After a few years of waiting, Bose finally updated its noise-cancelling over-ear headphone range in 2023 with the QuietComfort and flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
These latest models replace the previous QuietComfort 45 and Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones respectively, and between them introduce a streamlined design, upgraded noise cancelling technology and new features including spatial audio.
While the QuietComfort appear to be a relatively mild update on the QuietComfort 45 our expert reviews team awarded four stars, the top-tier QuietComfort Ultra Headphones certainly take the over-ear range to new heights and have proven their ambition with a five-star review.
There's a fair price difference between the two pairs, so if you're wondering what you would be missing out on by opting for the most affordable one, this is the article for you. Below we compare the QuietComfort and QuietComfort Ultra for specs and features.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: price
- Ultra model costs roughly 40 per cent more
- Both pairs are available for less than their launch prices
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones launched at £350 / $350 / AU$549, slightly higher than the previous Bose QuietComfort 45 model at launch (£320 / $329 / AU$499). You can now find them cheaper, with typical availability around £250 / $250 / AU$450.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, meanwhile, launched at £450 / $429 / AU$649 – again, pricier than the Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones, which launched at £350 / $399 / AU$599. Nowadays they too are often available for less – around £380 / $350 / AU$500.
This puts them right amongst it when it comes to their closest competition. They are pricier than the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones but more affordable than the Apple AirPods Max.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: design
- Ultra are very comfortable and use more luxury materials
- Both pairs are handily foldable
- Ultra sport capacitive touch controls; standard QC have buttons
Continuing in QuietComfort fashion, both new models of headphones are foldable. This is welcome news to Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones users, who were not afforded this luxury previously.
Both models are available in Black and White Smoke shades, while the standard QuietComfort Headphones are also available in a limited-edition Cypress Green colour, and the Ultra now have Lunar Blue and special Diamond 60th Edition options. Both models also come with a useful hard-shell carrying case. (We should note that a 'SC' version of the standard QuietComfort model is also available, with the only difference being that it comes with a soft material case.)
The QuietComfort Ultra headphones appear to have more cushioning along the length of the headband compared to the standard model, while the earcups also look a little bit thicker. In our QuietComfort Ultra review, our reviews team praised their premium materials, aesthetics and comfort. "The all-round cushioning on the earpads is good enough to make for a comfortable listening experience – they offer a good seal and a level of isolation," it reads.
That said, the standard QuietComfort seem very similar to their predecessors, which we called "comfortable, with generous padding on the earcups alongside enough clamping force to stay secure". So it's likely both pairs will be comfortable enough to listen to for hours on end.
One key technical difference is the capacitive touch strip featured on the Ultra Headphones which is used to control volume and customisable controls. This is absent on the standard QuietComfort Headphones and instead replaced by standard tactile buttons.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: battery & features
- Battery life is the same – 24 hours
- Ultra have spatial audio support
Both QuietComfort models have quite a lot of overall similarities and both boast a range of useful features.
Firstly, they both feature active noise-cancelling technologies, which we’ll cover in more detail in the following section. Both are also compatible with the Bose Music App and offer 24 hours of battery life from a single charge for standard listening, which isn't bad but slightly below the 30 hours offered by many wireless headphones.
The battery life of the Ultra Headphones takes a hit when its ‘Immersive Audio’ technology is activated, to 18 hours. This feature is Bose’s take on spatial audio and presents sound in a 3D environment – this is missing from the standard QuietComfort Headphones.
The Immersive Audio feature comes with two different modes, ‘Motion’ and ‘Still’. In the ‘Still’ setting, audio is meant to sound as if it is “coming from two stereo speakers in front of you that stay where they are when you move your head”. “Motion” mode is stated to make audio sound like “it's coming from two stereo speakers in front of you that follow the movements of your head”.
In terms of wireless connectivity, the QuietComfort Headphones support the Bluetooth 5.1 standard while the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are Bluetooth 5.3. Both support Bluetooth Multipoint, too, allowing more than one device to simultaneously connect to the headphones for easier switching between them.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: noise cancelling
- Both pairs have two ANC modes
- Ultra have proven class-leading ANC performance
Being the inventors of active noise cancelling technology, it’s no surprise that everyone wants to know how Bose’s new headphones fare in this regard.
Bose states that its new headphones achieve noise cancellation via two methods – passive sealing of the earcups combined with proprietary active electronics. This active circuitry makes use of microphones placed both inside and outside both earcups to cancel out unwanted external noise.
During our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review, we were very impressed with the noise-cancelling capabilities. We described how it dramatically reduced background rumbles while out walking, and the sound of the London Underground during our daily commutes. We even went as far as saying that the ANC is better than that of the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e and the Sony WH-1000X5 in this department, making them class leaders in their field.
Both models of new Bose headphones feature Quiet and Aware modes within their ANC settings. Quiet mode offers full noise cancellation, ideal for blocking out unwanted distractions, while the Aware setting is said to allow full transparency so you can hear your surroundings while still enjoying audio in stereo sound.
The Ultra Headphones also feature an additional ActiveSense feature which applies to the Aware ANC mode. This mode only activates ANC when a loud or sudden noise occurs nearby, allowing you to hear your surroundings while also being able to block out any unexpected bursts of noise.
At the moment, we know that the Ultra headphones offer class-leading noise-cancelling. We haven't tested the QuietComfort model yet, but given Bose's track record, we hope that they too offer high-quality ANC, just like their predecessors.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: sound
- Ultra sound precise, punchy and detailed
- Ultra's spatial audio is hit and miss
- We haven't tested the QuietComfort's sound
Having tested and lived with the Ultra for over a year now, we are happy to report that they sound very competitive indeed – hence their five-star rating. We find that the headphones stand up sonically to their similarly priced rivals and are generally a hugely entertaining pair of headphones. They're precise, punchy, and convey every genre of music with enthusiasm.
These headphones offer Immersive Audio settings for a '3D audio' experience, however, our general feeling was that while it works well for some tracks, it can also sound off with others. When testing Motion mode, we heard delay and phase issues as the processing tries to track your head movements and found even with gentle side-to-side head movements, the shifts in the imaging are distracting.
We didn't miss either mode when switching back to the standard setting and it's worth remembering that engaging Immersive Audio also cuts six hours off the total battery life of the headphones.
While we haven’t put the standard QuietComfort headphones through their paces for a full review, we can take a look at the model they supersede in the QuietComfort 45 Headphones. We gave these headphones a solid four-star review, praising their comfort, battery life and effective ANC. We certainly enjoyed their sound, too, however noted that they fell short of the then-class-leading Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones which provided greater dynamic impact. Considering the competition has moved on further still since then, we would only hope that the QuietComfort performance has too.
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: early verdict
At this stage, we've tested the QuietComfort Ultra headphones and awarded them top marks, particularly for their great sound and noise-cancelling abilities. While they sit at the expensive end of the market, they justify their asking price with a level of sound and ANC performance above that of the cheaper competition.
It’s hard to give a definitive answer as to which QuietComfort model offers the best performance-per-pound value until we properly review the cheaper model, but if the standard QuietComfort headphones are as competitive as their Ultra counterparts in their field, they shouldn't disappoint for their price.
There are some features, such as the capacitive touch strip and Immersive Audio, that are unique to the Ultra Headphones, which most likely trump their siblings in the sound and ANC departments too. So if you can afford the Ultra and are comfortable paying that premium for those gains, we certainly wouldn't put you off buying them.
MORE:
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: the differences between two flagship cans
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Apple AirPods Max: what are the differences?
