Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: which is better?

Bose and Sony are always near the top of any list when it comes to the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market.

The two brands have been battling it out for years and we've been there every step of the way testing all their latest models and putting them head-to-head to bring you in-depth opinions that you can trust.

And the battle below is arguably the biggest to date. Here we have the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones going up against the Sony WH-1000XM5. Two flagship pairs of wireless headphones, two premium price tags, but there can be only one winner.

We've spent hours putting each pair through its paces in both test room and real-world conditions. Below we'll run down the difference and compare everything from build quality to battery life, ANC abilities to sound quality so you can weigh up which is the right pair for you.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: price

• Sony XM5 are the slightly cheaper option
• Both pairs regularly discounted

Both of these pairs don't come cheap, but that's hardly surprising when you consider all they offer and the fact that they sit at the very top of each brand's wireless headphones range. If you want the very best wireless headphones that both Sony and Bose offer, this is the place to start.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones launched in October 2023 and cost £450 / $429 / AU$649. That's quite a bit pricier than the Sony WH-1000XM5, which launched back in May 2022 for £380 / $399 / AU$550. Other flagship wireless headphones at this level include the Sonos Ace £449 / $449 / AU$699, and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2e £379 / $399 / AU$599.

Both pairs have dropped in price over time with the Sony WH-1000XM5 remaining the cheaper of the two. We see them discounted regularly in the US and UK to around the $300 / £260 mark while, at the time of writing, the Bose are hovering around the $330 / £330 mark.

Both pairs have previously dropped even lower for Amazon Prime Day and around Black Friday and we expect this to continue for the remainder of the life of the products.

** Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5 **

Andy Madden

I have been testing wireless headphones for two decades, ever since the first pair launched in 2004. Over the years I have listened to hundreds of pairs, including my fair share of Bose and Sony over-ears. I've heard and tested every generation of Sony's premium XM line and Bose's flagship QuietComfort line so have a great understanding of how their design, feature sets and sound quality have evolved over the years. Both pairs you see here put in a very strong showing and are as good as I've heard from either brand at this level. I'm excited to see where they go next!

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Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: design

• Bose fold completely, Sonys only fold flat
• Touch controls feature on both pairs
• Both are comfortable to wear for long periods

Tactile surfaces and a premium feel make the Bose QuietComfort Headphones a very attractive package indeed. The biggest plus from a design perspective is that they fold flat and, thanks to their hinges, inwards. This can't be said for the Sonys which only fold flat. This makes the carry case a little larger but it is thinner than the Bose's.

The Sonys do feature what the company calls a 'noiseless' design which picks up less wind resistance during calls and, from our time testing and comparing, we would agree it does make a difference.

Both pairs are comfortable to wear too, with a grip that's secure but not too tight. Each headband has plenty of room for adjustments so you can slide the cups up and down and get the perfect fit. 

On the Bose, a capacitive touch strip takes care of the controls like volume, and it's responsive enough to work well without being too sensitive. You can also assign different functions to the button, like switching listening modes and answering calls.

On the Sony's the outer surface of the right earpad is touch sensitive and handles the basic controls. On balance, we prefer using the Bose controls – we think you can be more precise with your inputs.

The finishes for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have expanded over time and now include Black, White Smoke, Lunar Blue, Sandstone or a special Diamond 60th Edition option. Similarly, the Sony WH-100XM5 are now available in Black, Silver, Midnight Blue and Smoky Pink.

** Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones **

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: features

• Only the Bose support aptX
• Sonys have longer battery life
• Both pairs support Bluetooth Multipoint

The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the first with Bose's Immersive Audio tech, which is the firm's spin on spatial audio or Sony's 360 Reality Audio. It works much the same as those rival technologies, opting for a surround sound feel (including height channels) over mere stereo.

But, unique to Bose, it comes in two modes: Still and Motion. Still is for when you're stationary and want the music in a fixed position. Motion keeps you immersed while on the move. (You can read how we got on with this in the Sound section, below.)

Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive is onboard, to improve low-latency performance and to support higher-quality wireless codecs, while multipoint Bluetooth lets you seamlessly switch between multiple wireless sources, so you can go from listening to music on your laptop to taking a call on your phone without having to reconnect. 

Battery life? A decent 24 hours with Immersive Audio turned off and 18 hours with it turned on. That's much less than the 30 hours that the Sony WH-1000XM5 deliver.

While aptX isn't onboard, the Sonys do support higher-quality Bluetooth codecs including Sony's own LDAC tech. That sits alongside Sony's DSEE Extreme engine which upscales compressed music to near hi-res quality and we think makes a positive difference to low-quality audio files.

But that's just the tip of the feature-rich iceberg. The XM5 have Quick Attention, which lets you lower the volume and have a conversation by covering the right earcup with your hand. Speak-to-Chat pauses playback and engages ambient sound mode as soon as you start talking, again, letting you have a conversation. Wearing Detection knows when you take the headphones off and pauses playback, then restarts when you put them back on. And the Sonys also support Bluetooth Multipoint, just like the Bose.

** Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5 **

• 6 sound settings you shouldn’t ignore on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: noise cancelling

• Bose edges Sony for ANC quality - but it's close!
• Both pairs offer ANC customisation options
• Sonys boast better call quality

Both pairs of headphones are over-ears, and both have active noise cancellation (ANC) as a major selling point. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones feature the firm's CustomTune calibration and Aware Mode with ActiveSense, which automatically adjusts the amount of ANC you’re hearing based on your surroundings. That means you can go from a quiet cafe to a busy street without your listening being too affected.

Call quality has improved with the Ultra Headphones. That's thanks to more advanced microphones in a beamform array that reduces the impact of external noise. Each earpiece has five microphones, up from four in their predecessors, the NC 700.

For the XM5's noise cancelling, Sony has also gone all out. Sony might not have quite the prestige of Bose in this area, but its recent ANC pairs have consistently ranked among the best headphones we've tested. And the XM5 are no different.

The Integrated Processor V1 is put on noise cancelling duties, and like the Bose, the XM5 automatically optimise the noise cancelling as you move through different environments. It's very effective. They're among the best in class in terms of isolating us from constant train noises, and they're superb at silencing conversations you don't want to be subjected to. They're not quite as excellent at dealing with less consistent noises like traffic, but overall they're still very successful.

However, we do think the Bose have the edge where noise cancelling is concerned. During testing, we found they dramatically reduced background rumbles while out walking, and the sound of the London Underground during our daily commute. Interestingly, one of the same quirks we experienced with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds rears its head again with these over-ears. While testing them on train journey, the clunk of the doors closing together was actually emphasised instead of being subdued.

When it comes to call quality, though, we prefer the XM5. Our voices sounded slightly clearer when taking calls, and we think the Sonys do a better job of cancelling out background noise while having a conversation.

** Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones **

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: sound

• Both offer a slightly different flavour of sound
• Sonys major in clarity and detail
• Bose opt for a richer, more full-bodied sound

You're listening to the pinnacle of Sony and Bose's wireless headphones and it shows – the sound quality on offer from both pairs is stunning.

The Bose actually sound a little uptight straight out of the box, but once they're fully run in they're hugely entertaining. Timing is spot on and their precise, punchy delivery boasts plenty of texture. In our review, we noted their "sense of richness and refinement which we think will be hugely appealing". We also highlighted their dynamism and ability to shift up through the gears when the music demands.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 sound quite different. The XM5's character is slightly leaner with a more natural balance, delivering greater transparency but at the expense of richness and body. It’s one of those that will come down to personal preference. But for us, the Sonys just have it.

Their delivery is effortlessly musical, with greater clarity and a more open presentation than the previous generation. When it comes to timing, in our review we said "they never miss a beat". The low-end is precise, and in our eyes extracts slightly more detail and gives you greater differentiation between each note. And that clarity holds further up the frequency range – we described the edges of notes through the Sonys as sounding "clean and pristine".

** Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5 **

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sony WH-1000XM5: verdict

So which pair is best for you? It depends on what you want from a pair of over-ears.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer better noise cancelling than the Sony XM5, with a richer sound that has more body. But they're more expensive and have a shorter battery life.

The XM5 have a more natural sonic balance, with greater transparency. They're cheaper, have a longer battery life, better call quality and are better all-rounders. Our money would go on the Sonys, especially if you could find a good deal, but we also know the Bose will not disappoint.

MORE:

Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Apple AirPods Max: which are better?

Bose’s spatial audio tech is a nice idea for headphones but it’s too hit-and-miss

Prefer earbuds? Here are the differences between the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds vs Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony WH-1000XM6: expected release date and price, 6 features on our wishlist