Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are Bose’s flagship over-ear noise cancelling headphones of their generation, combining Bose’s strongest active noise cancellation with a headline feature: Bose Immersive Audio, which takes sound out of your head and places it in the space in front of you, in both head-tracked motion and still modes. Three listening modes cover the day: Quiet for maximum noise cancellation, Aware for full transparency, and Immersion, which combines noise cancellation with Immersive Audio, with further custom modes available in the Bose app. Battery life runs up to 24 hours, or up to 18 hours with Immersive Audio switched on, and a 15-minute quick charge adds about 2.5 hours of playback.

Sound is personalised by CustomTune technology: each time the headphones are put on, a tone measures the acoustics of the ear canal and tailors the response to the individual listener. A nine-microphone system handles noise cancellation and voice pickup for calls. Bluetooth is version 5.3 with multipoint connection to two devices, Google Fast Pair, and Snapdragon Sound with aptX Adaptive, including lossless audio on compatible devices, alongside SBC and AAC. Adjustable EQ, mode control and firmware updates live in the Bose Music app.

Key features

• Flagship active noise cancellation with Quiet, Aware and Immersion modes
• Bose Immersive Audio spatial sound with head tracking
• Up to 24 hours of battery life (18 hours with Immersive Audio on)
• CustomTune sound calibration measured to your ears
• Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint with Snapdragon Sound and aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC
• Nine-microphone system for noise cancellation and clear calls
• Capacitive touch volume strip and wear detection
• Fold-flat design with carry case and wired listening cable included

How Immersive Audio differs from ordinary stereo

Normal headphone stereo is mixed for two earcups, which places instruments inside the listener’s head. Immersive Audio re-processes the signal so the soundstage sits in front of the listener, like a pair of speakers in a room, and in motion mode it stays anchored to the room as the head turns. It works with ordinary stereo content from any service, with no special spatial-audio masters required, at the cost of some battery life. For video, the effect is a wider, more external presentation that many listeners find less fatiguing over long sessions.

Controls and daily use

Physical controls keep the essentials off the phone: a multi-function button handles playback and calls, a second button covers Bluetooth and power, and a capacitive strip on the right earcup adjusts volume with a swipe. Wear detection pauses playback when the headphones are removed. Charging is over USB-C, with a full charge taking about 3 hours, and the included 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable covers wired listening, including on flights. The headphones fold flat into the included carry case and weigh 250 g, light enough for all-day wear.

Fit and comfort

The over-ear design uses plush earcups and a padded headband to distribute pressure over long listening sessions, and the earcups fold flat so the headphones travel in their case rather than around the neck. At 250 g, the weight is low for a full-size noise cancelling model, which matters on long flights and full workdays. The acoustic seal of the earcups is part of the noise cancelling system, so a correct fit improves both comfort and cancellation.

The QuietComfort Ultra suits frequent flyers, commuters and focused workers who want the strongest Bose noise cancelling of its generation plus spatial audio, in a comfortable over-ear frame. Full specifications are listed in the Additional Information table on this page.