Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) Review: Still More Quiet and Comfortable Than Most

As great as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are, $449 is still a lot of money to spend on a pair of wireless headphones. The good news is, for those who want to keep their wireless headphone bill to a dull roar, there is another Bose option that bears the QuietComfort name, and now there’s even a new generation to choose from.

The non-Ultra QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) are here, and they boast a few small improvements that could make a notable difference for some.

First thing is first

The first thing most people are going to want to know about the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) is the “Quiet” part. Bose’s QuietComfort wireless headphones and wireless earbuds are known for their active noise cancellation (ANC), and the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) continue that reputation.

Using them on the subway, I was impressed at the level of noise that they blocked out. It’s not quite as formidable as the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but it’s still better than a lot of pairs that I’ve used over the past year, including cheaper ones like the $299 Nothing Headphone 1.

I could hear some rumbles, especially when I was listening to quieter audio like a podcast, but it wasn’t distracting. On the sidewalk in New York, I also caught glimmers of street noise—cars, construction, anything overtly loud—but these wireless headphones are still earning the “Quiet” in the name. If they’re too quiet, you can adjust the ANC levels in Bose’s app, by the way.

I was curious about Bose’s attention to closing the gap, so to speak. In this generation, Bose says its QuietControl ANC can better compensate when there are gaps in the earcups and your ear, caused by interference from hair, glasses, or hats. All of those things have a tendency to undermine proper noise cancellation by breaking the seal of the earcup. As a test, I clocked a lot of time wearing the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) while also wearing sunglasses, and I think Bose’s efforts paid off.

Even while wearing glasses, I felt the ANC performed at a high level, though I’m sure there’s a limit to that effectiveness. If you’re wearing a thicker hat or have lots of hair, you might notice a bigger difference. For glasses, I think Bose’s “seal-gap compensation” works.

Another update is the addition of ActiveSense technology, which is meant to protect you from loud noises while in “Aware” mode, which is Bose’s term for transparency. The idea here is that ActiveSense kicks in with ANC during suddenly loud situations to protect your hearing. I tested ActiveSense by using Aware mode on the subway, and it did feel like it helped duck some train screeching while still allowing me to hear my surroundings, though it’s hard to say for sure.

Overall, Aware mode on Bose’s wireless headphones is decent—definitely better than lots of cheaper pairs—but still not quite as good as AirPods Max 2, which are my favorite as far as transparency goes.

One thing I would not recommend doing on these wireless headphones is taking calls. In my experience, they pick up way too much ambient noise and wind. After a several-minute conversation, the person I called rated the experience a 4/10 since they could hear all my footsteps while I walked around my office and everything happening on the street. Additionally, I had a hard time hearing them because the ANC would strangely duck in and out. Not a great experience all around.

It’s not all about ANC

Even the best ANC doesn’t mean much on a pair of wireless headphones that don’t have sound that’s worth quieting down the world for. Luckily, the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) hold things down in sound quality as well.

I listened to my usual testing songs, like Steely Dan’s “Any Major Dude Will Tell You,” and was happy with the soundstage. I was able to easily pick out guitar tracks, keys, vocals, and bass is present but not overpowering or muddy. On electronic tracks like Daft Punk’s “Da Funk,” the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) sound well-balanced, though not quite as rich and clear as songs in a general rock genre. Low end—which is very present in that song—felt a little overpowered and drowned out the mix at lower volumes. It wasn’t unlistenable or anything, but it definitely had me considering the fact that these wireless headphones don’t have the “Ultra” branding.

I still think the QuietComfort Headphones Ultra (2nd Gen) have a slight edge in the sound department—just a bit more nuance—but maybe not by as much as you would think. Still, if you’re looking for the best of everything, the Ultra is still the way to go.

As long as we’re talking about sound quality, you should know that these non-Ultra wireless cans now have “Immersive Audio,” which is Bose branding on spatial sound. I’ve tried Immersive Audio before, and while it’s not something I use a lot, it is better than most spatial audio I’ve tried, especially from less premium pairs. I tested Immersive Audio on the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) by switching back and forth between the tracks I mentioned above, and there is a perceptible difference, though I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the difference it makes.

Don’t get me wrong, Immersive Audio definitely adds a kind of ambiance to sound, but I’m fine listening to tracks without the altered vibe. Maybe if you’re big into listening to music that’s been recorded in a live setting, I could see Immersive Audio being something to celebrate and return to, but for most people, it’ll likely end up being glossed over.

One thing that might not get glossed over, is the addition of lossless USB-C audio. There’s not much to say here other than the fact that it’s very convenient—every modern pair of wireless headphones should have this.

Finally, wireless headphones that fit

A big problem I have with most pairs of wireless headphones is that they’re just too bulky for my liking. Even the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), with their excellent ANC and all, are a bit too big for my liking. The QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), however, are not a pair that I have this specific gripe with.

They’re more compact than Bose’s Ultra models, and they have a tighter seal around my ears, which helps with passive noise canceling, I’m sure. Despite the tighter and more compact feel and look, they’re still comfortable, though. The headband is nice and cushy, and so are the earcups. I also like the resistance when adjusting the size—it takes some force to pull the earcups out, which ensures that they don’t get resized accidentally when you move them around or throw them in a bag.

As nice as the feel of the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) is, the look is even nicer. In this generation, there are a few limited edition colorways, including Eucalyptus Green, Rosewood Mauve, and the color of this pair, Dewdrop Mint—the only colorway with a two-tone scheme. Props to the Bose colorists on this one. I’m a fan; almost as big a fan as I am of “Citrus Yellow” on Bose’s SoundLink Plus portable Bluetooth speaker.

I also like the inclusion of physical buttons. On the right earcup, there are two volume buttons flanking a multi-function button. To skip to the next track, you double-press the multifunction button, and to go back to a previous track, it’s a triple-press. The left earcup has a toggle for power on/off and activating Bluetooth pairing, and a noise mode button for switching between Immersion, Aware, and Quiet. It’s very straightforward, and everything works.

As for battery life, Bose lists 27 hours with ANC activated, though it was hard to accurately test my pair since the Bose app only showed me battery life in increments of 10%. Still, I ran a battery test at 50% volume, with ANC on, and after an hour, the Bose app was at 90%, though that’s a wide spectrum as far as I can tell.

Not “Ultra” but still quiet and comfortable

At $359, the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) aren’t cheap by any means, but they are more affordable than the $449 Ultra version of Bose’s ANC wireless headphones, and despite that $90 price difference, they get you most of the way there.

The sound is good, the ANC is better than most pairs of wireless headphones, and I love the look and feel. Better ANC over the previous generation, USB-C lossless, and Immersive Audio are nice to have also, even if they’re not really changing the game.

If you want the best of what Bose has to offer in ANC and sound, you should still buy the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), but if you’re fine with sacrificing a bit of sound quality and ANC, these are the way to go.