphone is available in two colors. The stem of the headband blends well into the ear cups. So, the headphone will have a seamless look. | This is a bit bulkier than the Sony headphone. It also shares its design with its predecessor, QC35, which was released in 2016. But there will be an extra button on the left ear cup of this headphone. The headphone is available in various colors, and you can even customize the pair to your liking. |
We declare Sony XM4 the winner here because of its modern look with a lavish in-hand feel. This headphone will look and feel more premium compared to the Bose QC 35 II.
Comfort: Bose QC 35 II Is Lighter Than Sony XM4
In the case of over-the-ear headphones, weight has an important role on the overall comfort of the user. Other factors also matter, so let’s reveal them all.
| Sony WH-1000XM4 | Bose QuietComfort 35 II 🏆 |
| These headphones are moderately comfortable if you are using them for the first time. The pair weighs about 0.6lbs, which is light considering the standard weight. And it has a clamping force of 1lbs. This might irritate you sometimes, but the thick padding of the headphones will mitigate the issue. As a result, you can wear these headphones for a long time. Let’s check how its competitor performs. | With a weight of only 0.52lbs, Bose QC 35 II is lighter than its competitor. It also has a lot less clamping force than the Sony headphone. As a result, these headphones will be highly comfortable in all cases. The padding on the QC 35 II is also generous. So, you might feel no clamping force at all. The headphone will snugly fit on your ears and keep you comfortable even after using them for a long time. But due to the low clamping force, there are chances that the ear cups get displaced with the slightest movement. |
Though the Sony headphone has a great design, Bose is unbeatable in terms of comfort and user experience. Its soft padding with mild clamping will give the ultimate comfort.
Controls: Sony Performs Better
These headphones have a slightly different control, as the XM4 is the latest piece of tech. Let’s find out how their controls work.
| Sony WH-1000XM4 🏆 | Bose QuietComfort 35 II |
| This wireless headphone has touch-sensitive buttons so that you can easily adjust the controls. Besides, there are some new features in this model. For example, the audio will automatically pause if you start talking to someone. So, you don’t need to give any extra effort when someone passes by and say hello. Another feature of this headphone seems very interesting. You can simply cover the right ear cup and the ANC will turn off automatically so that you hear what is happening outside. You can control the features from the Sony Headphones Connect app. | You will get physical buttons in these headphones. Though they aren’t as good to touch as those of Sony headphones, the tactile feedback of the buttons is good to hear. Besides the control buttons on the right ear cup, you will get an extra button on the left ear cup, as we have already mentioned. This button can be used to activate Google Assistant or Alexa. You can also customize this button to switch between noise-canceling modes. |
Considering the controls and features, Sony headphone wins this battle with its innovative controls.
Sound Profile: QC 35 II Has a More Natural Sound
This is arguably the most anticipated feature of a headphone. We will give you a detailed overview of the sound profile of these headphones. Here you go.
| Sony WH-1000XM4 | Bose QuietComfort 35 II 🏆 |
| This headphone has a natural sound with a bass-heavy profile. As a result, you will enjoy intense audio with thumps and rumbles. But if this feels overwhelming, you can easily adjust the sound profile from the app. There’s a graphic EQ with different presets on the app, so it will be very easy for anyone. If we talk with numbers, this headphone has a bass amount of 3.51 dB and a treble amount of -1.74 dB. With the latest firmware update, the sound profile got a bit improved compared to the stock version. So, we expect you will like the refinement. | This headphone has a more neutral and balanced sound profile than the Sony headphone. As a result, you will enjoy a better experience while listening to any audio. It has a bass amount of 2 dB with a treble amount of -2.27 dB. Though you will get the necessary punch from the bass, it won’t be irritating. Unfortunately, you don’t have any EQ setting to adjust the bass or treble. |
Though this headphone doesn’t have any EQ setting to adjust the bass or treble, the stock setting will provide a neutral and balanced sound profile for a wide range of users. So, you can hear versatile audio with these headphones.
Noise Cancellation: Shoulder-to-Shoulder Performance
Both headphones have active noise cancellation to elevate your listening experience. Here will be a quick comparison to give you an overall idea.
| Sony WH-1000XM4 | Bose QuietComfort 35 II 🏆 |
| We have tested these headphones before and after the latest update. The result of these tests differs by a small margin. Still, this headphone has great active noise cancellation. It will block the noise of different ranges, starting from low rumbles to high-pitched sounds. When calling someone, the ANC will automatically turn off, and the Talk Through mode will turn on. As a result, you can hear the surroundings better. And the amount of leakage is moderately low in these headphones. | The noise cancellation performance on these headphones is top-notch. Though the performance dropped a bit after the latest update, it still works great compared to other headphones in the same category. With the active noise cancellation mode turned on, the headphone will block noises from various ranges. You can also adjust the level of noise cancellation in these headphones, which isn’t possible on the Sony headphone. But the amount of leakage on these headphones is higher than the Sony one. |
You will have a great performance in terms of active noise cancellation from the Bose QC 35 II. It will block everything from low to high pitched sounds. Plus, you can adjust the cancellation level.
Overall Comparison: Which One Is the Champion?
It is pretty clear from the above discussion that the Sony WH-1000XM4 has more charm to it compared to its competitor. As it is a newer product in the headphone industry, it will attract young users for its sleek design and modern look.
But the Bose QC 35 II has a more rustic feel to it with a great build quality that will last for a long time. As a result, a bit of experienced users might go for these headphones.
Though the design differs on these models, the build quality is equally good on both headphones. And the Sony XM4 got a few makeovers here and there compared to its previous version. Overall, both headphones will last for a long time and continue to provide a pleasant audio experience.
And when it comes to the audio experience, the fight is very close. Both headphones will deliver a full sound with a highly natural profile. But the next factor goes down to one’s personal preference.
Sony WH-1000XM4 will have a high-bass sound, but you can adjust that in the EQ setting. This headphone can be a good choice if you mostly hear hip-hop or rock. Bose QC 35 II will have a more neutral sound, which is suitable for more users. But unfortunately, you will find no EQ setting to adjust the bass level. But the stock setting is accurate for plenty of different audios.
Both headphones have integrated microphones, and they pick voice very well. But you might have a high noise floor in the Bose QC 35 II. The mic feedback is also higher in this headphone.
Overall, Sony WH-1000XM4 should be your over-the-ear headphone of choice if you want a modern headphone packed with features, great controls, and immersive audio.
Conclusion
In the Sony WH-1000XM4 review vs Bose QuietComfort 35 II, we tried to show you all the similarities and differences between these two popular headphones. No matter which one you choose, it should be worth the investment so that you can use the headphone with ultimate comfort and convenience until you switch to the next one.
We hope the comparative discussion will help you choose the right headphone according to your choice. Before you head to buy wireless headphones, check the comparison to get the best suggestion.
