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What we think
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Updated April 11, 2024·
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 headphones are best suited for frequent travelers or those seeking the top noise isolation, especially during air travel. They offer excellent comfort, active noise cancelling, and the flexibility to use them wired or wirelessly, but they are on the pricier side. For gaming and TV, they may not be the ideal choice due to poorer performance in those areas. On the other hand, the Sony MDREX15AP earbuds are a budget-friendly option with very good sound for music and excellent TV and video performance. These are wired earbuds without active noise cancelling, so they might not isolate sound as well as the Bose, and they lack the features for high-quality calls or exercise use. Consider the quiet comfort and noise isolation features of the Bose for premium, versatile use, and the Sony for a straightforward, value-focused listening experience, especially if you prioritize music and video. 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 Sony MDREX15AP
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.4
8.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is very good for music, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is only fair.
Gaming
5.5
6.7
The Sony MDREX15AP is only fair for gaming, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.0
3.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is very good for phone calls, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
9.3
5.4
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
TV and Video
5.8
9.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is excellent for TV and video, while the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is poor.
Noise Reduction
10.0
7.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 is best in class for noise reduction, while the Sony MDREX15AP is good.
Battery
22.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has 22.5 hours of battery life. The Sony MDREX15AP does not have a battery.
Cost
$260
$20
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 has a price of $260 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and Sony MDREX15AP both have very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 and the Sony MDREX15AP compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort 45 | Sony MDREX15AP |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$260 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2021 | March 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.5/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 4.6/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 235.8 Grams | 3.1 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."
Sony MDREX15AP
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Make It Sound Great
Pete Anthony | June 2022
"At the ultra budget $10 price-point (and we’ve seen the no-mic version go for as cheap as $7), I’d say these are a decent option if you’re looking for a passable pair of earbuds for basic use that’s as cheap as possible. I wouldn’t say they feel or sound as good as some of the ultra-budget alternatives out there – of which there are a few at this point – but some might disagree. I will say though that the cable is a little bit nicer than those of that same competition."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort 45 or the Sony MDREX15AP
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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