Bose’s New Noise-Canceling Headphones Are Still Best in Class
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I never travel withoutnoise-canceling headphones. I don’t need to hear a pitch for my airline’s credit card, and I certainly don’t want to listen to the man next to me try to convince me he has a five-octave range on a four-hour flight. For nearly two years, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra headphones have been my go-to pair for traveling and going anywhere that noise might get in between me and my tunes. That hasn’t changed with the QuietComfort Ultra’s second generation, which came out in October and has some noteworthy improvements but doesn’t mess with the formula that made the originals so great.
The latest version looks a lot like its predecessor — there are some accents with a glossy finish where the first-generation was matte — and sounds just as crisp and vibrant. It also feels nearly identical to the originals (comfortable cushions, snug fit), so it’s still fine to wear for long stretches of time. These headphones now have the ability to play lossless audio over USB-C, a new low-power mode, and about six hours more battery life per charge. While those aren’t massive upgrades, they’re improvements that solidify the QuietComfort Ultras as the noise-canceling headphones to beat.
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They’re still the best at blocking loud noises
Many headphones do a good job of blocking out sound, but few do it as well as Bose’s. I took them on a recent weekend flight and, despite the plane being full, managed to listen to an audiobook without any disruption. I’m also impressed with how well these headphones block out chatter in large crowds. Without headphones, my neighborhood coffee shop gets quite loud during peak hours and I take my drink to go. The Ultras managed to keep the noise to a minimum and allowed me to squeeze in an hour of writing without any nearby chitchat distracting me.
Of course, sometimes you actually want to hear your surroundings — like when you’re on a walk outside. Bose’s transparency mode, which you trigger by long-pressing a button on the right side of the headphones, sounds natural without being overwhelming. I could hear the crosswalk alerts at every intersection along my walk without missing a beat of the music playing through my phone. Loud noises, like cars honking, are less alarming — but sufficiently attention-getting, as they should be — when heard through transparency mode. And if you’re wearing these headphones in an office or another place where someone might try to talk to you, nearby voices sound natural coming through the QuietComfort Ultras.
Like most headphones with noise-cancellation, the Ultras produce some hisslike white noise that’s apparent when there isn’t anything playing. It’s less noticeable than with other noise-canceling headphones, though, and quickly fades into the background once you have something playing.
The sound quality is (still) great
Even the best noise-cancellation wouldn’t be worth much if it left you with subpar sound. The second-generation Ultras consistently produced some of the best sound of any noise-cancelling headphones I’ve tested in their price range. I somewhat prefer the more neutral sound of Sony’s WH-1000XM6s, where Bose’s headphones lean somewhat bass-heavy, but these headphones have a vibrant, colorful sound that many people would enjoy listening to.
Genres like hip-hop and metal shine on Bose’s default settings (you can customize them within the app, if you’d like).
While listening to Clipse’sLet God Sort Em Out, the bass on each track shone through without drowning out any verses. Heavier albums, like Lorna Shore’sImmortal,sounded equally great, with guitars and drums sounding as distinct as the vocals on each track.
Speaking of sound quality, this version of the QuietComfort Ultra allows you to listen to lossless audio if you’re connected to your audio source over USB-C. I tried this by connecting the headphones to my iPhone and listening to a few albums in high-fidelity onQobuz, both over Bluetooth and over USB-C. There’s a noticeable difference in quality when you’re actually plugged in. You can hear more details in each song without having to crank up the volume, and tracks feel more layered. That does, of course, subtract from some of the convenience of having wireless headphones, but I like having the option of plugging my headphones in to get noticeably better sound quality. I’ll still go cordless when I’m on a walk.
The second generation Ultras also have a new Cinema Mode that enhances dialogue, similar to movie mode on a soundbar. I streamed a few scenes fromTrue Gritwith Cinema Mode turned on, and the audio sounded more layered than with the Ultra’s default sound profile. There’s an echoey effect that I only noticed with this mode enabled, but it sounds like the speakers in an older movie theater. I found it charming, as it made me a little less aware that I was watching a movie on my phone, but some may find it distracting.
They last for days … and days
The first-generation Ultras could get me through about three full days of work, which lines up with Bose’s quoted 24 hours for those headphones. With the second generation, Bose claims up to 30 hours on a single charge. While that’s not a huge jump, it’s almost a full extra workday, or enough to get you through even the most tedious layover. And, true to their name, I didn’t experience any discomfort while wearing these headphones for extended periods.
Bose also added a new low-power mode that triggers when you lay the headphones flat on a surface. Rather than simply staying on and remaining paired to your phone until turning off automatically after a while, the headphones will disconnect from your phone until you pick them up and they wake up. I’m extremely forgetful and tend to leave my headphones lying around if I take them off to talk to someone or answer the door, so I appreciate being able to pick them back up without needing to press any buttons.
This mode also triggers if you put the headphones back in the case, sort of like when you put the AirPods Max back into their sleeve. I do wish the Ultras were less confusing to fold, as I had to look at the instructions stitched onto the inside of the case every time I wanted to put my headphones away. But still, I like being able to put the Ultras in the case and not have to worry about losing battery if I forget to turn them off.
The refinements aren’t upgrade-worthy, but they are noteworthy
If you already have the first-generation QuietComfort Ultra headphones, you probably don’t need to upgrade. Although the ability to listen to lossless audio over USB-C is easy to miss once you’ve tried it, and the new low power mode is handy, they’re not must-haves. That said, if you’re looking for a new pair of noise-canceling headphones, these are a great choice.
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