35% of 474 verified owners recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.
The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. is shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.
“A firmware update for the bose qc ultra 2 basically removes multi point connection and the xm6 seems like they have the hinge problem still. Seems like both have their issues.”
“I had the Ultra headphones which caused severe skin irritation. I got rid of them as the only solution was buying third party ear pads which would have changed the sound.”
“I come from the xm5 earbuds and just bought the QC Ultra 2nd gen’s because even though I loved the Sony’s, I don’t like wearing them knowing there’s too much toxic chemicals in them.”
“If you're moving around a lot and size isn't a concern, the Headphones would probably be better as the earbud Ultra IIs seem to slip out of my ears (much more than my old Bose QC II earbuds).”
“Bose was never comfortable to me, I tried from 35 over to the latest and microphone is still on xm4 level, and i find them uncomfortable even when testing them in store.”
“My ultra used daily for over a year is still working great. Had some firmware issue at the start but currently it is Ok. Good anc, great sound and sturdy.”
“I've owned both of these and currently use the QC Ultra. They both sound great and have really good ANC. The Bose ANC feels slightly better”
“My QCU headphone experience has been disappointing from day one when I realized I now have to wait for (what feels like) an eternity just for audio confirmation that I actually powered them on/off.”
“Found the audio really enjoyable and could live with their quirks for most part. (like the separate 2.5mm to listen wired) Dealbreaker was the creaking plastic headband.”
“for me the ultra is better than sony, better sound, better spacial sound, a bit better anc imo, mich better comfort on longue time wearing”
“bose are extremely limited in settings but they do give the immersive audio for free without needing a subscription to something else. they do sound great also just limited performance for me”
“I hated the creaks and clicks, they don’t feel very well made. I went to the usual QCs instead, proper buttons as well. I much prefer Sonos Ace for build quality.”
“Super comfortable and ANC is top notch. Personally I really enjoy the sound quality and immersion mode feels very nice if you're sitting.”
“I did go with the XM5 over the QC Ultra only because the QC noise cancelling has this weird air pressure feel - does anyone else get that? It was too much for me”
“But I am happy with the device. It's very very comfortable for a person like who is not a headphone guy at all. I wish bose brings back the fuction which they removed.”
“So much more comfy and roomier in the ear cups. My first pair of the Bose were defective / ANC balance was off. Second pair is working amazing, could immediately tell they weren’t broken. Give it a go I think you’ll love em”
“Ultra was a little too much on the clamping force. But that depends on headshapes too. Noise cancelling is awesome on the xm5s. All other aspects yes qc ultra for sure”
“I’ve been using the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and I’m ready to throw them across the room. They won’t stay connected, I can barely get them to turn on or off, and syncing them is a nightmare.”
“the Bose QC Ultra Generation 2 is on par with the Sony WH XM5's ANC.....which was the best I had ever experienced when I owned the Sony”
“QCU2 will just drive you crazy unless the noise is constant. If there are sudden noises, the ANC will fluctuate and hiss for a few seconds after every noise.”
“The sound quality is amazing, they feel like wearing clouds on your ears, the battery is great and the ANC is probably the best in it's class. BUT the headset quirks and popp while wearing them.”
“the suction feeling is horrible when music is not on and they did give me a dizzy feeling,nauseous. My daughter said the same thing. The sound isn't as loud as I thought it should be. Will be returning them.”
“Yes, way overblown issue, i hate updates for most products and they definitely didnt make them any better ..but if you never had them before you wouldn't even notice”
“the QCs just sounded better overall. Just my opinion, but I was fully ready to stay with the XM6s, and was surprised they weren’t it.”
Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.
“Anyone have issues where the earbuds would jump the EQ for a second and come right back? It’s like it couldn’t make its mind to be simulated 5.1 or not and then goes back to stereo.”
“I'm also too sensitive to noise for that reason I want the best noise cancelling, what headphones are you using now? it has a excellent ANC? or which one do you recommend me pls”
“Looking to get the quiet comfort for the gym. Does the noise cancelling work well. And since your comment is 2 years old now do you still use it and how has it held up after this long?”
“Been researching this problem when heavy walking and there are loud pops and thumps even on transparency. seems to be normal especially the ultra models? (Coming from a Sony WH1000XM4)”
“Def considering buying them but I’ve been following all the negative feedback on the software update that rolled back some of the features. That has me holding on to my AirPods for now.”
“that's why i have reduced the time to 20 minutes on the app from 24 hours. If you prefer less then I suggest you to put it even less, ig there was option for 10 minutes aswell”
“Could you also mention to them the issue with the startup sound being way too loud? The old one was perfect, of the acoustic guitar. I already complained to customer support.”
“Can you comment on the immersive mode of the Technics vs Bose? I love immersive mode on the Bose. These two earbuds seem to be the only ones with immersive mode for regular stereo content.”
“In this thread there is a fix for the hiss issue: https://www.reddit.com/r/bose/comments/q7aony/hissing_noise_from_new_qc45/ Check post by Shoddy_Basket_7867 and under it.”
“I've had problems with JBL buds having the right bud die out on two times I bought them before buying the Bose ones. Almost cried at work because I thought these buds were defective as well.”
“They aren’t even bass heavy. Actually very neutral headphones. You also have a full EQ that you can use to adjust the sound to your liking, including reducing the bass.”
“Was really hoping call quality would be exceptional. I use headphones for calls. Maybe I just keeping using my AirPods Max for phone calls , Bose for music and movies etc. Mine arrive tomorrow.”
“Am between these and the Sony xm4, main things I’m looking for is comfort and usability in the gym. I know you said you use these in the gym OP, how do they hold up ??”
“I’m not familiar with what you’re talking about, but I don’t think I’ve experienced it. I use multipoint throughout my 12 hour shifts for computer audio and my phone.”
“Have heard bose took a nosedive in terms of quality recently. Getting them for a really good price for the next 2 days, so really confused if i should go ahead lol!”
“just curious if you have found headphones that have helped you with this issue? I had the QC ii and thought ANC was pretty good. Sony on the other hand, pretty bad.”
“Thanks, yes iPhone. I took all the EQ down to -10 but then the sound quality isn’t as good. I mainly use Spotify. Will check out the accessibility settings - thanks”
“Turning off in the sense means when walking use transparency mode this will allow you to hear tour surroundings while your walking using Anc while walking down the street is a regrettable experience”
“You can "fix" the not-so low volume by adjusting the eq on the app. Pull each "frequency" (bass, mid, high) down several notches. This worked quite well for me.”
“I had high pitch static noise on my right side and it would get scary loud depending on how it was sealed over my ear, what I did was used a small air compresser blew out the microphone spot and charger,…”
“Hey I know that this post was from a year ago but I’m looking at a pair of these. Will these work with my PC/PS5? I know they will work with my Phone but just wondering about the other mediums. Thank you!”
“Alguien le pasa lo mismo yo tengo el pelo largo y son muy sensibles mi bose quietcomfort ultra solo con el roce de pelo se pausan se adelanta se regresan noc si está dañados o a alguien le pasa algo similar”
“Are these the Bose QuietComfort SC? I've seen other people reference the QC headphones but I'm wondering whether these are the SC ones I have found online”
“I’m leaning toward Bose for better ANC and comfort, but I’ve heard about white noise in ANC, which worries me since I listen at low volume. Any thoughts?”