Bose took a different approach with its new products in 2025. Instead of entirely redesigning its QuietComfort Ultra lineup, the company unveiled upgraded second-generation models of the flagship-level earbuds and headphones. Like the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds that debuted earlier this year, the new Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones ($449) don’t offer a comprehensive overhaul. However, the changes provide enough performance improvements to further cement these as the best noise-canceling headphones that you can buy right now. Trust me, we’re much better off with this revamped version than we would be with a year (or longer) wait for something brand new with the 2023 model.
Bose – QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Bluetooth Headphones – Black
Comp. Value:$359.00
What’s new on the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?
Bose debuted a few new features on the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in August that it carried over to these new headphones. First, the company improved its already stellar active noise cancelation (ANC) with tweaks to its ActiveSense technology. Specifically, the system can respond to sudden spikes in environmental noise by adapting more precisely. It’s not something you’ll notice all the time, but when you need it, you’ll be glad it’s there. Otherwise, the excellent ANC performance here is just as effective as it was on the previous model. More on that in a bit.
The immersive Cinema Mode that Bose added to the QC Ultra Earbuds is also available on these headphones. It’s a sound profile that enhances dialogue clarity while keeping the rest of the soundstage as wide and enveloping as possible. I like it best for movies and TV, as the name suggests, but per Bose’s suggestion I also tried it with podcasts and audiobooks. Cinema Mode is probably overkill for those types of content, unless you’re listening to shows or titles with lots of background effects.
One of the biggest changes on the second-gen QC Ultra Headphones is how Bose decided to handle power management. Most importantly, the company extended battery life in all use cases. With ANC on (and Immersive Audio off), you’ll get up to 30 hours of listening time. Turn off ANC and that jumps to 45 hours. When you decide to enable both ANC and Bose’s spatial Immersive Audio, you can expect up to 23 hours on a charge. Compared to those on the first-generation model, all of these numbers are up by at least five hours, which is a significant boost.
Like the previous QC Ultra Headphones, this model has an automatic disconnection feature after 10 minutes of standby . But the company went a step further on this version by adding a low-power mode that the headphones enter after 30 minutes of idle time. And if you want to disconnect them quickly, you can rotate the earcups and lay them on a flat surface. That’ll make them go into a deeper standby mode that Bose says can run “for months.” All of this means you can effectively turn the new QuietComfort Ultra Headphones on and off by putting them on and
The main improvement in these headphones is that they now support lossless audio through USB-C. Like the AirPods Max, you can connect them with a cable to your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop to play higher-quality music from compatible services or your own collection. Bose says you can expect audio quality of 16-bit 44.1kHz or 48kHz, depending on where you’re playing from. This is another nice feature that many high-end wireless headphones now have.
What else is great about the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?
Like most Bose over-ear headphones, the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are very comfortable. You can wear them for a long time without discomfort, thanks to their soft ear pads. They’re perfect for long flights or full workdays at home.
The noise-canceling feature is excellent. These QC Ultra Headphones will soon take the place of the first-gen model on our list of the best noise-canceling headphones. Both the Immersion (which includes spatial audio) and Quiet (just noise-canceling) modes do a great job blocking noise, even better than those from Sony and Sennheiser. If you want the best noise cancellation, this is the right choice. They help reduce background noise like fans and sound machines, and they also do a good job with human voices. I couldn’t even hear my dog barking at leaves falling outside.
Bose’s spatial audio, called Immersive Audio, is also impressive. Unlike other headphones, it doesn’t need special content. When you activate this feature, music sounds fuller and a bit louder because of Bose’s way of enhancing stereo sound. Vocals are clearer, and instruments like drums and synthesizers sound better. The headphones make songs by Ruston Kelly feel more open and airy, with his voice blending nicely with the guitars and drums.
What’s not so great about the QC Ultra Headphones?
The biggest downside is the price. While other brands like Sony and Apple charge around the same for their top models, $449 is still a lot to spend. If that’s too high for you, Bose also offers the good QuietComfort Headphones for a lower price of $359.
One thing I don’t like is that the only real design change Bose made for the new QC Ultra Headphones is the shiny finish on the metal parts of the headband. Depending on what you like, this might be a dealbreaker. It’s less noticeable on the black and violet colors because they have a similar look. After using the bronze and tan Driftwood Sand color for a few weeks, I’m not a fan of its flashy style. It’s definitely eye-catching, but I would have preferred a simpler design.
In summary, like the second-gen QC Ultra Earbuds released in the summer, Bose didn’t make many big upgrades for the new QC Ultra Headphones. However, there is a noticeable improvement compared to the old version. They’ve made it easier to manage power and fixed one of my main issues with the original by adding support for high-quality audio through USB-C. The battery life is also much better in all sound modes, not just a little bit longer. Overall, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are still the best choice for blocking out noise, and that probably won’t change anytime soon.