Bose – QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds – Black
$299.00
Last updated on April 13, 2024 1:23 AM
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5 reviews for Bose – QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds – Black
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Bose – QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Noise Cancelling In-Ear Earbuds – Black
$299.00
Rudeney –
I have owned a pair of the original Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds for a while now and really like them. They sound good and fit well, and last close to 6 hours on a charge. When these new Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra earbuds came out, I decided it was time for an upgrade. I will say that I am not unhappy with the Ultras, but they do fall short in some areas.
First of all, I love the smaller, lighter form factor. They are more comfortable in my ears. However, that weight savings comes at a price. I had a hard time finding a good combination of ear cups and rings for a good fit. Even with the “best” fit, they are still not as secure in my ears as the original version Quiet Comfort earbuds. I wish they had the larger rings with the “clips” like the originals. That really held them in my ears much more securely. Any amount of sweat on my ears and they will slip, which means a loose seal or possibly even falling out of my ears.
Battery life is good, matching the originals at close to 6 hours. That is, unless you activate “immersion mode”. In that case, it cuts battery life almost in half, to just over 3 hours. That is unfortunate, because the sound in immersion mode is incredible. I’d have gladly put up with a larger earbud to get a longer-lasting battery. The time to charge the earbuds in the case and to charge the case is about the same as the original Quite Comfort earbuds. One bonus is that the Ultra’s case is MUCH smaller, so it’s easier to carry. That comes at a price, too, as it lacks wireless charging so the case can only be charged with a USB-C connector. It’s not horrible, but it is much less convenient than the original QC’s which did have wireless charging.
Speaking of immersion mode, as is typical of Bose, they are experts at using technology to create amazing sound. I don’t know how they do it, but with immersion mode, the sound seems to come from all around, like standing center stage with a group of live musicians. Immersion mode has two settings – “still” and “motion”. The still setting is what you normally hear from headphones in that center stage is centered with your head. With the motion setting, it detects your head movement and keeps the “center stage” planted in the same place. As you turn your head, the direction of the sound seems to come from the same place outside of the earbuds. This is much like if you were listening to external speakers and turning your head. Once you stop moving, the “stage” does re-center itself. Personally, I find this a bit gimmicky and even slightly annoying. The still setting is perfectly fine and really offers incredible sound.
My only other criticism of these Quiet Comfort Ultra earbuds is getting them out of the case. If there are any body oils at all on them, they are impossible to remove by gripping the plastic housing of the earbud, so I end up gripping the edge of the rubber ring. That will, I am sure, end up stretching that ring so it no longer fits well. That’s just poor case design in my opinion. Even though the original QC earbuds case is much larger, I like the way it works better, and especially its wireless charging. If Bose comes out with an accessory case for the Ultras that is more like the original case with wireless charging, I’ll buy it.
Overall, I recommend these and give them 5-stars for sounds quality, but I only give them 2 stars for design and non-audio quality. So overall, I’d say 4 stars. I’ve included a few photos showing the differences between the original QC earbuds and the new Ultras.
WesternSky –
Ever since I was in my early twenties, I was a really hooked on everything made by Bose! Bose products are always innovative and have cutting edge technology. Today this product was delivered to me and I’m in love with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
I literally couldn’t remove these earbuds from my ears as the sound quality is amazing! The highs and lows are astonishing! I listen to lots of music on a daily basis, so I was anxious to compare these earbuds with some of my other high quality products which I already own.
I own around 6 different earbud products from various manufacturers and I truly love this set of earbuds. First of all they have a superior comfort level when worn for long periods of time. Bose rocks!! These particular earbuds blow the competition away as the sound is awesome. I have several favorite songs that I listen to and play almost daily and these earbuds produce sharp, clear crisp sound reproductions! I now hear subtleties in my music that I never heard before. Amazing highs and low bass sounds abound! I’m hearing more enhanced sounds now than ever before.
Battery life is fantastic especially if you consider the case adds extra listening life to these earbuds. These earbuds have controls on both the left and right sides which are easily accessed and controlled. It works well with my iPhone 13 Pro and pairing these buds was quick and effortlessly!
The Bose Music App app is highly customizable and I found it to bug free. The choice of customization is huge and one of my favorite tweaks is to have my music automatically cease or stop when buds are removed. Upon reinserting them after removal, your music selection picks up exactly where you left off!
My second favorite tweak with these earbuds is the immersive audio setting which adds depth to your listening pleasure.You are also able to preset a music listening favorite and save it. I can go on and on but suffice to say that this product beats all competition hands down. These earbuds are also customizable with an equalizer and you can push bass or treble boost to your specific taste.
When I tested this product I truly heard pure music with these earbuds! No extraneous sounds bled through during my listening experience. Bose is a true innovator when it comes to their products. These earbuds are a true powerhouse and will blow your music listening experience to pieces. Amazing product. I am highly recommending this product as it’s the best money can buy.
RunJK –
I have owned most premium earbuds made in the past five years. They all have their benefits and drawbacks. This is the second pair of Bose earbuds I have owned, and they are amazing. The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds have the best sound I’ve heard in an earbud. They have great features and a quality build and feel.
My favorite feature of these buds is the sound. I have the latest buds from the fruit company, and those have been my primary buds for the past year or so. The fruitbuds have very good sound, bass, and clarity, and I was very happy with that until I got about 30 seconds into a song with the QuietComfort Ultra. The standard sound on the Bose is amazing, but when you enter Immersive Audio mode, the music goes to another level. Everyone is familiar with stereo versus mono, where different sounds can come from either earbud – not the same exact sound on both. Immersive Audio steps it up even more. Somehow I feel like I am there when I listen in that mode, like I am at a concert. It reminds me of the first time I heard “8D” music on YouTube. Immersive Audio is like 4K TV versus 720p. There is so much more to hear and feel.
The QC Ultras have four listening modes, passive (no added features), aware (uses microphones to allow outside noises, like people and cars) into your ears for conversation or safety purposes, noise cancellation (standard audio but blocks out most noise) and immersive audio (noise cancellation and enhanced sound). The aware mode is great. I am able to hear people talking, cars driving by, or anything that keeps me grounded in the goings-on of life. When people talk to me in aware mode, they sound very natural and easy to understand. There is even a feature that recognizes conversation and lowers your music volume automatically. That feature can be turned off. The only part of aware mode that could be better for me is hearing my own voice. When I speak in aware mode, my voice sounds a little bottled to me.
Noise cancellation on these buds is second to none. When you turn it on, the rest of the world seems to nearly disappear. It is easily the best I’ve used. Immersive audio also uses noise cancellation but also enhances the musical experience. My other earbuds can’t hold a candle to the QC Ultra in Immersive mode.
Overall the sound is fantastic. The bass is punchy, the tones are crisp and clear, no distortion, and it is obvious that Bose is a sound company. I messed with the equalizer, which is built into the Bose app, and added more bass and was blown away by the punch these buds have.
Things I love about the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds:
-Sound
-Immersive Audio
-Noise cancellation
-Long battery life (I can easily get 6 hours)
-All main controls are available on the buds (Volume, listening modes, pause, play, skip)
-The look (I like the silver logo overlay on each bud)
-The app is easy to use and has just the right amount of features
Things I would improve if I could:
-My voice when I talk to someone in Aware mode
-The case is a bit bulkier than competitors’ cases.
-A home screen widget with controls would be nice (I could not find one on iOS or Android)
I tested the QC Ultras on an iPhone 13 Pro Max, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, and a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. My experience was similar, if not the same, on all devices. The buds paired with the iPhones extremely fast, it took just a bit longer on the Samsung.
TechnicallyWell –
## What’s the difference between the QuietComfort Earbuds II and these Ultra earbuds?
The biggest difference is the addition of “Immersive Audio,” or what some companies may refer to as “Spatial Audio” (more details on this later). The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds include all the features of the QuietComfort Earbuds II, but also add support apt-X Adaptive Hi-Res audio (if your phone supports it; iPhones do not at the time of this review).
## Design
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and accompanying case are bulkier than the Apple AirPods Pro, but are available not only in white but in a black color as well. They feature a shiny black exterior with a matte, dark silver “stem” with the Bose logo that also serves as a touch button. Unlike the AirPods Pro, the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds have an additional silicon “wing” that further helps stabilize the earbuds and secure it in your ear. There are two additional “tips” and “wings” included in the package, so you can experiment and find the proper fit for you.
The case has a matte black finish with the charging port located on the bottom and the pairing button located on the back, much like the AirPods Pro. However, the case is bigger than the case for the AirPods Pro, so it will definitely take up some pocket room.
## Performance
### Active Noise Cancellation
While the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are bigger, they also feature bigger Active Noise Cancellation compared to the Apple AirPods Pro. While the focus of the Active Noise Cancellation is on lower frequencies, such as the hum of an airplane or engine, they are also somewhat effective on higher frequencies, such as people talking and babies crying.
My only gripe with these earbuds would be the “whoosh” sound they play every time you place the earbuds in your ear. This is to test the “seal” to your ear canal, but it is somewhat loud and it catches me off guard.
### Immersive Audio
The biggest new feature is the addition of Bose Immersive Audio, which provides a wider sound stage than older earbuds. This makes the music sound like it is coming from all around you, as if you were sitting in the same room as the band. The Bose Immersive Audio feature can be set to two different modes:
– Still: This makes the music sound as if it were coming from in front of your body, even if you turn your head to the side. This can be a little disorienting at first, as it feels like the earbuds are not even there and that you are hearing “real” music in front of you.
– Motion: This setting is a little more comfortable (yet less impressive) as it allows the music to follow your head, so the sound feels like it is always coming from the same direction your nose is facing.
### Aware (with ActiveSense)
As with the previous generation of QuietComfort Earbuds II, the “Aware” setting is still present, which relaxes the Active Noise Cancellation and pipes in the outside world for those times when you need to hear an announcement or otherwise hear what is going on around you.
I really appreciate the “ActiveSense” setting that you can enable for “Aware” mode, which helps prevents loud sounds from being over amplified as it is piped into your ears. For example, if you’re walking and someone were to suddenly scream in your ear, you would still hear it, but the volume of that scream would be reduced before reaching your ears. I tested this feature by blaring a Sonos speaker next to me and putting the earbuds in. I could still hear the music, but it was at a much more comfortable listening level.
## Features
– App: The Bose Music app allows you to assign a “shortcut” and customize how holding either earbud works. You can choose from cycling through the modes (Quiet, Immersive and Aware, which you can shorten by selecting two favorite modes to toggle between) or accessing the voice assistant on your phone.
– IPX4 sweat resistance: You can use these earbuds for your workouts as they’re rated against sweat, but you cannot immerse the earbuds in water.
– Single earbud use: You can leave one earbud in the charging case and use the other earbud in “aware” mode.
## Battery Life
The QuietComfort Ultra earbuds can last up to 6 hours on a single charge, although if you use the Immersive Audio feature, this can reduce play time to about 4 hours. The case holds up to 3 additional full charges.
## Summary
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds have an impressive new “Immersive Audio” mode that can further enhance the music you’re listening to and make it sound as if it were surrounding you. The Active Noise Cancellation technology is also more effective than my AirPods Pro (1st gen), but the earbuds are bulkier than the AirPods.
BarackObama –
I enjoy Bose products. I have a couple of them myself and I respect how Bose is always placing quality above anything else for their products. This new entry of the Bose QC Ultra Earbuds is no different and also delivers on that quality. This is my review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
*TLDR at the bottom
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IN THE BOX/FIRST IMPRESSIONS/COMFORT:
In the box, you get the earbuds in a matte white case, a USB-A to USB-C cable, different-sized ear tips/stability bands, and some documentation. I recommend playing around with the different-sized ear tips and stability bands to maximize comfort and noise cancellation.
My first impression is that these do stick out of your ear and aren’t as lowkey as other earbuds. I would even say, a somewhat outdated design. The case is wonderful and feels nice to the touch. It’s also easily portable and should be able to fit in most pockets.
I enjoyed how comfortable these are. These are certainly some of the most comfortable earbuds I have used. Even after hours of use, not much discomfort appeared. They also stay inside the ears even with constant movement.
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SOUND QUALITY:
The sound coming out of the QC Ultra earbuds is all quality. They sound seriously marvelous, which is what I would expect from Bose. Whatever genre I was listening to from Rock, Hip-hop, Latin, EDM, Metal, and more, all sounded great. Out of the box the earbuds tend to have a balanced sound with the lows being a bit on the heavier side but overall, it isn’t too noticeable. Calls are solid too, all I want is for them to hear me clearly and for me to hear them and these do just that. The one criticism I do have on sound is the LOUD startup sound of the earbuds. The second I put these on there is a loud sound letting you know that they are in your ear and ready. I’ve looked around the app and unfortunately, I have yet to find a setting to disable the startup sound.
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FEATURES:
The Bose QC Ultra earbuds have plenty of premium features that many earbuds at this price point would have. First, the noise cancellation is top-notch. These do cancel out sound extremely well especially on “Immersive” Mode. I would go as far as saying these have some of the best noise cancellation compared to all the earbuds I have tested. “Aware” Mode which allows you to hear sound from the outside works great too.
These earbuds also have what Bose calls Immersive Audio. This is Bose’s version of what others call 360/Spatial audio where the sound of your music feels like it’s coming from all around you. There are two versions of this: Still and Motion mode. Still is meant to be used for when you’re sitting while the other is when you’re in motion. Of the two, Still mode sounds the best in most situations. While the Immersive Audio feature is neat, I wouldn’t enable it when watching or hearing videos where the content creator is using a binaural microphone. The feature tends to mess with the effect that the content creator wants you to hear.
The battery on these earbuds is remarkable. I have not needed to charge these much even with noise cancelling on. I was able to use these for days before needing to charge them for the first time. Finally, the Bose Music app can be used to access other features like EQ and firmware updates.
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WHAT’S MISSING:
These features are neat but there are features that many premium headphones have that these do not. One of the features is wireless charging. I know Bose is selling a separate case for these earbuds that provides this feature, but I strongly believe it should already have been included at this price point.
Another feature that I felt should have been included at this price point is multipoint connection. In this day in age where one person likely may be using several tech products at one time, being able to switch between them seamlessly is a feature that would be very helpful. The QC Ultra earbuds only allow for one device to be connected at one time which is a bummer at this price point. While testing, there have been times when I have needed to quickly switch devices due to calls on my cell phone or Teams on my computer.
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CONCLUSION/TLDR:
Overall, these are quality premium earbuds. They sound amazing and the noise cancelling feature is some of the best I have tried on earbuds. These are considered premium earbuds at this price point, and they do have a lot of premium features like noise cancellation and Immersive Audio. On the contrary, they also lack some premium features that I would’ve liked to see included. These features are wireless charging and multipoint connection. But if you don’t mind the lack of these features, these are excellent earbuds that won’t leave you disappointed. I strongly encourage you to give them a try!