RecordingNow
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Bose QuietComfort vs QuietComfort Ultra: Honest Review
April 1, 2025 - As such, they share most of the same modern features: 11 levels of Noise Cancelling and Transparency Modes, built-in microphones for phone calls, and the same Bose companion app with customizable EQ.
PCMAG
pcmag.com › home › comparisons › audio › headphones
Big-Time Bose Battle: QuietComfort Ultra vs. QuietComfort Headphones | PCMag
November 22, 2024 - The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones come out on top in most of the categories we consider, but whether they are worth the extra $80 depends on how much you value their advantages. For example, if you don't mind losing out on the ActiveSense Aware feature, a more adaptive noise cancellation approach, AptX Adaptive support, and immersive audio modes, then the less expensive headphones are a perfectly good way to save some money.
Videos
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What do the Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Scores mean?
- Timbre (MOS-T) represents how faithfully the headphones reproduce the frequency spectrum and temporal resolution (timing information).
- Distortion (MOS-D) represents non-linearities and added noise: higher scores mean cleaner reproduction.
- Immersiveness (MOS-I) represents perceived source width and positioning: how well virtual sound sources are defined in three-dimensional space.
soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › over-ear headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones vs bose quietcomfort headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones ...
How has this article been updated?
- This article was updated on November 13, 2025, to add a note about the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen.)
- This article was updated on April 29, 2025, to correct outdated information.
- This article was updated on November 29, 2024, to update measurements for the comparison.
soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › over-ear headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones vs bose quietcomfort headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones ...
Rolling Stone
rollingstone.com › product-recommendations › tech › bose-quietcomfort-vs-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-review-1235328730
Bose QuietComfort vs. QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: We Put Both to the Test
May 1, 2025 - Bose QuietComfort (left) and QuietComfort Ultra (right) Jonathan Zavaleta/Rolling Stone · As for ANC performance, the Ultra headphones have the edge, boasting the best noise-canceling capabilities among headphones I have tested.
SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › over-ear headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones vs bose quietcomfort headphones
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones - SoundGuys
November 13, 2025 - With larger ear cups and more effective ANC, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are better able to isolate your ear from outside noise while also being able to cancel what does reach you more effectively.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › bose quietcomfort ultra vs bose quietcomfort
r/bose on Reddit: Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Bose QuietComfort
January 13, 2024 -
Hey y’all!
Currently in a bit of a dilemma on what headphones I should be getting.
My employer gets me access to Bose’s employee purchase program of sorts and I get a discount on certain products.
Currently, I can get The QC45 from BestBuy for $229 or the QC from my employer website for $269 or the ultras for $329.
Given these reduced prices, which one would be the best option especially given my levels of usage? I’d mainly wear them when I walk to work, travel or at the gym and that’s about it.
Top answer 1 of 5
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One thing to consider...the Ultra's tap controls are maddening. Unless you turn them off altogether, there's no way to make a single tap do nothing. Also no way to make touch and hold do nothing. And because they're super sensitive to touch, this means that every time you do touch them (to adjust them in your ears for instance) the music will pause or the noise cancellation will change modes, because the buds think you're single tapping or touch holding. And let's face it, no matter how well earbuds fit, they tend to need occasional fiddling. On the QC model, you can opt for a single touch or a touch and hold to do nothing. Meaning you have to double or triple tap to pause/play, skip tracks, etc (but only if you decide to set it up this way). Why Bose made the decision to change how the tap controls operate on the Ultras is baffling to me. This may not matter to a lot of people, but for me it was a deal breaker for the Ultras and I returned them and went with the QCs. Sound quality is still excellent and I can't tell the difference in the effectiveness of noise cancellation. The QCs don't have as many bells and whistles but at least I don't get the urge to throw them across the room.
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QC vs QC Ultra is pretty simple. Comes down to 1. design preference, 2. materials, 3. do you have the extra money to spend, 4. do you care about immersive audio and some new bells, 5. Do you care about the weight of the headphones ANC is pretty close in both. My preference is ultra because headphones are once in a few years purchase and I like to get the best possible one they offer. You can order both from Bose, try them for week, return them and get from Bestbuy after.
Michael Fil
michaelfil.com › blog › bose-quiet-comfort-ultra-vs-bose-qc-35-ii-review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Bose QuietComfort 35 II: Why new isn’t always better — Michael Fil
May 20, 2025 - The QC 35 II had the Bose Connect app and the Ultra uses a new app. I didn’t care much for the original one, but the new one is painfully slow to react to inputs, particularly when it comes to volume. I don’t feel like there is much use for the added noise-cancellation modes and the gimmicky mode where the sound follows you. Just let me choose between ANC, no ANC, and strength of ANC. The photos above are of my original Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › bose quietcomfort vs quietcomfort ultra
r/bose on Reddit: Bose QuietComfort vs QuietComfort Ultra
January 4, 2025 -
Hi! I’m a female college student looking to invest in a pair of Bose headphones. I’ve never owned any headphones before, only the Apple AirPods, so I’m not very experienced or knowledgeable about headphones. The AirPods I have aren’t noise canceling and they tend to make my ears hurt after about 45 mins of wear which is pretty annoying.
I’ve been looking into buying the Bose headphones based on recommendations from friends and reviews I’ve read online, but wasn’t sure if I should spend the extra money for the Ultras.
I’m mainly focused on noise canceling and comfort, since I tend to spend hours in the library, cafes, and other study spots on campus. Sound quality isn’t that big of a deal for me, but I’ve heard Bose is good in that aspect too.
What do you all recommend? I was thinking of just going with the basic QuietComfort headphones because there doesn’t seem to be enough justification to splurge on the more expensive Ultras but would love your thoughts!
Top answer 1 of 5
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I went and tried both of them on yesterday at best but - they feel very similar on the head and both felt super comfortable. I’m probably going with the QC just because they go on sale and have purple :)
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Just ordered the quietcomfort sc myself after many reviews. Anc isn't much better on the ultra and they cost so much more. Just not worth it and you get better controls (buttons).
What Hi-Fi?
whathifi.com › headphones
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: what are the differences? | What Hi-Fi?
February 13, 2025 - These latest models replace the previous QuietComfort 45 and Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones respectively, and between them introduce a streamlined design, upgraded noise cancelling technology and new features including spatial audio.
Good Housekeeping
goodhousekeeping.com › product reviews › tech reviews › bose quietcomfort vs quietcomfort ultra: which noise-cancelling headphones are best?
Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Bose QuietComfort headphones
June 17, 2024 - The difference here isn’t as ... extensively testing both pairs of headphones is that the Ultra headphones offer better noise-cancellation than the default model....
RTINGS.com
rtings.com › home › headphones
Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 vs QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless: Which Headphones Are Better? - RTINGS.com
April 5, 2016 - While both models look similar, there are a couple of changes. The Ultra are better built and have a different control scheme with a volume slider. They also have CustomTune technology, which automatically adjusts their sound, and noise cancelling ...
Tom's Guide
tomsguide.com › audio › headphones › over-ear headphones
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: Which should you buy? | Tom's Guide
July 24, 2025 - They're $100 cheaper than the Ultra Headphones, but feature comparable sound and noise canceling. You might miss out on some of the fun extras, like Immersive Sound, but that's all sacrificed at the altar of affordability.
What Hi-Fi?
whathifi.com › headphones › wireless earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) vs QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: which are best?
August 8, 2025 - ... Bluetooth: 5.3 (SBC, AAC) Noise-cancelling: Yes Wireless charging: Yes Battery life: 8.5hrs (+21hrs from charging case) Weight 8.5g (per earbud) The QuietComfort Earbuds offer a lot of bang for your buck – they have a longer battery life ...
Bose
bose.com › home › headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones | Bose
Quiet Mode engages full noise cancellation so you can focus. Aware Mode feels as if you aren’t wearing headphones at all. ... Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is rated 4.5 out of 5 by 923.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/earbuds › bose quietcomfort vs bose qc ultra
r/Earbuds on Reddit: Bose QuietComfort vs Bose QC Ultra
February 14, 2025 -
I need some new earbuds. Noise cancelling is very important as I wear these while operating tractors. And sound quality is extremely important to me. I build and tune musical instruments (steel pans) so I’m a pretty critical listener. My music is mostly Sirius XM Deep Tracks, Classic Vinyl, Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure, Dave Matthews, Bob Marley channels.
I’m thinking of getting Bose QuietComfort Ultra, but for $100 less I could get the plain vanilla QuietComfort. The only difference looks like the “immersion” sound. I listened to the demo on the Bose website, played through my Sony WF-C700N earbuds, and the immersion mode seems like someone was just playing with the balance (L-R) control. Did I miss something? Is the immersion mode just an expensive gimmick?
Top answer 1 of 4
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Immersion mode is just Bose’s gimmick of “upscaling” stereo audio to fake surround sound. It’s terrible and only makes the music sound worse. If those are your only option, get the standard QC earbuds and not the Ultra. The app for the regular QC is made by a different company and isn’t plagued by the issues in the app for the Ultra, which causes connectivity problems. If you have an iPhone, you should look at the AirPods Pro 2. Similar ANC, a more neutral sound signature, better microphones for calls and transparency, and better wireless stability. They’re going for $170 right now and are worth it over Bose, so long as they fit your ears. I would even suggest the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 if you have an Android phone. They’re great except for their ANC being just ok. Same with the Pixel Buds Pro 2, just ok ANC and you need Android to take full advantage of them. Lastly, there’s the Sony WF-1000XM5 or LinkeBuds Fit. The XM5 have better ANC due to their superior isolation, but both are close to each other. Sony tends to be a bit more bass heavy, but you can EQ it down or up. Bose has just made buggy earbuds for the last 5-6 years and focus on their celebrity endorsements and adds more than their audio products. They’ve changed apps a few times and now have a different company making the app (and it’s theorized they’re also making the QC earbuds) because Bose wasn’t competent to do it.
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The regular quietcomfort earbuds are better. Longer battery life. Similar sound but the regular ones have a 5 band EQ to adjust it vs only 3 bands in the ultra. The regular quietcomfort earbuds have wireless charging and more customizable controls. ANC between the two are similar and both excellent. The regular quietcomfort earbuds also has better microphones for calls. The regular quietcomfort earbuds also has an always listening voice assistant while the ultra doesn’t.
SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › bose quietcomfort ultra earbuds (2nd gen) vs bose quietcomfort ultra earbuds: seeing double?
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: Seeing double? - SoundGuys
July 22, 2025 - In my testing, both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) and the original QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds effectively block out a wide range of ambient noises, including traffic, airplane engines, and office chatter to a virtually identical degree...
Amazon
amazon.com › Bose-QuietComfort-Wireless-Cancelling-Headphones › dp › B0CCZ1L489
Amazon.com: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless Headphones with Spatial Audio, Over Ear Noise Cancelling with Mic, Up to 24 Hours of Playtime, Black : Electronics
SPATIAL AUDIO HEADPHONES: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones with spatial audio give you an immersive experience that makes music feel more real; CustomTune technology offers personalized sound, shaped to you · NOISE CANCELING HEADPHONES: These wireless noise cancelling headphones feature Quiet Mode, Aware Mode and Immersion Mode, which combines full noise cancellation and Bose Immersive Audio
RecordingNow
recordingnow.com › blog › bose-quietcomfort-45-vs-ultra
Bose QuietComfort 45 vs Ultra: 2025 Comparison
May 1, 2025 - Bose QuietComfort Ultra has slightly better comfort and much superior audiophile sound quality than the Bose QC45. The older Bose QC45 is still competitive when it comes to comfort, noise cancelling performance, and build quality.