Hardwired
In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all things hardware, including phones, audio products, storage servers, and networking gear.
Earlier this year, I wrote about how Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra earbuds were the best-sounding buds I’ve used yet. That’s an achievement in and of itself considering the sheer number of products in this category, and Bose deserves credit for delivering a good fit and incredible sound quality.
The brand is following that up with the introduction of the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2; these earbuds cost the same $299 on Amazon as their predecessor, and they’re available at Best Buy as well as Bose’s own site. The design is thankfully unchanged, with Bose retaining the same aesthetic and build quality.
If anything, the biggest change this time has to do with the case; it has the same design as last time, but it now includes wireless charging as standard. This was a notable omission with the earlier model, and it’s good to see Bose make amends. I was able to easily charge the case by plonking it down on the Qi 2 mat of the Baseus Nomos charging station.
Having used the QuietComfort Ultra extensively, the Gen 2 buds are immediately familiar. Bose sells the buds in four color choices — Black, White Smoke, Deep Plum, and Midnight Violet — and I’d suggest getting the violet model if you want a vibrant hue. I’ve got the White Smoke edition, and while the color is fine, it doesn’t exactly stand out all that much.
The fit is identical to its predecessor, and the stabilizers that sit outside the shell ensure you get a tight seal while still being comfortable. Although these buds look a little bigger than their rivals, there are absolutely no issues with comfort, and the sound nozzle doesn’t extend too much into the inner ear. You get a good range of accessories to tailor the fit, and there’s no fatigue even with long-term use. In short, they’re among the most comfortable earbuds around today.
The bundled ear tips include a filter by default, doing a better job protecting the shell. The fit is secure enough that there are no problems wearing these during workouts; on that note, you get IPX4 ingress protection, making the buds immune to sweat. The stalk is just as wide as last time, and it now comes with a metallic cap that allows it to stand out against its predecessor.
The size of the stalk makes using gestures that little bit easier too; I was able to trigger Google Assistant, adjust volume, and use playback controls without any hassle. The QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 does a good job with calls, particularly while outdoors. It isolates environmental sounds to a great extent, ensuring your voices comes across loud and clear.
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Similar to the buds, the charging case is unchanged this year; it’s on the larger end of the scale, but the design makes it easily pocketable. You can use USB-C to charge the case as well, and it takes just over two hours to do so. Unlike the buds, the case doesn’t get IPX4 water resistance.
Bose’s earbuds always excelled at ANC, and the Gen 2 model is the brand’s best showing yet. It does an excellent job tuning out ambient sounds, and it effectively blocked out the clack of my mechanical keyboard (a Lemokey L5 HE) and the hum of the air con.
I took it on a four-hour flight, and while I usually wear a headset, the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 did such a good job with noise isolation that I’m switching to these buds for travel unless I’m going on an intercontinental flight. You can adjust the intensity of the noise isolation by setting up a custom mode in Bose’s app. There’s an ActiveSense mode that lets sound in so you can hear your surrounding when you’re outdoors, and it is effective.
Where the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 truly shines is audio quality — these are the best-sounding earbuds around. You get a terrific low-end with plenty of vibrancy, and it makes using the earbuds that much more engaging. The mids are crystal-clear, allowing vocals and instruments to shine, and the treble has good extension and range without any sibilance.
The earbuds sound great across a variety of genres, and Bose’s immersive mode does a good job creating a spatial effect, with the orientation of the soundstage moving according to your head. Yes, there are budget earbuds that deliver great sound in their own right, but the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 does so much better.
You don’t miss out on any of the extras either; the buds connect to two devices at once and can easily switch sources, and I didn’t see any issues with connectivity. They pair over Bluetooth 5.3, and I used the buds with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, iPad Pro M4, and Galaxy Z Fold 7.
Battery life is decent, with the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 lasting up to six hours between charges, which is strictly average. That’s good enough for daily use, but not quite usable on longer flights. Outside of that, I don’t have any problems with battery longevity.
While it isn’t an evolutionary upgrade, the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 has subtle tweaks that allow it to shine. It’s still one of the most comfortable buds around, and the sound quality is fantastic. You are paying a premium, but you’re also getting one of the best earbuds available today.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Gen 2
Combining a comfortable fit with amazing sound quality and all the other extras you need, Bose’s latest-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are an easy recommendation.