4 sourced reports, with what to check before you buy. Each one links to the page it was reported on.
Costly or dangerous
Earpads split open along the heat-sealed seam within months of purchase
An Italian consumer complaint (Altroconsumo) on the exact QC 2023 model reports the original earpads opening and coming unglued along the heat-sealed seam, with foam spilling out, within months of purchase.
What to check. The QC 2023's earpads are reported to delaminate within the first year. The complainant says Bose refused warranty as 'wear' and that official replacement kits are no longer sold, leaving third-party sellers charging over €120 for two pads. Budget for early earpad replacement or verify warranty/right-to-repair terms before buying.
Faux leather on the ear cups tears after 12-14 months
A German retailer (Galaxus) customer review of the Bose QuietComfort (ANC, 24 h, cable, wireless) reports the ear-cup fabric coming apart repeatedly, forcing a third purchase.
What to check. Independent corroboration that the QC 2023's ear-cup covering fails within roughly a year, and the reviewer states the cups cannot be repaired or replaced, pushing owners to buy again. Treat earpad durability as a recurring cost.
Bluetooth crackling and irregular dropouts when multiple devices are paired
A German reviewer of the QC2023 reports crackling and irregular audio dropouts when a PC and smartphone are paired simultaneously, a multi-device Bluetooth behaviour.
What to check. A German owner reports audible crackling/dropouts when the QC 2023 is paired to a PC and phone at once. This is an annoyance-level firmware/Bluetooth behaviour rather than a hardware failure, but it matters for buyers who run multiple paired devices.
Windows 11 fails to detect the headphones over Bluetooth
A Microsoft Q&A thread from an owner of the Bose QuietComfort (2023 Model) reports the headphones are not detected by a Windows 11 PC over Bluetooth despite troubleshooting.
What to check. One owner reports the QC 2023 not being detected by a Windows 11 PC over Bluetooth. This is a single report and may be PC-side, so it is low severity, but it is a concrete Bluetooth pairing failure reported for this model.
These reports come from the pages linked under each item: owner forums, repair guides and workshops. They are not a diagnosis of any one unit, and a careful check of the one you are buying still applies.
Text from the Kriko Over-ear noise-cancelling headphones catalog, version 0.1.1, under the CC-BY-SA-4.0 license.
