Wow these are amazing but I need to listen to more more music to give my verdict, but so far so good, update soon. Here’s my update: they sound really good immersive mode is good for some songs but really good for movies, music videos and YouTube content. The sound is very balanced. Noise cancellation is G tier awareness mode is good too but needs a little work. Maybe an update or so but it’s not bad and in awareness mode it still blocks of loud sudden noises. I was gonna get the WF1000XM6 but these bad boys have grown on me a solid 9.5/10 overall.

After six years, I’ve just upgraded from the XM3s after trying out the XM4,5,6 in store and borrowing a friend’s Ultra Gen 1.

The driftwood sand colour is beautiful, isn’t nearly as pink as I thought it would be based on the photos.

Comfort: I’d say these are the most comfortable I’ve ever worn, slightly beating out the Ultra Gen 1. Noticeably weaker clamping force than all the Sonys. The comfort was night and day between this and the Sony XM6, and this is the biggest reason I went with the Ultra Gen 2.

Sound Quality: didn’t sound perfect out of the box on all songs, I’m no audiophile and am still playing around with the EQ. Sounded great on vocal tracks however EDM and bass heavy pop sounded a bit muddy for my taste. Some tracks sound wonderful and some still need a bit of tweaking. For now I think the sound isn’t clearly better than the Ultra Gen 1 or the XM6. But also not clearly worse. Need more time to test this category. Lossless audio over USC is one of the main reasons I bought these over the XM6 alongside comfort so will be looking forward to testing that.

Looks: Love this colour, case and overall design. The shiny bands look really good in person at least on this sand colour. Feels alright, doesn’t attract as many fingerprints as expected.

ANC: not in depth testing but my initial thoughts were that the ANC is significantly better than my old XM3 which isn’t surprising. Seems to be slightly better than the Ultra Gen 1 and on par with XM6.

Cons: Personally really hoped the Bose app would have 5 band EQ instead of just 3. The controls and buttons are lacking compared to Sony XM6.

Overall, happy with spending $699 AUD on these for my birthday after 6-7 years on the XM3. Let’s hope we get some good reviews on sound quality and ANC from actual audiophiles soon.

Pre orders live on John Lewis - I found this at John Lewis & Partners. What do you think? https://www.johnlewis.com/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-2nd-gen-noise-cancelling-over-ear-wireless-bluetooth-headphones-with-mic-remote/black/p114209626?tmad=c&tmcampid=7&s_share=jlappios_Y29tLmFwcGxlLlVJS2l0LmFjdGl2aXR5LkNvcHlUb1Bhc3RlYm9hcmQ=

Hi all,

I thought I'd share a few impressions of the new Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra 2nd Gen which were delivered to me yesterday afternoon (I am living in Germany). This is the opinion of someone who has owned Airpods Max, Airpods Pro 1st and 2nd generation, B&W PX8 and, most recently, Sony WH-1000XM4, and has used each of them for quite some time.

First of all: I'm going to send the Bose back. But more on that in a moment.

So, what are my impressions?

• Very decent workmanship, in my opinion better than the Sony XM4. Also feels better than the XM5 and XM6 variations I've held in my hands.

• Comfortable, but only to a certain extent. The Bose is lightweight and the headband is well padded, but the pressure on my ears is a little too high for me. The XM4s felt more comfortable – and the B&Ws too, of course.

• I can't detect any noise when walking, as was sometimes mentioned here for the predecessor.

• Noise cancelling: basically the best I've had so far. The rather loud white noise in the predecessor has been reduced a little here, but it is still audible in quiet environments if you really focus on it. However, it is definitely noticeably lower. Nevertheless, there are still some issues, which I describe below and which mean that the headphones will be returned.

• Sound: good, bassy, not very adjustable in the EQ, but pleasing. I like the sound, but of course it can't compete with the B&W. Few can. For those who are interested: I am a fan of electronic music, with a certain focus on all subgenres of house, and for relaxing and working I like to listen to binaural beats or similar meditative music. The Bose headphones are well suited for this.

• Microphone quality: better than in the first generation (which I also owned for a day, but sent back because of the high ANC white noise at the time), but still not great. The XM4s weren't good either; the Airpods Max were by far the best in this regard of all headphones I owned. Since I use either EarPods or a Sennheiser headset (with cable) for phone calls and don't make many calls outside the office anyway, this suits me – but may be a deciding factor for some people when making a purchase.

So, why am I sending them back ? Well, so far, no ANC has managed to defeat the final boss: the announcements on the Berlin S-Bahn. Probably no ANC can do that – even friends with Sony's XM6 (which seems to be the natural contender to the Boses) complain about this. No a reason to send the Bose back; they still make a reasonably decent impression.

However, what was tolerable with the XM4s I used to wear is absolutely unbearable with the Bose: the dull banging sound I hear in one of the headphones (the right one for me) when the train doors close. I'm not sure what causes this – a change in pressure, perhaps? The door closes and immediately there's a muffled bang (don't know how to describe it better) in my ear that really hurts, at least for me. People may think I'm oversensitive, but it bothers me so much (especially considering the high price of the headphones) that today – after just one train journey – I decided right while standing on the platform to take advantage of the Bose satisfaction guarantee and return the headphones.

What happens now? I'm not really sure yet. What is clear is that I will buy the AirPods Pro 3 for sports anyway. However, the sound quality may not quite meet my expectations. I just ordered the B&W PX7 S3 because I want to test them. The ANC probably won't be as good as with the Bose, but at least the first reviews give me reason to hope that the ANC has improved. We'll see!

Feel free to ask questions – I'm not sending the headphones back until tomorrow.

Told myself I wouldn't get the Gen 2, but could not resist at least checking them out. Still quite unsure whether or not to keep and replace my Gen 1. My very quick initial impressions:

• Gen 2 feel slightly softer and with even lower clamping force already straight out of the box (even though I had no complaints on Gen 1). They really are super comfortable (still).

• Gen 2 has noticeably less hiss/white noise during ANC mode. There is some hiss during the first few seconds, but then for me it goes down to an (almost?) imperceptible level.

• ANC I just tested around the house so far and struggled to find any clear differences. They might be there, sure, but at least not immediately apparent.

• With Gen 2 you can now turn ANC on/off and set ANC strength from 1-10

• Sound quality I could not discern any noticeable differences (disregarding the cinematic mode)

• Microphones/call quality I did not test yet

• Gen 2 sand color is gorgeous, but I am quite partial to the darker sandstone tone of Gen 1

• They are really very similar headphones (well, obviously), this is nowhere near the XM5 -> XM6

So absent any call testing (where I am hoping they will have improved), imo the most noticeable upgrades are on ANC customization and the hiss reduction, otherwise not a WOW!-impact upgrade.

EDIT:

• Also, I have not been able to reproduce the thumping/popping sound with stronger movements on Gen 2, but I really wouldn't want to give any guarantees it is fixed. Just did some very brief tests indoors.

Hey everyone,

I currently use the Bose QC earbuds and absolutely love the ANC—it’s impressive. That said, I’m looking for something even more powerful (my parrots are quite the vocalists 😂), and I’m torn between two options: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen2 headphones and the Sony WH-1000XM6.

If you’ve tried both, I’d love to hear your thoughts—especially when it comes to comfort and noise cancellation.
And for those who’ve only used the new Bose headphones, how’s your experience been so far?

Thanks a ton in advance!

I live in the US and haven’t received them early like other reviewers have. I was just curious for those who have them.

So, just curious what’s your opinion about the new gen 2 earbuds from Bose ? Especially for training like - running and gym. Really interesting to know. (iPhone user who hates apple airpods) I know that they have the h1 h2 chip but I care only about quality than Bluetooth pair connection.

So I pulled the trigger and got the Gen2 for testing, especially hoping it has better microphone quality. And it indeed seems the mics not muffled anymore, but I will report about that later.

I noticed a new defect though. When I put on the headphones, initially the ANC seems weak. The way to fix it, is to use the new ANC level toggle, toggle it down, and then back to full. Then it works at full power. By the way, definitely not stronger then the Gen1, I would even say the Gen1 is slightly better.

When I put the headphones off and back on again, they seem to be again at like 80% strength (the indicator in the app though says its engaged fully).

Has anyone else experienced the same? I am wondering if it is a defect of the headphone and I should exchange it, or its a general software bug and need to wait for firmware update.

Looks like BestBuy Canada accidentally put them up on their website. A few others on this sub noticed it before it was taken down so credit to them.

Anyone picking up the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 earbuds now that they’re out? Not sure if they’re worth £299or £270 after the discount compared to £140 for Gen 1 ( eBay private seller, new)?

The feature list looks super awesome I think these could easily kill XM5/6s

I’ve been using the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) for a while now, and I have to say — these things are incredible.

Sound: The sound is warm and rich, but still very balanced and clear. Everything feels natural — vocals, instruments, bass — nothing is overdone or harsh. I haven’t noticed any distortion at all, even at higher volumes. The soundstage also surprised me; it’s natural and has a nice sense of depth and space between instruments. Music just feels alive through these, not flat or clinical.

Comfort: Comfort is honestly next level. These feel like pillows hugging your head — soft, snug, and super comfortable for long sessions. I wouldn’t use them for workouts (they’re not built for that kind of movement), but they’re fine for light activities like a brisk walk or some yoga.

Noise Canceling & Transparency: The noise canceling is phenomenal — so strong it can actually get a little disorienting at first because it blocks everything. On the other hand, the transparency mode sounds incredibly natural. You can easily hear your surroundings without it sounding artificial, which is great if you’re in an office or just need to stay aware of people around you.

Controls & Features: The controls take a little getting used to, but once you figure them out, they work really smoothly. I love that you can quickly switch between Bluetooth devices you’ve already paired — that’s super convenient. Battery life is great too — around 30 hours, which easily gets me through multiple workdays or a long flight.

There’s also USB audio, multi-point Bluetooth, and spatial audio that works on any device, no special software needed. The call quality is excellent too; I’ve taken business calls in noisy environments and people still hear me clearly.

Overall: These are some of the best headphones I’ve ever owned. The sound, comfort, and noise canceling are all top-tier, and the features make them super versatile. They’re not for heavy workouts, but for travel, work, or just relaxing and enjoying your music, they’re absolutely worth it.

Highly recommend.

Thought I'd share this info from Bose customer service chat, since I haven't seen anything about improvements to sound quality yet:

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) retain the same physical drivers as the first generation, but Bose has made meaningful improvements to the overall sound quality through refined tuning and upgraded signal processing. While the hardware remains unchanged, the digital signal path has been optimized to deliver deeper, more controlled bass, clearer highs, and better clarity at higher volumes. These enhancements result in a more balanced and natural listening experience across genres. Additionally, the 2nd Gen model introduces support for 16-bit/48kHz lossless audio via USB-C, allowing for higher fidelity playback when connected directly to a device. Combined with subtle refinements to the spatial Immersive Audio mode and the addition of Cinema Mode, the soundstage feels wider and more realistic, especially for movies and dialogue-heavy content. Though the changes may not be revolutionary, they reflect a thoughtful evolution in Bose’s tuning philosophy, offering a richer and more dynamic sound profile without altering the core hardware.

I recently bought the new Bose QC Ultra Gen 2. for 400 euros directly from the Bose. But after buying them, I'm not really satisfied. My first problem is comfort: I can't wear them longer than about 15 minutes before they start pressing on my ears and getting uncomfortable. The second problem is the sound quality considering its price. Before buying them, I thought I would notice the difference between low-res(128kbit) and high-res(flac 2464kbit) music. But I couldn't really feel a difference(Therefore, it may not be worth it for me to purchase such a premium device) . But overall they sound very good. The noise cancelling was great, but I'm not happy with the wearing comfort and the price. Should I also consider Sony XM6?

I want to get some new headphones but I’m really stuck on whether I should go for the xm6s or the ultras. Currently I can get the xm6 on sale for $600 AUD (396 USD) or the gen 2 ultras for $700 AUD ($462 USD). From what I’ve seen so far everything is pretty divisive, with some saying the sound and comfort (which are what I care about the most) is best on the ultras, and others saying that it’s best on the xm6s. Is there much of a difference between the two headphones, or does it just come down to personal preference and what suits your head best? And is there a big difference in sound quality between them? For reference I’m not really an audiophile or anything (but still would rather the better listening experience between the two) and I’m currently using the xm4s and would LOVE some clarity as to what some people think is the better option.

I’m a college student looking for a good pair of headphones for studying, commuting, and just chilling on campus. I’m deciding between the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Generation and the 1st Generation headphones. And, I’m not an audiophile, so I'm do not concern much about super technical stuff, but I would prefer a smooth sound that won’t give me headaches during long use.

What I want to focus about is comfort, noise cancellation, and battery life. I have heard the 2nd Gen has some upgrades, but are they worth it for me who just wants reliable headphones for everyday use?

Thank you in advance.

One of the best reviews to really convince you to get the 2nd gen

The SoundGuys are saying they have confirmation that the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) will finally be available in the US (United States of America) on September 10th. Pre-orders begin August 28th. Link to article below. Rejoice!!

https://www.soundguys.com/these-are-the-best-anc-earbuds-you-cant-buy-in-the-us-141226/