Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) review: These headphones give Sony a run for its money

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How do you convince yourself to pay $400+ for a pair of headphones that look and operate almost identically to the previous generation? That’s a question I hope to answer, and a question Bose hopes its latest flagship headphones will answer based on their performance alone.

Also: I tested Sony and Bose’s best headphones for months – how my buying advice has changed in 2026

I spent months now working, traveling, and lounging in the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 2), which I’ll refer to as the QC Ultra 2, searching for how Bose spent two years making them more “ultra” than their predecessor. Without major upgrades to design, speaker drivers, or noise cancellation performance, I’ll have to dig deep.

It’s easy to position the Sony WH-1000XM6 as QC Ultra 2’s direct competitor, but I wonder: are the QC Ultra 2 competing with their predecessors as much as they are with other brands? Let’s find out.

Same look, smarter details

The QC Ultra 2’s defining theme is that they don’t attempt to rewrite Bose’s legacy; rather, they refine it. They look identical to the first generation, except for the yokes, which swap a matte aluminum finish for a shiny, polished metal finish. 

The QC Ultra 2’s earcups are slightly shallower than those of their predecessor, which can cause fit issues for people with larger heads and ears. Otherwise, the look, feel, and fit of the QC Ultra 2 don’t bring notable changes, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

More significant upgrades lie in the smaller details, including USB-C audio support, available at up to 16-bit/44.1kHz or 48kHz. Thus, the QC Ultra 2 are better suited for gaming or more faithful listening than the first generation. Unlike the Sonos Ace and Apple AirPods Max, the QC Ultra 2 retain their 3.5mm headphone jack, which is great news for frequent flyers. And unlike the Sony XM6, which do not support USB-C audio, you can listen through the QC Ultra 2’s USB-C port, even while charging them.

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Although USB-C audio support in 2025 feels more like an expectation than a new feature to celebrate, it rounds out the QC Ultra 2’s audio capabilities.

Beauty is in the ears of the beholder

The QC Ultra 2 have a great sound profile if you like an exaggerated bass response, slightly decreased mids, and louder treble. It lends itself well to reproducing basslines and front-and-center vocals in pop tracks, such as One Direction’s “Stockholm Syndrome,“ and ’90s rap, like Craig Mack’s “Flava in Ya Ear.” 

Also: I listened to Sony and Bose’s flagship earbuds in 2026 – and the winner came down to this

Conversely, the QC Ultra 2 aren’t as strong with layered, ambient post-rock like Ben Howard’s “Time Is Dancing.” Songs with more subtle musical textures aren’t as easy to hear, but decreasing the bass helps. Overall, the QC Ultra 2’s tuning is warmer and more spacious-sounding, delivering an extended, tighter bass response than the first generation. Their sound should be fun for most people.

Bose continues on with its version of spatial audio, Immersive Audio, and introduces a new spatial tuning for podcasts, TV shows, movies, and other dialogue-heavy media. The feature works — you can hear your media expand around your head. Personally, I’d rather that Bose embrace Dolby Atmos support instead.

Still the ANC gold standard

Bose’s marketing conveys to me that noise cancellation is no longer regarded as a feature of a pair of headphones — it’s a lifestyle choice. Noise cancellation doesn’t solely mute the world around you, but helps you create a private listening space when you’re in public. 

Bose leans into this philosophy, as noise-canceling upgrades aren’t at the forefront of the headphones’ release. Despite little fanfare around noise cancellation improvements, the QC Ultra 2 are slightly better at canceling noise than their predecessor. Additionally, the QC Ultra 2’s ANC better encompasses higher-pitched noises, such as keyboard clicks, and lower-pitched noises, like the rumble of an airplane engine, than the first generation.

When the headphones’ active noise cancellation (ANC) is engaged, even when no audio is playing, there’s virtually no noise floor. That feat is highly impressive and on par with Sony’s WH-1000XM6. The difference between Sony’s and Bose’s latest-gen ANC is negligible; you’ll have to find another category to help you pick one brand over the other.

Also: I tried Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds’ AI noise cancelling, and can’t go back to regular ANC

Bose also refined its AI-powered adaptive noise cancellation feature, ActiveSense. This feature maintains transparency mode and activates noise cancellation when the environment becomes too loud. ActiveSense is my favorite feature on the QC Ultra Earbuds 2, and it works just as well on the headphones. 

The best feature is the most unexpected

To me, the standout feature of the QC Ultra 2 is their improved power management. Along with increasing the battery life from 24 hours on the first generation to 30 hours on the second, Bose also rendered its product’s power button obsolete.

You can use the headphones’ power button to turn them on and off, but it’s not necessary. Instead, you can take the headphones off your head and lay them flat — earcups up or down — and they’ll immediately disconnect from your devices, disable Bluetooth, and begin conserving power. Simply put them back on and they’re ready to go.

Also: Bose just did what Apple couldn’t with the QuietComfort Ultra headphones – and I’m sold

I love this feature because power buttons on headphones are the bane of my existence. If you don’t press the button long enough, the headphones won’t turn off, but if you press it for too long, they’ll enter pairing mode. You have to time your long press perfectly to get your headphones to cooperate.

Bose’s power-up was particularly confusing and malfunctioning, causing the company to deliver the first-gen QC Ultra’s only firmware update to address the issue specifically. To me, not needing to use the power button at all is a lifesaver.

A companion app done right

Many headphone brands are notoriously known for their lackluster companion apps. Glitchy features and boring user interfaces keep me away from them. Bose’s app is the best, offering a reliable, enjoyable, aesthetically pleasing, and easy-to-use experience. 

The app highlights the QC Ultra 2’s improved customization features, offering users the ability to turn off the headphones’ touch control strip, one of my least favorite features from the first-gen QC Ultra. I’ve always believed that the touch strip’s bottom-right earcup placement is awkward, and its minimal real estate is ripe for accidental control triggers. You can now also completely disable ANC, which was previously impossible with Bose’s headphones.

The only issue I have with Bose’s app is its limited equalizer. Instead of allowing users to adjust the headphones’ EQ by frequency bands, Bose only offers increases and decreases to general bass, mids, and treble without specific, granular, quantifiable measures.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Bose QC Ultra 2 deliver subtle upgrades to the headphones’ noise cancellation, design, sound profile, power management, and user customization. They’re not a particularly exciting second-generation release that pulls headlines. Instead, Bose doubles down on what it does best, offering minor yet meaningful refinements to address its few blind spots.

If you already have the first-gen QC Ultra, keep them until the wheels fall off, or wait for what Bose does next, which could be a larger product overhaul. If you have the Bose NC700, QuietComfort 35, or 45, and they’re at the end of their road, the QC Ultra 2 would be a significant upgrade for you.

Also: Are the Sonos Ace still worth it in 2026? I’ve tested dozens of headphones, and it’s a resounding yes

Briefly, between Sony and Bose, Bose delivers a more stylish design, less cheap-feeling plastic build materials, a more relaxed fit, and USB-C audio. However, Bose’s sound profile heavily leans toward warmth and softened treble to account for strong ANC processing and long-term listening sessions, particularly when traveling or working.

Sony’s sound profile is also warm, but its equalizer allows more personalization. The WH-1000XM6 have a tighter bass response, clearer mids, sharper treble, and a more spacious soundstage. Its sound is more analytical, but it can become fatiguing after a few hours of listening.