The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones are Bose’s flagship over-ear noise-canceling headphones, released in October 2025 as the 2nd Gen refresh of the original QuietComfort Ultra from 2023. A refined ActiveSense algorithm handles the noise cancellation, adjusting the level in real time based on your surroundings. Battery life is 30 hours with ANC active. USB-C lossless audio also lets you plug headphones directly into a laptop or DAP for wired high-resolution playback, a first for the QuietComfort line.
Elegant, comfortable over-the-ear headphones with fantastic sound
Noise cancellation is the reason Bose has led the flagship ANC headphone category since the QuietComfort 3 launched in 2006. The QC Ultra 2nd Gen maintains that lead with an updated ActiveSense algorithm that adjusts the strength of cancellation in real time based on your environment, whether you’re on a plane, in a coffee shop, or walking down a busy sidewalk. A total of 10 microphones in and around the earcups handle both cancellation and voice pickup for calls.
Sound quality on the QC Ultra 2nd Gen comes from the same drivers as the first-generation model, tuned with an updated internal processing pipeline for tighter bass response and cleaner high frequencies. Cinema Mode is a new spatial audio setting that widens the soundstage during movies and shows, pushing dialogue toward the center of the mix so spoken lines stay clear over explosions and background music. Immersion Mode also carries over from the first generation for spatial music playback.
The QC Ultra 2nd Gen delivers 30 hours of battery life with ANC active, extending to 45 hours with ANC off. A full charge from empty takes about 3 hours through the USB-C port on the bottom of the right earcup. A 15-minute quick charge also delivers 3 hours of playback if you’re heading out the door with a low battery. USB-C lossless audio is a new feature for the line, replacing the previous generation’s Bluetooth-only wireless connection with a wired hi-res option.
The Bose app on your phone unlocks a 3-band EQ, Immersive Audio settings, Cinema Mode toggle, ANC intensity slider, and customizable controls for the touch strip on the right earcup. Weight comes in at 250 grams thanks to a lightweight polycarbonate build, keeping the headphones wearable for a full workday without ear fatigue. Pleather padding on the earcups and headband gives a good seal against outside noise, and the frame folds flat into an included semi-hard travel case.
Bose has kept the QuietComfort line at the top of the flagship noise-canceling category since 2006. The QC Ultra 2nd Gen brings the biggest updates to the line since the original Ultra arrived in 2023, with the refreshed ActiveSense algorithm, Cinema Mode, USB-C lossless audio, and 6 more hours of battery life as the main additions. At $369, down from $449, the discount takes $80 off the list price. If you travel often, work in an open office, or want the latest noise-cancellation technology Bose offers, this is a solid choice.