The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are widely considered among the best on the market. Now, the second generation is here, and the upcoming AirPods Pro 3 are already on notice.
Bose has long been a name synonymous with quality audio gear. Its speakers and headphones have carved out a place right at the top of the market, both in quality and price.
The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds did the same in the in-ear space, so expectations were high when the updated second-gen product was announced. I've been putting them to the test for a few weeks now, listening to Apple Music, learning new stuff with Audible audiobooks, and playing my favorite games — and I bring good news.
I already have access to a few pairs of earbuds that sit in the same sphere as these Boses, that is, they have a price tag around $300. So it made sense to pit the QuietComfort Ultra second gen (hereby referred to as the QC Ultra 2 for brevity) earbuds against them to see how they compare.
The result? I have a new favorite pair of wireless earbuds.
But that isn't to say that they're perfect. With Apple expected to announce its AirPods Pro 3 sooner or later, all eyes will be on Cupertino to see what it's been cooking.
Should your next earbuds be the iconic AirPods white, or should they adorn the famous Bose logo? Read on to find out.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review: Design
To look at, the Bose QC Ultra 2 earbuds are almost identical to the previous generation. That is, they don't look quite like the rest of the earbuds you've seen.
The new buds have the familiar stem with stubby buds that appear to be in the wrong place at first. They're too far down, but the design works, and it makes for a comfortable, stable fit.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) review: The earbuds are comfortable and stay where you put them.
Another thing that helps with comfort and stability is the addition of a new rubber band that sits against your ear. It keeps the buds in place when you're moving, making them the perfect workout companion without impacting comfort.
Bose has chosen to offer the QC Ultra 2 in three colors, starting with a sedate black. There's a White Smoke, should you want something brighter, but the Deep Plumb color is where it's at.
Each earbud has touch controls on the side, but you can disable them if you find them irritating. Bose also ships the earbuds with three different tip sizes so you can find the right fit, too.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review: Specs
These being premium earbuds, they sport all of the connectivity options you'd expect at this price point. That means they pack support for Bluetooth 5.3 as well as the Low Complexity Subband Coding (SBC) and the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) codec standards.
Fans of high-definition audio will be pleased to learn that Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive is also present. Android owners will also benefit from Google Fast Pair, which mimics the instant device pairing of Apple's AirPods.
In terms of battery power, you can expect up to six hours of listening time per charge, while a 20-minute charge means dead earbuds can run for two hours before they need topping up.
The included charging case bumps total listening time to around 24 hours. Charging the case is easy via either USB-C or a wireless charger, whichever works best for you.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review: Features
As is the case with any QuietComfort product, Bose has given the QC Ultra 2 best-in-class noise cancellation technology. This model features improved ANC compared to the previous generation, which was already excellent.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) review: The earbuds aren't big, but they get the job done.
Bose uses its CustomTune sound calibration technology to personalize the ANC feature so it adapts to your ears and your surroundings. A tweaked algorithm means the QC Ultra 2's Aware Mode is even better, too — think AirPods' Transparency mode and every bit as good.
For frequent callers, Bose has used new AI-powered noise suppression tech to boost the earbuds' eight mics. The result is a crystal clear calling experience, ensuring everyone can hear you loud and clear even in a windy area.
You can't talk about any premium earbuds without also mentioning spatial audio of some sort. Bose calls it Immersive Audio, and it has two options: Still and Motion.
Still gives you the usual spatial audio experience, while Motion is Bose's name for head tracking. Both worked as expected in my testing, although I don't care for the technology as a whole, no matter the buds I'm using.
Finally, the QC Ultra 2 earbuds support multipoint connectivity, so you can pair multiple devices at once. The earbuds will then automatically switch to whichever device is active which works most most of the time. I had to manually disable my Mac to make the earbuds switch to my iPhone sometimes, unfortunately.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review: Sound
I'll get this out of the way nice and early. The Bose QC Ultra 2 earbuds are the best-sounding earbuds I've worn.
I've used AirPods of all shapes and sizes. I've also worn the Bose Open Ultra earbuds and Edifier's NeoBuds Planar, both of which retail for the same $300 price. Nothing beats the QC Ultra 2 sound.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) review: The Bose charging case alongside AirPods 4.
They're incredibly bassy in my testing, which I like, while still managing to ensure that the rest of the audio isn't muddied. Bose says that the drivers used are the same as the previous generation, albeit with some tweaks. Whatever it did, it worked.
The soundstage is nice and wide, considering these are in-ear earbuds, and they don't fall down when you crank the volume. And because they're comfortable to wear, getting the right fit is easy — important if you want the best from a pair of earbuds.
I don't make many calls, but the ones I did make worked as expected. Everyone could hear each other despite my desk fan blowing straight at my face — I don't cope well with the summer months.
I found the QC Ultra 2 earbuds to be just as at home playing spoken word content as they are with music, which is important. I've experienced some expensive headphones that fall apart when listening to non-musical content. The Bose buds have no such problems.
The same goes for games, too. Identifying where enemies are is easier when you can hear them, and these buds came into their own when playing Doom: The Dark Ages, thanks to its thumping soundtrack.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen) review: You won't find better at this price
It's hard to imagine a pair of wireless earbuds sounding much better than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds second-gen. Especially at the $300 price point.
$300 is a lot of money, of course, so they should sound good. But as everything gets more expensive, $300 isn't what it once was.
Apple hasn't yet announced the AirPods Pro 3, but they're likely to cost around the same $249 that it charges for AirPods Pro 2. It's hard to say whether they will be a better buy without testing them, and nobody has done that yet.
But I do know that I prefer Bose's new earbuds over the AirPods Pro 2, so Apple has its work cut out.
Until recently, I preferred AirPods of any denomination simply because of the instant device switching features they possess. But having spent a few months with third-party offerings that do something very similar, my stance has changed.
I'm much more open to earbuds that didn't originate at Apple Park, especially when they sound good.
In the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds second gen, I think I found my favorite earbuds available right now.
Apple, it's over to you.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen): Pros
- Incredibly comfortable
- Great sound, even at higher volumes
- Colors that aren't white
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen): Cons
- $300 is still a lot of money
- Not everyone likes touch controls
Where to buy Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd gen)
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (second gen) will be available to buy in the United States for $300.
