I would never have been able to afford a pair of headphones like this, so I am delighted to be able to review them here. The quality is amazing, really solid, great use of materials, and well constructed. I really like the black finish, although a smoky white is also available if you prefer. They look, and feel expensive straight out of the box. You get a charging lead (charging is quick and the battery lasts for ages), a 3.5mm connector lead, if you want to use them wired, and a really smart carry case to store the folded headphones in. They were really easy to pair to my phone, and the BOSE app is excellent, and really easy to use.
First impressions are that they are really comfortable to wear, so much so that it almost feels as if you aren't wearing headphones at all. I've worn them for 6 hours straight, and not experienced any of the usual discomfort associated with headbands. The ear cups are exceptionally well cushioned, and don't make you hot like so many headphones do.
Sound quality is brilliant, and really well balanced, with an absence of the horrible pounding bass you get with some headphones, and brilliantly clear mid range, and trebles. Bass is still good, but it doesn't overwhelm the rest of the sound field. I have tested these with a selection of different music types, and they perform superbly. Listening through these headphones brings an entirely new dimension to so much of my music, and reveals details in the sound that I never realised were there.
Noise cancellation works a treat too, effectively blocking out all annoying background noise, and allowing you to enjoy your music. The headphones have an "Aware" feature, which allows you to keep safe when out and about, and aware of what is going on around you. The control buttons take a bit of getting used to, but they work well, and are relatively easy to master. Functions are standard (volume, call control, moving through your music library) Sound on calls is really clear. I am really impressed with these BOSE headphones, they totally eclipse everything I already own, and anything I have ever heard.
I note some say they are inferior to other earlier BOSE models, but I am unable to comment on that. As far as I'm concerned, they are superb.