When you think of noise cancelling headphones, you probably conjure up images of massive headphones that cover your entire ear.

In some ways, this seems entirely logical: in order to cancel noise, your ears have to be completely covered. But, Bose is challenging that perception.

The new line of noise cancelling headphones from Bose is the opposite of every noise cancelling set of headphones you have ever seen. These headphones aren't headphones at all, but they are tiny earbuds backed by the same Bose noise cancelling promise. How do they work?

The Bose QuietComfort 20 Earbuds

Reviews of the QuietComfort 20 earbuds from Bose have been all-around positive. Testers have found that these buds do, in fact, cancel out all surrounding noise. But there's another problem that plagues the earbud crowd.

Many people aren't fans of earbuds because they do not sit and stay snugly inside of an ear. There would be little point to noise cancelling earbuds that don't actually stay inside of your ears.

Bose claims to have fixed this problem. The company has patented a new technology called StayHear+. These buds fit inside of ears snugly on the outer ear - not the inner ear.

Not only do the StayHear+ earbuds sit snugly on your outer ear, but they also create a better acoustics - a concert hall inside of your ear, if you will. Bose believes that these buds are the future of earbud design, and it's also the reason why the company can price the new QuietComfort 20 headphones at $299.

Is the Price Right?

Bose challenges anyone currently using other noise cancelling earphones to test out the QuietComfort 20 option. The company is confident that these earbuds will surpass expectations and beat out all of the competition. That's why Bose has placed such a high price tag on these headphones. Is the price warranted, though?

These noise cancellation earbuds come with a 16-hour battery that is nicely housed in a small compartment that's attached to the earphone cord.

This battery compartment is so small that it doesn't weigh down the headphones, but lets you use that noise cancelling technology for up to 16-hours.

That's not bad. To top it off, these noise cancelling headphones also work when the battery runs out. You can't use the noise cancelling part, but the headphones will still pipe music just fine (unlike other noise cancelling options).

Where To Buy and Test

When all is said and done, $299 for Bose-quality in-ear noise cancelling headphones isn't a bad price to pay - and, hey, they sound great too. Where can you pick up a pair or test them out?

If you have the chance, I recommend trying out the new Bose headphones in a store setting. Audio stores that specialize in Bose products is probably the way to go. Or, you can purchase these headphones online if you have absolute faith in Bose products.

Has Bose redefined the noise cancelling headphone with an earbud that blocks noise and sits outside of the ear? Test them out for yourself and let me know what you think!