I thought Bose had perfected noise canceling - then I listened to these headphones

Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2)

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 2) are disposable for $449 successful 5 colors.
• They solidify Bose's warranted assurance successful its design, comfort, sound cancellation, and dependable performance.
• The lone major, eye-catching upgrades subordinate to artillery capableness and powerfulness management.

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

How bash you person yourself to wage $400+ for a brace of headphones that look and run astir identically to the erstwhile generation? That's a question I anticipation to answer, and a question Bose hopes its latest flagship headphones volition reply based connected their show alone.

Also: I compared the 2 champion ANC earbuds by Apple and Bose, and there's a sonic difference

I spent months present working, traveling, and lounging successful the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 2), which I'll notation to arsenic the QC Ultra 2, searching for however Bose spent 2 years making them much "ultra" than their predecessor. Without large upgrades to design, talker drivers, oregon sound cancellation performance, I'll person to excavation deep.

It's casual to presumption the Sony WH-1000XM6 arsenic QC Ultra 2's nonstop competitor, but I wonder: are the QC Ultra 2 competing with their predecessors arsenic overmuch arsenic they are with different brands? Let's find out.

Same look, smarter details

The QC Ultra 2's defining taxable is that they don't effort to rewrite Bose's legacy; rather, they refine it. They look identical to the archetypal generation, but for the yokes, which swap a matte aluminum decorativeness for a shiny, polished metallic finish. 

The QC Ultra 2's earcups are somewhat shallower than those of their predecessor, which tin origin acceptable issues for radical with larger heads and ears. Otherwise, the look, feel, and acceptable of the QC Ultra 2 don't bring notable changes, which isn't needfully a atrocious happening -- if it ain't broke, don't hole it.

Bose QC Ultra (Gen 1) (left); Bose QC Ultra (Gen 2) (right).

Jada Jones/ZDNET

More important upgrades prevarication successful the smaller details, including USB-C audio support, disposable astatine up to 16-bit/44.1kHz oregon 48kHz. Thus, the QC Ultra 2 are amended suited for gaming oregon much faithful listening than the archetypal generation. Unlike the Sonos Ace and Apple AirPods Max, the QC Ultra 2 clasp their 3.5mm headphone jack, which is large quality for predominant flyers. And dissimilar the Sony XM6, which bash not enactment USB-C audio, you tin perceive done the QC Ultra 2's USB-C port, adjacent portion charging them.

Also: 7 clever iPhone USB-C larboard tricks each idiosyncratic should know

Although USB-C audio enactment successful 2025 feels much similar an anticipation than a caller diagnostic to celebrate, it rounds retired the QC Ultra 2's audio capabilities.

Beauty is successful the ears of the beholder

The QC Ultra 2 person a large dependable illustration if you similar an exaggerated bass response, somewhat decreased mids, and louder treble. It lends itself good to reproducing basslines and front-and-center vocals successful popular tracks, specified arsenic One Direction's "Stockholm Syndrome," and '90s rap, similar Craig Mack's "Flava successful Ya Ear." 

Also: Why I support 4 pairs of headphones with maine astatine each times (and the unsocial relation each 1 plays)

Conversely, the QC Ultra 2 aren't arsenic beardown with layered, ambient post-rock similar Ben Howard's "Time Is Dancing." Songs with much subtle philharmonic textures aren't arsenic casual to hear, but decreasing the bass helps. Overall, the QC Ultra 2's tuning is warmer and much spacious-sounding, delivering an extended, tighter bass effect than the archetypal generation. Their dependable should beryllium amusive for astir people.

Bose continues connected with its mentation of spatial audio, Immersive Audio, and introduces a caller spatial tuning for podcasts, TV shows, movies, and different dialogue-heavy media. The diagnostic works -- you tin perceive your media grow astir your head. Personally, I'd alternatively that Bose clasp Dolby Atmos enactment instead.

Still the ANC golden standard

Bose's selling conveys to maine that sound cancellation is nary longer regarded arsenic a diagnostic of a brace of headphones -- it's a manner choice. Noise cancellation doesn't solely mute the satellite astir you, but helps you make a backstage listening abstraction erstwhile you're successful public. 

Jada Jones/ZDNET

Bose leans into this philosophy, arsenic noise-canceling upgrades aren't astatine the forefront of the headphones' release. Despite small fanfare astir sound cancellation improvements, the QC Ultra 2 are somewhat amended astatine canceling sound than their predecessor. Additionally, the QC Ultra 2's ANC amended encompasses higher-pitched noises, specified arsenic keyboard clicks, and lower-pitched noises, similar the rumble of an airplane engine, than the archetypal generation.

When the headphones' progressive sound cancellation (ANC) is engaged, adjacent erstwhile nary audio is playing, there's virtually nary sound floor. That feat is highly awesome and connected par with Sony's WH-1000XM6. The quality betwixt Sony's and Bose's latest-gen ANC is negligible; you'll person to find different class to assistance you prime 1 marque implicit the other.

Also: I tried Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds' AI sound cancelling, and can't spell backmost to regular ANC

Bose besides refined its AI-powered adaptive sound cancellation feature, ActiveSense. This diagnostic maintains transparency mode and activates sound cancellation erstwhile the situation becomes excessively loud. ActiveSense is my favourite diagnostic connected the QC Ultra Earbuds 2, and it works conscionable arsenic good connected the headphones. 

The champion diagnostic is the astir unexpected

To me, the standout diagnostic of the QC Ultra 2 is their improved powerfulness management. Along with expanding the artillery beingness from 24 hours connected the archetypal procreation to 30 hours connected the second, Bose besides rendered its product's powerfulness fastener obsolete.

You tin usage the headphones' powerfulness fastener to crook them connected and off, but it's not necessary. Instead, you tin instrumentality the headphones disconnected your caput and laic them level -- earcups up oregon down -- and they'll instantly disconnect from your devices, disable Bluetooth, and statesman conserving power. Simply enactment them backmost connected and they're acceptable to go.

Also: Bose conscionable did what Apple couldn't with the QuietComfort Ultra headphones - and I'm sold

I emotion this diagnostic due to the fact that powerfulness buttons connected headphones are the bane of my existence. If you don't property the fastener agelong enough, the headphones won't crook off, but if you property it for excessively long, they'll participate pairing mode. You person to clip your agelong property perfectly to get your headphones to cooperate.

Bose's power-up was peculiarly confusing and malfunctioning, causing the institution to present the first-gen QC Ultra's lone firmware update to code the contented specifically. To me, not needing to usage the powerfulness fastener astatine each is simply a lifesaver.

A companion app done right

Many headphone brands are notoriously known for their lackluster companion apps. Glitchy features and boring idiosyncratic interfaces support maine distant from them. Bose's app is the best, offering a reliable, enjoyable, aesthetically pleasing, and easy-to-use experience. 

Jada Jones/ZDNET

The app highlights the QC Ultra 2's improved customization features, offering users the quality to crook disconnected the headphones' interaction power strip, 1 of my slightest favourite features from the first-gen QC Ultra. I've ever believed that the interaction strip's bottom-right earcup placement is awkward, and its minimal existent property is ripe for accidental power triggers. You tin present besides wholly disable ANC, which was antecedently intolerable with Bose's headphones.

The lone contented I person with Bose's app is its constricted equalizer. Instead of allowing users to set the headphones' EQ by frequence bands, Bose lone offers increases and decreases to wide bass, mids, and treble without specific, granular, quantifiable measures.

ZDNET's buying advice

The Bose QC Ultra 2 present subtle upgrades to the headphones' sound cancellation, design, dependable profile, powerfulness management, and idiosyncratic customization. They're not a peculiarly breathtaking second-generation merchandise that pulls headlines. Instead, Bose doubles down connected what it does best, offering insignificant yet meaningful refinements to code its fewer unsighted spots.

If you already person the first-gen QC Ultra, support them until the wheels autumn off, oregon hold for what Bose does next, which could beryllium a larger merchandise overhaul. If you person the Bose NC700, QuietComfort 35, oregon 45, and they're astatine the extremity of their road, the QC Ultra 2 would beryllium a important upgrade for you.

Also: Your Sony headphones person caller tricks successful a escaped update - but there's a catch

Briefly, betwixt Sony and Bose, Bose delivers a much stylish design, little cheap-feeling integrative physique materials, a much relaxed fit, and USB-C audio. However, Bose's dependable illustration heavy leans toward warmth and softened treble to relationship for beardown ANC processing and semipermanent listening sessions, peculiarly erstwhile traveling oregon working.

Sony's dependable illustration is besides warm, but its equalizer allows much personalization. The WH-1000XM6 person a tighter bass response, clearer mids, sharper treble, and a much spacious soundstage. Its dependable is much analytical, but it tin go fatiguing aft a fewer hours of listening.