Listening to music, watching movies or playing video games on the go is now more popular than ever. However, with this added popularity, other factors start to affect the end user’s experience. Noise seems to be the biggest outside factor that contributes to the diminished enjoyment of gaming on the go. This is where a nice pair of noise canceling headphones can really improve things.

I recently acquired a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 3 headphones for use in a noisy office environment. These are on the ear headphones (not to be confused with over the ear). These headphones were purchased in order to replace a pair of Sony in the ear headphones I had been using (to be reviewed later).

At first glance, the Quiet Comfort 3 headphones look great. They come with a nice leather case to store the headphones. They also come with a stereo mini-cable and include a cable extension for the rare occasion you might need a longer cord. Also in the box is an airplane adapter for use when traveling as well as a larger adapter for use with home audio systems. A strap is also included for the case so you can strap it over your shoulder. The Quiet Comfort 3 headphones use a proprietary battery and charger (both are included). If the battery runs out, then you are out of luck as the headset will not work when turned off or when the battery is dead. There is no way to use an external battery source if your battery runs out while on the go. Initial charge time took less than an hour for me with subsequent chargers in the same ballpark. I have mainly used my headset for short bursts (eight hours or less) so battery life has not been an issue. If you are traveling, carrying the charger with you should not be an issue as it’s very small and can fit in your pocket (or in the carrying case).

The first time I tried on the headset I was sitting at work with some ambient noises around me including fans and air conditioners. After putting them on, I noticed the noise then flipped the switch. I was immediately amazed about how quiet things got. I could no longer hear any air moving around me from the fans, or air conditioners. Human voices were noticeable quieter but I could still hear them. The headsets seem to do a great job at canceling out everyday office type noise from printers, cars and similar sounds. However, they are not that great at canceling out human voices even though they do help. Overall I am very happy with the headphones. The MSRP for these is $349(no that is not a misprint). I personally would never pay that much for a pair of headphones. However, if someone else is going to buy them for me, then I would jump on the “deal” again. The only downside of the headphones is they don’t work very well with human voices and they use a proprietary battery.

9/10