Bose has recently revealed the second generation of its noise-cancelling wireless headphones, the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen). The release brings the headphones up to date with Bose’s flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), which were released at the end of last year.
Among the improvements made to the flagship model were enhanced ANC, more spatial audio features and even the option for wired listening via USB-C. Our expert review team awarded the QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) a solid four-star review, but they ultimately lost out on a fifth star due to steep competition at their premium price point.
Bose’s latest release sees many of the flagship’s features and technologies trickling down to the more affordable model, but there remains an appreciable price disparity between the two pairs.
If you’re wondering whether you’ll be losing out by opting for the cheaper pair, we've compared the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) by price, specs and features to see which might be the right headphones for you.
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen): price
- Ultra 2 costs more but are frequently discounted during sales
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) launched at £300 / $359 / AU$550, which is slightly less (for UK customers) than the previous standard Bose QuietComfort Headphones, which arrived at £350 / $350 / AU$549. You can now find the original model available at a significantly reduced price, typically costing around £179 / $240 at the time of writing.
The flagship Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), on the other hand, launched at £450 / $450 / AU$700, which was the same as their previous model in the UK, but $20 / AU$50 pricier in the US and Australia respectively.
Both models have seen discounts take up to £200 off their original price, but there has still tended to be a gap of around £100 between the flagship model and their more affordable counterparts.
At this price point, both headphones land in a seriously competitive bracket. The closest rivals to the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) are the five-star Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless (£330 / $400 / AU$749), while the QC Ultra (2nd Gen) are more expensive than the five-star Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones (£400 / $450 / AU$699) but more affordable than the Apple AirPods Max 2 (£499 / $549 / AU$999).
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen): design
- QuietComfort (2nd Gen) feature one more finish option
- Both pairs are foldable
- Ultra 2 feature a more premium design with polished metal materials
Both new models are foldable; a convenient design facet which isn’t always guaranteed at a premium level.
The QC Ultra (2nd Gen) are available in four finishes: Midnight Violet, Driftwood Sand, and Bose’s standard Black and White Smoke colourways. The QC (2nd Gen), on the other hand, come in the regular Black and White Smoke finishes, as well as three limited edition colourways: Eucalyptus Green, Dewdrop Mint and Rosewood Mauve.
We previously noted that the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) had more cushioning along the length of the headband compared to the standard model, as well as thicker earpads. However, according to Bose, the latest QC Headphones have been updated with a new headband, improved clamping force for a “secure fit”, and new oval-shaped earcups with plusher cushioning.
While we haven’t yet had a chance to try the QuietComfort (2nd Gen) Headphones ourselves, those changes sound like they might bring the cans almost up to speed with the QC Ultra (2nd Gen), which we described in our review as “one of the most comfortable wireless over-ear pairs for longer periods of wear that we’ve come across”.
Despite these changes, according to Bose the standard model hasn’t quite caught up with the Ultra in terms of overall design, with the Ultra featuring “a more premium elevated design featuring polished metal materials and more plush cushioning”.
A key technical difference between the two is the capacitive touch strip included on the second-gen Ultra Headphones, which can be used to control volume and customisable settings.
This feature still hasn’t been added to the second-gen QuietComfort Headphones, which have stuck to standard tactile buttons. Still, the latest generation QC Headphones do feature more customisable settings, such as EQ and ANC personalisation, available via the Bose App.
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen): battery & features
- Ultra 2 has a significantly longer battery life than the new standard QuietComfort (2nd Gen)
- Both headphones support spatial audio
The new QuietComfort Headphones have had their ANC boosted, employing several features available on the more expensive Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). Like the QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), the second-generation QC Headphones are also compatible with the Bose companion app.
When it comes to battery life, the second-gen QC Ultra Headphones take the lead with 45 hours of charge available with ANC switched off and 30 hours while it is engaged. This figure falls significantly, to just 23 hours, when Immersive modes are enabled (more on those later).
The QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), meanwhile, have a 24-hour battery life with ANC switched on, which falls to 18 hours with immersive modes enabled.
So what are these Immersive modes?
Immersive Audio is essentially Bose’s take on spatial audio, which was first implemented with the brand’s original QC Ultra Headphones from 2023. In our review of the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), we said we still “weren’t hugely convinced” by the spatial effects, finding the ‘Motion’ setting (which tracks sounds to your head movements) “a little distracting”.
‘Still’ and ‘Cinema’ modes, however, proved useful in certain situations, such as watching movies, but did limit dynamics when it came to playing music. Regardless of our opinion, all three Immersive modes are now available with both the standard and Ultra models.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) support Bluetooth 5.4 and standard AAC and SBC codecs, while also featuring Bluetooth Multipoint for connecting two devices simultaneously, and Google Fast Pair for Android users.
The QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) can do all of those, besides Google Fast Pair, but they also support aptX Adaptive codec, allowing hi-res wireless streaming up to 24-bit/96kHz from compatible sources.
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen): noise cancelling
- Ultra Headphones (2nd gen) have excellent ANC performance
- Many of the Ultra 2’s ANC features have been handed down to the QC Headphones (2nd Gen)
Given that Bose has built much of its reputation on its class-leading active noise cancelling technology, no side-by-side comparison would be complete without taking their ANC performance into account.
In our review of the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), we said that the headphones pulled ahead of class rivals for their “outright sound-blocking intensity… eliminating the deepest rumbles and the majority of mid-band hubbub we encounter on our daily travels." We were also pleased that the ‘Immersion’ mode allowed us to dial down the effect within the app, when we wanted a little less isolation.
Both of the latest models of QC Headphones feature Quiet and Aware modes in their ANC settings.
Quiet offers full-fat noise cancellation, while Aware offers a more transparent experience so that you can stay tuned into your surroundings. Both headphones also feature ActiveSense technology, which softens sudden noise spikes in the environment while using Aware mode, a feature we thought worked well when testing the QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
Between the first and second generations of the standard QuietComfort headphones, Bose says it has made subtle ANC improvements for users with glasses and included the option for ANC to be switched off. ANC adjustments for both models can be made within the Bose App.
As things stand, we know that the Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones have a class-leading ANC performance. We haven’t yet tested the QuietComfort (2nd Gen) model, but given that their ANC features have drawn closer to those of the Ultra, we are hoping they will reach a similarly high standard.
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen): sound
- Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) have an entertaining sound
- Ultra 2’s spatial audio settings can be hit and miss
- We haven’t yet tested the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen)
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) stepped into a formidable arena upon their release.
In our review, we said that, compared with their previous generation, the second-gen QC Ultra Headphones made “meaningful gains”, sounding “more solid and musically tighter and shedding a layer of excess richness”.
We also thought that the second-gen cans retained “the same pleasingly smooth, bass-rich character Bose has long favoured”, but found the headphones’ sonic signature to be “more insightful and precise than ever before.” So, undoubtedly, these headphones have plenty of charm.
However, the difficulty facing the second-generation Bose over-ears was that they were immediately pitted against Sony’s Award-winning WH-1000XM6, which we found were “categorically better sounding, and by a fair margin”. Pair these challengers with other sonically talented rivals like the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 or Sennheiser HDB 630, and we thought the Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) were a little left behind in an increasingly competitive market.
Further, the headphones' Immersive modes, while entertaining, worked better for some tracks than others – with Cinema mode working particularly well for movies – but primarily left us feeling somewhat distracted, particularly in Motion mode.
Because we haven’t put the new generation of the QuietComfort Headphones through our rigorous testing process, it is hard for us to speculate how Bose’s latest over-ears are going to sound.
According to Bose, the second generation retains the brand’s “high-quality sound and proprietary SoundDesign digital signal processing”, but the company hasn’t shared specifics about what improvements have been made between the generations.
As such, we’ll be keen to try these headphones as soon as our test pair arrives and will update this head-to-head accordingly.
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen): early verdict
We’ve tested the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones and awarded them a solid four-star review, noting their “up there with the best” noise cancellation, smart, folding design, effective spatial audio for movies and a punchy, entertaining sound.
Without having reviewed the new standard QC Headphones, it's hard for us to give a definitive answer about which model offers the best value, but with a raft of the Ultra 2’s upgrades set to be handed down to the standard model, the signs are promising. Stay tuned for a full review comparison in due course.
MORE:
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review
Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs Bose QC Ultra Headphones (1st Gen): which headphones are better?
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra Headphones: what are the differences?
