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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
Choosing between the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the HifiMan Edition XS depends on your priorities. If you value wireless convenience, active noise cancelling, portability, and using your headphones for travel, Bose is a better fit; they're also suitable for calls and meetings. On the other hand, for the best sound quality and an expansive soundstage for an immersive music experience, the HifiMan would be preferable, though they lack a microphone and active noise cancelling, and are less portable due to their open-back design and larger size. Consider the Bose if you need versatility and noise management, or HifiMan for a superior audio experience in quieter environments. 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 HifiMan Edition XS
- Very good for music
- Good for gaming
- Best in class for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.4
8.8
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Gaming
5.5
7.4
The HifiMan Edition XS is good for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.0
5.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
7.9
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
TV and Video
5.8
9.5
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
2.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Battery
22.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The HifiMan Edition XS does not have a battery.
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Key similarities
Cost
$260
$269
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the HifiMan Edition XS costs $269.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and HifiMan Edition XS both have very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the HifiMan Edition XS compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | HifiMan Edition XS |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $269 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | HifiMan | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | December 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 5.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 7.5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 4.4/10 | |
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 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 421 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
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."
HifiMan Edition XS
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Headphonesty
Eric D Hieger | January 2023
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the HifiMan Edition XS
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 HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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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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