Old technology and passengers prefer Squirrels as the ambiance level is higher
In which Eurocopter sales brochure did you read that
Seriously as both a passenger and pilot of both types I would rate the LongRanger higher in ride quality and with less interior noice. The 2 bladed rotor system when well balanced is far smoother than the high frequency vibration in the AS350 for example.
As far as the operator goes I think the parts support is much better for the Bell.
However the last 350 model I flew was the B3 and it is very user friendly and powerful for the pilot, however I would guess that the Bell417 is probably comparable.