Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs QC Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): what's different?

A new pair of Bose noise-cancelling wireless earbuds is always big news, especially when they're the follow-up to the best noise-cancelling earbuds around, the five-star QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (now 1st Gen).

Bose's new flagship – the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) – may sound like a refresh rather than an entirely new model, but there are plenty of reasons to stay excited for the new premium buds.

Improvements include more advanced noise cancellation, better call quality and the addition of wireless charging. Let's dig into the details of what's new and what's remained the same between the two models.

Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): price

The original QC Ultra Earbuds launched at £300 / $299 / AU$450 in September 2023, but have since come down in price to around £219 / $229 / AU$299.

The next-gen sequel has the same launch price, and it's very welcome to have no price rise after two years for a new product.

For even better news, we would expect the original pair's price to drop even further now that the 2nd Gen models are available, especially around sales time.

Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): design and build

The first thing you notice about the QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) model is the new colourway. A rather natty 'Deep Plum' limited edition finish joins the existing Black and White Smoke of the 1st Gen model.

But it's not the only design change.

The ear tips now feature a guard to prevent a buildup of earwax, "making it easier to capture and remove earwax after prolonged use." Not only will this stop it from harming the sound quality, says Bose, but it will also be more hygienic.

Other than that, the earbuds are unchanged from the originals. Which is no bad thing. We called the originals "first-rate" in terms of comfort and fit, with super soft ear tips with support bands among the most comfortable and unobtrusive models around.

Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): features

You get a couple of new features to go with the new finish and the new wax-catching ear tips on the Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen).

Wireless charging is now supported, which was one of our main criticisms of the original QC Ultra Earbuds. And you can toggle the capacitive touch controls off in the app, so you won't accidentally activate them when adjusting your glasses or brushing a strand of hair behind your ear.

The active noise cancellation (ANC) is also more sophisticated, which we'll cover in the next section.

Other than that, you get the same feature set as the original, including Immersive Audio, which is Bose's own take on spatial audio. There is Bluetooth multipoint for seamless switching between two connected sources, and the same Bluetooth 5.3 brings the same suite of codecs, including SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive, as well as Google Fast Pair with compatible devices.

Battery life is also the same between the two generations of Ultra Earbuds: you get six hours (four with Immersive Audio activated) on a single charge, plus three extra charges from the charging case.

The accompanying Bose app lets you access Custom Modes, EQ adjustment, customisable shortcuts and more for both earbuds.

Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): ANC and call quality

The original QC Ultras are the best noise-cancelling earbuds we've tested, and the Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) aim to take the ANC performance one step further.

Thanks to an updated algorithm, ActiveSense (which optimises the noise cancellation depending on your surroundings) now adjusts more smoothly when compensating for sudden loud noises – so a passing siren shouldn't drown out your music, according to Bose.

There's also a new AI-powered noise suppression system that should improve call quality. It uses Bose's audio augmentation tech originally found in hearing aids to reduce background noises to focus on the speaker's voice.

If Bose can improve on these two areas in its new flagship ANC earbuds, we should be in for a treat. Of the first-gen QC Ultra Earbuds, we wrote in our review: "They’re able to take the noisiest environments, whether it's the rumble of heavy machinery as you walk past a building site or the loud chatter and sound system of a crowded pub, and reduce their impact quite dramatically."

But we did find that the earbuds occasionally enhanced sudden noises rather than suppress them, so here's hoping the new AI tech fixes this issue.

We'll update this section once we've reviewed the Ultra Earbuds (Gen 2) to see if Bose's claims hold up.

Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): sound

We're promised the "same iconic performance" from the QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), which we're taking to mean that the sound quality won't have changed. We are checking this with Bose as we speak, and will confirm if the new earbuds have the same driver as the previous model.

Again, that's no bad thing. The 1st Gen Ultra Earbuds have a richness and fullness to their performance, sounding punchier and a little clearer in their delivery than the older QuietComfort Earbuds II that they replaced.

Listening to Futures by Jimmy Eat World, we found the Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen) put their foot to the floor. "The drums and electric guitar burst onto the scene with a real sense of purpose and drive," we wrote.

"There’s a good sense of openness and spaciousness to the whole presentation and the lead vocal slots neatly in the middle. The edges of drum thwacks are clearly defined, and there’s a real sense of dynamism as Zach Lind makes his way around his kit."

Notes have sufficient depth and weight to really hit home, which makes for a musical, entertaining performance.

Look out for our upcoming review to see if the second-gen Bose Ultra Earbuds sound the same as the previous model.

Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) vs Ultra Earbuds (1st Gen): early verdict

With more advanced noise cancellation, wireless charging and boosted call quality, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) sound like a clear winner over the previous Ultra Earbuds model. But with further discounts likely, could the original pair be the smarter buy?

And can Bose's new flagships keep up with the other five-star premium wireless earbuds we've tested from B&W, Sony and Technics?

We'll update this guide following a full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) – stay tuned.

MORE:

Read our original Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds review

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Our guide to the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now