Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Apple Devices, Triple Black (Wired, 3.5mm)

I work in a hipster loft-style open office with about 80 other people. For those afflicted with FOMO (fear of missing out), it's a dream come true -- you get to hear everything everyone says and does. For an introvert like me who does intricate work that requires extended periods of concentration, it's a nightmare. These phones saved the day. They are comfortable to wear for long periods (at least on my kind of large, square head) and the noise-cancelling function is stellar; a flick of the switch and -- whoosh -- ambient sound just drops down into near silence. I still can hear some voices, but they are muffled and distant. If someone approaches and speaks to me directly, I can hear them and take off the phones to continue the conversation. The dull roar of the office HVAC system (which I didn't really notice until I was able to "cancel" it with these headphones) completely disappears. I have yet to try them on a plane, but riding a subway is amazingly quiet. Just me and my music at a comfortable volume. Even with the music turned off, the surrounding sounds are masked. I'm finding I have more energy even at the end of the day when I use these phones and don't have to fight the ambient sound monsters to concentrate.On the music reproduction side, I'd rate these as good headphones. They don't compare to audio-only headphones in this price range, but are more than adequate for MP3 or streaming listening. When I listen to CDs (mostly classical and jazz), I the stereo imaging and spaciousness is lacking somewhat. There is tight, compressed feel to the sound. But nothing particularly annoying; these phones just lack the musical detail I'm used to in my high-quality audio-only phones. You can listen to audio if the battery goes dead, but that is only a last resort; the sound is distant and muffled. I wouldn't recommend it.There is a large L and R in the speaker mesh of each earpiece so there is no mistaking which side is which. Nice touch!The case is useful and not a throwaway. It is semi-rigid and would offer reasonable protection against moderate drops and jostles. It has a diagram on its liner to show you how to fold the phones for a perfect fit. There is a storage compartment for a spare battery and an airplane audio adapter jack. It takes up more space than just cramming the phones into a backpack pocket or whatever, but it is light and not so huge its awkward to carry in a pack or laptop bag.In summary: the noise-cancelling capabilities of these phones are outstanding. That's what you're paying for and it's worth it. The sound reproduction is quite good, but not the primary draw. The entire package shows thoughtful design elements and they are a joy to use.

I've had these for about a week now. I am really, really obsessive when it comes to good headphones as I wear them up to 48 hours straight if I'm on an insomnia kick or working to finish something with a tight deadline. I don't like to call myself an "audiophile" as it sounds a bit snooty with a brit accent, but I do take it very seriously.These were bought to replace/be used alternating between a pair of Wireless Studio Beats and a pair of Sennheiser HD580.Comfort wise, they are almost as good as the Sennheiser; I'd say just as good if you're wearing them for 3-4 hours, vs 12.Sound quality wise, when not using a battery they are below both the others. When using one, they are overall better quality than either pair, although I would say that Beats still win out for bass heavy stuff.They are light and flexible but don't feel flimsy or cheap, and the noise cancelation works well too. I've had a few phone calls on them thus far and I've been told I sound a bit clearer in conference calls than I did previously with the Sennheiser pair. (I can't comment on the Beats as I haven't used them for calls in about a year.)The short version - these are perfect for calls and music so long as you don't mind replacing the battery occasionally. It has decent life and there's space in the case for one, next to the adaptor. I am very pleased I chose these over some others I was looking at as I have a long flight next week and plan on using them throughout. Highly recommended; easily the best wired headphones available right now south of about $1200, and even with the $1k+ ones I've tried, some fall short while others are comparable. Definitely a good choice.

This is literally my life saver, and I don't know why I waited so long to purchase this. The price is surely a turnoff for people with a budget, but if you're looking for the best headphones to block out external noises, this is as good as you're gonna get. I was stupid enough to wait until the last minute to get an apartment so I ended up with 2 loud undergrad roommates that seem to not study at all and just gossip all day and night. I couldn't focus on studying and had to leave every time to study elsewhere, and the library is too far away for my taste so I just ended up choking up the money to purchase this.This does NOT block them out completely, because their volume is just over the top. However, if I play some classical songs over their noise, their voices easily become white noise to me. That is amazing, considering their volume (I've tried to get them to quiet down multiple times, but they just don't seem to understand that concept.)The only thing that I REALLY don't like about this headset is how uncomfortable it gets after a while. I have a fairly normal sized skull, I would say, and a decently sensitive head--this headphone gets so painful in a few hours that I have to constantly take it off and chill for a bit before putting it back on. This is great for break time, but when I need to cram, it gets annoying that I can't block out my roommates. If you are going to be spending long hours with this headphone, then maybe you should take that into consideration.One last thing, I'm not really an audiophile so don't take my word for this or anything, but the sound performance is only above average. It definitely sounds better than your normal $10-30 headphones/earbuds, but nothing really extraordinary. I wouldn't purchase this for the sound quality.TL;DR: If you're looking for top-notch noise cancelling headphones, these are for you. If you are going to be wearing them for long hours, it might squeeze your brains a bit. If you are an audiophile and are looking for amazing sound quality, these are NOT for you.