Hey, it's Ernest from Trip Astute. In this video, we're doing a gear review of the
Bose QuietComfort 20 earphones -- a portable but effective way to block out
unwanted noises when traveling.
(light chiming music)
A few months ago, I did a video on "How to Sleep
on a Plane." In that video, I mentioned that I didn't
use noise-cancelling headphones since I felt like they were uncomfortable to
wear. I had a cheaper pair of noise-cancelling
headphones about 10 years ago that I bought for my work travel and it ended up
gathering dust since I didn't like them. Not only were they uncomfortable and
ineffective at blocking noise, but they also took up a lot of room in my bag.
Fast forward to my birthday this year, and I got a pair of Bose QuietComfort 20
earphones these are the earphone or earbud version of Bose's popular
QuietComfort headphones. I've had some time to use them, so in this video, I
wanted to share my review of them as well as some tips when using a noise
cancelling headphone or earphone. But first,if you're new here, I want to
welcome you to our channel. Trip Astute is a travel channel that is focused on
sharing ways to make travel easier, affordable, and more enjoyable. Traveling
can be stressful and expensive, so we're looking for ways to help you maximize
your experience through travel tips, points and miles, and innovative gear. If
that resonates with you, please consider subscribing. To start off, let's go
through the features of the Bose QuietComfort 20 earphones. Number 1:
Noise cancellation. Okay, this one is obvious, but I was impressed by how well
they block out noise. I used them a few days ago on a phone call, and when I
turned off the noise cancellation, I was shocked to hear a gardener outside of
our apartment complex with a leaf blower. It completely blocked the sound, and when
I was on a plane, the engine sound was nearly silent. I didn't have the ability
to test it against a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones, but I would expect
it to be a little less effective than the larger headphones that cover your
ears. Though it's a trade-off that I'm willing to make in favor of portability.
This leads me to number 2: Portable size. This was a huge feature for me. I
actually carried my regular video editing headphones on my trip to England
in May, and it took up so much room in my bag.
What I love about these earphones is that they're tiny. The case is about five
and a half inches long by three inches wide, and about one and a half inches
thick. It's so much easier to fit this in my bag while conserving space for my
other gear. Number 3: Battery life. The earphones are rated to last 16 hours and
charge within two hours with the included micro USB cable. This should
cover you from most long flights. Plus, most airplanes used for longer flights
have power plugs at your seat for your electronics. Number 4: Ear adapters. Not
everyone's ears are the same size. Bose includes three sizes with your earphones
so you can determine the best fit for you. The adapters have wings that fit in
your ear cavity to keep the earphones from falling out. Number 5: Phone calls.
Like many other earphones, the set has an integrated microphone that allows you
to use them for calls. You can use the noise cancellation while on a call, but I
don't believe that the noise cancellation extends to the microphone.
So the person you're calling will still hear noises if you're in a loud
environment. Number 6: Remote control. The earphones allow you to control your
volume and music. There are three buttons on the front of the remote. There's a
volume up, volume down, and a center button that toggles between different
controls. Pressing it once starts and stops your music or phone call. If you
double-click it, it skips forward. If you triple-click it, it skips backwards.
Number 7: Aware mode. On the side of the remote is one additional button. The
button turns on the mode that reduces the noise cancellation in order for you
to hear things like traffic, airline gate announcements, and conversations. This
allows you to keep your earphones on instead of having to constantly remove
them in order to hear things around you, which is very useful when traveling.
Number eight: Available in two versions. The earphones come in either an iOS or
Android and Samsung version. I was hoping that the iOS version would include an
integrated Lightning port adapter for iPhones and iPads, but it just has the
standard headphone jack. I know you Android folks are laughing right now.
There is also a wireless version of the earphones called the QuietControl 30. I
actually prefer the wired version since I wanted to use the earphones when
traveling to do some video editing. What I found is that there's a slight lag
when using wireless headphones and earphones. Also, I
wanted to be able to plug into the in-flight entertainment systems, and in
order to do that, I had to use a wired set. Overall, I really liked these earphones
and I'm curious to see how they perform when traveling on a long flight. Maybe
they'll even help me fall asleep on the plane. Well, we'll see what happens on my
next long trip. Most of all, I really liked that they take up so little room in
my carry-on bag. I've been struggling lately with all the gear that we're
carrying, so any reduction in weight is a move in the right direction. The
earphones cost $250, so they are pricey. It's
definitely an investment, but if you're looking for an alternative to the bulky
noise cancelling headphones that you see most people using, these might be a great
fit for you. Lastly, I want to share some tips if you
decide to get noise canceling earphones or headphones. Number 1: Adapters for
iOS users. If you opt to get a wired version and you're an iOS user, make sure
you bring along a Lightning port adapter. On our last trip to Zion National Park,
I forgot to pack one so I couldn't use it with my phone on our short flight. I
was pretty disappointed. And yeah, I know you Android users are shaking your head
and smiling right now. Number 2: Sharing earphones. There have
been a few times in the past where Fiona and I have shared earphones, especially
when we've forgotten to bring an extra pair. We found out that this does not
work well with noise cancelling headphones. I don't know what it is, but
having the noise cancellation in just one ear was really disorienting. Instead,
I would recommend using a splitter and two earphones or headphones if possible.
You can get splitters for very cheap off Amazon.
Number 3: Sensitive audio and video work. I mentioned earlier that the
Bluetooth headphones and earphones are not the best choice if you plan to use
them for any sensitive video or audio work. This is due to the slight lag in
the audio when it's being transmitted from your device. Also, I would add that
noise cancellation is generally not recommended when editing videos or audio
too since it's not an accurate representation of your audio output
levels. While I use my for work when traveling, I know that I need to double
check my videos without the noise cancellation in order to make sure that
the audio quality and levels are acceptable.
Number 4: Noise-cancelling discomfort. One thing that you should be aware of when
purchasing a noise cancellation system is that a percentage of people tend to
feel dizzy or disoriented when using them.
There are several articles from travel bloggers and publications discussing the
issue. Just make sure that if you purchase a pair, that you have the
ability to return it if necessary. I feel completely comfortable when
wearing mine, but like I mentioned earlier, I definitely felt weird when I
tried to share the earphones with Fiona by using it in only one ear. Do you use
noise-cancelling headphones or earphones? If so, please share your experience below.
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travel safe and travel smart.