Bose releases second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones with lossless audio and longer battery life
Bose has announced the second generation of its QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, introducing a series of improvements to its flagship over-ear model.
Changes over its predecessor include lossless USB-C audio support, better adaptive noise cancellation, longer battery life, and a new Cinema Mode that boosts clarity in video and spoken-word playback.
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The QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) use a new algorithm to improve adaptive noise cancellation, reducing sudden changes when filtering out external sounds such as passing traffic or emergency sirens. Should they need to, listeners can fully turn off noise cancellation or manually adjust it through the Bose app.
For wired use, the headphones support digital lossless playback through USB-C. Signals can be received at 16-bit, 44.1kHz or 48kHz, which delivers clearer audio for music, gaming, and more.
The new Cinema Mode widens the soundstage and balances audio for movies and video, while making speech in podcasts and audiobooks clearer and easier to understand.
Travis McGuire, vice president of product management at Bose, said: “With QuietComfort Ultra, our goal has always been to refine the listening experience in ways that matter most to people. This next generation continues that tradition by adding smarter noise cancellation, deeper integration with digital audio, and features designed to make everyday use simpler and more intuitive.”
Battery life has been extended to up to 30 hours of use, or 23 hours with immersive audio enabled. The headphones can detect when they're not being worn and will automatically switch to low power mode. They can be worn when charging via USB-C, so users can keep listening.
In quieter settings, Bose says background noise produced by the cancellation system has been reduced, allowing finer audio details to come through. The bass response has been tuned for depth at higher volumes, and highs have been adjusted for a more natural sound.
CustomTune technology, featured in the previous model, adapts audio to the listener’s ear shape for a more balanced playback experience.
Design changes include polished metal elements, a slimmer profile, and the continuation of the foldable form factor.
Connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint support, AAC and SBC codec compatibility, and aptX Adaptive for Snapdragon Sound-certified devices.
The headphones, available in Black, White Smoke, Driftwood Sand, and Midnight Violet, are priced at $449, and support Google Fast Pair for Android and Spotify Tap for direct music playback.
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