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Whilst I can't say that the Bose QC Ultra 2 are much different to their predecessors, they remain absolutely excellent all-round headphones with top-notch noise cancelling and a mature sound quality.
The Good
- Excellent noise cancelling
- Very light and comfortable
- Great out-of-the-box sound quality
The Not So Good
- Pretty similar to the 1st generation
Need-to-knows
- Superb noise cancelling
- Comfortable thanks to the light weight
- Great audio quality
- Not much different from the previous generation
If there’s one pair of headphones I’ve received lots of requests to review, it’s the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2.
Bose has had a relatively quiet 2025 in terms of new headphone products, but it has at least been tweaking what was already on the market. This is rare in a sector that typically has extremely long release cycles. Most headphones go two or three years before being updated at all.
However, this does create some issues for buyers or owners of existing versions. If you’ve already got the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 1, should you be lamenting your decision not to wait for Gen 2? If you don’t have either, should you buy the latest pair or save a tidy sum and opt for the older version?
Back in the summer, Bose updated the QuiteComfort Ultra earbuds, and it brought about some welcome if not ground-shattering improvements. Is it the same story with the headphones? And what are the answers to those questions above?
I’ve been using the QuietComfort Ultra 2 for two months now, so I feel rather qualified to get to the bottom of this.
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How I reviewed the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2
Whenever I get a new pair of headphones to review, I use them as my main headphones daily. That’s exactly what I did with the QuietComfort Ultra 2.
My headphone usage is what I’d term normal. I use them to listen to music, but mainly, to lock myself into a flow state when working. This means I rely significantly on great sound, appropriate noise cancelling, and a usable passthrough mode. Great fit and long-term comfort are also essential.
I also use my headphones for editing videos occasionally, and they travel with me around the world. The QuietComfort Ultra 2 have done just that, thanks to several trips to Europe and one long-haul jaunt.
Given that this is a mid-cycle refresh, let’s look at what has changed and what has remained the same between the first and second generations of Bose’s flagship noise-cancelling headphones.
At a glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Charging | Charges via USB-C |
| Dimensions & Weight | Headphones: 19.5 cm (H) × 13.9 cm (W) × 5.08 cm (D), 0.25 kg Carry Case: 21.1 cm (H) × 15.7 cm (W) × 6.1 cm (D), 0.2 kg |
| Materials | Aluminium, Synthetic PU Leather, Plastic |
| Battery | Battery Life: Up to 30 hours (varies by mode)¹ With Immersive Audio Off: Up to 24 hours With Immersive Audio On: Up to 18 hours Charging Time: Up to 3 hours² Quick Charge: 15 minutes = up to 2.5 hours (Immersive Off) / up to 2 hours (Immersive On)² Charging Method: USB-C |
| Microphones | Built-in microphones |
| Bluetooth | Version: Bluetooth 5.4 Range: Up to 9 m (30 ft) Codecs: SBC, AAC |
| Inputs | – USB-C on headphone side – USB-C on source side (C–A cable compatible) – 2.5-mm input (headphone) to 3.5-mm jack (device) |
| Controls | Touch: Volume, skip track, phone calls, customisable shortcut Buttons: Listening modes |
| Software / Assistants | Bose app, Siri |
| Audio Modes | Quiet Mode (ANC), Immersive Audio |
What has changed?
We now have Bluetooth 5.4 (the previous version ran 5.3). There’s also lossless audio over USB-C, and a new ‘Cinema’ mode for improved listening during movies and TV shows.
Bose tells us that the active noise cancelling (ANC) algorithm has been “refined”, and there’s also smarter on-head detection for automatic play and pause when you take the headphones off and place them back on your head.
There’s no mention of tweaked sound, but battery life has been improved from 24 to 30 hours, along with improved standby power savings, and there’s also slightly better fast charging. Oh, and the “updated design” features a slightly different leather material and some visual tweaks, which I’ll get to later.
Price-wise, they’re the same as the previous generation were at launch, at £449/$449. At the time of writing, you can pick up the first generation for £299/$299, which is quite a saving.
What’s the same?
In terms of what hasn’t changed, the dimensions and design of the headphones are identical. The case is exactly the same, too.
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There are no changes to the controls, either; we still have a mix of buttons for playback and ANC, and touch for volume.
They are, essentially, the exact same pair of headphones, albeit with some slightly tweaked internals and a marginally refreshed design.
This begs some questions.
Is the noise cancelling better?
I’ve tested the noise cancelling between both generations of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones, and they are nigh-on identical.
This isn’t a bad thing at all, because Bose has long worn the ANC crown (or, at least, shared it with Sony). This must present a problem for the engineering team at Bose, because where do you go from being one of the best on the market?
You tweak it, that’s what you do. And the ANC on the QuietComfort Ultra 2 does make the world go slightly quieter than the first generation. But you really do have to A/B test to hear it. And even then, it’s subtle.
Let’s get real here, guys – unless you go through this kind of thing with a fine-tooth comb, you’re probably not going to notice the difference – and doing that removes all of the joy from owning and using this stuff.
As noted earlier, I’ve used the QuietComfort Ultra 2 extensively while travelling, and they remain one of the best pairs of headphones in that realm because of the epic noise cancelling.
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The aware mode, where the outside world is let in so you can hear your surroundings, remains brilliant and up there with AirPods Max. The only difference is that the QuietComfort Ultra 2 sound slightly less ‘toppy’ than the first generation, making for a more natural sound. But, again, it’s marginal.
When it comes to call quality between the two versions, I’d recommend watching my YouTube review where I try out both pairs’ mics on a busy road. Spoiler: the second gen performs considerably better.
Do they sound better?
Bose doesn’t claim any sound upgrades with the QuietComfort Ultra 2 beyond the addition of lossless audio over USB-C.
As a result, they sound identical to their predecessor. But that’s not a bad thing. I’d forgotten just how good the QuietComfort Ultra are when it comes to audio performance. They’re full, rich, wide, and no frequencies stand out as being particularly irritating or tiring.
Bose has pretty much nailed premium consumer sound straight out of the box with the QuietComfort, and I’m glad they didn’t make any detrimental changes with this mid-season refresh.
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I haven’t tested the lossless audio feature, but the fact that it’s there will attract a specific crowd. As for the new cinema mode – it’s superb. I used it extensively on a long-haul flight to Indonesia, and the vocal tracks were super clear and front-loaded, and the Atmos effect was tangible.
Fit and comfort
The crowning glory of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones is how light and comfortable they are. The good news is that Bose hasn’t worsened it all – in fact, they’ve made it slightly better.
The new headphones are just as light, but that change in leather material has made them even more comfortable for longer periods, and they somehow feel a bit more premium. There’s also less clamping force, which, again, makes for a pair of headphones you can wear for an extremely long period of time without any discomfort. They might be the best on the market for that, in fact.
The case, as noted, is identical. But that’s no bad thing, once again, because it’s one of the best on the market; small enough to be practical, thanks to the way the headphones fold, and made of a decent, hard-wearing material.
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As for the button layout, while that hasn’t changed either, I’m still a fan of the way Bose marries physical and touch controls, with the latter being reserved for volume control (which isn’t placed in an easily mistakenly touched area).
Conclusion: gen 1 or gen 2?
This is a pretty simple conclusion. If you’ve already got the first-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, you have absolutely no reason to spend more money on the second generation – unless you really want USB-C lossless audio.
However, if you don’t have the first generation, the second generation still represents the best Bose has to offer in terms of ANC headphones, so, if owning that pair is important to you, it’s a no-brainer.
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If you want to save a bit of money, however, it’s hard to look past some of the deals that are currently out there for the first generation. Particularly with Christmas on the horizon.
I can at least confirm that Bose has further cemented its place as the stalwart of the ANC headphone game, and while they share that crown with Sony, the QuietComfort Ultra 2 know their audience. And that audience is going to lap them up.
Are they better than the Sony XM6? I’ll report back on that.
