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.

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.

Background: My Experience with Gen 1 I'm a huge fan of the Bose QC Ultra headphones Gen 1. I've been using them almost daily for a year now, primarily for their excellent noise cancellation. The comfort is outstanding. I can wear them all day without any discomfort or ear pressure. When you put them on, there's a light hissing sound as the noise cancellation kicks in, effectively blocking out ambient noise.

When I saw Gen 2 was available, I immediately ordered them and received them today. I was excited to experience what I hoped would be an even better version of this already excellent product.

Gen 2: First Impressions The Gen 2 arrived in almost identical packaging. Same box design, same audio and USB-C cables, and same hard case. Visually, I think the new version looks slightly better, and I didn't notice any difference in weight. Setting them up in the Bose app felt familiar, with similar options and settings as Gen 1.

The Problem: Inconsistent Noise Cancelling Here's where things get interesting (and disappointing). When switching from Aware mode to Quiet mode, the Gen 2's noise cancellation is initially significantly better than Gen 1. There's less hissing, and the noise reduction is impressive.

However, something strange happens over the next 30-60 seconds: the noise cancellation effectiveness gradually decreases. After about a minute, I found the noise cancelling actually worse than Gen 1. I tested this repeatedly with consistent background noise (tapping on wood, conversations) and the pattern was always the same. Excellent initial performance that degrades to below-Gen 1 levels. Even the hissing sound fades during this transition.

Every time I switched back to Aware mode and then to Quiet mode again, this cycle repeated: strong initial noise cancellation followed by gradual degradation.

Unexpected Discovery: The "Clap Reset" I discovered something odd: clapping my hands a few times near my face while wearing the Gen 2s seems to "reset" the noise cancellation. The effectiveness immediately improves before gradually declining again. This suggests the adaptive noise cancellation algorithm might be malfunctioning.

Comfort Concerns Unlike the Gen 1s, which I can wear comfortably all day, the Gen 2s create more noticeable ear pressure. This could potentially improve with break-in time, but it was immediately apparent.

Conclusion Despite the Gen 2's potential for superior noise cancellation, the inconsistent performance and reduced comfort made me prefer my Gen 1s. It feels like a software calibration issue that could potentially be fixed with a firmware update.

I've decided to return the Gen 2s for now and stick with my reliable Gen 1s. I'm hoping Bose addresses these issues because the hardware seems promising.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues with the Gen 2s? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

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.

As someone who has owned multiple Bose headphone models, a SoundTouch 30, a SoundLink Mini, and several Sonos products including the Beam Gen 2, Era 300, and Sub Mini, I’ve spent considerable time comparing both ecosystems head-to-head. This review is based entirely on personal use and tailored to the genres I listen to most—Pop, Jazz, Classical, Crooners, and Musicals—all of which demand clarity, separation, and strong midrange performance.

Both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 1) and Sonos Ace offer premium listening experiences, each with its own strengths and clear limitations.

⸻

Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 1): Huge Soundstage, Demands EQ

The Gen 1 QC Ultra immediately checks all the comfort and build-quality boxes. The materials feel premium, they’re exceptionally comfortable, and the ANC remains among the strongest available today. Despite that, the out-of-box sound tuning on the Gen 1 model is surprisingly underwhelming.

Without EQ, the Gen 1 QC Ultra sounds: • Flat and somewhat lifeless • Overly bass-heavy, to the point of being intrusive • Midrange-light, especially noticeable with vocal-heavy genres

Treble is pleasant, but the mids lack energy, and the unrefined bass can make the presentation feel unbalanced. You simply don’t get the emotional warmth you’d expect from crooners, jazz standards, or classic musical theater.

With EQ, however, the Gen 1 QC Ultra comes alive. My preferred settings—Bass -5, Mids +2, Treble +4—tighten the low end and make the entire sound signature more expressive. Once properly tuned: • The soundstage opens dramatically, one of the widest in the wireless category • Instrument separation sharpens noticeably • Virtually every genre benefits

Even with EQ, the mids never become a standout, but the overall presentation becomes balanced, detailed, and immensely enjoyable. For a versatile, all-purpose headphone, the Gen 1 QC Ultra adapts extremely well.

⸻

Sonos Ace: Warm, Detailed, Comfortable—but Not Always Consistent

The Sonos Ace delivers outstanding comfort—lightweight, premium, and nearly weightless during long sessions. For Sonos users, Audio Swap and TrueCinema are standout features that dramatically enhance late-night viewing and general home theater use.

Musically, the Ace offers a strong foundation: • Controlled, well-behaved bass • Warm, full mids that make vocals shine • Sharper treble that sometimes needs EQ

My preferred tuning—Treble +2, Bass -2, Loudness Off—helps balance things out and adds clarity.

Where the Sonos Ace Struggles

One of the clearest weaknesses is how the Ace handles older tracks. On vintage pop, early jazz recordings, or older Broadway and Hollywood numbers, the Ace can sound clogged or slightly muddled, especially if the original mastering wasn’t clean to begin with.

The natural warmth of the Ace helps modern recordings shine, but with older material: • Instrument separation can collapse • Vocals and background elements blend too closely • The narrower soundstage exaggerates the compression

Compared to the QC Ultra (Gen 1) with proper EQ, the Sonos Ace simply isn’t as consistent across decades or mastering styles.

⸻

Where Each One Falls Short

Bose QC Ultra (Gen 1) — Cons • Out-of-the-box tuning is flat, mid-light, and overly bassy • Bass is loose until EQ’d • Mids remain the weakest area even after tuning • Requires EQ to reach its full potential

Sonos Ace — Cons • Treble can be too sharp without adjustment • Soundstage is narrower than Bose’s • Best features depend on owning a Sonos soundbar • Older tracks can sound clogged or muddled • Genre consistency varies more than Bose

⸻

If I Could Only Keep One

Even though I own both and use them for different purposes, if I had to choose only one, I would choose the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 1).

Once EQ’d, they offer a level of consistency the Sonos Ace doesn’t always match. They avoid muddiness across all genres, maintain wide and natural instrument separation, and handle both modern and older recordings extremely well. They also adapt beautifully to music, films, and general streaming.

And considering these are the first-generation Ultras, which already deliver roughly 90% of the performance of the Gen 2 model, the value is even stronger.

⸻

Final Thoughts

The Sonos Ace excels in comfort, warmth, and cinematic immersion, but can falter with older or more compressed tracks. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 1), while requiring EQ and offering weaker mids, ultimately provides the broader, more reliable, and more spacious listening experience.

Neither is flawless—but depending on your listening habits, one will stand out as the clear winner.

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=

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.

Dear all,

How's your experiences with the gen 1 update? For me the call clarity has improved a lot..even while walking beside a street with cars. But I have the impression that the noise cancelling has lessened somehow? I could hear children talking on the train, my luggage trolley clattering on the floor.. how are your experiences?

Hello!

I am looking at getting some earbuds for use during at a few different times. And I've never owned a pair of wireless earbuds before, so not sure what the right choice is for me.

I will be using them for multiple things:

• During walks

• In the garden doing a bit of garden work

• At work

• During travel (primarily airplane)

So a few things are important to me:

• ANC, since I will be using them for travel to watch TV shows etc this is a big one.

• Fit, as wireless earbuds are new to me, one fear is having a pair that falls out of my ear constantly.

• Sound quality, this is obviously important, as im not exactly looking at budget choices, but the two above are more important

I have been looking mainly at the Bose QuietComfort Ulta Earbuds, since my girlfriends has had a couple of Bose headsets and the noise cancelling has always been great.

I am however also seeing alternatives, and earbuds like the Sony WF-1000XM5 are also getting some high praise in most reviews.

So basically looking for advise if the Bose's are a good match for my demands or if I should be looking at something else like the Sony earbuds?

The QC Ultra Gen 2 over-ear just dropped… and let’s be real: the “upgrades” (USB-C audio, better mic, more solid immersive/cinema mode, stable connection) are not really new features. They’re literally the stuff Gen 1 should have had from day one.

It feels like Bose has been making a habit of this lately — pushing out incomplete products (just look at their TWS earbuds history), then charging us again for the “fixed” version one and half year later.

And the worst part? No trade-in, no loyalty discount, nothing. For people who already spent full price on Gen 1, offering like $80–$100 off would be the least Bose could do. Instead, early adopters just get punished for trusting the brand.

I have had QC1 earbuds since October 2020. They have gotten a ton of hours of use, and I have really enjoyed them. I just got my new ultra earbuds yesterday, and I am feeling disappointed. The ANC seems superior in the QC1 earbuds compared to the Ultras. Sitting in a relatively quiet room with a ceiling fan on, both are able to remove the fan noise, but the Ultras have a persistent static sound like they are "on". The QC1s are dead silent. I also tend to get more ANC chirps from the ultras than I do from the QC1s.

Listening to music also seems to sound more natural on the QC1s. The spacial stuff is a neat effect, but it pulls the music away to be too distant for my tastes, so I turned it off.

Is anyone else having this issue? I tried all the different fitment tips with no improvement.

I can honestly say the ultras look wayyy better than the QC1s, but I was hoping for better quality too. Am I missing something here?

Happy Friday, we're (rtings) going through validation for the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds Gen2 and figured we'd share some findings.

Frequency Response

Noise Isolation (full range, pink noise)

Fun fact: we saw some suggestions to just switch the slider to the middle to simulate anc-off. Sadly, it's not actually the same as ANC off, we had to drain the battery for accurate passive isolation measurements. This also likely has implications for battery life (if you want to squeeze some extra time out of the charge, you can't truly disable ANC). We definitely want to see Bose add a toggle here.

Microphone (spoiler: there are improvements to noise handling)

Can't add audio to the post, so I'll have to link out here:

No noise in background: gen1 vs gen2 (i kind of prefer the gen1 without noise tbh)

Pink noise in background: gen1 vs gen2

Subway arrival in background: gen1 vs gen2

Obviously, this'll get changed up again on Sept 4 when Bose brings SpeechClarity to the Gen 1, which means the one major point of improvement might have the gap shrink.

See Ya

Is there anything you'd like us to look into further (outside what we normally review)? With this info, do you think it's worth it?

After the Bose QuietComfort EarBuds II (2 pieces) and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra EarBuds (I also had 2 pieces), I purchased the new generation of Bose QuietComfort Ultra EarBuds a week ago. The newest model finally doesn't have the more or less noticeable mosquito sound in the left earcup like I had with previous generations. I don't have connection issues, but I didn't have this problem with the earlier headphones either. I use the buds primarily with my S25 Ultra phone.

For me I was never really bothered about phone calls and wireless charging… the ANC will be better but what will really change? The ANC is the usp for this product for me and I’m not sure buying this next gen, at least right now is worth the money for me.

What about you?

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 have a question, what equalizer settings do you recommend? The default one is lacking detail and too bassy. Thank you.

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!

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.