- Lightweight and very comfortable
- Top-Tier ANC
- Balanced, Natural Sound
- Battery Life Shortfall
- Mic & Transparency Limitations
- Earcups don't swivel
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra has comfort, strong ANC, and smooth sound. Battery life isn’t Sony-level, and it misses small features like swivel earcups, but at $450 it’s still one of the best picks if you want headphones that feel great and sound even better. Overall, I believe the headphones are worth it.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is one of the best headphones in
the market. Very few can compete with them. For example, its active noise
cancellation (ANC) is among the best on the market, with only a few headphones
like the Sony XM6 being slightly better overall. Competitors like the Apple
AirPods Max also deliver excellent ANC, but they are heavier and less
comfortable for long use. In this Bose QuietComfort Ultra review, we will find
out if they’re worth the \$450 in 2025.
Sound Quality
The Bose QuietComfort
Ultra is tuned for balanced, warm, and relaxed sound. This tuning is ideal for
extended listening sessions without causing fatigue. The CustomTune technology
in the headphones optimizes sound output for each ear shape and environment.
For people who like heavy bass, the headphones only offer clean, controlled
bass, which is good for most listeners. Other headphones provide more bass than
the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. For example, the Sony WH-1000XM6 offers punchier
bass by default, appealing to bass-heavy listeners. The treble, on the other
hand, is smooth and gentle, avoiding harshness and enhancing the naturalness of
vocals. Clarity, soundstage, spatial audio, and separation are all improvements
from previous Bose models. These features make music, movies, and games feel
more immersive. Apple’s AirPods Max also deliver strong spatial audio with head
tracking, but Bose’s spatial mode is lighter and less fatiguing. The imaging
helps distinguish individual instruments and effects even in layered tracks.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
These headphones have one of the best ANC performances on
the market, with competitors like the XM6 performing slightly better. This ANC
blocks sounds from engine rumbling to ambient noise. CustomTune also optimizes
ANC to your ear shape and seal, making it more effective for every listener.
The ANC also causes minimal pressure for most users and produces only a very
mild hiss or clicks. ANC modes can be customized. Quiet Mode enables full ANC,
Immersion Mode mixes ANC with spatial audio, and additional custom profiles are
available. Overall, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra truly lives up to the “quiet”
part of its name. Compared to Apple’s
AirPods Max, Bose’s ANC is more consistent across frequencies, while Sony’s XM6
blocks out slightly more low-end rumble.
Transparency (Aware) Mode
Transparency or Aware mode lets outside sounds pass
naturally without sounding robotic or overly digital. The Aware mode has an
ActiveSense feature that softens loud, disruptive sounds like sirens or a baby
crying by activating ANC. This is one of my favorite features as it avoids
harsh noises. However, some background sounds, like running water, can be
overemphasized. Like the ANC, the Transparency (Aware) mode in the Bose
QuietComfort Ultra can be customized. Apple still leads here with its
ultra-natural transparency mode in the AirPods Max, while Bose comes close but
sometimes sounds slightly processed.
Comfort and Build Quality
As the name suggests,
the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is extremely comfortable. They are lightweight at
254g, which is perfect for everything from casual listening to long sessions.
This makes them lighter than the Apple AirPods Max (385g) but slightly heavier
than Sony’s XM6 (250g). The wide, oval earcups fit most ears, creating a secure
and comfortable seal that enhances both comfort and noise isolation. In design,
the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones have a minimalist design with plastics
and metal reinforcements. The matte finish looks nice but can show
fingerprints. The headphones also fold which makes them travel-friendly. The
controls are decent, with a touch slider for volume that’s convenient but
sometimes finicky. Physical buttons manage ANC/Transparency (Aware
mode)/profile switching, along with power and Bluetooth pairing.
Microphone/Call Quality
The Bose QuietComfort
Ultra has a microphone array with five microphones per earcup. This makes call
quality effective in most indoor and low-wind outdoor environments. Voices
sound clear and natural in these situations. The mic system, paired with ANC
microphones, also reduces background noise like chatter during calls. However,
in windy conditions, the microphones can be inconsistent, leading to muffled
voices. Overall, competitors like the Sony XM6 have slightly better clarity and
noise suppression. **Apple’s AirPods Max also perform very well in calls, but
Bose often delivers more natural voice reproduction indoors.**
Connectivity/Extra Features
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones support multipoint
Bluetooth for quick switching between two devices. They also include Snapdragon
Sound support for high-resolution audio on compatible Android phones. Wired
audio is available through a 2.5mm-to-3.5mm cable (analog only). The headphones
are very customizable, as mentioned before. However, they lack auto-pause when
removing headphones and do not swivel inward like some competitors. **Sony’s
XM6 and Apple’s AirPods Max both offer auto-pause, which Bose surprisingly
leaves out.**
Battery Life/Charging
Battery life on the
Bose QuietComfort Ultra is solid, with 24–25 hours of playtime using ANC. This
reduces to 18–20 hours if immersive spatial audio is enabled. For charging, a
15-minute charge gives 2–2.5 hours of playback, while a full charge takes about
2.5 hours. Battery stats are viewable in the Bose app. Compared to rivals like
the Sony XM6, which last over 30 hours, Bose falls slightly short. Apple’s AirPods Max last only about 20 hours,
meaning Bose comfortably beats Apple but loses to Sony in endurance.
Verdict
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are priced at \$450. They are some of the best headphones on the market. I recommend them if you value comfort and ergonomics, as they truly live up to the “comfort” in their name. They also deliver some of the best noise cancellation, with only the XM6 slightly outperforming them. **Against the AirPods Max, Bose wins on weight, comfort, and price, while Apple still has the better ecosystem integration for iPhone users.** Overall, I recommend these headphones if you prioritize comfort while still wanting excellent sound quality and strong ANC performance.
Sources
Bose. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Bose Corporation, 2025, www.bose.com/p/headphones/quietcomfort-ultra. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
Cranz, Alex. “Sony WH-1000XM5 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra: Which ANC Headphones
Should You Buy?” The Verge, 20 Oct. 2023,
www.theverge.com/2023/10/20/sony-wh-1000xm5-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-noise-cancelling-headphones-comparison.
Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
Martindale, Jon. “Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Review: A Pricey ANC
Upgrade Worth It?” Digital Trends, 12 Oct. 2023,
www.digitaltrends.com/headphone-reviews/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-review/.
Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
Mehta, Nadeem. “Bose QuietComfort Ultra Review: A Comfortable Noise-Canceling
Flagship with Spatial Audio.” TechRadar, 17 Oct. 2023,
www.techradar.com/audio/headphones/reviews/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-review.
Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
Savov, Vlad. “Bose’s New QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Perfect Noise
Cancellation with Spatial Audio.” The Verge, 14 Sept. 2023,
www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-review. Accessed
28 Aug. 2025.
0 Comments