What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Not without merit, but we'd like a bit more vigour and a bit more detail
Pros
- +
Comfortable, light and fold-away portable
- +
unflappable, balanced sound
Cons
- -
Relatively short on detail
- -
prone to noise through the frame
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi?
Even before they've made any kind of sound, things look good for the Bose OEs.
A relatively light headphone at just 147g including cable, they're eminently portable thanks to their pivoting ear-cups.
The appearance of two lengths (0.4m and 1.1m) of detachable cable in the package means excess-cable-misery should never be an issue, either.
The OEs' ear-pads have a single profile all the way across, rather than just running around the edge of the cup – which we find more comfortable.
Put them on, though, and the first doubts creep in – at least, they do if you've a mirror handy. The headband is almost perfectly semicircular, so with the cans in situ there's a great big gap between the band and the wearer's head above both ears – not a good look.
Performance is a mix of pros and cons
Sound is similarly comprised of pros and cons. With a high-bitrate file of The Orb's Perpetual Dawn playing, the OEs serve up a balanced, tidy presentation with the emphasis firmly on separation and low-frequency control.
Politely punchy and with the same restraint demonstrated at the opposite end of the frequency range, they're pretty imperturbable – even if the music you're playing is single-mindedly trying to perturb them. Integration is good, and dynamic upheavals can't ruffle proceedings.
The OEs are a little deficient where fine detail is concerned, though – the midrange, in particular, would benefit from a little more information – and, while they do well resisting thumping through their detachable cable, movement of the ear-cups at can be heard clearly.
So while they are far from a disaster, you don't have to spend very much more to do quite a bit better.
See all our headphone Best Buys
Follow whathifi.com on Twitter
What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.





