What are the most common Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) problems owners report?

The most common complaints from 434 verified owners: A background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all; Popping and thumping when walking, running, or when a door slams nearby; A firmware update that removed switching devices from the headphones themselves; Connection dropouts, clumsy multipoint and auto-sleep that will not wake back up; Call and mic quality that colleagues complain about on meetings.

Do owners recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)?

36% of 434 verified owners recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen); 40% don't. Based on real owner comments aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) · problems & reliability report

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) problems: what real owners report

40% of 434 verified Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)owners don't recommend it — based on real owner comments from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

For balance: 36% recommend it. This page collects the complaints so you know what you're signing up for — read the full owner report for both sides. How we score

Most common complaints

·A background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all
·Popping and thumping when walking, running, or when a door slams nearby
·A firmware update that removed switching devices from the headphones themselves
·Connection dropouts, clumsy multipoint and auto-sleep that will not wake back up
·Call and mic quality that colleagues complain about on meetings

In owners' own words

“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.”
— OtherwiseEggplant375 on Reddit

“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.”
— howjustchili on Reddit

“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.”
— Ultimate_os on Reddit

“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”
— ions_x_carbon on Reddit

“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.”
— Cinnastickynot3 on Reddit

“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.”
— Joklegon on Reddit

“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.”
— HatIndependent9804 on Reddit

“No. It got bad to worse. When try to connect it has Connection issues, Audio jumping from one ear to on other sometimes doesn't connect at all.”
— Tech_las on Reddit

“As much as I loved the audio quality, they weren’t very comfortable for me, personally. I always end up reaching for my AirPods Pro instead :(”
— AffectionateOlive982 on Reddit

“the Ultra is the absolute WORST. It has no on off button - so if it does not auto turn on when you put it on - you have the press the button about 16 times to get it to turn on. It is brutal. Definitely do not buy the Ultra”
— Designer-Ganache7283 on Reddit

“I found the comfort, build, and sound quality better, but the poor call quality was a deal-breaker, and I returned it for a full refund.”
— worldwidewobbly on Reddit

“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.”
— TheLawPlace on Reddit

Setup quirks & things to watch for

Not complaints — practical notes from owners that didn't affect the score.

“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.”
— onebeard1975 on Reddit

“Ich hatte dieses Knistern auch im linken Ohr. Was geholfen hat, war die Verbindung in der Bose App zu den zu den Kopfhörern zu trennen.”
— HenniHellbreed on Reddit

“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.”
— kasturtroi on Reddit

“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”
— Even_Deer9222 on Reddit

“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?”
— The_Terrible_Fate on Reddit

“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)”
— MineJazzlike on Reddit

“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.”
— BatAdministrative4 on Reddit

“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”
— Lightning_sword4444 on Reddit

Weighing it up? The full report has the other side — what 36% of owners like about it, who it's for, and every sourced quote. Full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owner report →