The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 — Bose 700 for short — were released way back in 2019. Since then, we’ve seen a lot of movement in the ANCearbudsspace, but when it comes to over-ear noise cancelling headphones, the needle hasn’t shifted nearly as much. As Bose gears up to release its updatedBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, I thought it’d good to take another look at the 700s. Newer options might have Bose’s last-gen flagship cans beat, but the Bose 700 are, maybe a little surprisingly, still amongthe best headphonesyou can buy right now.
Bose Noise Cancelling 700
The Bose 700 were initially released in 2019, but the headphones are still some of the best ANC over-ears you’re able to get — especially if you can find them on sale.
What’s good about the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700?
These headphones celebrated their fourth birthday in August, but the Bose 700 were ahead of the curve in a lot of ways, and they’ve aged very gracefully — even in the context of competition like the positively excellentSony WH-1000XM5. Audio quality is strong here: the Bose 700 don’t support any high-bitrate codecs like aptX, but music over SBC or AAC codecs sounds great.
By default, the sound signature is pretty neutral, with a low-end that’s well-defined but not overpowering — the funky bass inFeel Good Inc.by Gorillaz bounces along with satisfying fullness. Mids and treble are clear as a bell, too: the surf rock guitar and ringing cymbals in Mac DeMarco’sFreaking Out the Neighborhoodcome through in great detail. I actually think the treble’s a touch too sharp by default, so high tones can sound a little piercing — but it’s easy to adjust the EQ with the Bose Music app.
Noise cancelling performance is still among the best you’ll find in any headphones. It’s outclassed by Sony’s more recent high-end options, but the margin isn’t terribly wide: the Bose 700 are great for listening in louder spaces. It effectively mutes sound like desk fans or a TV in the next room, and while no ANC can completely eliminate harder to predict noise like nearby conversation, the Bose 700 are about as good at quieting higher and irregular noise as anything else on the market.
And despite being a few years old now, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 come with the convenience features I still look for in headphones today. They have multipoint connectivity to pair with two Bluetooth sources simultaneously, and they supportGoogle Fast Pair, which makes connecting them to Android devices a breeze.
I’ve found the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 to be very comfortable. Their headband is a little on the narrow side, but it’s well-padded, and the headphones grip my head just firmly enough that their full weight doesn’t rest on that narrow band. The result is a fit that doesn’t cause headphone fatigue in the same way some similar pairs do — I have no problem at all keeping the Bose 700 on for entire workdays.
I also like the control setup quite a bit. The outside of the right earcup is touch-sensitive; you adjust volume by swiping up and down, and skip forward and back by swiping, well, forward or backwards. Pausing requires a double-tap, which never feels quite right to me — a single tap doesn’t do anything at all.
It’s not all rosy, of course. While the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 still tick most of my boxes, there are some nagging issues. There’s no on-ear detection; the headphones keep right on playing when you take them off unless you pause your media first. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s a mark against the Bose 700 compared to most newer headphones in this price range.
Battery life also doesn’t match up with contemporary competition. While the Sony WH-1000XM5 can manage up to 30 hours of playback with ANC active, and some pairs can go even longer than that, the Bose 700 tap out at around the 20-hour mark. Again, this is a very mild limitation, practically speaking — when’s the last time you needed headphones that could go more than 20 hours away from a charger? Even so, the Bose 700 are still sold at premium prices, and compared to current premium competition, their battery life isn’t up to scratch.
The Bose 700 have caught plenty of flack for their design, too. The headphones have a sleek, modern look, even now — but unlike many other over-ear headphones, including plenty of Bose’s own, the 700 can’t be folded for easier travel. Their carrying case is slim and relatively small, but if you spend a significant amount of time optimizing carry-on luggage, you’ll probably want a pair that can fold up to fit in a smaller footprint. (The upcoming Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones do fold, for what it’s worth.)
Then there’s the issue of price. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 aren’t hard to find for less than their $379 MSRP — but even on sale, they typically go for about $300. That’s a lot to ask for four-year-old headphones, especially considering the newer Sony WH-1000XM5 have seen sale prices dipping as low as $350. I don’t want to undersell the Bose 700, they’re great headphones, but anybody looking at sets that cost this much is probably looking to hang onto whatever they get for some time — and the lack of nice-to-haves like on-ear detection might start to feel more grating over time.
Should you buy them?
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 were a serious contender for the best headphones in their class when they launched in 2019, offering great audio quality, top-shelf noise cancelling, and features like Bluetooth multipoint that, at the time, weren’t a guarantee, even in the premium segment.
Given how quickly tech can move, it’s almost surprising to see that the Bose 700 have held up remarkably well since then. Audiophiles might turn up their noses at codec support — again, it’s AAC and SBC only here — but even without high-bitrate or lossless options, the Bose 700 still sound very good, even compared to new releases. Ditto for their ANC performance: you can get better noise cancelling in newer headphones, sure, but I think what’s on offer here from Bose will be more than enough for most listeners.
Bose is formally replacing the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, which are set for release in early October. Bose’s new premium cans will hit the market at a staggering $429, making the $299 you’ll typically pay for the 700 look like a bargain. I don’t think the Bose 700 are a good buy at $299 today — if you keep your eye out, you’re able to get better headphones for only a bit more money, and I think that extra investment will be worth it over the life of a pair of premium over-ears. But if you happen to see a particularly good sale, or you’re alright going refurbished (Bose offers renewed units for $229), you could do a lot worse than the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700.
