Bose QuietComfort 3

Bose's QuietComfort 3 headphones are a smaller and more compact follow-up to the QuietComfort 2s. They offer a more compact design, extracomfortable cushy foam earpieces, a rechargeable battery, full sound, and effective noise-canceling circuitry, and they fold up for storage in the included carrying case. Additionally, Bose offers a 30-day home trial.
The Bose QuietComfort 3s feature the same fold-flat design as the QuietComfort 2s and have noise-canceling circuitry that's built into the headphones themselves, not a little box incorporated into the cord. They also come with a protective carrying case that's a little smaller than the one that ships with the QuietComfort 2s, as well as a two-prong adapter for plane travel and an extra bit of cord that extends the length of the headphones.

Aside from the more compact earpieces, one of the big differences between the two headphones is the inclusion of a proprietary lithium-ion battery with the new model. That's a nice plus--the battery slips out of the headphones and into a compact travel charger that fits right into a wall socket, obviating the need for annoying wires or cables. Bose says you'll get about 20 hours of battery life before you need to juice up--and you must have the battery charged to actually hear your music or movies. While backup batteries are available for $50 each, you won't be able to pop in a standard AAA cell like you can with the QuietComfort 2s. However, the charger fits snugly in the headphones' carrying case, and you can purchase additional chargers compatible with international voltage requirements. bose quiet