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<\/a><\/p>\nThe latest generation of the best-in-class Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are shinier and still superb, now slightly better, too.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a couple of years since we saw Bose change its approach for headphones, and since then, we\u2019ve been impressed.<\/p>\n
In that time, the first-gen model is the pair we turn to the few times we\u2019re travelling. They are consistent and reliably and bloody brilliant.<\/p>\n
Back when the first reinvention of the Bose QC range came along in the Bose 700 Headphones<\/a>, the company might have taken a step too far. Its return to form came in the Bose QuietComfort 45<\/a>, with these being basically a revival of everything that worked in the QuietComfort series before it, just made new again.<\/p>\n In the QC Ultra, Bose turned it up again. It brought another comfy design, excellent sound and noise cancellation, and even support for spatial audio that worked on everything, iOS and Android and every service. They were perfect.<\/p>\n Two years on, Bose is at it again with a pair that\u2019s more of a refresh than a reinvention.<\/p>\n In the latest pair, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd-gen, it\u2019s more of what worked last time with a little more in the tank.<\/p>\n All reviews at Pickr are subject to experienced testing methodologies. Find out why you can trust us<\/a> and change the way you choose. Not that you\u2019d know it from looking at the headphones, because these look almost identical to the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones from last time<\/a>.<\/p>\n The latest pair from Bose sports a similar design, with a plush band and set of ear pads which in this generation is connected by metal arms that are shiny, compared to their predecessors being matte.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the primary difference this time around \u2014 shiny vs not-so-shiny \u2014 a look that may divide.<\/p>\n This reviewer actually prefers the less shiny look of the first-gen model, but it\u2019s such a minor complaint in the grand scheme of things. They\u2019re both easy on the eyes, and yet also simultaneously professional.<\/p>\n The gloss on the joins doesn\u2019t change the look much at all. It\u2019s just a bit shinier.<\/p>\n It\u2019s much the same with the rest of the look, sporting large padded earcups, a similarly padded neck band, plastic casing for the cans, and the Bose logo on each side.<\/p>\n The headphones support a few ways to connect to a device, covering Bluetooth and USB-C, while a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable is also included, as well, all found in a nice semi-moulded case that the headphones fold up into. Folding the headphones up can take a few tries \u2014 there\u2019s a specific way to do it \u2014 but it does keep the headphones protected.<\/p>\n In-use<\/p>\n With a design that looks practically identical to its predecessor and similarly designed earpads, you won\u2019t find much has changed in how these headphones are used.<\/p>\n Indeed, if you\u2019re coming from the first generation, it\u2019s pretty much the same thing in a slightly newer design. But if you\u2019re coming fresh to Bose\u2019s headphones or from an older pair, the controls may feel a little different overall.<\/p>\n On the bottom if a power and Bluetooth controller, while the other physical button is for pause and play, double tapping for skipping a track and triple tapping for going back. Hold down that button to scroll through cancellation modes.<\/p>\n The touch sensitive volume rocker behind the right ear pad seems easier to use, swiping up and down on a line to tell you where your volume will change, but outside of this, it\u2019s a fairly old school approach in an otherwise new pair of headphones.<\/p>\n If you opt to plug in your USB-C cable, you can also get the QC Ultra 2 headphones working as USB-C lossless headphones with a maximum of 48kHz. Apple Music on an iPad Air<\/a> noted it was sending up to 24-bit 96kHz tracks when we did a quick test, but apparently lossless maxes out at 44.1 and 48kHz, which isn\u2019t very high-res.<\/p>\n Performance<\/p>\n Most will probably use wireless Bluetooth to listen, and so working out how to use the headphones isn\u2019t difficult basically consists of pairing and moving on with your life, either using your phone\u2019s settings or the Bose app. Once you\u2019ve paired them, they\u2019ll switch on the moment you open them up, so all that\u2019s left is to test them and see how they sound.<\/p>\n For that, as we do with all headphones, we\u2019re reviewing by listening to the Pickr Sound Test<\/a>, which you can listen to for yourself.<\/p>\n As usual, that starts with electronic, where we\u2019re treated to a slightly warm bass drop from Tycho elevated with great mids and highs, plus plenty of detail and oomph in our Daft Punk test track.<\/p>\n Already, the vibe is strong, and it continues with great punch and dynamics across pop, R&B, and soul. The punch from Mark Ronson is there offering a hint of warmth, and if anything, it seems as those Bose has pulled back from the warmth of the last pair, restraining it so that the headphones are more balanced with just a little more in the bottom end to work with.<\/p>\n The result means detail and balance are on the cards: there\u2019s lovely separation and clarity in Marvin Gaye\u2019s \u201cAin\u2019t No Mountain\u201d, a beautiful sense of space in Paul Simon\u2019s \u201cYou Can Call Me Al\u201d, while jazz and classical are rich offerings, as well.<\/p>\n Rock is great, offering spacious and balanced sound in the likes of music from the Deftones, with clear sound through tracks from David Bowie, The Who, and Muse, the latter of which lacked the unnecessary oomph. <\/p>\n Not every track is perfect, but for the most part, they\u2019re a lovely pair of headphones through and through.<\/p>\n Noise cancellation<\/p>\n Easily one of the best features, Bose\u2019s approach to active noise cancellation is some of the best in the world, using the combination of an initial sound test with CustomTune to adapt to your ears and the outdoors environment, plus algorithms to quell the outside world.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a potent combination that delivers some of the finest cancellation you can find, while the big ear cushions do a great job of keeping your ears isolated in general.<\/p>\n There are few complaints here, with the ANC doing a fantastic job whether you\u2019re on public transport or making a higher altitude trip somewhere.<\/p>\n We think the in-ears might do as good if not a better job<\/a> at times, at least when you\u2019re dealing with engine noise in some aircraft, but this is easily some of the best active noise cancellation you can find.<\/p>\n Spatial Audio<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just ANC, but also spatial, a feature we feel like Bose is handling better than some other brands.<\/p>\n Apple and Beats deliver a pure spatial experience, delivering a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, but only if you:<\/p>\n Listen on an Apple device, and<\/p>\n Use Apple Music or use a movie service with surround support on the plan<\/p>\n That means spatial in the world of Apple can feel limited. If you use Spotify on an iPhone, your spatial-enabled AirPods Max<\/a> won\u2019t run that spatial sound at all. Bummer.<\/p>\n Not so with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, with both the previous first-gen and this new second-gen model applying head-tracked spatial to an \u201cimmersive\u201d mode should you want it. That feature works regardless of whether you use Spotify or Apple Music or podcasts and whatnot \u2014 it just works \u2014 and provides some different angles for how you get your spatial sound on.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a true variation of spatial, but most ears won\u2019t tell. It\u2019s just a slightly more immersive way to listen.<\/p>\n Cinema Mode<\/p>\n An extra feature new to the package is \u201cCinema Mode\u201d, a specific mode you can easily activate using the app that heightens the vocal track and turns on the aforementioned spatial mode, providing a slightly more immersive experience.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a little like having a recent soundbar with volume-enhancing controls, but inside your headphones instead. You\u2019ll be able to turn your head to track some of the audio, while at the front the treble from the voices becomes more pronounced.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not entirely sure you\u2019re getting a full surround track here, but the experience does feel tighter overall, at least compared to when using standard \u201cquiet\u201d modes for watching films and shows.<\/p>\n Battery<\/p>\n One area that hasn\u2019t changed and markedly lags behind competitors is the battery, which maxes out at 30 hours when used without spatial audio, and yet also gets much lower if you do.<\/p>\n While 30 hours seems like a win simply based on flights typically maxing out in the mid-20s, the reality is that we\u2019re seeing noise cancelling headphones offer battery life in the 50s, putting Bose at a slight disadvantage battery-wise.<\/p>\n The battery on the QC Ultra isn\u2019t technically as good as 30 for most listeners. With ANC but without spatial audio, you\u2019ll find closer to 24 hours. Throw spatial back into the mix, and the life is closer to 18-ish.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a big issue: simply plug in the USB-C port and you\u2019re good to go after a few minutes, and 24 hours is still plenty. But other headphones have better battery life, even if Bose has better ANC.<\/p>\n Value<\/p>\n However the price is a little difficult, because $699.95 in Australia and $729.95 in New Zealand (NZD) is not inexpensive at all. It\u2019s about the norm for high-end headphones, sitting below the $899 Apple AirPods Max and smack dab the same as the $699 Sony WH-1000XM6.<\/p>\n These are fairly pricey, but they do give you fantastic sound and noise cancellation, which is largely the point.<\/p>\n What needs work?<\/p>\n Not much has changed, however, which if you\u2019re coming from a recent pair of Bose headphones makes them less an upgrade path, if any.<\/p>\n Owners of the previous generation, you can stick with your current pair. Even owners of the QC 45s might struggle to notice the difference, and should probably wait until their headphones properly die (unless you really need spatial audio, and you probably don\u2019t, as enjoyable as it is).<\/p>\n The little that has changed means the QC Ultra 2nd-gen aren\u2019t for recent QuietComfort owners, even if they are for a lot of other people.<\/p>\n However, the USB-C audio could be better quality, and the controls could be better, too.<\/p>\n A choice of two buttons and a volume rocker can make the QC Ultra gen two feel a little behind the times compared to the swipes of the Sony, or even the variety of controls Nothing integrated into its first pair, the Headphone (1)<\/a>.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll really only use the main button for pause, play, and cancellation modes, as well as the volume rocker. It just feels like Bose could have added a little more control here.<\/p>\n We ended up getting caught by the power button often, which doesn\u2019t actually need to be pressed. Fold it up and the power goes off, but old habits die hard.<\/p>\n What we love<\/p>\n Much like the previous generation, what we love about the Bose QC Ultra Headphones 2nd-generation is just how considered the headphones are.<\/p>\n Properly comfortable, highly portable, great sounding, and offering support for spatial audio across platforms \u2014 iOS and Android \u2014 the Quiet Comfort headphones has Bose doing what few in the headphone space do: delivering a feature set that\u2019s brilliant for all.<\/p>\n Bose QC Ultra Headphones 2 vs the competition<\/p>\n And that\u2019s really saying something, largely because of how varied that space is.<\/p>\n Over in the world of largely Apple-focused headphones, you have the AirPods Max USB-C and the Beats Studio Pro<\/a>, two pairs of solid headphones that offer decent noise cancellation and support for spatial audio, but only on iPhones with Apple Music<\/a>.<\/p>\n The AirPods Max are brilliant in their own right, but more expensive, and the noise cancellation hasn\u2019t seen an update in several years. Meanwhile, the Beats Studio Pro deliver a different sound at a lower price point. Good headphones, but not as good as Apple\u2019s effort.<\/p>\n In the world of \u201cevery other phone\u201d, there are new models this year from Sony in the WH-1000XM6<\/a> and the Nothing Headphones (1), not to mention a lot of little earbud options, while Sennheiser\u2019s Momentum 4 still offer a solid competitor<\/a> from last year, as well.<\/p>\n Perhaps Bose\u2019s biggest competitor, however, is itself: the first-gen QC Ultra headphones are still ticking around, and for as little as $430 in Australia. That\u2019s a staggering deal for a pair of headphones as excellent as these if you can find them, with only a few differences you\u2019re unlikely to notice.<\/p>\n Once those headphones disappear, however, Bose will likely be in a world of its own making. <\/p>\n To put it simply, there are a lot of headphone choices, though few offer quite the breadth of versatility and compatibility that Bose offers. Sony\u2019s WH-1000XM6 is likely the logical next step, and they\u2019re just as good, minus the spatial tech.<\/p>\n Final thoughts (TLDR)<\/p>\n The noise cancellation is excellent as is the sound delivery, and the fact that you can turn on a variation of spatial audio that works on every operating system and music service and even movies is something we\u2019re stunned more players haven\u2019t cottoned on to.<\/p>\n Granted, it\u2019s not a pure Dolby Atmos track like you can get in the world of Apple, but the Bose QC Ultra delivers a feature set that touches on everything.<\/p>\n They\u2019re not cheap, but the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd-gen are one of the best pairs you can find regardless of phone you use.<\/p>\n Android or iPhone, it\u2019s difficult to imagine travelling without these headphones. Highly recommended.<\/p>\n Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd-gen<\/p>\n The good<\/p>\n Very comfortable <\/p>\n Easily some of the best noise cancellation around <\/p>\n Supports spatial audio across iOS and Android <\/p>\n Cinema sound is a neat inclusion <\/p>\n USB-C audio support <\/p>\n Folds up portable<\/p>\n The not-so-good<\/p>\n Not a lot of changes (this only matters for owners of the QC Gen 1) <\/p>\n Lossless audio isn’t really high-res <\/p>\n Controls can be fiddly at times<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Quick review Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd-gen – $699.95 The good Very comfortable Easily some of the best…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":90173,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[11319,9798,85,46,61130,61131,61132,1958,125,61133],"class_list":["post-90172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-bluetooth","tag-bose","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-lossless","tag-noise-cancellation","tag-recommended","tag-spatial-audio","tag-technology","tag-type-c"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90172"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90172\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nDesign and features<\/p>\n![\"Bose's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/bose-qc-ultra-2nd-gen-headphones-review-2025-16-jpg.webp.webp\"\/)
Bose\u2019s QuietComfort Ultra 2nd-gen (left) versus the 1st-gen (right).<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/bose-qc-ultra-2nd-gen-headphones-review-2025-13-jpg.webp.webp\"\/)
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