Verdict
Despite a few design missteps, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen are some of the most impressive headphones on the market, allowing you to listen to your music with a full, rich soundstage and hear the impact of bullets in your favorite FPS titles. USB-C audio passthrough means that you can have lossless sound with low latency, and despite a high price, I can’t recommend them enough.
- Brilliant, rich sound
- Fantastic active noise cancellation
- USB-C audio passthrough is a great feature
- Pricey
- Not many big changes from the first gen
While they're a couple of years old now, the Bose Ultra headphones are easily some of the best on the market, fitting a comfortable balance between audiophiles and general consumers. However, there were a couple of minor issues that kept them from being perfect, and with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen here, the company is hoping that this generational refresh fixes those problems.
Very much like the new addition of the Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen to the best earbuds list, Bose's headphones are as solid as their predecessor, delivering brilliant audio at a premium price. However, they also have a few new tricks up their sleeves - or an adjustable headrest, I guess. If you're looking to whip out your credit card and buy a new headset to pair with your gaming phone, well, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen might just be the one to get.
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Price and availability
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen, which I'm simply going to call Ultra Headphones (or some other shortened term) from now on for the sake of brevity, will set you back $449 / £449. That's a high asking price, even for some premium cans, but that's actually the same retail price tag as the original models, only those have been discounted multiple times since then.
If you're willing to part with your cash, you can choose between four colors: Black, Midnight Violet, Driftwood Sand, and White, the latter of which I'm reviewing. Unsurprisingly, they all look pretty fancy, although the Midnight Violet certainly gives off Beats Solo vibes, while the other options look more premium and suit an Apple or flagship device design.
Design and comfort
I was pleasantly surprised at how light the Ultra Headphones really are. Unlike the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, which I called fairly hefty in my review, these are almost ridiculously and unbelievably easy to hold. When they arrive, they're in a small case that's large enough to fit the folded-up headphones, as well as a couple of wires in a little pouch opposite.
Even though it feels quite weightless, it still oozes the luxury that Bose is known for. A metallic grip separates the earcups and the headrest, while the padded strap feels soft yet bouncy, and it feels even better when you're actually wearing it. The earcups do feel somewhat tight against my ear to help close in for the top-notch ANC, but they're not so tight that they're uncomfortable, even after long sessions of wearing them.
I love the fact that it has a physical control button, allowing you to easily skip tracks, play/pause, or change ANC modes with feedback, and not trust that the headphones got the right touch for your intended instruction. However, the volume bar remains fairly strange. It's a long, pretty unremarkable bit of line that is slightly raised compared to the rest of the earcup, but sliding along it turns the volume up or down. It doesn't beat your typical volume scroll, but it's good enough. I just wish it were a little more exact.
You'll also find the USB-C port and the Bluetooth button on the earcups, and while the latter does double as a power button, the Ultra Headphones power down into a sleep mode whenever you take them off or fold them into their case, keeping the charge and storing the battery for future use. It's a useful feature, and it means you don't have to keep these power-hungry headphones constantly charged even when you haven't used them in a couple of days.
Sound quality and performance
There are no surprises here, as the Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen have truly impressive active noise cancellation, which is something of a mainstay for Bose earbuds and headphones. Putting them on practically silences anything from chatter to droning noises like passing traffic outside your window or the low hum of an extractor fan, and when I excitedly let my grandfather try them out, he was surprised at the fact that he couldn't hear me.
While the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen do allow for different modes to switch the ANC - for instance, setting them to immersive for a surround sound-like experience - the ANC can also be gradually altered through the app. Whether you decide to have it completely off, have a light ANC, or go full 'I hate noise and I want my music blaring' mode, it's very customizable. Just be prepared to feel the pressure of the ANC if you're not accustomed to this level of noise cancellation.
Just like the first generation, sound quality is excellent. I'm repeating my usual process, the same as I do for any audio device, and wheeling out Sleep Token. If you've got something good, you may as well stick with it. The Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen are, for most people, going to be absolutely solid. Rich sound, with a full soundstage that takes advantage of any modern-era track made for the streaming world - that means those rocking guitar riffs sound powerful, while the smacking of drums hits with an impact you'll come to love.
Admittedly, you'll want to mess with the software to fine-tune your music, like switching to the Bass Reducer EQ preset if you're listening to a vocal-heavy artist, or heading for the Bass Booster preset for that metal breakdown. It's not too much of an issue if you're playing the best mobile games, but for music, I'd recommend messing around with the (admittedly, too simple) EQ range.
Speaking of playing games, there's no shock that it provides an equally fitting performance when you're immersed in your gaming phone. From bullets ricocheting off the side of your head in the best FPS games to the cozy tune that plays as you enjoy the grass flowing in slower-paced experiences, Bose's latest pair of headphones delivers an engrossing experience that will help you enjoy your mobile titles even more than ever before.
Much like the smaller upgraded model, the Bose Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, these aren't made with games in mind, proven further by the fact that there's no 2.4GHz dongle to provide a lower-latency wireless connection. However, the Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen benefit from offering USB-C audio passthrough, giving you lossless audio (if your connecting device supports it), as well as giving you a lot less latency. It's a substantial difference, mainly if you're playing competitive games, but if you prefer your single-player games, chances are it's overkill.
Battery
I won't go into depth with the battery life, considering it's practically the same as the last generation model. It's around 25 hours with ANC on, which might be outclassed by many rivals, but considering that you won't be wearing these for a full day (hopefully), they're pretty good. It also helps that the sleep mode helps you conserve battery, so you don't need to worry about it running down while you're not using it.
Charging with USB-C, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen can be powered up fairly quickly. According to the company, it's around two hours with a 15-minute charge. That should give you plenty of juice for the headphones for a bit of travel time if you leave it until the pair dies, but either way, at 100%, it has plenty of battery capacity for those lengthy journeys.
Should you buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen?
Absolutely. If you're a sucker for some high-quality audio, brilliant active noise cancellation, and the ability to use headphones wired for lower latency and lossless sound, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen should be your top choice.
While it is on the expensive side, the fact that it has a slight gaming edge with USB-C passthrough and offers some incredible performance, whether you're playing games or listening to music, makes it a truly great choice.
Alternatives
Apple AirPods Max
Apple's own premium pair of cans is expensive, but the seamless nature of how it connects to iPhone, to Mac, and back around, alongside impressive sound quality, makes it an easy recommendation for any Apple user.
SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite
More expensive, yet with a true focus on providing exhilarating gaming performance, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite asks for a lot of money, but it boasts the 'most powerful ANC in gaming,' while seamlessly connecting to your console, your phone, your PC, and more, with a handy hot-swappable battery to boot.
That was our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2nd Gen review - and yes, we know that's a mouthful. If you're looking for something to play once your fancy new headphones arrive, be sure to check out our guide to the best Switch games and the best iPhone games.