Super sound

Sure, imitation may well be known for its deep-rooted connection with flattery, but in the consumer tech industry, it’s also the most certain measure of success. With Bose, as is the case with many other technology pioneers, being imitated was the final cherry on the icing, a seal of approval that the trails they blazed were in the right direction.

Be it noise-cancelling headphones, or iPod speaker docks, this is where the story started. Over the years, though the competition waltzed in, in all shapes and sizes, so it’s to be seen what Bose has managed with the latest iterations of the QuietComfort and SoundDock series — the QuietComfort (QC15) and the SoundDock10.

With the QC15, Bose has reverted to the hugely successful design of the previous generation QC2s, discontinuing the on-ear design of the current QuietComfort3s possibly because it let in too much outside sound. So, instead of fiddling around with the design, Bose chose to improve the noise-cancelling circuitry and the sound quality instead.

Either way, the QC15s look identical to the QC2s, with the same over-the-ear design, including earcups that swivel and fold flat to fit in Bose’s classy carry case. The accessories are much the same, including the bunch of courtesy cards that you can pass along to fellow travellers when they marvel at your headset. How Bose! A nice touch is the “high/low” switch, which cuts the volume so that the flight stewards can make their ann-ouncements without you pulling off your headphones in panic.

Of most interest to me was how the sound quality and noise cancellation measured up. Out of the box, they sound pretty good, if not great — the mid-bass was excessively pushed up, and the treble slightly missing.

To improve the effectiveness of noise cancellation, the QC15s now feature noise-cancelling microphones (for detecting the ambient noise) on both the inside and the outside of the ear cups. The effect is better noise cancellation across a wide range of frequencies, from loud air-conditioning to traffic hums. The excellent noise cancellation almost covers up for the strong but mildly imperfect sound reproduction, although the effect of engaging the noise cancellation is that you almost feel ‘too’ shut off from the sounds around you.

As with all other Bose models, you have to engage the noise-cancellation to listen to music, and so when the battery dies, so does the music. At 35 hours, battery life is good, but I’d still advise a spare if you travel a lot, or go off to sleep listening to your music!

The SoundDock 10, on the other hand, is a monster-sized update to the SoundDock Series II iPod speaker dock. It’s huge enough to make the previous gens look like cheap toys, and to add to that, it weighs 8.5kg too! It’s meant to be bought, set down and not bothered too much after that!

Design is neutral, which makes sense for living room use —think of it as a scaled-up version of the SoundDock Portable. There are no buttons on the body, everything is handled with the included 10-button infra-red remote control, or by using the controls built into your iPod or iPhone.

Not that I am complaining, for around the back are a couple of things you don’t normally see on Bose’s docks — extra ports. A mini-USB port, presumably for future updates, and a yellow composite video output port capable of outputting video from current-model iPods and iPhones. It would have been nicer to see the higher-resolution component or S-Video out instead though. You also get an auxiliary input, but you have to get the audio cable yourself.

But the two things that really scream out about the SoundDock 10 are the price and the room-filling sound. The trebles are excellent, the bass a bit muted, but the effect that the SoundDock 10 has in even a largish room is spectacular. At peak volume level, it’s dangerous for your health and cordial neighbour relations, but by Jove, it is louder, clearer and more full-bodied than any of the previous generations. But it is way too pricey, and many, myself included, would argue that at half the price, the previous gens don’t sound all that bad…

Quick Specs:

QC15

• Features: TriPort acoustic headphone structure with active equalisation, Fold-flat earcups
• Dimensions: 19cm x 16.5cm
• Weight: 207.5g with cables
• Included: QuietComfort 15, Detachable Audio Cables, Carrying Case, Airline adapter, AAA battery

SoundDock10

• Features: Apple Certified for all iPhone and most iPod models, Video output, Auxiliary Input, iPod/iPhone charging
• Dimensions: 22.1cm x 43.2cm x 24.4cm
• Weight: 8.4kg
• Included: SoundDock 10, AC power cord, Remote control
• Rating: QC15 - 8/10, SoundDock10 - 8/10
• Price: QC15 - Rs 16,763, SoundDock10 - Rs 40,388


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