Harman Kardon NC Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

My reference headphones:- ear bud: B&W C5- around the ear closed cans: Sennheizer Momentum- noise canceling: Bose QC15I work for a very cool company that lets us expense a set of NC headphones so we can work undisturbed. Everyone has the Bose QC15 so I wanted to get something different. I was really excited when I saw these, as I love the look, I've had good experience with H/K stereo equipment, and the reviews all said they sounded better than the Bose.However, to be on the safe side I also ordered the Bose QC15 for comparison. I've now used both sets for about a week, and unfortunately the H/K will be returned and I'm keeping the Bose. Here's why:1. Sound:- The H/K clearly sound better than the Bose, especially with the NC turned on. Switching between the two I much preferred the sound of the H/K, although the Bose are fine. However, compared to the Sennheizer Momentum both fall flat, and what I'm after is ultimate noise canceling, not sound. For ideal audio I will use my Momentums every time, and when on the move I use the B&W (which are amazing).2. Noise canceling:- No contest, the Bose are much more effective. Yes there is a bit of weird pressure on the ear from the nc, but you get used to it pretty quickly. They are eerily effective; outside conversations and noise completely disappear. With the H/K they are muted but still audible. You never feel like you are totally immersed in a bubble all by yourself like the QC.In fact, the H/K aren't much more effective than my Sennheizer Momentums, which seal very well around my ear and do a very good job of passive noise isolation.3. Build quality:- No contest, the H/K are much better built with much better quality components. However it comes at a price; they are much heavier and feel quite bulky, both when sitting still and especially when on the move. I was hesitant to toss them in my bag because of the bulk and weight, whereas the Bose are small enough where you can easily bring them with you.4. Speaking of 'on the move':- The H/K make a big clunking noise every step you take, it's jarring and very disruptive. And as other reviews have said, the tiniest brush against your shirt or anything else will make loud scraping sounds in the cans. It's so bad that I could only consider these if I left them at my desk and never tried to take them anywhere. The Bose are utterly silent when walking around.5. Comfort:- Both are very comfortable, but the Bose wins on light weight and easy adjustments that ensure a snug fit without any pressure. With the H/K I kept switching between the small and large headband. The small gives me a snug fit with the ear pads but they put a lot of pressure on my head, like it's being squeezed slightly. The large headband is much more comfortable, but the upper parts of the pads splay outward and don't seal around the ears. So neither is a great fit. For reference I wear a 7 1/8 fitted hat.6. Accessories:- The Bose case is better, the H/K cables feel sturdier. I like the idea of a rechargeable battery in the H/K, but I always lose cables and would be scared to lose this special one-off cable.In the end I have to go with the Bose, much as I've always been a bit of an anti-Bose guy. They don't sound as good and they don't feel very premium (especially when compared to the H/K and the Momentums), they're not rechargeable, and they don't play music without batteries. But, I'm not paying for them and I already have great sounding headphones, so what I'm really after is the most effective noise isolation when at work or traveling. In that regard the Bose wins on more effective noise canceling, lighter weight, and the fact they don't make any interference noise when on the go. This means I can wear them all day at the office, keep them on while taking Bart to the airport, wear them on the flight, and walk around my destination, all without having to switch headphones or deal with annoyances like slipping pads (or a headache from a tight band), massively loud metallic clunking noises, and half my backpack taken up by the headphones. With the H/K I would always need at least two headphones with me - one for sitting still at my desk, and the other for everywhere else. And even when at my desk I wouldn't be as isolated as I prefer. For me it just misses the mark.That said, I always carry my B&W C5's wherever I go, because they just sound so good compared to any of these NC headphones, and they're tiny and fits in my pocket. :-)