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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 - Both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Headphones are constructed mainly of plastic and protein leather (whatever the hell that means), with very understated design choices. Both are light, coming in at 253 and 240 grams ...
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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: No Battery life: 6hrs (+18hrs from charging case) Weight: 6.2g (per earbud) Thanks to their peerless noise cancellation and very good sound quality, the Ultra are some of the ...
People also ask

Are the ear cups on Bose QuietComfort Ultra and QuietComfort headphones replaceable?

The ear pads are replaceable, but the ear cups aren’t. You can find replacement pads on online retailers’ sites or the Bose site in your country.

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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 ...
What is immersive audio for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Bose QuietComfort 45?

Immersive audio mode shifts your stereo image so that the sound is coming from in front of you. This mode also has head-tracking, so if you move, the area the sound is coming from stays locked while you essentially hear the audio piping in from different angles. Alternatively, you can turn this off, and the effect won’t change depending on your location.

The audio quality declines a bit, as shown below, for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

In all, spatial audio (or immersive audio, depending on who’s talking) still has some ways to go, as sometimes the channel balance being off can diminish the effectiveness of surround sound.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones vs bose quietcomfort 45
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort 45 - SoundGuys
Can you sweat in Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and QuietComfort 45 headphones?

Neither headphones come with an ingress protection (IP) rating against sweat (or dust, for that matter). So you’re best off avoiding gyms with the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and QuietComfort 45.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones vs bose quietcomfort 45
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort 45 - SoundGuys
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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
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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.
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PCMAG
pcmag.com › home › comparisons › audio › headphones
Big-Time Bose Battle: QuietComfort Ultra vs. QuietComfort Headphones | PCMag
November 22, 2024 - The QuietComfort Headphones are $349 and come in Black, Cypress Green, Moonstone Blue (also a Bose.com exclusive), or White Smoke. ... When it comes to price and color variety, there's a clear winner here, as the QuietComfort Headphones cost $80 less than the QuietComfort Ultra and come in an extra variant.
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RecordingNow
recordingnow.com › blog › bose-quietcomfort-vs-quietcomfort-ultra
Bose QuietComfort vs QuietComfort Ultra: Honest Review
April 1, 2025 - For a $400+ headphone, the Ultra has a slightly questionable amount of plastic, but they do use metal in the most important places like the hinges (take note, Sony XM5). The regular QuietComfort has roughly same design as all the way back to the QC35, but it’s sturdy and reliable. I think Sony’s XM4 even copied this design with success. I think both headphones look good and sleek, but I’m really loving the Cypress Green colorway on this regular Bose QuietComfort 2023 model.
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What Hi-Fi?
whathifi.com › headphones
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: what are the differences? | What Hi-Fi?
February 13, 2025 - There's a fair price difference between the two pairs, so if you're wondering what you would be missing out on by opting for the most affordable one, this is the article for you. Below we compare the QuietComfort and QuietComfort Ultra for specs and features. Today's best Bose QuietComfort Headphones and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones deals
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › quietcomfort new vs ultra
r/bose on Reddit: QuietComfort New vs Ultra
September 18, 2023 -

Have there been any comparisons between the two new models of QC headphones?

From Bose's FAQ:

Bose QuietComfort Headphones:

  • deliver high-fidelity audio performance and world-class noise cancellation

QuietComfort Ultra Headphones:

  • most premium design

  • most advanced technologies

  • the best Bose listening experience in a headphone

  • our best headphone noise cancellation

  • audio quality personalised with CustomTune

  • voice pickup

  • other premium features

That anyone would drop £100 extra on a vague promise of "premium features" is beyond me.

Has anyone collated all the differences we know about so we can compare them directly?

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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 - In terms of overall build and design, the QuietComfort Ultra headphones undoubtedly feel more premium, but some may prefer the lightweight construction of the QuietComfort headphones. Both headphones utilize Bose’s app, which is straightforward and easy to use, although it occasionally experiences issues with pairing.
Find elsewhere
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SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones vs bose quietcomfort 45
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Bose QuietComfort 45 - SoundGuys
April 30, 2025 - The QuietComfort 45 can fold down as well. Plus, the lineage is clear as the QuietComfort 45 wear easily for long periods of time. Even the weight of 240 g gets quite close to the QuietComfort Ultra.
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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 QuietComfort headphones are enough for most people, while the upgraded Ultra pair sounds better, cancels more noise and is slightly more comfortable. Here are the specifications and pros and cons for each pair. ... The design of the QuietComfort headphones is quite reminiscent of older Bose designs, having an almost identical look to the QuietComfort 45, SE and 35.
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RecordingNow
recordingnow.com › blog › bose-quietcomfort-ultra-review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Review: WORTH IT in 2025?
June 3, 2025 - The Ultra carries on this tradition, and is one of the lightest headphones tested, only slightly heavier than the Sony XM4/XM5, and “little brother” QC45: ... As you can tell from the list above, the Momentum 4 and the Apple AirPods Max, ...
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RTINGS.com
rtings.com › home › headphones
Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 vs QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless: Which Headphones Are Better? - RTINGS.com
April 5, 2016 - The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless have the edge over the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. 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 ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/bose › quietcomfort or ultra?
r/bose on Reddit: Quietcomfort or Ultra?
May 24, 2024 -

Hoping the community can help with some simple insight. I’m currently rocking the corded QC25 that I’ve had for the past ~10 years. Looking to upgrade to either the quietcomfort or the quietcomfort ultra and would appreciate any guidance.

Trade-in program would get me the ultras for about $320 whereas the quietcomfort are on sale for $250 right now. I wouldn’t consider myself an audiophile but do fly for work about once a month, so quality noise cancelling is top of my list. Anything special about the ultras worth the extra $70? Clearly I don’t upgrade my headphones that often, so want to ensure I get a solid set that will last awhile. Appreciate any insight!

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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!

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SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › wireless earbuds › bose quietcomfort earbuds (2024) vs bose quietcomfort ultra earbuds: which bose earbuds should you buy?
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2024) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: Which Bose earbuds should you buy? - SoundGuys
October 10, 2024 - The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds come in purple, if you’re feeling funky. Since the QuietComfort Earbuds no longer have a protruding stem design, they are slightly smaller and lighter than the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. In terms of comfort, we found both are on about equal terms, as we could wear either for hours at a time.
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Bose
bose.com › home › headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones | Bose
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the perfect audiophile headphones, with both noise cancelling and Immersive Audio technology.
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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 - The Ultra have more metal in their build, and the QuietComfort are lighter as a result. Both are supremely comfortable — you won't be disappointed with either. ... Sony WH-1000XM6 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones — this is the pair you should buy for Black Friday
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Tom's Guide
tomsguide.com › audio › headphones
Bose QC Ultra Headphones vs. Bose QC Headphones: What's the difference? | Tom's Guide
October 19, 2023 - Bose surprised us with two new over-ear headphone releases for 2023. While most of the attention has gone to the masterfully engineered QuietComfort Ultra Headphones as the flagship successor to the Bose 700, it turns out that it also released a replacement for the QC45 simply called the Bose ...
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SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bose quietcomfort ultra headphones review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review - SoundGuys
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a departure for Bose, as they don’t seek to reinvent the wheel or catch every eye on the street. Typically, headphones that represent the top-of-the-line have some metal construction or flashy design, but these don’t. And it’s a good thing, too, because metal adds weight... Bose's new top-of-the-line headphones are a welcome upgrade over past models.
Rating: 8.2/10 ​