The Bose QuietComfort 45 have been top-rated wireless ANC headphones since their 2021 release. With soothing active noise cancelling to mute outside distractions and smooth, balanced sound, these over-ears continue Bose‘s legacy for creating an immersive, fatigue-free listening experience built for all-day comfort.
However, as superb as the QC45 perform given their $329 price tag, they aren‘t flawless products. Newer rivals have overtaken Bose in certain departments like call clarity, design and future-proofed features. Battery life also falls shorter of the 30+ hours expected from premium travel headphones nowadays.
You may desire upgrades in audio quality and noise reduction prowess as well. That‘s where alternatives to the venerable QC45 deserve your consideration.
This buyer‘s guide will showcase 7 formidable Bose QC45 alternatives capable of matching (or exceeding) Bose‘s combination of stellar noise cancelling effectiveness and musicality. Premium headphones from rival players like Sony, Apple and Sennheiser all make the cut. For shoppers on tighter budgets, a shockingly decent pair from Anker during their research also stood out.
Sony enters 2023 firmly leading the noise cancelling headphones category thanks to the technologically advanced WH-1000XM5 flagship. Leveraging new processing components like an integrated V1 processor and redesigned 30mm driver, these over-ears achieve pristine wireless audio and adaptive noise cancelling that handily outstrip Bose‘s dated QC45 standard.
Enhanced Sound Drivers & Circuitry
Each WH-1000XM5 earcup contains a newly developed 30mm driver comprised of a lightweight rigid dome center with flexible outer edges made of soft silicon rings. The redesigned driver edges displace unnecessary resonance for lower harmonic distortion. Paired to the premium driver materials are high power neodymium magnets able to faithfully reproduce a full spectrum of frequencies.
Sony also implements a lightweight integrated signal processor which combines optimized analog amplifier and signal processing to further reduce sound degradation during amplification. Together, these bleeding edge acoustic components allow the 1000XM5 to achieve exceptional clarity and dynamic range rivaling even wired headphones.
Cutting-Edge Noise Cancellation
The WH-1000XM5‘s noise canceling prowess receives a boost via Sony‘s new eight microphone system – four feedforward mics and four feedback mics equipped with precise beam forming to hone in on speech. Supporting the mics are dual processors including the new Integrated Processor V1 which precisely filters ambient frequencies in real time.
In accredited laboratory testing, Wirecutter measured the Sony WH-1000XM5 as providing a full 20 decibels of noise reduction which is considered extremely effective damping. This allows the headphones to almost completely mute common environmental rumbles like vehicle engines or crowd chatter.
Renowned tech critic and frequent headphone reviewer Geoffrey Morrison agrees Sony has taken an already quiet set of headphones in the WH-1000XM4 and improved them notably:
"The WH-1000XM5 blocks more noise than their predecessors, which already set the bar for noise cancelling headphones since they came out…You get complete isolation from the lower frequencies of jet engines to the chatter of your fellow passengers."
When deciding between the iconic Bose QC45 or the new Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony ultimately proves the superior noise-canceller and provides more detailed, textured audio. The 1000XM5 also flaunt notably improved voice pickup quality for phone calls and AI assistant commands even in noisy or windy conditions.
Consider the Sony WH-1000XM5 if desiring upgraded sonics and noise reduction over aging (but still mighty) Bose mainstays.
Key Specs:
| Feature | Sony WH-1000XM5 | Bose QC45 |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustic Driver Size | 30mm | 40mm |
| Battery Life (ANC on) | 30 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Wireless Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC | AAC, SBC |
| Noise Cancelling Mode | Adaptive (multipoint) | Single level |
| Weight | 250g | 238g |
