Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) Review: Pay for the ANC, Not the 'Immersive' Label
Bose's current flagship over-ears are $399 on Bose.com and have been as low as $370 on Amazon. I care about the ANC, the USB-C lossless jack, and the clamp — not Cinema Mode.
!Over-ear headphones resting on a wooden table
Affiliate disclosure: The Deals Home is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
I have been testing consumer electronics for eight years, long enough to watch Bose recycle the word "Ultra." The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) launched in October 2025. They are the current Bose flagship over-ears. The marketing deck leads with Immersive Audio and Cinema Mode. I lead with the clamp, the mic array, and whether the USB-C cable in the box actually does anything useful.
Spoiler: the ANC is still why you buy Bose. The spatial branding is why the list price is $449.
The price I will stand behind
Bose.com is listing these at $399 (list $449) as of this week. Amazon's US black ASIN is B0FDKR293G. Price-history data from August 8 still showed that black listing at $369.99. PhoneArena on August 4 and Gizmodo in mid-July had the same "under $370" cut.
I am not going to print $369.99 as if I just screenshotted the buy box this afternoon. I will print what I can defend: Bose.com is $399. Amazon has been $70–$80 off list through the summer. If the live Amazon tile is back at $449, it is not a deal. If it is still under $400, it is.
[Check the live Amazon listing →](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FDKR293G?tag=thedealshome-20)
What 2nd Gen actually added
I do not have a soundproof chamber. I do have the spec sheet, the public review record, and a lot of hours on these pads.
ANC (the reason). Bose still tunes for cabin drone better than anyone who is not Sony. Quiet, Aware, and Immersion are the modes. Quiet is the one you will leave on. Aware is the one you use at a coffee shop so you do not miss your name. Immersion is Bose's spatial mode. I turn it off for music I already know. It widens the stage. It also eats battery and makes some mixes sound like they were recorded in a hallway.
USB-C lossless. This is the 2nd Gen feature I will defend. You can charge and listen on the USB-C cable. First-gen Ultra could not do that cleanly. If you sit at a desk with a laptop, this is a real wired fallback that is not a 2.5-to-3.5 mm dongle dance. A 3.5 mm analog cable is still in the box.
Battery. Bose quotes up to 30 hours in Quiet or Aware, less with Immersive Audio on. That matches the XM6 number. Quick charge is here. Plan on a full charge overnight, not a miracle.
Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint. Pair the phone and the laptop. Switching is fine. It is not magic. The Bose app is where CustomTune lives — a short ear-canal measurement that sets a baseline EQ. Run it once. Then stop chasing presets.
Comfort. These clamp harder than the Sony XM5. That is a feature on a plane and a problem after hour three at a desk. Protein-leather pads, adjustable headband, about 250 g on the cups. No IP rating. Same warning I give on Sony: these are not rain gear.
Cinema Mode. Marketing. If you watch a lot of movies on a laptop, try it. If you came here for music, ignore the name.
How I would choose: Ultra 2 vs XM6 vs last-gen QC
| If you want… | Buy | Why I pick it | | --- | --- | --- | | Softest plane ANC, Bose fit | Ultra 2nd Gen | Cabin drone is Bose's whole job | | Foldable case, app EQ, LDAC | Sony XM6 | $398, and it folds | | Under $250, last-gen Bose | 2023 QuietComfort | Clearance. Not this post. |
The Ultra 2 is not an XM6 killer. It is a Bose loyalist product that finally added a useful USB-C path. If you like Sony's app and you pack a bag, buy the XM6. If you have worn QC 35s since 2018 and you want the same clamp with a better mic array, this is your upgrade.
Who should skip it
- You will not spend $370–$400. The 2023 QuietComfort at clearance is the Bose I would send you to.
- You need a fold. These do not collapse the way the XM6 does.
- You want spatial audio because a box said so. Turn it off and save the battery.
- You are shopping for gym headphones. Wrong category.
Value over hype
Bose will sell you Immersive Audio. I will sell you a quiet cabin and a USB-C cable that finally works as a headphone jack. At $449 list I would wait. At $399 on Bose.com, and anywhere under $400 on Amazon, the math is honest: you are paying a flagship tax for the best Bose ANC they ship right now, not for a mode you will disable in a week.
I buy headphones for the hours I wear them, not the slide deck. Run CustomTune, leave Immersion off, and decide if the clamp feels like home. If it does not, the Sony is sitting at $398 and it folds.
Prices checked August 22, 2026 against Bose.com ($399 / $449 list) and August deal reports from PhoneArena, Gizmodo, and price-history trackers. Confirm the 2nd Gen model name and the seller before you buy. The 2023 Ultra and the 2023 QuietComfort are different listings.
Compare
Bose Ultra 2nd Gen versus the Sony I actually recommend to mixed-device households. Same flagship money. Different clamp, different case.
Compare Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) vs Sony WH-1000XM6 →
If you care about a fold and LDAC, the Sony wins on paper. If you care about cabin hush and USB-C lossless at a desk, stay on this page.
Products in This Review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones (2nd Gen), Wireless Headphones with Spatial Audio, Over Ear Noise Cancelling with Mic, Up to 30 Hours of Play time, Black
Awaken your sound with QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). Obsessively engineered with Bose’s best noise cancellation for headphones, plus spatialized audio to expand sound, every beat hits harder and every melody takes up more space. Bose Immersive Audio takes what you’re hearing out of your head and places it in front of you for a more natural listening experience. CustomTune technology personalizes your audio by analyzing the shape of your ears and adapting the sound so everything you listen to hits exactly as it should. With up to 30 hours of battery life (23 with Immersive Audio)* and unrivaled comfort from luxe materials, these wireless Bluetooth headphones let you sink deeper into your favorite songs and sounds. The earcups gently hug your ears, and the headband evenly distributes pressure while sleek, polished metal arms add a stylish touch. Easily pair two devices simultaneously with Bluetooth multipoint connectivity and keep track of what you have paired in the Bose app. * Testing conducted by Bose with active noise cancelling on and audio playback at a loudness of 75dBSPL. Battery life varies based on settings and usage.** Quick charge testing conducted by Bose by charging battery-depleted headphones for 15 minutes, then resuming audio playback at a loudness of 75dBSPL. Battery life varies based on settings and usage. Time to achieve fully charged headphones was determined by charging battery-depleted headphones to 100%.
Sony WH-1000XM6 The Best Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones, Black
Powered by our next-gen processor and intelligent algorithms, the WH-1000XM6 premium headphones deliver studio-quality sound and our most advanced noise cancellation. Co-created with mastering audio engineers, every detail and note are heard as the artist intended. Enjoy a pure, uninterrupted listening experience anywhere with crystal-clear call quality and pro-level audio.