Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 Review: Major Fun

Handy new convenience features. Same plush comfort. Top-tier noise canceling and transparency mode. Clear and engaging sound profile. USB-C lossless audio support. Better ambient audio control. Minor battery upgrade.

More upgrades would have been nice. Cinema Mode sounds as synthetic as Immersive mode.

The orignal Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are aptly named, offering plush comfort, good sound, and the best noise canceling we’d ever tested upon their release. They stood as the unequivocal noise-canceling masters until Sony rivaled their dominance with the WH-1000XM6, which brings new tech like a crazy-fast chipset to inch past the Ultra in some scenarios.

The QuietComfort Ultra 2 improve upon the original, though this is a minor update with very similar noise-canceling and audio performance. Frankly, a more accurate name would be the Ultra Gen 1.2 or 1.3, but I suppose that’s not as catchy.

There are some slick new touches, including some new app controls, convenience features like the ability to lay the headphones flat to sleep them, and lossless audio support over USB-C. The upgrades come at a relatively low cost—especially since Bose jacked up the price of its previous best headphones from $430 to $450 post-launch (they’re now back to $430). I wouldn’t trade up if you own the original, but if you’re torn between which to get, the newer version have some good reasons for the minor splurge.

Same Digs, New Floss

The Ultra 2nd Gen's look and feel are virtually identical to the original. That means sleek lines along the chassis, minimalist controls, and cushy pads cloaked in plush protein leather that feel inviting and luxurious.

As I noted in my original QC Ultra review, the ear cups are on the small side, creating a snug fit that feels almost bespoke to me but may not work as well for larger ears. The band and cups are well balanced and provide enough cushion for hours (and hours) of comfy listening, an important bar to clear for any travel cans. They’re more comfortable than the WH-1000XM6 for my money, one of my few knocks against Sony’s latest flagship.

The only aesthetic difference in the new Ultra is the polished metal finish around the ear cup arms (or yokes) in place of the original’s glittery matte look. I’m not sure it’s an upgrade—the new look leaves a lot more room for fingerprints—but it is a bit flashier.

What’s New?

While Bose notes some minor tuning to the sound, noise canceling, and transparency modes, this update is mostly about convenience features. I wasn’t bowled over by the minor tweaks on paper, but in practice, the headphones are surprisingly more inviting to use.

That starts with multiple ways to enter and exit low-power mode. The Gen 2 will shut down after 30 minutes at rest, but you can now lay them flat to disconnect from your source, then simply put them back on to listen. The functionality is similar to Apple’s AirPods Max, but better executed. Unlike the Max, you’re still getting a power key (and a real case), but the ability to slip them on and off so easily for playback is really handy. Bose claims the headphones can last for months in low power, so we’ll continue long-term testing.

Speaking of battery, there’s a slight boost from the original's 24 hours to 30 hours of playback with noise canceling (24 with Immersive Audio). You can now listen while they charge and access lossless audio tracks over USB-C from supported sources, something neither the original Ultra nor Sony’s XM6 offer.

Bose has also made it easier to control noise canceling and transparency modes, letting you switch off ambient audio completely in the app or customize how much sound is blocked or piped in from the microphones under Noise Control. Previously, this required creating a Custom sound mode.

Otherwise, you’re getting the same solid feature set, with options like multipoint audio connection (still for just two devices), adaptive sound that tailors performance to your ears, and settings like the ability to adjust your own voice for calls. Onboard controls include power and multi-function keys, and a touch sensor volume slider, which is still a bit less responsive than I’d like.

There are a few outstanding features still on my wish list, like a multi-band EQ rather than the more basic three-band setup, which makes tailoring the booming default bass more hatchet than scalpel. Auracast audio sharing would have been nice, even if it is more future-looking.

Crowd Control

Testing the latest Ultra against the Gen 1 and Sony XM6 over several days mostly just reminded me how incredible all of them are at suppressing sound. All three pairs sit at the top of the market, besting anything else we’ve tested, and most people are unlikely to notice any major differences in performance in most situations.

The Sony’s biggest advantage is its ultra-fast response, adjusting to different frequencies across the spectrum faster than both Bose pairs. The Ultra 2 weren’t much faster (if at all) than the original at adjusting to sounds like airplane drones or crowd noises in my home studio, but Bose did tone down the white noise created by the noise cancellation itself. That was immediately noticeable in a quiet room, though the noise creeps back up again with louder sounds.

As with the original, the Ultra 2's transparency mode (aka Aware) is nearly as impressive as their noise suppression. Their 10 microphones provide natural reproduction of both my own voice and ambient sounds. They worked brilliantly on a dog walk with my wife, letting me comfortably chat as I enjoyed my tunes in the background.

One other point Bose emphasized is an update to the Ultra 2's ActiveSense feature that quells sudden loud noises when using the Aware mode, now designed for “smoother” transitions. This means quick sounds like a clap or car door can (and do) slip through, but when I turned on my vacuum, it added some noise canceling after a few seconds to soften the whine.

Slick Sounds

There’s little difference between the original Ultra’s default audio performance and the new model, and that’s mostly a good thing. You’ll get clear and crisp detail alongside engaging instrumental textures across genres. Bass is again more upfront than I’d like by default, but lowering it a few notches in the EQ helps even things out, and songs where it's properly emphasized sound big and bold. Crisp percussive instruments, like a clap beat in a hip-hop track or a tight guitar click, seem to have a bit more definition in the treble, but it's very close.

I generally prefer the warmer and more natural-sounding XM6, but the Ultra’s more exuberant approach is a fun listen, and does an excellent job placing instruments in space to surround you in sound. Listening for hours over the last week was a keen reminder of how good all genres sound against a nearly silent backdrop, a big reason the best noise cancelers are so appealing.

I’m not a big fan of the new Cinema mode, any more than I was of Bose’s Immersive Audio. Cinema effectively puts dialog up front, but like Immersive mode, it adds some odd digital echo. To be fair, I feel the same about Sony’s Cinema mode, and Bose’s version could be helpful for those with trouble hearing dialog. Bose's optional head-tracking feature does a good job making scenes feel more like a home entertainment setup.

Call performance is once again impressive, effectively suppressing ambient sounds for the listener, and I always appreciate the ability to adjust my own voice to make calls feel more natural.

It’s the Ultra 2's new convenience features that really stand out, making it easier than ever to pop in and out of my tunes during the average workday. That alone won't be worth an upgrade, but the 2nd Gen's mix of convenience, comfort, and performance makes them a great new option atop the noise-canceling stack.