Both generations of Bose’s noise-canceling headphones are steeply discounted, with prices starting at $170.
Both generations of Bose’s noise-canceling headphones are steeply discounted, with prices starting at $170.
If you buy something from a link, The Verge may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.
It’s not often that some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy are over half off. But right now, the first-gen Bose QuietComfort Headphones are on sale for $169.99 ($190 off) at Amazon , Best Buy , and Bose , matching its best price to date. The newer, second-generation version that launched in August is also down to $199 ($160 off) in multiple colors at Amazon , Best Buy , and directly from Bose , which is just $20 shy of the all-time low price.
While Bose’s original QuietComfort Headphones are no longer the latest model, they’re still a solid option for anyone seeking effective noise cancellation, good sound, and 24-hour battery life without spending a fortune. They also support multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, so you can connect to two devices simultaneously, and they feature a lightweight, foldable design that makes them easy to pack.
The second-generation QuietComfort Headphones build on that foundation with a few worthwhile upgrades for $30 more. Of note, our reviewer John Higgins considers their default sound profile to be the best he’s heard from Bose, even better than the flagship $449 QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. They also support lossless audio via USB-C. While he thought that vocals sounded a bit muted, he was able to fix the issue by tweaking the three-band equalizer in Bose’s companion app. Higgins also considers the QuietComfort Headphones more comfortable than the Ultra thanks to their lack of “ eardrum suck ,” the unpleasant sensation of ear pressure from a strong active noise cancellation effect.
This is the title for the native ad
This is the title for the native ad
