One of the best things I’ve ever purchased to make my travel more comfortable, besides signing up for Global Entry, is my Bose Quiet Comfort 25 Noise Cancelling headphones.
They’ve been with me for years, and I’ve slept through flights full of crying children and coughing adults thanks to these headphones. They still work perfectly, and I’d much rather keep using gear that does its job than spend hundreds on the latest version.
The challenge, of course, is that Apple keeps changing the connectors. First, they ditched the headphone jack, which meant carrying a Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter.
Just when I got used to that, Apple dropped Lightning altogether and moved iPhones over to USB-C. Cue another round of dongles.
Fortunately, Apple sells USB-C-to-3.5 mm adapters for under $10, and plenty of third-party options exist for Lightning-to-3.5 mm adapters. It’s mildly annoying to swap adapters, but it still lets me keep using the headphones I love.
And no, I don’t just upgrade to the latest wireless Bose QuietComfort Headphones. The simple answer is that my QC25s still work fine and do what I want them to do. When the ear cushions wore out, it was easy to buy a replacement set. In addition, I prefer a set of wired headphones that will still work if I run out of battery. Sure, I won’t get the noise-canceling features, but they’ll still function.
Since I use my headphones 90% at home and 10% while traveling, there’s no reason to drop $300 on new ones. I’d rather deal with an adapter or two than give up on reliable, comfortable gear that still works.
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5 comments
You actually just needed this adapter, and it lets you use the buttons on the original bose cable. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXJFMGF/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_56cICbGQE5WDJ
True, but that’s $8 for a small little adapter that I’m sure I’d eventually lose (or if it’s like other Apple cables will break off at the end). I’d prefer just to have a wire.
The dongles don’t last but they last about as long as cords and are cheaper. You have to be careful to by the Iphone X or better versions and usually you can get two good quality ones for less than $10. You’d think Bose would want to make some good quality cords just so they can sell you one for $40, etc.
Another option is AirMod Wireless Bluetooth Adapter for about $55. One could get it cheaper during eBay promotions.
@Joe, I still have my Bose QC3s from almost 20 years ago. Changed the ear cushions thrice, the cords twice, and added a Bluetooth adapter. The original battery still lasts over 14 hours. I have no idea how the sound quality compares to modern NC headphones/earphones, but they’re fine for now.
I’ll eventually buy updated ones, but only if my current ones die or there’s a really, really good deal.