Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review
Bose — somehow — makes quiet even quieter
Stop me if you've heard this before: Bose's latest QuietComfort Ultra earbuds cancel noise better than any wireless earbuds I've ever tried.
If that statement sounds familiar, it's because it's been true of the past several generations of flagship Bose earbuds. The design of these second-gen QC Ultra earbuds hasn't changed drastically from the originals, but Bose has made some key upgrades — most notably making the noise cancellation even better.
Other changes include slight tweaks to the sound tuning and ear tips, plus the charging case is now compatible with a Qi wireless charger (sold separately). Music plays wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.3 — a newer, reliable version of the popular wireless technology.
Renowned Bose comfort with redesigned ear tips
The QC Ultra earbuds 2 use soft, silicone ear tips that sit a little further in than traditional Bose ear tips (if you remember the “StayHear” tips of yesteryear). They rest securely and comfortably inside the ear, but not as deep as some other earbuds.
The earbuds offer up to six hours of battery life, and the charging case banks enough power to recharge them three times.
It's a wonderful compromise, creating a better seal for blocking out noise, while upholding Bose's reputation as the "in-ears for people who don't like in-ears."
Ultra-portable design for traveling light
These earbuds are sweat-proof and pack up neatly into a pocket-sized charging case, making them a convenient choice for work and exercise. And since they're so easy to bring along, I consider them a game changer for travel. I've worn Bose QC earbuds on both a plane and Amtrak train, and they succeeded in those two noisy, yet very different environments.
Plane engines have a loud rumble, while the train is more of an across-all-frequencies whir and whistle — but Bose provides a blanket of quiet for both.
The battery life is about six hours on a full charge, which is average for the category. That's much less than you'll get from a set of over-ears, but plenty to cover a short flight. The case also packs enough power to recharge the earbuds three times — and just 20 minutes inside the case gives you two hours of playback with noise cancellation.
Top-notch noise cancellation in real time
Bose's advanced algorithms work with a powerful array of mics to sense noise and silence it nearly instantaneously. Like previous generations, these earbuds covered the growl of my lawnmower with a blanket of silence, before I even hit play on my music or podcasts. But the noise-canceling circuitry is now better at blunting sudden bursts of sound — like clapping.
For example, when I switched to edging and trimming, the original QC Ultra earbuds would overreact to my weed eater's erratic gnashing — and the mics would actually allow those loud noises in. These second-gen earbuds handled the situation better than the originals. Those quick spikes in sound were met with a calming, counteractive whoosh that brought everything back to a hush.
Accessories include three sizes of silicone ear tips and three sizes of stability bands to keep the earbuds in place.
With most noise-canceling earbuds, I can listen to podcasts at about 50-60% volume on my phone's slider when I'm cutting grass. With the QC Ultra earbuds 2, I could listen to podcasts with the volume almost completely down and still clearly hear the hosts. I was one notch away from turning the volume off.
Touch and app control for noise cancellation and "Aware" mode
You have touch control over music, calls, volume, and noise cancellation. The controls are snappy, straightforward, and uncomplicated. In fact, my only complaint is that the controls might be a little too responsive — I accidentally paused my music several times while adjusting them — but I find that’s better than the alternative.
I could toggle between "Quiet" and "Aware" modes by holding either earbud. "Quiet" delivers the maximum level of noise cancellation, while "Aware" mode lets in external sounds, so you can hear your surroundings. In the Bose app, a free download for Apple® and Android™, you can create additional modes and assign a certain level of noise cancellation.
The optional Bose app gives you control over Quiet, Aware, and immersive sound (spatial audio) modes — along with EQ options.
The app also lets you choose between two different settings of immersive audio, Bose's take on spatial audio. In one setting, the enhanced soundstage moves along with your head. But you can also activate and use the earbuds' built-in headtracking — that keeps the sound presentation fixed and centered, as if you were listening in a room with speakers.
Listening notes: Clear, spacious sound with deep bass and treble detail
Out of the box, these earbuds have V-shaped tuning that accentuates the bass and treble. Mids and vocals are relaxed a bit, but it works well for most tracks within the wide, spread-out soundstage. The imaging is spot on, so tracks on Stevie Wonder's Fulfillingness' First Finale took full advantage of the extra space.
I could pick out instruments as if they were lined up in front of me, even with some more prominent than others. The cymbals in particular stuck out more than usual. But they were "placed" outside my head, far to the left, where they would enhance the front-and-center harmonica riff, rather than distract from it.
EQ adjustments and more with the Bose app
This default tuning didn't complement the boom-bap hip-hop production of Ghostface Killah's Supreme Clientele 2 quite as well. The deep sub bass and higher-frequency soul samples tended to drown out Ghost's famously nasal vocals. But I was able to adjust the EQ and bump up the mids a tad to compensate with the Bose app, a free download for Apple® and Android™.
This balanced everything out a little better — while still delivering that low-end thump you want from a Wu-Tang album.
The best noise cancellation is now even better — if you need absolute quiet above everything else, these are now the earbuds to choose.
Product highlights:
- Featured in our articles: Best true wireless earbuds for 2025 and Best noise-canceling headphones for 2025
- built-in Bluetooth 5.3 for music and calls
- aptX® Adaptive and AAC decoding for high-quality music from compatible devices
- two "immersive audio" modes with dynamic head-tracking for 3D sound
- CustomTune technology calibrates sound and noise cancellation to your fit and surroundings
- IPX4 sweat- and weather-resistant
- three sizes of flexible wings keep earbuds secure during movement
- three sizes of soft silicone ear tips provide a stable, comfortable fit
- 6 hours of battery life with noise cancellation
- carrying case banks up to 18 hours of power
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