Review of the Bose AE2 Headphones

As a long time Bose customer, I have owned the Bose around ear headphones, in-ear headphones (IE2) and a surround sound system. The cord on my around ear headphones broke, so I purchased the newer AE2 model. Listed below are the likes and dislikes of the AE2 headphones and if they are worth the $149.99 price tag.

Sound Quality
When you first put the headphones on and crank up the volume on your music device, you are instantaneously engulfed by crisp sounds. The bass is also very receptive. Of course, for this price range the sound is great, but does not measure up to the more expensive competition. The headphones go around your ear and cancel out most surrounding noise because of their design, but do little to cancel out noise in very noisy environments. However, the sound quality is very good for the price range and will impress any music enthusiast.

Comfort
My favorite feature of the Bose AE2 headphones is the padded earpieces. The headphones are comfortable enough to leave on for multiple hours without an uncomfortable feeling.

Cord
The cord has improved over the previous version. It connects into only one of the earpieces and unplugs from that earpiece for travel. The disconnecting jack is great to prevent damaging the cord, which is how my last pair broke. However, one flaw I noticed was that the AE2 headphones did not come with an extender cord like its predecessor. The extender cord is invaluable for using the headphones at a longer distance than the original cord. However, the disconnecting cord jack is a vast improvement over the previous model.

Design
The headphone earpieces or cups fold to lay flat for easy traveling. However, I found this feature more gimmicky than useful because the earpieces are still rather large, even when turned in. Every piece is padded and feels great, but does not have too much padding that makes the headphones bulky. The design is great for home office or for extended travel. However, the headphones are still bulky, which means they are not good for use on the go.

Overall Value
I have owned numerous headphones, some inexpensive and some expensive. The Bose AE2 headphones are an excellent value for the price. The quality is apparent in the design and the sound quality is excellent for the price range. Only very specific audiophiles will notice any difference between this pair and headphones that are four times the price. The only two features I would improve are for Bose to include an extender cord and a noise-canceling feature for this price range. However, if you are looking for a great pair of headphones without breaking the bank, the Bose AE2 is the perfect choice.

Sources:

http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/headphones/audio_headphones/around_ear_headphones/index.jsp