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It’s only as useful as Google Assistant on your phone is, though, but handily – if you don’t find yourself using it very much – you can reassign the button to adjust the noise cancellation between High, Low and Off settings. All you have to do to switch it over is load up the accompanying smartphone app and delve into the settings menu. Yep, the Bose QuietComfort 35 II (QC35 II) are the first headphones – aside from the Google Pixel Buds – to build in support for Google’s smart voice assistant, and this capability comes courtesy of a button built into the left earcup of the headphones. Tap it and the headphones will tell you the time and read out any unread notifications; hold it and you can run Assistant queries just as you would on your phone, except you don’t have to embarrassingly shout “OK Google” before you do it.
If your headphones won’t re-connect to your smartphone by Bluetooth, first make sure the audio cable and USB charging cable are unplugged. If this doesn’t work, use your smartphone to disable and re-enable Bluetooth. Still having problems? Delete the headphones from your phone’s Bluetooth device menu and retry the initial pairing process. It may also help to remove some other Bluetooth devices from your smartphone to avoid cluttering it. The headphones doesn’t automatically switch to the device playing content It's also strange using the headphones when they're cancelling out the noise around you (including your own voice), but the microphone works very well despite not being located on a cable closer to your mouth like most wired headphones. Another area where the QC35 II’s lag behind a little is Bluetooth range. You only have to wander a few metres away from your phone or laptop before the audio signal starts to cut out where the Beats Studio 3 Wireless were able to hang onto that signal much further away. Battery life is excellent, though, rated at 20 hours with both noise cancellation and wireless enabled. Bose QuietComfort 35 II review: Verdict The brand new Google Assistant enables users to do things like hear the time or call up a favourite playlist, set timers or even create shopping lists. A new text to your phone can be read to you. The set-up isn't completely intuitive, in which case Siri maybe preferable. Many prefer the interaction and answers provided by Google Assistant however. Audio PerformanceThe QuietComfort 35 II's integrated microphones delivered crystal-clear call quality. It was nice to make calls and not have the person on the other end complain that I sounded like I was inside a soup can. Most of my calls were made from the home or office, but I was brave enough at times to call from the windy streets of NYC and was pleasantly surprised to hear the same clear sound quality. They won’t completely silence the world outside. You’ll still be able to hear (faintly) the tip-tapping of typing on a nearby keyboard but, for the most part, you’ll be completely undisturbed while you enjoy your music, podcast, TV show or movie. The QuietComfort 35 II are hugely effective in a Ronseal kind of way: the excellent noise-cancelling keeps everything around you quiet, and they're exceptionally comfortable. In those regards they're unbeatable, and for many a regular long-hauler, they'll be the most important factors.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II are, like the headphones that preceded them, simply brilliant personal audio companions. While they may not be able to match rivals for sound quality and looks, in terms of all-round practicality and comfort they’re second to none. The features that I enjoyed the most were the abilities to name to my headphones (Pope of Mope), adjust the noise-cancelling levels and set up Auto-Off, as I forget to turn off my headphones way too often The noise-cancelling sensation is a little odd at first and feels a little like being in a pressurised cabin, but you soon get used to actually being able to listen to your music rather than the world around you. Once I removed the QC35 II from the comfortable protective pouch, it was clear that these headphones were ready to take on my long and noisy train ride to and and from work, as well as on the loud and busy streets of New York City. Pairing via Bluetooth yielded a cheerful female voice that informed me when the process was completed and popped up if I happened to wander out of pairing range or if the battery level dropped too low. The entire process of setting up the QC35 II took under 10 minutes and completed without requiring me to restart my device or the headphones. Bose QuietComfort 35 II review: Bose Connect App
Audio Performance
The following test group's text has been updated following TB 1.6: Bluetooth Connection. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages to match these results. But, if you like your smart assistants confined to your phone and smart speaker, the original QuietComfort 35 remains one of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market. Read on for our full review and don't forget to see what Bose promo codes are out there.
We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.6 , which updates how we measure latency. We've updated and renamed the following test groups: Wired Connection, Bluetooth Connection, and Wireless Connection (Dongle). We've also added new codec latency measurements and provided an audio sample of recorded latency. As with all noise-cancelling headphones, the QC35's are best at cancelling out consistent low frequencies like the rumble of a train or plane rather than higher-pitched office chatter, but even the latter is drowned out to a certain extent by the padding around the headphone's earcups. Alternatively if your phone is one of the increasing amounts of Android phones that support NFC pairing then you can connect your headphones by simply putting them in pairing mode and tapping the rear of your phone against them.When I switched to Active mode (powered up, connected wireless via Bluetooth to my iPhone), the headphones went into full throttle, producing louder audio with noticeable active noise-cancelling effects. I would strongly suggest using the units in active mode to achieve the full benefits of the sound-design technology that Bose has worked many years to perfect. But while these headphones have an enjoyable sound, their rivals are a clear step ahead. The WH-1000XM3 (and newer WH-1000XM4) have an earthier bass and more insight, while the PX (and more recent PX7) have a better sense of rhythm and dynamics. Verdict
I preferred pairing via the app, as I could also configure the headphones by, for example, naming the units and adjusting the level of noise cancelling to fit my environment. It took Bose a while to come up with a pair of headphones that combined noise cancellation technology with Bluetooth wireless connection, but when it did it had an instant classic on its hands. Now, flush with success, there’s a successor on the market – the Bose QuietComfort 35 II – which don’t mess with the formula too much but, intriguingly, add support for the Google Assistant. Bose QuietComfort 35 II review: What you need to know I found myself tapping the Google Assistant button to ask about the weather, find nearby restaurants and set up daily task reminders.These headphones are bluetooth headphones and an effective upgrade from the QC 35 which are also hugely popular. Google Assistant has been added which is a welcome addition and the same button can be used to trigger noise cancellation. Quiet Comfort Design The Bose QuietComfort 35s offer great sound quality and the best noise cancelling out of any headphones I've tried. They're super comfortable, and despite the fact that they don't use the newer AptX Bluetooth standard, the wireless doesn't harm their sound quality one bit. We disliked Battery life on the QC35s is very good. Bose promises that the headphones will last 20 hours when operating wirelessly, which rises to 40 hours when used as a pair of wired headphones. I didn't time exactly how long the battery took to run down, but the headphones lasted me several days of on and off use before needing to be recharged.
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