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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-20 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• Bose QuietComfort 20 — biggest strength: Active Noise Cancellation that Bose describes as rivaling full-sized headphones, plus an Aware mode that lets outside sound back in on demand.
• Bose QuietComfort 20 — biggest trade-off: It's a wired 3.5mm in-ear with a rechargeable battery rated at up to 16 hours, so you're tethered and topping up more often.
• Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360 — biggest strength: Battery life rated at up to 100 hours with Rapid Charge giving 8 hours from a 10-minute charge, plus Bluetooth and multipoint pairing.
• Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360 — biggest trade-off: It's a renewed unit (90-day limited warranty), and noise isolation here is a passive "noise isolating fit" rather than active cancellation.
• Who each is for: Bose QC20 for flyers, commuters and focus-seekers who want serious noise control in a compact wired set. Hesh 360 for long-haul wireless listeners who hate charging and want app-tuned sound.
The QuietComfort 20 is Bose's in-ear take on noise cancelling, and the pitch is simple: turn cancellation on to shut the world out, or switch to Aware mode to keep your music going while still hearing announcements, traffic or a colleague at your desk. That single toggle is the whole personality of this product. Bose claims its cancellation rivals any full-sized headphone, which is a bold claim for something that sits inside your ear — but that's the point of the design. You get big-headphone quiet without big-headphone bulk.
The fit is handled by proprietary StayHear+ tips, and Bose includes three sizes (S, M, L) in the box so you can find a seal without jamming them in. A clothing clip keeps the cable from snagging, and the whole kit travels in a neoprene carrying case. Audio runs through a dynamic driver with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range, and Bose's TriPort technology is the name behind the low-end performance. There's an inline remote for volume and a mic, and the wired 3.5mm jack is aimed at Android, BlackBerry and Windows phones.
Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360: Who It's For
The Hesh 360 is a wireless over-ear headphone sold here as an Amazon Renewed unit, which means it's a pre-owned product that has been inspected and is backed by a 90-day limited warranty. Design-wise it's a flat-folding, collapsible over-ear with a True Black finish and an enclosure built from faux leather, metal, plastic and silicone. Controls are push-button, and the package includes the headphones, a detachable 3.5mm audio cable, a USB-C charging cable and a user manual.
The headline number is battery: up to 100 hours of listening, with Rapid Charge delivering 8 hours from a 10-minute top-up. That changes how you live with a headphone. You can leave for a week-long trip and not think about the charger. Bluetooth handles the connection, and multipoint pairing lets you stay linked to two devices at once with seamless switching — laptop for calls, phone for music, no re-pairing dance.
Sound is where the app comes in. Through the Skullcandy app you get a custom 5-band EQ plus three presets (Music, Bass Boost, Podcast), and an adjustable Stay-Aware mode that lets you dial in how much of the outside world you hear. There's also a Low-Latency Audio mode aimed at gaming, a Clear Voice smart mic for calls, and natural voice sidetone so your own voice doesn't sound muffled on a call. Note the distinction: this is a noise isolating fit, not active noise cancellation, so it blocks sound passively through the seal rather than by electronics.
Who should buy it? In my opinion, the Hesh 360 is for the wireless-first listener who wants long battery, over-ear comfort, call clarity and EQ control from an app. Who should skip it? Buyers who want genuine active noise cancellation, or who prefer the certainty of a brand-new product over a renewed one.
• Best for noise cancellation → Bose QuietComfort 20. Its whole reason for existing is advanced active noise reduction, with Aware mode as the escape hatch.
• Best for battery life → Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360. Up to 100 hours versus up to 16 hours is not a close contest.
• Best for wireless freedom → Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360. Bluetooth with multipoint pairing beats a 3.5mm tether for everyday mobility.
• Best for frequent flyers and commuters → Bose QuietComfort 20. Compact in-ear size, a carrying case and a clothing clip make it easy to live with on the move.
• Best for long trips away from a charger → Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360. Rapid Charge also rescues you from a forgotten cable.
• Best for app-based sound tuning → Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360. 5-band custom EQ, three presets and adjustable Stay-Aware mode.
• Best for a quick awareness toggle → Bose QuietComfort 20. Aware mode is a one-press switch, no app required.
• Best for call clarity → Amazon Renewed Skullcandy Hesh 360. Clear Voice mic plus natural voice sidetone is built for phone calls.
• Best for buyers who want a brand-new item → Bose QuietComfort 20. The Hesh 360 here is a renewed unit with a 90-day limited warranty.
If I had to pick one for myself, I'd take the Bose QuietComfort 20. My reasoning is that active noise cancellation is the harder thing to fake, and Bose built this product around exactly that — with Aware mode giving me the flexibility to hear the world when I need to. The 16-hour battery and wired connection are real compromises, and I won't pretend otherwise.
That said, if your priority is living wirelessly for a week without charging, and you're comfortable buying renewed, the Hesh 360 is the smarter pick for you. In my opinion, the right answer comes down to whether you value active quiet or untethered endurance more.
Yes, on paper. The QuietComfort 20 uses active noise cancellation that Bose describes as rivaling full-sized headphones, while the Hesh 360 relies on a noise isolating over-ear fit. Active cancellation and passive isolation are different mechanisms, and active is the more aggressive of the two.
The Hesh 360 is rated at up to 100 hours, with Rapid Charge giving 8 hours from a 10-minute charge. The QuietComfort 20 is rated at up to 16 hours on its built-in rechargeable battery. For anyone who hates charging, that gap matters more than almost any other spec.
A renewed unit is a pre-owned product that has been inspected and is covered by a 90-day limited warranty. The trade-off is straightforward: you accept renewed condition and a shorter warranty window in exchange for the Hesh 360's feature set. If you want a brand-new item, the Bose QuietComfort 20 is the new-product option in this comparison.
I don't quote prices here, because they change constantly and this page doesn't rely on live Amazon data. Check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page before you decide — that's the only number that matters at checkout.
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