Enhanced commuter choice with premium audio and improved Bluetooth connectivity, albeit at a steep cost
Bose’s latest flagship headphones represent a significant step forward, featuring a more upscale design, advanced connectivity, immersive spatial audio, and an exceptionally comfortable fit. However, they come with a substantial price tag.
The QuietComfort Ultra headphones are priced at a staggering £450 (€500/$429/A$649), making them the most expensive Bose models to date, surpassing the previous top-of-the-line NCH700 from 2019 priced at £350. They now compete in the realm of ultra-premium headphones alongside Apple’s £500 AirPods Max and B&W’s £599 Px8.
Bose has revisited and enhanced the enduring design of its immensely popular QuietComfort series, delivering a refined iteration in the form of the QC Ultras, which is a welcome update.
The upper headband and luxurious ear cushions feature generous padding in a sumptuously soft faux leather. The aluminum arms seamlessly glide into the headband for size adjustment, and the ear cups offer a broad range of motion to conform to the contours of your head. These headphones are undeniably the most comfortable I’ve had the privilege of wearing, dethroning Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 in terms of comfort.
Responsive controls
The QC Ultra have a new touch-sensitive volume slider, which is responsive and easy to use. Press and hold on the middle of the slider to trigger a shortcut, such as changing the sound mode or starting Spotify. A single, double and triple press of the multi-function button handles playback controls, or press and hold it to switch noise cancelling modes. The power button also switches between Bluetooth devices, saying the name of each one as you cycle through, which is very handy.
The headphones pause when you take them off, go into standby after 10 minutes of not being worn and power down after 24 hours of sleep, or you can manually turn them off with the power button.
The battery provides approximately 24 hours of playback time with Bluetooth and noise cancellation, which is a respectable duration but falls short of some leading competitors that offer twice as much. Engaging the immersive sound mode reduces the battery life to about 18 hours, and it takes roughly three hours to fully charge via USB-C.
The QC Ultra headphones can establish connections with two devices simultaneously and support Bluetooth 5.3 with the standard SBC and AAC audio formats. They also mark one of Bose’s initial products to enable instant pairing with Android devices and Qualcomm’s high-quality aptX Adaptive audio format, available on recent high-end Android phones. An upcoming update will introduce support for the new LC3 audio format, promising significant improvements in the Bluetooth experience, including reduced latency and enhanced audio quality, making the headphones more future-proof. Additionally, the package includes a headphone cable for wired listening.
The call quality is highly effective in isolating your voice from background noise and ensuring clear reception on the other end of the call. However, the onboard microphones cannot be used when the headphones are connected using the headphone cable.
Specifications
- Weight: 250 grams
- Dimensions: 195 x 139 x 50.8 millimeters
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint, 2.5/3.5mm, USB-C for charging
- Supported Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
- Battery life: Approximately 24 hours
Sustainability
The battery is expected to endure over 500 full charge cycles, but it cannot be replaced by Bose, rendering the headphones non-repairable.
While some components of the headphones can be repaired, such as the ear cushions, the headphones are not made from recycled materials. Bose does not release specific environmental impact reports for individual products but does publish annual sustainability reports.
Top-class noise cancelling
These headphones combine exceptional comfort with industry-leading noise cancellation capabilities. They excel at handling abrupt and high-pitched sounds like conversation better than any other competitor. When set to maximum noise cancellation, they effectively mitigate distractions, low-frequency vibrations, and unwelcome noise. Additionally, Bose introduces a new transparency mode similar to Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, which effectively safeguards against sudden loud noises. This feature works effectively, allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings without being overwhelmed by intrusive sounds, such as the screeching of train wheels.
These headphones offer up to seven distinct modes that can be customized to create various combinations of noise cancellation and sound profiles to suit different scenarios, such as walking, working, or relaxing at home, and you can easily switch between them.
New immersive audio for all
The Bose Ultra headphones mark Bose’s inaugural foray into supporting immersive or spatial audio, a feature found in the best competitors. This technology replicates the sensation of having a pair of stereo speakers placed in front of you, resulting in a broader and less direct auditory experience. Users can choose between two options: ‘motion,’ which does not track head movement, and ‘still,’ which maintains the illusion of stationary speakers even when your head is turned.
Similar to Jabra’s recent earbuds, the QC Ultra can deliver the immersive audio effect irrespective of the device or content you’re listening to, making it convenient for individuals using a variety of device brands. In general, this feature significantly enhances the audio quality of movies and TV shows, infusing them with rich bass and impact. The effectiveness of the immersive mode with music may vary depending on the genre or track; it tends to work better with grander musical compositions.
When the immersive mode is switched off, the QC Ultra headphones offer Bose’s finest audio quality yet, delivering dynamic and precise sound across the entire spectrum with a subtle focus on bass. They maintain Bose’s signature clinical sound, which may not appeal to everyone, but the advantage is that they sound exceptional at any volume level, ensuring that you can enjoy your music even at lower volumes without missing any details.
Price
The price of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones is £449.95 (€499.95/$429/A$649).
To provide a point of reference, the QuietComfort headphones are priced at £299.95, the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 at £279.95, the Sony WH-1000XM5 at £319, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 at £309.99, and the Apple AirPods Max at £499.
While recent Bose headphones are known for their outstanding noise-cancelling capabilities and clear sound quality, the QC Ultra headphones stand out by prioritizing supreme comfort. If you’re in search of headphones you can comfortably wear all day, every day, look no further. Moreover, these headphones conveniently fold into a compact case for travel.
They also offer support for higher-quality Bluetooth audio formats, particularly benefiting Android and Windows users. The cross-platform immersive audio feature enhances the audio experience for TV shows and movies. While the Bose headphones may not surpass Sennheiser or Sony in terms of pure sound quality, they still deliver excellent performance.
The substantial price tag, which may see reductions during sales, and the absence of an easy battery replacement option are notable drawbacks. In the event the battery wears out, Bose does not provide a replacement, although third-party solutions may be available. However, if they maintain the legendary durability of previous QuietComfort headphones, you can expect to enjoy them for a long time.
