Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs Edition XS: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Edition XS: 68% of 123 owners recommend it, vs 36% of 434 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

36%of 434 owners recommend
36% recommend · 24% neutral · 40% don't
Owners praise
  • Comfort over long flights and full work days, including for glasses wearers
  • Ear cups deep enough that ears sit inside them rather than being pressed
  • Noise cancelling that buries steady noise like engines, fans and road hum
Owners complain about
  • 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
Full owner report →

Edition XS

68%of 123 owners recommend
68% recommend · 17% neutral · 15% don't
Owners praise
  • Wide soundstage and strong detail
  • Strong value, especially at sale or refurbished prices
  • Responds well to EQ
Owners complain about
  • Headband and weak clamp make the fit loose for many, and owners often add an aftermarket strap
  • Build quality worries, with reports of drivers failing, crackling, and warranty replacements
  • Treble that some owners find too bright, shrill, or fatiguing
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) if
  • ✓Frequent flyers who want quiet on a plane and a case that fits a carry-on
  • ✓Glasses wearers and anyone whose head hurts in tighter-clamping headphones
  • ✓All-day desk wear where the headphones go on in the morning and stay on
  • ✓Listeners who like a full bass-forward sound and will spend a minute in the app
Skip it if
  • Anyone sensitive to background noise during podcasts, quiet passages or silence
  • Walkers, runners and commuters on rough roads, where the noise cancelling pops
Get the Edition XS if
  • ✓Listeners moving up from a Sennheiser HD560S or HD600-series who want a wider soundstage
  • ✓Buyers comfortable using EQ to tune the sound
  • ✓Gamers who want a wide, detailed presentation
  • ✓Owners with larger heads
Skip it if
  • Treble-sensitive listeners or anyone wanting a laid-back sound for long sessions
  • Smaller heads, which some owners say the loose fit does not suit

What Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owners say

“I’m loving both Bose models though.”
— Zealousideal_Bid2690 on Reddit
“Its very good. quality is top notch”
— Adorable_Toe79 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

What Edition XS owners say

“You could have a faceoff with any headphone on Earth, regardless of cost and compare it to a $169 Edition XS, and while it would lose, it's MUCH closer than it should be...”
— 1maxwedge426 on Reddit
“Decent headphones but......I'm on my third, 2 failed and were warranty replaced. Also the headband should be classed as a war crime. Other than that I highly recommend them.”
— Emotional_Elk_980 on Reddit
“I hate my edition xs so much because they're amazing, just don't work, they keep losing all audio on the right side and I'm not the only one with that issue”
— Kolorboi on Reddit

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs Edition XS: frequently asked questions

Is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) or the Edition XS better?

Real owners lean toward the Edition XS: 68% of 123 owners recommend it, vs 36% of 434 for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

Who should get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)?

Owners point the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) at frequent flyers who want quiet on a plane and a case that fits a carry-on, and glasses wearers and anyone whose head hurts in tighter-clamping headphones.

Who should get the Edition XS?

Owners point the Edition XS at listeners moving up from a Sennheiser HD560S or HD600-series who want a wider soundstage, and buyers comfortable using EQ to tune the sound.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) is a background hiss or white noise floor with nothing playing, audible to many owners though not all. For the Edition XS, it's headband and weak clamp make the fit loose for many, and owners often add an aftermarket strap.