Read our full review: www.soundguys.com/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-review-103901/ Buy from Amazon: amzn.to/3OJd3oO Let us know if you have any questions! We're here to help. :D [Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.]
They are $379.99 right now. And they are damn good. I think they are worth the price. They sound similar to the Sennheiser momentum 4 to me, except they have a slightly wider soundstage.
@BigALdeek Never mind about the sound quality. The Sennheiser momentum 4's got a firmware update to upgrade the sound quality, so now they sound much better than the Bose QC Ultra's. Before they sounded hollow and the sound quality didn't improve no matter what I adjusted with the in-app equalizer. The mids are now right where they should be, and the soundstage has widened a bit. They added a 24bit/96khz mode for lossless audio over bluetooth, too.
No one seems to mention that the noise floor (white noise / hiss) on the Bose QC Ultra is a lot more then on the XM5s with ANC on and no audio playing. So if you want to deaden outside noise without audio the XM5s are a clear winner. The white noise on the Bose is very noticeable with no audio playing, while the XM5s are dead quiet. To be fair, the Bose white noise does fade into the background once you start playing some audio. However there are times that I want to tune out noisy neighbors, etc, and focus on something without audio playing, and the Sonys can deliver, the Bose, not so much. Great review BTW, thanks! 🙏
Thanks for the graph! I couldn’t ‘quite’ nail down what I needed to do to get the sound cleared up but I boosted the treble a couple points and brought the bass down by 4 and I think that’s as close as I’m going to get without someone with better ears posting their settings. But I’ve been having a lot of fun with these cans. I snagged an aptx adapter for my pc as well and have been using them to game and loving them for that too. There’s a teensy bit of delay in low latency mode but it’s negligible in all but twitch/competitive shooters and I don’t really play those anymore.
Great review as always! Super informative. Have a quick question for you. I think the comfort, the noise cancelling is great on these as you've pointed out but the sound...it doesn't give the same joy to me as my Airpods Max did before selling or my current Beats Studio Pro. You've sometimes shared your preferred EQ settings, what would they be for the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra?
My QC35s from 2016 are amazingly still going strong (I do need to solder in a new battery though). I’ve travelled around the world with these things, and have never been especially careful with them. I was thinking of picking up the Focal Bathys, but I’m pretty sure they won’t match the durability/comfort of the QC’s.
Mine too! I listened to this whole video wearing my OG QC35s. Only thing I had to replace were the earcups after 4 years since I wore them in the clear, rain, sleet, and snow! I love them and im considering if I actually need to upgrade or not since they are 8 years old
Great at noise canceling and comfort, but if sound quality is most important, I would lean more toward Sennheiser for sound quality, especially the Momentum 3 if it can be found.
No they sound similar to the Sennheiser momentum 4. The Bose QC Ultra has a slightly wider soundstage and are far more comfortable. I bought the Sennheiser momentum 4 for my Fiancée and bought the QC Ultra's for myself.
@@zombieimpact2790 the 4’s are very good but are tuned a little bass heavy for me and not as clear and spacious as the 3 in the mids. So with the 4, I lower the bass to -6 and then they sound more like the 3
@@zombieimpact2790I went for the Momentum 4. Is it still true that the ANC is just as good as the XM5 if you turn off wind noise reduction? Also between the Ultra and the Momentum 4, which has better ANC?
Interesting take on them tbh. First video I’ve watched with more cons than pros which was odd to see. Theres no competition between the Bose and the AirPod max imo with the AirPod max being almost double the price and not double or even 1.5x the quality. While I agree with most things said, I will disagree on the sound quality. I loved the quality on them, but then again, sound is subjective. At $379.99 they’re a steal.
Bose all with a closed type? or is it not heard, for example , on a train , on an airplane,for privacy so that the interlocutors do not hear , or is apple airpods max better?
As someone who has the b&o beoplay h95 and the bose ultra qc the bose are definitely better in the sound quality as well as anc. But the b&o look and feel fucking amazing! They do sound really really good but the bose are just on another level. Specially in the ANC department
Flash news. The immersive mode sounds awesome if you bump up the bass to like 6 or 7 depending of your liking cause if you have the bass lower than that they sound bad. But trust me bump up the bass and they sound so good with immersive. Can't listen to normal mode anymore.
Yes you could use them for running, probably not too wise tho. Especially if you use them frequently for running. Because you are going to sweat and the sweat will wear down the leather on the ear muffs. However Bose does sell replacements. So if you don’t mind paying some extra money every once in a while to have them replaced, then go right on ahead. Also these type of headphones keep in a lot of heat, so you might find them getting hot around your ears. I wear AirPods Pro while running, and they aren’t the best because it always feels like they are gonna fall out. I think a more secure set of earbuds would work better in my opinion. I’m not an expert by any means. But I just speaking from experience
The headphones do a good job canceling low frequency noise. You can check out or measurements on our website for more info. Hope this helps. Happy listening!
As a 45 and a ultra user , if you are satisfied with the noise canceling or the sound quality on your current pair, it’s not a buy. BUT still the new ultra is superior to the 45 in every single aspects and I guarantee that you could have a better experience with the ultra.
Hang on a minute, you're telling me that this god awful balance that feels like I'm listening my music through a wall is ON PURPOSE? I'm looking for reviews because I think mine has a problem, it can't be this extreme, I can't get a normal balance whatever the configuration EDIT: thanks for the concise and no-bullshit review
I just got these and All I get with my S23 Ultra is AAC or SBC. There are only about 10 phones that seem to support snap dragon sound. Kinda disappointing.
Yes, that is my concern. Samsung only supports SBC, AAC, aptX (only basic, not HD and not LL) and Sony's own audio codec, LDAC. Therefore I'm not sure if Bose is still a better option than a Sony WH-1000XM5.
I will say, after having them for a month or so now, I really like them! Honestly,unless you're an audiophile or do things that require low latency, I don't notice a quality difference at all. But, that's just me.
@G37xMaN To be honest, i'm a big Nuraphone fan and nothing ever could touch them...not even close. And this includes Bose QC35 II, Bose NC 700, Sony WH-1000XM3, XM4 and XM5. Haven't tried the QC Ultras tho...
@attilab.2818 Had to Google nuraphone...lol. that's an interesting design. The ultrasound do what I want and the main reason I went with them is the noise canceling, which is great!
Cons that make them terrible choice: - There's NO way to use them while charging (It's a total scandal in 2023/2024). So imagine if they run out of battery during the meeting you're doomed. - The earmuffs tilt opposite directions than in any other headphones, so when you rest them on your shoulders the cushions are pointed up but the sharp corners of the outer layer are irritating your skin
Yes, that is my concern. Samsung only supports SBC, AAC, aptX (only basic, not HD and not LL) and Sony's own audio codec, LDAC. Therefore I'm not sure if Bose is still a better option than a Sony WH-1000XM5.
I have a pair of the WH-1000XM5, and I don't rate them. The headband is too small (it points into my head). The on/off button is awful (you have to wait a few seconds, and this gets very annoying after a while). But the worst thing is now the right ear has an awful intermittent crackling/grinding sound (I think this may be caused by air pressure differences when going through tunnels on trains). Bose had this issue in the past. I hope they have fixed it with this model.
Whether you prefer one set of headphones over another is a personal choice. You might like Chevy but I prefer Ford, you might like this and I like that. It's all totally subjective.
The Bose do not have too much bass. Their highs are a tad to much for me, but I can notch it down a tiny bit, and still get good detail. I’m not sure if they are better than Sony XM5, which are smoother but very pleasing.
If you're asking about hi-res audio, wirelessly, iPhones don't have aptX codec support, only AAC (which these headphones also have) but well below CD quality specification. If you're talking about wired connection for iPhone, for better quality, you would need an adapter and for lossless quality, that adapter would need a DAC built-in since iPhones don't have a built-in DAC. If you're interested in those solutions, just reply and I'll continue
No, they are not worth the $400 I paid. The ANC is great, and once EQ'd they sound good but the build quality is absolutely pathetic. Both ear cups have constant soft thuds, and the headband creaks like a wooden sailing ship, both of these faults are heard while in use and are absolutely unacceptable. I hope Bose makes the exchange easy and w/o hassle.
@@DatGuyWithDaGlasses Sad indeed. Ordered another pair made a month apart and they suffer the same problems as compared to the first set I still have... The second pair still has light clunks heard in the ear cups, the ear cups creak simply holding them to mount, still has a creaking / crackling headband right from the box. Second pair also has noticeable hiss with the ANC to boot. $800 worth of junk I'll try 'fixing' with dry lube and send one back for refund. People must be psychotic to think the build quality of these QC Ultra headphones is top-notch. Tried to link a video of another problem they are having but the reply was constantly removed... Imagine the sound of a turkey call: A loud squeaky errr, errr, errr, errr while articulating the LH ear cup...
2:35 If you want to check how the microphones sound, you need to go to your website to find out??? This is a video, the recording should be here. What a terrible review.
Read our full review: www.soundguys.com/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-review-103901/
Buy from Amazon: amzn.to/3OJd3oO
Let us know if you have any questions! We're here to help. :D
[Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.]
Thanks for doing a super short and concise review!
“It feels like your listening to speakers but your wearing headphone” Finally🎉
That’s what I like about it 🤷♂️
I love mine... and the ultra earbuds are just as good.... both are not cheap but IMO worth every penny
They are $379.99 right now. And they are damn good. I think they are worth the price. They sound similar to the Sennheiser momentum 4 to me, except they have a slightly wider soundstage.
Vs Xm5 & Apple Pros?
@BigALdeek Never mind about the sound quality. The Sennheiser momentum 4's got a firmware update to upgrade the sound quality, so now they sound much better than the Bose QC Ultra's. Before they sounded hollow and the sound quality didn't improve no matter what I adjusted with the in-app equalizer. The mids are now right where they should be, and the soundstage has widened a bit. They added a 24bit/96khz mode for lossless audio over bluetooth, too.
@@zombieimpact2790im very happe with sennheiser momentum 4. Never had bose. Still also got sony xm3. 😅
@@zombieimpact2790placebo
@@zombieimpact2790so I bought the new Bose for no reason 🫢😭😭😭😭
No one seems to mention that the noise floor (white noise / hiss) on the Bose QC Ultra is a lot more then on the XM5s with ANC on and no audio playing. So if you want to deaden outside noise without audio the XM5s are a clear winner. The white noise on the Bose is very noticeable with no audio playing, while the XM5s are dead quiet. To be fair, the Bose white noise does fade into the background once you start playing some audio. However there are times that I want to tune out noisy neighbors, etc, and focus on something without audio playing, and the Sonys can deliver, the Bose, not so much.
Great review BTW, thanks! 🙏
Thanks for the graph! I couldn’t ‘quite’ nail down what I needed to do to get the sound cleared up but I boosted the treble a couple points and brought the bass down by 4 and I think that’s as close as I’m going to get without someone with better ears posting their settings. But I’ve been having a lot of fun with these cans. I snagged an aptx adapter for my pc as well and have been using them to game and loving them for that too. There’s a teensy bit of delay in low latency mode but it’s negligible in all but twitch/competitive shooters and I don’t really play those anymore.
Excellent review.
Great review as always! Super informative. Have a quick question for you. I think the comfort, the noise cancelling is great on these as you've pointed out but the sound...it doesn't give the same joy to me as my Airpods Max did before selling or my current Beats Studio Pro. You've sometimes shared your preferred EQ settings, what would they be for the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra?
I love Bose. I was never disappointed with their products and customer service.
Catergory leaders? Wouldn’t that go to the sennheiser momentum 4’s with their 60 hours?
My QC35s from 2016 are amazingly still going strong (I do need to solder in a new battery though). I’ve travelled around the world with these things, and have never been especially careful with them. I was thinking of picking up the Focal Bathys, but I’m pretty sure they won’t match the durability/comfort of the QC’s.
I mean, if it ain't broke don't fix it! Glad your Bose are still hanging on. Happy listening! :D
Mine too! I listened to this whole video wearing my OG QC35s. Only thing I had to replace were the earcups after 4 years since I wore them in the clear, rain, sleet, and snow! I love them and im considering if I actually need to upgrade or not since they are 8 years old
Love the portability and better codec support on these. I hope the XM6s returns to a more portable design like the XM4s
Nice video. Does it support Apple Lossless Music?
Received mine last week on sale $315. Excellent pair of headphones and extremely comfortable
From where
Where?!
Recently received mine two days ago for $340 with tax from Abt. It’s a store outside of Chicago
got them for $250 on a BF deal, they're the BEST
Great at noise canceling and comfort, but if sound quality is most important, I would lean more toward Sennheiser for sound quality, especially the Momentum 3 if it can be found.
Sennheiser is a great option! Happy listening :D
No they sound similar to the Sennheiser momentum 4. The Bose QC Ultra has a slightly wider soundstage and are far more comfortable. I bought the Sennheiser momentum 4 for my Fiancée and bought the QC Ultra's for myself.
@@zombieimpact2790 the 4’s are very good but are tuned a little bass heavy for me and not as clear and spacious as the 3 in the mids.
So with the 4, I lower the bass to -6 and then they sound more like the 3
@@zombieimpact2790I went for the Momentum 4. Is it still true that the ANC is just as good as the XM5 if you turn off wind noise reduction? Also between the Ultra and the Momentum 4, which has better ANC?
@@zombieimpact2790which ones are more comfortable and sound better? I have a small head lol
Interesting take on them tbh. First video I’ve watched with more cons than pros which was odd to see. Theres no competition between the Bose and the AirPod max imo with the AirPod max being almost double the price and not double or even 1.5x the quality. While I agree with most things said, I will disagree on the sound quality. I loved the quality on them, but then again, sound is subjective. At $379.99 they’re a steal.
I've just ordered a pair but now reading into it, they don't have LDAC! Does this mean I'll be on a lossy old codec from my z fold 4?
Z fold 4 😂 me to , looking smth to change my airpods
Bose all with a closed type? or is it not heard, for example , on a train , on an airplane,for privacy so that the interlocutors do not hear , or is apple airpods max better?
How can you test headphones sound quality when you put the earcups on your toque?!
As someone who has the b&o beoplay h95 and the bose ultra qc the bose are definitely better in the sound quality as well as anc. But the b&o look and feel fucking amazing! They do sound really really good but the bose are just on another level. Specially in the ANC department
I’m huge fan of Bose products
Waiting till they go on sale….hopefully before Christmas. Best Buy has them for $379 and the 2023 quiet comforts for $249
I also have that electronic game :D
Flash news. The immersive mode sounds awesome if you bump up the bass to like 6 or 7 depending of your liking cause if you have the bass lower than that they sound bad. But trust me bump up the bass and they sound so good with immersive. Can't listen to normal mode anymore.
Can I use these during running?
Would that be wise and comfy?
Yes they do
Yes you could use them for running, probably not too wise tho. Especially if you use them frequently for running. Because you are going to sweat and the sweat will wear down the leather on the ear muffs. However Bose does sell replacements. So if you don’t mind paying some extra money every once in a while to have them replaced, then go right on ahead. Also these type of headphones keep in a lot of heat, so you might find them getting hot around your ears. I wear AirPods Pro while running, and they aren’t the best because it always feels like they are gonna fall out. I think a more secure set of earbuds would work better in my opinion. I’m not an expert by any means. But I just speaking from experience
How are they at cancelrung low frequencies like road noise?
The headphones do a good job canceling low frequency noise. You can check out or measurements on our website for more info. Hope this helps. Happy listening!
Bose 700 has the best design. I hope they’ll keep that.
is it worth upgrading from the qc 45 to these?
As a 45 and a ultra user , if you are satisfied with the noise canceling or the sound quality on your current pair, it’s not a buy.
BUT still the new ultra is superior to the 45 in every single aspects and I guarantee that you could have a better experience with the ultra.
Hang on a minute, you're telling me that this god awful balance that feels like I'm listening my music through a wall is ON PURPOSE? I'm looking for reviews because I think mine has a problem, it can't be this extreme, I can't get a normal balance whatever the configuration
EDIT: thanks for the concise and no-bullshit review
Thanks for watching! Happy listening!
Is the comfort level that good?
They are pretty comfy to wear! 🎧
The bose sound is a sound i just love. The rest are way to heavy bass. For real music bose just rules
I just got these and All I get with my S23 Ultra is AAC or SBC. There are only about 10 phones that seem to support snap dragon sound. Kinda disappointing.
Yes, that is my concern. Samsung only supports SBC, AAC, aptX (only basic, not HD and not LL) and Sony's own audio codec, LDAC. Therefore I'm not sure if Bose is still a better option than a Sony WH-1000XM5.
I will say, after having them for a month or so now, I really like them! Honestly,unless you're an audiophile or do things that require low latency, I don't notice a quality difference at all. But, that's just me.
@G37xMaN
To be honest, i'm a big Nuraphone fan and nothing ever could touch them...not even close. And this includes Bose QC35 II, Bose NC 700, Sony WH-1000XM3, XM4 and XM5. Haven't tried the QC Ultras tho...
@attilab.2818
Had to Google nuraphone...lol. that's an interesting design. The ultrasound do what I want and the main reason I went with them is the noise canceling, which is great!
Cons that make them terrible choice:
- There's NO way to use them while charging (It's a total scandal in 2023/2024). So imagine if they run out of battery during the meeting you're doomed.
- The earmuffs tilt opposite directions than in any other headphones, so when you rest them on your shoulders the cushions are pointed up but the sharp corners of the outer layer are irritating your skin
Some said it's not compatible with Samsung's Snapdragon?
Yes, that is my concern. Samsung only supports SBC, AAC, aptX (only basic, not HD and not LL) and Sony's own audio codec, LDAC. Therefore I'm not sure if Bose is still a better option than a Sony WH-1000XM5.
I have a pair of the WH-1000XM5, and I don't rate them. The headband is too small (it points into my head). The on/off button is awful (you have to wait a few seconds, and this gets very annoying after a while). But the worst thing is now the right ear has an awful intermittent crackling/grinding sound (I think this may be caused by air pressure differences when going through tunnels on trains). Bose had this issue in the past. I hope they have fixed it with this model.
I’ll take the Sony LDAC support
The XM5 headband looks really uncomfortable, I went with the Ultras and the comfort and ANC for me are definitely what I was after.
❤❤❤
Whether you prefer one set of headphones over another is a personal choice. You might like Chevy but I prefer Ford, you might like this and I like that. It's all totally subjective.
Totally agree! Happy listening! :)
The Bose do not have too much bass. Their highs are a tad to much for me, but I can notch it down a tiny bit, and still get good detail. I’m not sure if they are better than Sony XM5, which are smoother but very pleasing.
My man is declaring bose the winner with such pain
Why was it so painful to declare Bose the winner? Have they had issues with Bose in the past?
@@Spinks345 dude i am just a new tech enthusiast so i dont know about the past but i am just a sony fanboy
What about for iPhones ?
If you're asking about hi-res audio, wirelessly, iPhones don't have aptX codec support, only AAC (which these headphones also have) but well below CD quality specification. If you're talking about wired connection for iPhone, for better quality, you would need an adapter and for lossless quality, that adapter would need a DAC built-in since iPhones don't have a built-in DAC. If you're interested in those solutions, just reply and I'll continue
These are not good for iPhones, I had a lot of issues with the pause button not working after pausing a song for more than 20 seconds
Every review says something different.
I’m guessing it’s not nearly as good for iOS
Did he review these or is it second hand knowledge?
He reviews them. :)
No, they are not worth the $400 I paid. The ANC is great, and once EQ'd they sound good but the build quality is absolutely pathetic. Both ear cups have constant soft thuds, and the headband creaks like a wooden sailing ship, both of these faults are heard while in use and are absolutely unacceptable. I hope Bose makes the exchange easy and w/o hassle.
Really sad to hear this, my XM4’s have always creaked and I believed the Bose QC U would solve this. Gonna have to lean on the XM5’s I guess 🤷🏼♀️
@@DatGuyWithDaGlasses Sad indeed. Ordered another pair made a month apart and they suffer the same problems as compared to the first set I still have... The second pair still has light clunks heard in the ear cups, the ear cups creak simply holding them to mount, still has a creaking / crackling headband right from the box. Second pair also has noticeable hiss with the ANC to boot.
$800 worth of junk I'll try 'fixing' with dry lube and send one back for refund. People must be psychotic to think the build quality of these QC Ultra headphones is top-notch. Tried to link a video of another problem they are having but the reply was constantly removed... Imagine the sound of a turkey call: A loud squeaky errr, errr, errr, errr while articulating the LH ear cup...
Sounds like a predictable upgrade. Nothing groundbreaking.
The case literally falls to pieces. It is crap
capacitive volume bar? goodbye bose...
They are bang average. Save your money. Senny Momentum 4 and Sony XM5s are both better and much cheaper.
bose sound is unmatched, I understood it after watching & hearing bose for a while ,they just sound better than MOM4 & XM5
2:35 If you want to check how the microphones sound, you need to go to your website to find out??? This is a video, the recording should be here. What a terrible review.
It's a 5-minute review lad. You can't fit in an entire dissertation into an elevator pitch.