When I grab a pair of headphones to take with me on a plane, I’ll always seek out something with great noise cancelling capabilities. The Bose QuietComfort 3 (QCs) I had since 2006 (!) served me well for a time. But years ago, the earcups became so worn, they started to fall off. Since then, I have admittedly switched to other brands with mixed results. But when Bose debuted the second-gen of its QuietComfort Ultra headphones, first launched in 2023, I knew it was time to give the brand another go.
As it turns out, not long after my review sample arrived, I was booked to attend a conference in Málaga, Spain. It was the perfect opportunity to test them on a few long-haul flights. Along with my daily work-from-home routine, outdoor weekend walks, and travel, I really put them to the test.
About the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd gen headphones, which sell for $599 in Canada, are similar to the first-generation model. The differences include deeper bass at louder volumes, more natural highs, and overall upgraded audio. Most notably, they now support USB-C audio for low-latency sound. When connecting them to a source device using the included USB-C-to-USB-C cable, you can receive audio signals at 16-bit, 44.1kHz or 48kHz from compatible source files.
There’s also supposedly more precise noise cancellation. With the improved ActiveSense experience in Aware Mode, changes in noise cancelling levels are smoother than when the system adjusts to filter out sudden spikes in ambient noise. The technology, says Bose, helps prevent audio from being drowned out by the sound of a passing train or nearby siren, for example. In quiet settings, background noise created by the noise cancellation system has been reduced so you can hear more of the finer details in a track. Noise cancellation can also be turned off entirely or manually adjusted from a slider in the Bose app.
A new Cinema Mode provided clearer dialogue when listening to movies, audiobooks, and podcasts. Bose says it spatializes and balances background and other audio effects for a movie-like experience. The mode widens the soundstage, so dialogue is crisp and clear.
They also last longer per charge as well at up to 30 hours versus 24 hours on the first gen ‘phones (23 with immersive audio and 45 with ANC off). Smarter on-head detection results in a faster start-up time once you place them back on. Automatic Bluetooth standby further conserves battery life by putting them into a deep sleep low-energy mode when you take them off but don’t power them down. Apparently, this mode can last for months.
The exterior has also been redesigned with polished metal materials and new colours, including Black, Smoke White, or the limited edition finishes Driftwood Sand and Midnight Violet. The polished metal yokes are complemented by the soft plush ear cushions. An adjustable head band provides a lightweight fit and secure seal.
Control and customize the headphones using the Bose app, including accessing custom listening modes, EQ adjustment, Bluetooth, ANC control, and shortcut customization. You’ll also get automatic firmware updates through the app. Android device users can enjoy Google Fast Pair; Spotify Tap is also available.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen Headphones Review
My review sample arrived in Midnight Violet, which I was delighted about since purple is my favourite colour. I’ll preface this by saying that I did not review the first-gen model so I can’t speak to how they compare. But for those buying new, you can gauge how these might perform against other options.
Design: Comfort and Style
These headphones offer incredible comfort for long durations. After a flight to Paris before switching plans to head to Málaga, I felt no pressure while wearing them. In fact, I had them on for almost the entire duration of four flights there and back, using them just for noise cancellation when I wasn’t actively listening to something. This included while trying to catch some ZZZs. The earcups are plush, the headband comfortable.
I love the automatic connection and power on so I don’t have to worry about turning them on and off. As soon as I put them on, a voice advises of the battery level along with to which devices it’s connected. After using them and putting them down repeatedly for several days, the battery level remained at 90%. They lasted for my entire trip as well.
The button design is smart, with just a Bluetooth pairing button and multifunction button on the right earcup. Press the multifunction button once to play/pause and twice or three times to skip forward or back on a track. Press and hold it to cycle through the modes, Quiet, Aware with ActiveSense, Immersion, and Cinema. I like the volume slider on the right earcup which is slightly raised so you can feel it without having to fidget to touch a sensor. There’s also a programmable shortcut with this slider that allows you to touch and hold it to activate a function. It’s defaulted to battery life, but you can change it to cycling through immersive audio modes, accessing your voice assistant, or resuming Spotify.
Noise Cancellation is Superb
I went into the review knowing audio quality would not rival benchmark models I’ve tried like the JBL Live 770NC or the Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds. But I was expecting second-to-none noise cancelling, and boy, did they deliver. That’s why I’m addressing that front and centre before getting into audio quality.
Back at home, I wore these headphones while working away and the noise of the furnace running in the background, even my fingers clacking on the keyboard, melted away. I ran the vacuum, and it was barely a whisper. Sporting these on a weekend morning walk, and as luck would have it (at least for the purpose of my review), a water main had broken the day before along my route. I walked by city workers with their machinery fixing the issue and I could barely hear a thing. Over at a local coffee shop, I happened to choose a seat with a noisy fan above. The headphones helped limit some of the annoying noise. The rattling wasn’t completely eliminated after cranking noise cancelling up to max levels. But it was a far more pleasant experience.
On my flights, noise cancelling helped me tone down the sound of the airplane engine, crying babies, and overall chatter when I needed to get some rest. While listening to TV shows from the seatback entertainment system (they come with a 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cable as well), I could ignore the world around me. Pressing the side button, I was able to answer the flight attendant when they asked what food I wanted or came by for my drink order.
Overall, I love that you can not only choose different noise cancellation modes but also use a slider in the app to adjust the level. You can completely shut out everything or conversely, let in as much or as little of the world around you as you want. With the highest level in a coffee shop, as noted, I could hear a quieter rattle of the fan above, the music playing quietly, and the chatter of people around me. At the halfway level, conversations closest to me became more distinct while the fan sound loudened. With noise cancelling off, it was like everything was amplified, my clacking of the keys coming back into focus. The difference is night and day.
Sound Quality is Decent
Because these headphones come with a cable for lossless listening (with a compatible source), I tested them two ways. First was with wireless listening using sources like Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SiriusXM, and Netflix. Second was with the cable connected to my device and listening to high-quality tunes from sources like Apple Music.
Wireless Listening is Fine
Most of the time, you’ll probably be using these headphones in wireless mode, leveraging the Bluetooth 5.4 connection. There’s also multipoint connectivity, it should be noted. So, you can seamlessly swap from your laptop or tablet to your phone. Each time I put them on, they connect to both my iPhone and my MacBook.
Listening to Radiohead’s “Creep,” my go-to track for headphones reviews, I instantly noticed that it didn’t have the same depth, the same level of emotion I feel when listening through other headphones. Swapping to tunes with more bass, Bose does deliver on its promise of offering deeper bass, particularly when you raise the volume higher. If you tend to sway towards bass-heavy playlists, you might love these.
Lossless Wired Listening Ups the Game
These headphones, as noted, come with a USB-C cable so you can plug them into a smartphone, tablet, or other source device to enjoy lossless listening from compatible sources. This will unlock high-res files at 16-bit, 44.1kHz or 48kzHz.
I connected them to my iPhone 17 Pro, turned on lossless listening, and sat back to listen. Playing The Who’s “Who Are You” in lossless audio, I could easily notice the difference when listening with the ‘phones plugged in and without. Instruments and vocals became more pronounced, crisper and more enveloping and defined. There’s a clarity in a wired connection that wireless simply can’t rival just yet. So, having this option is a worthwhile upgrade.
Cinema Mode is Great for Podcasts
Cinema Mode is designed to help when listening to content with dialogue, like movies, TV shows, and podcasts. I listened to episodes of the Smartless podcast on Apple Podcasts as well as TV shows from the seatback entertainment system on my Air France flights and it was immersive and pleasant.
App Controls Are Extensive
The app can be used for all the usual tweaks, including switching among listening modes, adjusting EQ, and setting shortcuts. Android users can leverage Google Fast Pair and there’s Spotify Tap access as well.
As noted, what I love most in the app is the ability to adjust the level of noise cancellation depending on your setting. Usually if I’m wearing them, I want to crank it all the way up. But there are situations when you might appreciate being able to tone it down, but not fully to the level of aware mode.
Should You Upgrade?
If you already own the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, you probably can’t justify dropping another $600 on these second gen versions. But if you’re buying new, there are compelling reasons to choose this model. Along with access to hifi listening from compatible sources using the included USB-C cable, upgrades like longer battery life, better on-head detection, Cinema Mode, and the deep sleep low-energy mode are valuable.
These headphones are an ideal choice for the frequent traveler. They aren’t going to give you the best sound quality you’ll find in this price range: you can find better-sounding headphones for even half the price. But they sound good enough for casual listening. Those who travel or work in environments with a lot of distracting noise they want to silence will find that these headphones are a worthwhile purchase, especially if you can find them on sale: I wish they were closer to the $300-$350 price range. Noetheless, when it comes to noise cancellation, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd-gens are among the best you’ll find right now.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd-gen headphones are available in Canada for $599.