Fifty per cent off: Awesome sound, awesome ANC…and now an awesome price too

Looking and working like the QC35, which is super

The QC45 looks just like the QC35 (Express Photo)

The Bose QC45 are a great example of Bose taking what works and improving it instead of radically rehauling an established product (like it did with the metal band Bose 700). Those who have used the legendary Bose QC35 (review) will actually be right at home with the QC45. They have broadly the same design as the Bose QC35, and are almost totally made of high-quality plastic except for a metal hinge – Bose has not attempted to experiment with metal on these (as it did on the 700) at all. The ear cups are clearly marked left and right and in the best Bose tradition are incredibly comfortable. We would say that they are easily the most comfortable ANC headphones out there – we have worn ours for hours without ever feeling any strain, as even the headband is padded and the pressure on the ears is not very strong. In fact, we would have appreciated a slightly more snug fit, as the headphones sometimes got dislodged with a sudden movement of our heads. Speaking of which, the headphones do not have any dust or water resistance, so we would recommend treating them very carefully if you do want to give them gym buddy status.

We warn you that you will be tempted to take them everywhere, though. Not only are they relatively light, but they also fold inwards so you can actually fold them into a small package and take them along. Bose does provide a good, relatively storage case with the QC45, though – nothing like the bulky cases that accompany the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the Sennheiser Momentum 4. Our only complaint with the design was the fact that when the cups fold inwards, they leave rather sharp-ish edges on the headband. We also hope that the padding on those earcups lasts longer than it did on the QC25 and QC35, where we had to change it every year.

Using the QC45 is very like the QC35. Those who want a touch interface will be disappointed, but we love the fact that Bose has stuck with a button and slider-driven interface to control ANC, call accept and reject, adjust volume and skip track functions. We preferred this interface to the slightly tiffy touch UI that we have seen on many high-end ANC headphones. There is a dedicated ANC button on the left earcup that lets you switch between Quiet and Aware mode, the latter being Bose’s version of a ‘transparency mode’ in which you can hear some of the external sounds. The headphones come with multipoint connectivity so you can connect them simultaneously to two devices and switch between them.

Brilliant ANC and typically Bose sound (brilliant too!)

The large earcups and the headband have soft cushioning (Express Photo)

The real reason for buying the Bose QC45, however, has got to be their performance. The ANC is right up there alongside the WH-1000XM5 in terms of literally transporting you to a much quieter world – so much so that we often found ourselves using them just to get some peace and quiet even when we had nothing to listen to. Listening, of course, is a premium experience too. The Bose QC45 sound brilliant with rich and very detailed sound, easily the best we have heard in the sub-Rs 40,000 segment (they sound better than the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the Sony WH-1000XM5).

There is a very slight accent on bass but we also felt we heard more treble on these than we had on any Bose headphones, which is interesting and makes them excellent for those who listen to a lot of podcasts. The accompanying app lets you fiddle with the EQ settings, but we would suggest sticking to the default as it is wonderfully balanced. Whether it is gaming, podcasts or music of any genre, the Bose QC45 renders them in a manner that is slightly warm (that touch of bass, remember) but very easy on the ear. In terms of mainstream audio, we have no hesitation in calling these our favourite ANC headphones. Oh, and they handle calls wonderfully well too, courtesy of four external headphones that reduce environmental sounds and even reduce the sound of the wind. We think they are better than the AirPods Pro in terms of call quality.

Round that off with a battery life of about twenty hours and the option to charge through a USB Type-C port and the option to play them through a wired connection (there is a 35 mm to 2.5 mm cable in the box, as well as a USB Type C cable for charging) and the Bose QC45 emerge as a stunning option for anyone wanting a blend of premium audio and premium ANC. Bose does not give out tech specs and driver sizes, but then anyone who buys a Bose is not looking for those, but for simply awesome sound. The QC45 deliver that in spadefuls. And now at a price that is as stunning as their performance!