From Engadget · Billy Steele · · 2m
Bose QuietComfort 2nd gen: the smart upgrade
Bose borrowed the best Ultra features for its cheaper QuietComfort headphones and kept the price flat at $359.
In brief
Bose borrowed the best Ultra features for its cheaper QuietComfort headphones and kept the price flat at $359. For $90 less than the Ultra, you get Immersive Audio, CustomTune and lighter, comfier build. The only real sacrifice is battery life. Originally reported by Engadget.
The workhorse returns
The QuietComfort line is the business-traveler classic that made active noise cancellation mainstream. Never pretty, always reliable on a flight.
“They were never going to win any design contests”
Modest design tweaks
A headband that slides smoothly, reshaped earcups with better pads, and the power switch moved to the bottom of the left cup for a cleaner look.
Immersive Audio arrives
Bose's spatial audio comes to the regular QC line for the first time. It upscales any movie, show or song, no special content needed. Cinema Mode comes along too.
CustomTune calibration
The headphones measure the acoustics of your ears and tune audio and noise cancellation to fit. Think room calibration for a soundbar, but on your head.
“It's like room calibration for a soundbar, but for your headphones”
USB-C only, no 3.5mm
Wired listening runs over USB-C at up to 24-bit/48kHz, and you can charge while listening. The headphone jack is gone, but a USB-C to 3.5mm cable is in the box.
ANC gets smarter
ActiveSense clamps down on sudden noise spikes while you're in transparency mode, then eases back more naturally. The system also compensates better for glasses breaking the seal.
Same price, more headphone
It still costs $359, exactly what the last version launched at. That undercuts the $449 QuietComfort Ultra by a meaningful margin.
“At a time where almost everything is more expensive, I'd expect any headphone company to raise prices”
Noise cancelling still delivers
Constant sources like fans disappear. A chatty neighbor is not silenced outright, but the distraction drops every time.
Sound that holds up
Balanced tuning with low-end thump when a track calls for it. Synth grit, alt-grunge guitars and bluegrass string detail all come through clean, even without Immersive Audio on.
34 grams lighter
They weigh 34 grams less than the current Ultra, and the gap only feels bigger the longer you wear them. Pillowy pads and gentle clamping do the rest.
Battery life stands still
You get 24 hours of ANC playback, unchanged from the last model, while the Ultra manages 30. It's the reviewer's only real complaint.
“I would've liked to see at least a modest bump in longevity here”
Worth the upgrade
Scored 8.4 out of 10. An all-around improvement on the 2023 model at a lower price than the Ultra, and a safe bet if plain looks don't bother you.
“After all these years, the QuietComfort line still lives up to its name”
The key point
For $90 less than the Ultra, you get Immersive Audio, CustomTune and lighter, comfier build. The only real sacrifice is battery life.
