I tried Bose’s new $400 noise-cancelling headphones — and they have the potential to become the new gold standard

Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

I tried the new $400 noise-cancelling headphones from Bose that will be released on June 30.
My experience was short and not "real world" by any means, but the Bose 700 headphones were impressive.
They look and sound fantastic, and the noise cancellation has the potential to be better than the current gold standard in noise-cancelling headphones, the Bose QC 35s.
One demo showed how effective Bose’s new noise cancellation during phone calls will be.
I won’t judge if you pre-order the new headphones, as Bose has made a name for itself for reliably high-quality headphones. But you won’t get them much earlier if you do pre-order, and your best bet is to check out the full reviews.
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Bose announced a new pair of noise-cancelling headphones called the Noise Cancelling Headphone 700, which I got to demo ahead of their release on June 30.

It’s tough to make any definitive claims about a product when I’ve had such a short time with them, and when demos are conducted in such a controlled environment.

But this is Bose we’re talking about here. We already know the company’s headphones sound great, and its QC 35s are the stalwart of noise-cancelling headphones. You can almost guarantee that the new Bose 700 headphones will be even better if the company has made any improvements over a previous generation.

But I won’t know for sure until I spend some quality time with the new Bose 700.

For now, though, check out what the Bose 700 are like in person:

The new Bose 700 look very sleek, modern, and minimalist.

Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

The Bose 700 design is a welcome change over the aging QC 35 design.

They look a little foreign to Bose — even generic, if I’m being harsh. But that’s probably because when I think of Bose headphones, I think of that iconic design from the QC 35s.

But the Bose 700 headphones usher in a brand new line of noise-cancelling headphones, and given time, I’ll likely start to accept the new design as decidedly Bose.

There are fewer lines, seams, and screws, and part of the headband is made of stainless steel, which looks and feels more premium than the plasticky build of the QC 35s.

Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

To be logical, headphone design and the way they feel when you hold them shouldn’t be a consideration at all when you’re picking out headphones. Headphone companies should focus on sound rather than looks.

But design and feel are certainly relevant, especially when you’re paying a premium or planning to wear them outside the house or when traveling. Bose has finally adopted some premium materials to make their headphones feel like they’re worth their price tag.

Worthy of note, however, the new Bose 700 headphones don’t fold up like the QC 35s do. That instantly makes them less travel-friendly, which is going to be a bummer for some. Still, you can lay them out flat and they’ll fit perfectly in most backpacks.

They felt comfortable and lightweight when I tried them on, but I only wore the Bose 700 for about five minutes.

Antonio Villas-Boas/Business Insider

The true comfort test will come when I wear the Bose 700 for a few hours. If they’re anything like the Bose QC 35s, the 700s should be comfortable for hours on end.

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Antonio Villas-Boas)