# Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

- Source: https://stierproducts.com/products/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen
- Category board: https://stierproducts.com/categories/headphones
- Placement: #2 of 28 in Headphones, S tier
- Brand: Bose
- LP on this board: 983
- Last researched: 2026-10-17T10:01:44.526Z
- Method: https://stierproducts.com/methodology
- Dataset: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22062813 - every board at once, one dated snapshot per release, same licence, prices and photographs left out
- Reuse: Text, rankings, tier assignments, LP values and verdicts are free to quote and reuse with attribution to stierproducts and a link to the source URL (CC BY 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.

## Verdict

RTINGS and TechGearLab confirm comfort and sound, and Bose's support reputation is solid. The best wireless ownership bet after the Sennheiser.

## For

- Very comfortable fit
- Both analog and USB-C audio connectivity
- Impressive sound with an expansive soundstage
- Very effective noise cancelling that excels at spatial audio
- Expansive soundstage and impressive frequency balance

## Against

- Bass and mids are fit-dependent
- Mic does not work when wired
- Premium pricing relative to performance
- folding hinge is a wear point over years
- Premium price

## Evidence

Consolidated from 21 cited sources across 20 outlets

| Outlet | Said by | Stance | Link | Link status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Gizmodo | James Pero | B | https://gizmodo.com/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen-review-king-of-anc-2000670320 | fetched and confirmed |
| WIRED | Ryan Waniata | C | https://www.wired.com/review/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2/ | fetched and confirmed |
| TechRadar | techradar.com | D | https://www.techradar.com/audio/wireless-headphones/i-am-extremely-angry-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen-reportedly-lost-key-features-after-a-firmware-update-and-users-arent-ok | fetched and confirmed |
| Tom's Guide | tomsguide.com | C | https://www.tomsguide.com/audio/over-ear-headphones/ive-been-testing-the-second-generation-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-whats-new | fetched and confirmed |
| Forbes | Rebecca Isaacs | B | https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-wireless-headphone/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Business Insider | - | - | https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/best-over-ear-headphones | fetched and confirmed |
| RecordingNOW | RecordingNOW | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5o6DYooZZE | fetched and confirmed |
| RecordingNOW | RecordingNOW | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNYTapIX29E | fetched and confirmed |
| Kay Dubz | Kay Dubz | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzn0vT7IAMA | fetched and confirmed |
| Aaron X Loud and Wireless | Aaron X Loud and Wireless | B | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juXinZga7eU | fetched and confirmed |
| Pack Hacker | Lauren Maternowski | B | https://www.packhacker.com/travel-gear/bose/quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen/ | fetched and confirmed |
| SoundGuys | Christian Thomas | B | https://www.soundguys.com/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen-review-boring-refresh-or-notable-upgrade-144545/ | fetched and confirmed |
| PCMag UK | uk.pcmag.com | B | https://uk.pcmag.com/headphones/160460/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen | fetched and confirmed |
| STEREO GUIDE | stereoguide.com | A | https://stereoguide.com/headphones/noise-cancelling-en/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen-review-more-dynamics-better-bass/ | fetched and confirmed |
| What Hi-Fi? | whathifi.com | B | https://www.whathifi.com/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen | fetched and confirmed |
| TechGearLab | Rachael Lamore | B | https://www.techgearlab.com/reviews/audio/wireless-headphones/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-2nd-gen-headphones | fetched and confirmed |
| StudyFinds | StudyFinds Analysis | B | https://studyfinds.com/best-noise-canceling-headphones-in-2026/ | fetched and confirmed |
| Mashable | Bethany Allard | B | https://mashable.com/review/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen | fetched and confirmed |
| Engadget | Billy Steele | B | https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen-review-impactful-upgrades-to-a-familiar-formula-150000709.html | fetched and confirmed |
| Expert Reviews | Andy White | B | https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/technology/headphones-audio/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen-review | fetched and confirmed |
| Consumer Reports | Consumer Reports | C | https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/headphones/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen/m419218/ | fetched and confirmed |

## Nearest alternatives on this board

| Rank | Product | Tier | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Sony WH-1000XM6 | S | https://stierproducts.com/products/sony-wh-1000xm6 |
| 3 | Sony MDR-7506 | S | https://stierproducts.com/products/sony-mdr-7506 |
| 4 | Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/sennheiser-momentum-4-wireless |
| 5 | 1More SonoFlow Pro | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/1more-sonoflow-pro |
| 6 | Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X | A | https://stierproducts.com/products/beyerdynamic-dt-990-pro-x |
| 7 | AirPods Max (2nd generation) | B | https://stierproducts.com/products/apple-airpods-max-2 |
| 25 | Audio-Technica ATH-M50x | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/audio-technica-ath-m50x |
| 26 | Sonos Ace | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/sonos-ace |
| 27 | AirPods Max | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/apple-airpods-max |
| 28 | Beats Studio Pro | F | https://stierproducts.com/products/beats-studio-pro |

The full board is at https://stierproducts.com/categories/headphones.

## What this tier means

- S: Exceptional. Finishes top run after run; capped at 3 slots per category.

## How to read this

- Each category is researched in four independent runs, one per lens (expert consensus, value, reliability, community pulse). Every run ranks a board of candidates that deliberately includes products buyers cross-shop but should avoid. Placements score on a ranked ladder (LP), and tiers are derived from LP, so no tier is ever assigned by hand.
- LP is this product's points on its own category ladder. It is comparable within a category and not across categories.
- Link status reports what our pre-publication link check found when it fetched the cited URL. It says nothing about the quality of the review.
- A citation with no usable link is listed rather than dropped, and is excluded from the counted total above.

## Image

https://stspimgdevmfyk46r5vwkay.blob.core.windows.net/images/products/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen.webp

Product photographs are not covered: they belong to their respective owners and are reproduced to illustrate the product being reviewed. Do not redistribute them under this licence.