No matter how great flagship headphones are, paying $450 (or more) isn’t always feasible. This is where simple mid-range headphones fill a big void, allowing you to enjoy some of the features of a premium experience without the premium price tag.
Both Sony and Bose took advantage of this gap, with the latter releasing the second generation of its QuietComfort headphones and the former releasing the second generation of its previous flagship model, the Sony XM4s. The new version gets a slightly updated name: WH-1000XM4C headphones.
I was thoroughly impressed with both pairs of headphones, so I knew I had to test them together to determine which reigns supreme as the best mid-range headphones.
Sony and Bose are in the hunt for the best mid-range headphones.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd Generation): Specifications
Sony WH-1000XM4C Specifications
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Active Noise Cancellation: Yes
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Processor: QN1 for ANC
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microphone: Four
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Equalizer: 10-band custom equalizer on companion app
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Spatial Audio: yes, but limited use
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battery life: 27 hours
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fast charge: Three-minute quick charge for one hour of playback
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Connection: bluetooth 6.0
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Multipoint: Connect to two devices simultaneously
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weight: 0.61 pounds
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Colour: black, lavender, platinum silver
Bose QC (2nd generation) Specifications
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Active Noise Cancellation: Yes, manual adjustment is available
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microphone: Six
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Lossless Playback: Wired USB-C audio up to 24bit/48kHz
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Equalizer: three-band custom equalizer
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Spatial Audio: Bose TruSpatial technology with immersive audio modes for stills, motion and cinema
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battery life: 24 hours per charge (18 hours with immersive audio)
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fast charge: 15 minutes charge for 2.5 hours playback
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Connection: bluetooth 5.4
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Multipoint: Yes
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weight: 0.5 pounds
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Colour: Black, White Smoke, Eucalyptus Green*, Dew Drop Mint*, Rosewood Mauve* (*Limited Edition Color)
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd generation): Sound quality
The Bose QuietComfort (Gen 2) headphones come in black, white smoke, eucalyptus green, dewdrop mint, and rosewood mauve.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
The Sony WH-1000XM4Cs are available in black, lavender and platinum silver.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
Sony headphones are known for their superior quality, and that trend holds true between these two headphones. Without any adjustments to the sound, the XM4C headphones produced a more nuanced and detailed sound profile with greater clarity. The piano and vocals in Fiona Apple’s rendition of “Why Try to Change Me Now” put me in a cozy jazz bar, while I turned up the volume on the Bose headphones to try to capture the same immersion.
Speaking of immersion, Bose has the advantage of offering spatial audio in the form of its proprietary Immersive Audio. Although it’s not the best spatial audio I’ve heard, it helps live performances and more upbeat songs shine – Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind” was particularly pleasing in this mode.
Sony’s equalizer…
Credit: Screenshot/Sony
Versus Bose’s.
Credit: Screenshot/Bose
Sony technically offers a spatial audio mode in the form of its 360 Reality Audio, but it’s only functional with select apps (and not any apps with major music streaming). However, the lack of spatial audio can be forgiven due to the excellent equalizer found on the companion app, which offers six presets in addition to three custom settings. Users can fine-tune their settings with a 10-band equalizer, compared to Bose’s three-band equalizer and four presets. Ultimately, Sony offers a more dynamic listening experience.
The 10 Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones We Use, Love, and Recommend
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs. Bose QuietComfort (2nd generation): Active noise cancellation
While Sony usually takes the audio cake, Bose is considered the master of ANC. While Sony’s most recent flagship XM6 headphones have reversed that trend, Bose is back to take the crown among these mid-range headphones.
Sony’s headphones use adaptive sound controls and a four-microphone system, compared to Bose’s manually adjustable ANC and six-microphone system. the result is Little Better ANC on Bose headphones, with more flexibility in how much sound actually comes through. That said, the Sony offers an ambient lackluster sound. In any case, you probably won’t be too fussed about having a pair with you on airplanes or trips.
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd generation): Design and comfort
Bose has a fun party trick that Sony can’t compete with.
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Bose headphones claim comfort in the name itself, and they live up to their expectations. Their fit is a little looser than the Sony’s, which also helps, but ultimately they have more plush ear cushions. The cushions are also replaceable, which is useful for future safety. Don’t get me wrong, the Sony XM4Cs are still quite comfortable, but if you’re a frequent headphone wearer, the Bose headphones may better suit your needs.
The headphones fold into roughly the same shape.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
However, Bose relies on touch controls.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
Travel-wise, both of these headphones fold into a similarly compact position making them easy to keep in a bag. The biggest difference in their design comes down to preference: the Bose QC relies entirely on touch controls (buttons and a power switch), while the Sony headphones primarily use touch controls with a power button and ANC button for playback.
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd Generation): Companion App
I would never recommend buying one pair of headphones over another based on their companion app, but because these headphones are still an investment, it’s worth knowing the ins and outs of the experience. Bose’s app layout is prettier, showing all the customization options on one screen, while Sony’s requires a scroll.
The Sony Companion app requires some scrolling to see all the options.
Credit: Screenshot/Sony
Whereas Bose has told all this.
Credit: Screenshot/Bose
They are relatively similar in terms of customization – where Sony headphones offer more audio customization, Bose headphones offer more noise cancellation customization.
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd generation): Battery life
The battery life of both the headphones is good.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
But Soni defeated Bose by three hours.
Credit: Bethany Allard/Mashable
While I was somewhat disappointed Sony reduced the 30-hour battery life from the original XM4s to 27 hours on the XM4C headphones, the 24-hour battery life on the Bose QuietComfort headphones puts the extra few hours into perspective. That’s good battery life in both cases, but the three-hour boost from the Sony headphones could be the difference between struggling on the last leg of a long flight.
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd generation): Price
This comparison would be more difficult without the price difference between these two headphones. The Sony XM4C headphones retail for $299.99 and have already gone on sale a few times, with prices as low as $248. The Bose QC 2 headphones are more expensive at $359, with the price dropping slightly to $290. Considering the relatively similar experience between both headphones, the Sony headphones are undeniably the better value.
Sony WH-1000XM4C vs Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen): Which one is better?
If you’re having trouble finding over-ear headphones that you can wear comfortably for long periods of time, the Bose QuietComfort headphones are probably your best choice.
For everyone else, the trade-off in slightly worse ANC is worth the difference in price, the bump in sound quality, and better battery life. Sony XM4C Headphones. Although I wish they also had replaceable ear cushions for more years of use, the immediate benefits of these headphones are too good to ignore.
Where to buy Sony XM4C and Bose QC 2 headphones
