Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones

[johnb]

What would be your expectations for an expensive set of headphones? 5, 10 years?

My Sennheiser HD-600 headphones are still going strong after 20 years. Parts are readily available, though that might be because the model is still highly regarded and still in production. (Over the years, I've replaced the ear "muffs", the headband padding and the cable.)

I too was somewhat apprehensive about the long term battery life with the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones but I see that replacement batteries are available from third parties. It's a pity that Sony themselves don't provide a comprehensive replacement parts service - I guess they view their consumer products as short life and disposable.

[Bryn]

My Sennheiser HD-600 headphones are still going strong after 20 years. Parts are readily available, though that might be because the model is still highly regarded and still in production. (Over the years, I've replaced the ear "muffs", the headband padding and the cable.)

I too was somewhat apprehensive about the long term battery life with the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones but I see that replacement batteries are available from third parties. It's a pity that Sony themselves don't provide a comprehensive replacement parts service - I guess they view their consumer products as short life and disposable.

Not only are some genuine Sennheiser part available, but the connectors on some low-cost third party replacement leads make more secure connections than the originals, in my experience. My HD 545 reference set are now more than 25 years old and got a new lease of life from a replacement lead found on e-bay.