How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want maximum battery life and a wired-only, battery-si
mple travel headphone you can run on disposable cells, choose Maxell 190400; if you need wireless freedom, app control and voice-assistant convenience, choose BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35.
• Maxell 190400 — biggest strength: It sips power, running over 50 hours on two AAA batteries, and it never needs a charge cable or a pairing menu.
• Maxell 190400 — biggest trade-off: It is wired-only with a mini-phone jack, so you are tethered to your device and there is no Bluetooth option.
• BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35 — biggest strength: Bluetooth with NFC pairing, three noise-cancellation levels and Alexa voice control give it far more flexibility.
• BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35 — biggest trade-off: Its battery life is shorter at around 20 hours, and the app/voice features only matter if you actually use a phone with it.
• Who each pick is for: Maxell suits the traveler who wants dead-simple, long-lasting noise reduction and a dual-prong airline adapter; Bose suits the everyday listener who wants wireless convenience and adjustable cancellation.
The Maxell 190400 is a study in simplicity. It is a wired, over-ear headphone with active noise cancellation, and its noise-cancelling circuit is powered by two AAA batteries that you supply yourself. Maxell rates it for over 50 hours of use on a fresh pair of cells. That is the headline here: you can leave for a long trip, forget the charger entirely, and still have noise reduction working for days of listening.
The noise-cancellation design is the classic feed-forward type. Tiny microphones inside each earpiece pick up ambient noise, an in-line audio-enhancer pack analyzes it, and the electronics generate an out-of-phase "anti-noise" wave to cancel it out. Maxell describes the result as reducing unwanted noise by up to 95%, and there is a switch to bypass the circuit so you can hear the difference for yourself. In practice, that is the kind of system people reach for on planes and buses — steady drone rather than sharp, sudden sounds. The included dual-prong adapter is a giveaway that this headphone was built with airline seat-back jacks in mind.
Physically, it is a plastic, over-ear design in black and gray with a folding hinge and a travel pouch, and it weighs 7.2 ounces. The driver is a dynamic type with a 10 Hz to 28 kHz frequency range and 60-ohm impedance. That impedance figure matters: 60 ohms is on the higher side for a portable headphone, so it pairs most happily with a device that has a bit of output — a laptop, a tablet, a good portable player — rather than a weak phone jack.
BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35: Who It's For
The BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) is the opposite philosophy: it is a connected, app-driven headphone. It is an over-ear design in a Limited Edition Triple Midnight colorway, made of plastic, and it ships with a carrying case, a USB cable and a detachable audio cable. That last item is worth noting — even though it is primarily a Bluetooth headphone, you can still run it wired, which makes it a useful fallback on a plane or when a battery runs down.
Wireless is where it earns its keep. It uses Bluetooth 5 with NFC for quick pairing, and Bose's own Connect app handles setup, lets you adjust the level of noise cancellation, manage Bluetooth connections, enable music sharing and pull down software updates. There are three levels of noise cancellation, so you can dial in how much of the world you want to shut out rather than choosing between "on" and "off." The dual-microphone system is designed to reject noise and pick up your voice clearly, which is what makes the headphone usable for calls and for voice commands.
That voice side is a real differentiator. The QC35 II is Alexa-enabled, and the data sheet lists voice control alongside app and push-button control. If you live inside a smart-assistant ecosystem, being able to ask for music, weather or a shopping list without touching your phone is a genuine convenience. Audio is handled by a dynamic driver with a 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz range, described as balanced performance at any volume, and the headphone is rated for around 20 hours of battery life.
Who should buy it? The person who wants one headphone for commuting, working and travel, who takes calls, and who values adjustable noise cancellation and voice control. It also suits anyone who wants their headphone to get better over time through app updates. Who should skip it? Anyone who dislikes app-based setup, doesn't want to charge a battery, or simply wants the longest possible runtime between power sources. This is a headphone that assumes you own a phone and are happy to use it.
• Best for battery life → Maxell 190400. Over 50 hours on two AAA batteries versus roughly 20 hours on the Bose.
• Best for wireless freedom → BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35. Bluetooth 5 with NFC pairing; the Maxell is wired-only.
• Best for adjustable noise cancellation → BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35. It offers three cancellation levels through the app; the Maxell is on or bypassed.
• Best for calls and voice control → BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35. It has a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system and Alexa voice access; the Maxell has neither.
• Best for airline use out of the box → Maxell 190400. It includes a dual-prong adapter for seat-back jacks and a travel pouch.
• Best for low-maintenance travel → Maxell 190400. No charging, no pairing, no app — just batteries and a cable.
• Best for app updates and music sharing → BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35. The Bose Connect app adds settings, sharing and future updates.
• Best for wired flexibility on a wireless headphone → BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35. It includes a detachable audio cable alongside Bluetooth.
If I were buying for myself, I would choose the BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35. In my opinion, the combination of Bluetooth 5 with NFC, three adjustable noise-cancellation levels, a dual-microphone system and Alexa voice control makes it the more capable headphone for everyday life — commuting, working and taking calls. The Maxell 190400 is genuinely appealing if your priority is unplugged-from-the-grid runtime and a wired, zero-fuss setup, and its dual-prong airline adapter is a thoughtful touch. But for most people buying one headphone in 2026, the Bose does more, more flexibly. If you want the simplest, longest-lasting noise canceller, take the Maxell; if you want the fuller feature set, take the Bose.
Both are built for travel, but they solve it differently. The Maxell runs over 50 hours on two AAA batteries and includes a dual-prong airline adapter, so you never need to charge it. The Bose is wireless with three cancellation levels and about 20 hours of runtime, but you may want to top it up on a long trip.
No, but the app adds a lot. The Bose Connect app is where you adjust noise-cancellation levels, manage Bluetooth connections, enable music sharing and receive software updates. Without it, you still get Bluetooth audio and the physical controls.
The BOSBM Bose QuietComfort 35, without question based on the specs. It has a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system and voice control. The Maxell 190400 is a wired listening headphone with no call microphone described in its specifications.
The Maxell 190400. It runs on two AAA batteries you can swap anywhere, with over 50 hours of use, and there is no charging cable involved. The Bose relies on a rechargeable battery rated around 20 hours. Check the current price on Amazon before you decide, since the two sit in different value tiers.
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