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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 headphones are ideal if you prioritize comfort, wireless convenience, and active noise cancelling for travel or noisy environments; they also feature a microphone for calls. Meanwhile, the Etymotic ER4XR earbuds offer a more detailed sound and better noise isolation due to in-ear fit, but they lack wireless connectivity and a microphone, making them less versatile for activities like calls or workouts. If you often switch between environments or need practical features for on-the-go use, Bose might suit you better, whereas Etymotic would be the choice for focused listening and sound quality. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Bose Quiet Comfort 45
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Etymotic ER4XR
- Very good for music
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.4
8.0
The Etymotic ER4XR is very good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Gaming
5.5
6.2
The Etymotic ER4XR is only fair for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.0
4.7
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the Etymotic ER4XR is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
7.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Etymotic ER4XR is good.
TV and Video
5.8
7.4
The Etymotic ER4XR is good for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
9.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Etymotic ER4XR is excellent.
Battery
22.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Etymotic ER4XR does not have a battery.
Cost
$260
$234
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the Etymotic ER4XR costs $234.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Etymotic ER4XR has excellent build quality, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the Etymotic ER4XR compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | Etymotic ER4XR |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $234 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Etymotic | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | June 1, 2016 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 4.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 6.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 4.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 22.5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 10/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort 45
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | November 2022
"If you want a set of wireless over-ear headphones you can put on, deploy noise-cancelling on your commute or at your desk and largely extinguish the outside world for up to 24 hours, the Bose QC 45 has the edge over most of the competition at the price."
Etymotic ER4XR
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | May 2015
"The Etymotic ER4XRs' top qualities are the detail and definition of the midrange, rewarding the closest listening. While the soundstage is large rather than gigantic, the excellent separation and spatial precision mean you can dive deep into music just as much as when wearing a pair of full-size open-backed headphones."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the Etymotic ER4XR
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
About Etymotic
Etymotic Research is an American based research, development and manufacturing company founded in 1983. They invented the first insert earphones that were used for the diagnosis and research of hearing loss and other auditory disorders. They went on to pioneer the market of high fidelity, isolating, in-ear earphones.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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