Bose’s QuietComfort Headphones are more than half off

It’s not often that some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy are over half off. But right now, the first-gen Bose QuietComfort Headphones are on sale for $169.99 ($190 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Bose, matching its best price to date. The newer, second-generation version that launched in August is also down to $199 ($160 off) in multiple colors at Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Bose, which is just $20 shy of the all-time low price.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones

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Bose QuietComfort Headphones Gen 2

Gen 2 Bose QuietComfort Headphones sitting on a pale yellow surface next to a USB-C charger and black Bose case.

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While Bose’s original QuietComfort Headphones are no longer the latest model, they’re still a solid option for anyone seeking effective noise cancellation, good sound, and 24-hour battery life without spending a fortune. They also support multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, so you can connect to two devices simultaneously, and they feature a lightweight, foldable design that makes them easy to pack.

The second-generation QuietComfort Headphones build on that foundation with a few worthwhile upgrades for $30 more. Of note, our reviewer John Higgins considers their default sound profile to be the best he’s heard from Bose, even better than the flagship $449 QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. They also support lossless audio via USB-C. While he thought that vocals sounded a bit muted, he was able to fix the issue by tweaking the three-band equalizer in Bose’s companion app. Higgins also considers the QuietComfort Headphones more comfortable than the Ultra thanks to their lack of “eardrum suck,” the unpleasant sensation of ear pressure from a strong active noise cancellation effect.