Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones, Wireless Headphones with Spatial Audio, Over Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones with Mic, Up To 24 Hours of Battery Life, Black Electronics

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best headphones I’ve ever had

The noise cancelation on these things are amazing because you could be in a loud walmart and them and still only hear the music. However the noise cancelation does take about a month to get used to and in thr intermission it just made my head feel funny not like a headache or anything painful but just a weird feeling. The touch controls on the side are very useful making it easy to change volume and songs on the fly

4.0 out of 5 stars

Excellent sound quality but some minor build quality issues

I’m fairly picky about my noise canceling headphones. I’ve owned Sony XM-5, Sony XM-4, Bose Quiet Comfort 700 and these outperform all of those by at least a small but noticable amount. The ANC isn’t magic, but it is as effective as anything I’ve used. On a recent flight I had a screaming infant about 3 rows back and while it couldn’t block all of the sound, it barely intruded and wasn’t noticable when a song was actively playing. Sound quality is excellent and the immersive audio feature is a welcome addition. My only gripe as far as audio quality is that Bose seems to subscribe to Apple’s philosophy about the user experience: they’re going to put some effort into creating a nice experience, but you’d better agree at least on the broad strokes of what makes for a nice user experience because they don’t give you much wiggle room to customize it. I’d like to be able to tune the sound to my liking a little bit more. Bose keeps the EQ simple–a little too simple for my tastes–with the option only to adjust low mid and high. Compared to what Sony’s app offers this feels very restrictive. A few more bands on the EQ would be a welcome addition.My only complaints are minor: After two months of daily use, the stitching on the ear pads has come apart with about 60% of the stitching on each side separated already. At this price point, I’d expect better durability and longevity. Replacement pads range from about $22 to $35, so this isn’t a meaningless complaint.The other minor annoyance is I wish these had a little bit more “clamping power” in the headband. I understand that you have to strike a balance between squeezing somebody’s head like it’s in a vice and the headphones staying in place no matter what you’re doing with your head, but these err a little too much on the loose side. Clearly these aren’t intended to use as your workout headphones, but even just lying down on a flat bench is generally going to make them come off your ears.Everything else seems to function properly and be holding up well and I do not regret the purchase. They’re very expensive, but not necessarily a bad value. I had to work pretty hard to justify a $400 set of headphones, but if it’s something that you’ll use enough and effective noise cancelling is a must have, these might barely edge into the ” justifiable luxury” column, but will never be anywhere near “practical”.

23 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Bose Headphones

Absolutely OBSESSED!!😍 These were spur in the moment purchases and I never knew how badly I needed these. I read books daily but love having background noise and this does the job. Also the battery life is outrageous. I have probably charged these maybe 3 times since I’ve purchased them.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Fabulous Bose Headphones

With so many headphone makers in the market, it can be bewildering to know in what maker and in what features to invest. I’m a fan of Bose products and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones do not disappoint. The rich blue color makes a nice change from the cliche black and silver colorways. The headphones are easy to set up and to pair with my Apple devices. The sound quality is excellent. As this is my first encounter with the noise-cancelling feature, it make take more time to get the hang of it, but I’m optimistic. I’ve worn the headphones for seven hours straight; they are comfortable, unobtrusive, and do not make my ears feel hot (my greatest concern in wearing over-the-ear headphones). Overall, I am extremely pleased with the Bose purchase and look forward to many years of use.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best noise cancelling headphones money can buy.

These are not perfect as headphones go, but they are literally the nicest noise cancelling headphones that any amount of money can buy. They have their ups and downs. I’m going to talk in depth about each of these, but overall these are the best noise cancelling headphones money can buy, so even when it comes to their downsides, you can’t do better.First, if you’re a regular consumer, you’ll be blown away by the sound quality. However, if you’re an audiophile used to audiophile grade open back headphones like the Sennheiser HD800, these fall short of audiophile levels of sound quality. Let me explain why that is.Sound quality wise, the sound quality is overall spectacular, but it has two problems. Bass is way overemphasized, and the treble is rolled off. The treble issue is in my opinion the only really major flaw you have to deal with in these headphones. It’s really a shame. Even with EQ, there’s no good way to make up for the treble problem because the high end is just always a little lacking.Bass is massively overemphasized, but everyone seems to do that these days, and most people seem to love it. Thankfully, you can just lower the bass in the EQ and it works fine, but from an audiophile perspective it’s still a mark against it. You can also raise the bass if you want to lose your hearing and cause brain damage from the thump. These things will thump so hard that it’ll give you a concussion.Aside from those two downsides, instruments sound absolutely spectacular with amazing definition, separation, and clarity, it’s just really unfortunate that they rolled off the treble. It’d be nice if the bass wasn’t so overemphasized, but the bass at least is understandable since it seems to be what most people want. I will say however that the mid is absolutely spectacular, so there’s that.Even at their best, if you’re a real audiophile, these don’t hold up to the sound quality of high end audiophile open back headphones by Sennheiser like the HD650 or HD800. These are consumer grade, very top end consumer grade, but they don’t reach the heights of real audiophile territory. For most people though, these will blow you away.Noise cancelling wise, these are the best money can buy. I’ve tried other noise cancelling headphones, and these destroy everything that I’ve ever tried. It’s a night and day difference in terms of the overall quality and effectiveness of the noise cancelling compared to other noise cancelling headphones.However, they’re not totally perfect. I have a bunch of air filter fans running full blast all the time, and it reduces their volume by 90+%, but it’s a little inconsistent. Some of the inconsistency comes from just how the headphones sit in my head, if I get them just right, it mutes probably 98% of the sound, but if they’re just a little off, it drops to between 90-95%. Sometimes it just seems to work better than other times with no apparent explanation. 90% is still a ton of noise reduction. Be aware though that you can still hear things, they’re just quiet. Like if you pass a fan while walking, you can still hear it, it’s just quiet.There is sometimes a slight amount of pressure from the noise cancellation, but it’s very minimal, and a lot of the time there’s actually none.Next, we get into the real premium stuff. You’re paying like $400 for this, so let’s talk about what you’re really paying for: the creature comforts and luxury that get overlooked at lower price ranges…For example, the case for these headphones is simply amazing. It feels extremely premium, it has a nice touch, it’s light but durable, it has this lovely leathery material that is a joy to hold. It just feels like a million bucks. Even the zipper is nice! The internal layout is likewise spacious, protective and just overall very high quality.Same with the headphones themselves. As an object that you hold in your hand, these things simply feel incredible. They’re unbelievably light, I don’t know how they made it feel this light. The headband literally feels like a cloud, it almost melts in your hand. I’ve never felt anything like it. It is insanely soft with this beautiful smooth leather feeling, yet it doesn’t collapse when you wear it. I don’t even understand how that works, but it does.These are the most comfortable set of headphones I have ever put on my head by far. It feels like you’re wearing a cloud. It’s crazy. The clamp force is so low that I can wear these for hours and hours on end and they just feel insanely comfortable the entire time.Even just holding these headphones physically, they feel like a million bucks. Like they’ve got these buttery smooth moving collapsible cans, yet they feel solid and durable, and they have this lovely smooth feeling to them.These are the things you’re really paying for when you pay $400. It’s just all those little details and luxuries that really make it. They put a lot of luxury into the things outside the actual speakers, and it shows. They feel super premium in your hands, they’re a beautiful shape, they’re insanely comfortable to wear, they have this elegant simple design to them, and their case is outstanding. Seriously, if you hold the case and headphones of any of the other noise cancelling headphones in your hands, they just don’t feel as nice as this.Overall, I really wish they hadn’t rolled off the treble. That’s its one major flaw. However, these are so good that I can’t go back to anything else (other than my open back audiophile sennheisers for serious listening). These are like the ultimate casual headphones for every day use. Watching TV? Use these. Going on an airplane? Use these. Going to the gym? Use these. Going for a walk? Use these. Unless all you want to do is sit down and seriously listen to some high quality music in a quiet room with audiophile headphones, you should be using these.These are your ultimate every day use headphones. If you’re a normal consumer who doesn’t care about audiophile grade stuff, these will absolutely blow your mind. Even if you’re an audiophile, you’ll probably end up addicted to them for every day normal use. I’m kindof addicted to them myself, to be honest.

693 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

By far best headphones I’ve ever had

Noise cancelling is superb. Far superior to my previous Bose quiet comfort 35s. On an airplane on take off and landed the 35s would crackle and pop. The QC ultra don’t do that at all. Most peaceful flight I’ve had with these on.You actually feel the bass, so deep.Tones are so full and warm. Incredibly immersive.Highs and lows so crisp and clear. Not one ounce of muddy sound.Modes like aware and immersion are so helpful. And you can customize your own modes too. You can choose to hear everything around you clearly or you can hear almost nothing with the press of a button.Swiping up or down on the headphones to change volume is a great feature and works very well.I have very good hearing so I can hear a very slight high pitched hiss when noise cancelling comes on. But it is not noticeable when music is playing or I’m on a phone call.Phone calls are very clear and people say they cannot hear any background noise when I’m on a call in a very loud cafe. That is some kind of Bose magic.I have tried AirPods Max and Sony xm5 and I like the Bose quiet comfort Ultra better. I think these have the best noise cancelling in the world right now.Very comfortable too, and don’t make my ears sweat.Smaller carry case than AirPods Max and Sony Xm5 which is a huge plus for travel.They have upgraded Bluetooth connectivity too. Much quicker to connect and just works.Nice to have usb C charging port too.

5 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

To the people who say it sounds flat, also I have Sony’s Sony WH-1000XM5 for comparison

The people who say these headphones sound “flat”… these headphones are only going to sound as good as the quality of your music player. If you have a cheap music player these headphones will also sound cheap, no amount of money thrown at a headphone will fix that. I have Sony’s WH-1000XM5 Walkman as well as the $1K Sony NW-WM1AM2 Walkman so I believe I am listening to these headphones with their full potential… and they do not sound flat at all. (Both Walkman’s play Bluetooth transferred music identically, the higher end Walkman sounds better with wired headphones). I also have Sony’s top of the line WH-1000XM5 headphones for comparison. The Bose sounds slightly better than the Sony’s in crispness, detail and sound separation. Is it worth an extra $100? Probably if you want the best sound, even if it’s incremental.Fortunately for me I put this in my shopping list and decided to wait for it to go on sale and 4 days later the price dropped at $329 so I’m pleased.Miscellaneous:Sound canceling is nearly identical with the Sony and the Bose, I couldn’t tell a difference between the two at all.The Bose case is smaller. Bose headphones so do a transformer fold and create a smaller form factor than the Sony case… it is a difference.The Bose seems to be more comfortable, although they’re both very comfortable The Bose doesn’t seem to clap my head as tightly. The Bose ear pad is slightly softer, although they’re both very good.The volume controls slider on the Bose takes some getting used to but I like the Sony volume adjustment slider better.The “immersion” option on the Bose is actually pretty cool. If you like electronic music (liquid drum and bass lover here) this will give your music an noticeable boost. I would consider this a value add over the Sonys.The touch and drag EQ on the Bose music app actually works, bass and treble response are actually increased or decreased without sounding muffled or tinny.Anyway that’s my review. Just remember, these are only going to sound as good as your music playing device.O/T Also listening at loud volumes you will damage your hearing FOREVER.You’re hearing will never get any better than it is right now. Protect your hearing.

51 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Comparison to Sony and Airpods Max

After using Sony WH1000MX3 for almost four years, these are a big upgrade. I also tried Apple AirPods Max before returning those and buying these.Comparison to Airpods Max:Biggest take away here, is that I returned the Airpods Max to buy these (and would have done so even if they were the same price). Here’s why. The big things for me are good sound quality and strong base. You probably can’t beat AirPods Max on treble and midrange sound quality; however, the bass was way too discrete for me (wanted it to blow me away and could barely make it out half of the time), even after using the equalizer. Airpods Max has great immersive sound, maybe just slightly better than these Boss. But these features did not blow the Boss out of the water, and the unimpressive bass with the AirPods Max made them unacceptable for me. Now, if you’re looking for a set of headphones that can survive a nuclear bomb, go with Airpods Max: they’re almost completely made of titanium, including the earcup covers. But overall, I prefer the Boss because, considering the bass factor, they sound a lot better to me and are more comfortable. I also think they look better (sportier looking, versus looking like you have two mini iMac screens on either side of your head).Comparison to Sony:The sound quality on these is much better than MX3, but Sony probably has some better models now (I’d imagine the newest MX version probably rivals these–and it’s less expensive). At first, I thought the bass was not as good on the Boss QC Ultra, but I was able to fix this by adjusting the EQ and using the immersive audio. My perfect EQ for these is Bass +10, Mid -4, Trebble +4. At this setting, the MX3 is no match (even sounds bad to me after using these). That said, I’d encourage the reader to at least try some newer Sony models when considering these, especially if price is a major factor.Other things I like about the Boss QC Ultra:-Very comfortable-Excellent motion control responsiveness (even taking them off one ear pauses the music)-Decent durability (titanium earcup holders, durable plastic)-Classic Boss sound (I think of it as a soft-but-clear sound, hard to describe; you just know it when you hear it).

4.0 out of 5 stars

OK for my purpose – see comparison below

I purchased both of these headphones to test side by side:Edifier STAX Spirit S5 Wireless Planar Magnetic Headphones – Snapdragon Sound, aptX Adaptive, Hi-Res Audio (LDAC, LHDC), Bluetooth 5.4, Dual-Mic cVc Tech, 80H Playback, and Fast Charging for AudiophilesBose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth 5.3 Headphones – Wireless Headphones with Spatial Audio, Deep Bass, Over-Ear Active Noise Cancelling, Built-in Mic, and Up to 24 Hours of PlaytimeThe Edifier STAX Spirit S5 sounds exceptional to me. I haven’t listened to the $1,300 Sennheiser HD 800s—which, as I understand, require a separate amp—but I have tried several other headphones under $500. Compared to those, the Edifier offers a much more open and engaging sound, placing it in a class of its own. There’s something about the sound of planar magnetic drivers that makes the Bose and other traditional headphones sound muffled and dull by comparison. The Edifier’s sound is far more immersive for music, especially with LDAC (Lossless Digital Audio Codec for Bluetooth) source material, which the Bose doesn’t support.When I first put on the Edifier headphones, they weren’t as comfortable as the Bose. The Edifier is heavier, and the headband isn’t as comfortable. However, the Edifier didn’t feel uncomfortable even after wearing them for a couple of hours. The Edifier app isn’t as polished as Bose’s, but both apps are functional. While Bose offers market-leading noise cancellation, the Edifier lacks active noise cancellation, however, its passive seal is effective. In my rec room—with a treadmill, a couple of noisy fans running, and landscapers mowing the lawn outside—I found the seal sufficient to block noise below the level of a distraction.Ultimately, I didn’t keep the Edifier headphones because they didn’t get loud enough with my Bluetooth devices, especially my phone and TV. In the noisy environment described above, I had to set them at full volume, which was only marginally loud enough. The Edifier might work perfectly for you if you listen in quieter environments. I’d still recommend trying the Edifier just to experience its sound. The Bose doesn’t sound bad—just disappointing in comparison.Since I now primarily listen to books, podcasts, and TV—and only rarely to music—the Bose headphones are a better fit for me. I’d also mention that the Bose has an “immersion” mode, though I find it gimmicky and don’t use it. If you’re commuting, the Bose’s noise cancellation would be more practical for airplanes, airports, subways, buses, and similar environments. Both headphones can also be used in wired mode, though I didn’t test that function.

2 people found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Bad ear pads, great sound

Echoing other reviews, the ear pads are shallow so unless you have tiny ears, the inner speaker fabric and hard grill under will touch and apply pressure to your ear cartilage. This is ok for a short time, but within an hour, maybe longer, you will be crying for relief. The solution as mentioned by another reviewer is to replace the pads with something a few millimeters deeper (example WC Padz for the QC Ultra). We wish, of course, Bose would update this design just a bit.Sound is imersive as expected with the various modes and is bass heavy. I am a bit hard of hearing on the highs and use the EQ to up the treble – which is not quite enough and other reviewers have noted high-end is lacking a bit. Still, great sound.Easy to power on, off with the “Bluetooth” button, confusing at first but it works. There is no single button “aware” mode, but can long-press the multifunction button to get to it (turn off noise cancel) – far too much effort when you needed it, just have to remove them to talk.Touch volume slider is odd and can inadvertently touch it, buttons may have been better, but it works.Build quality is solid as expected along with the case.Can you do better with competing brands? Maybe, there are several, but Bose has a good reputation for a reason. Update the ear pads and this would be unbeatable.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

All Day Comfort, Great Sound Quality, Wireless or Wired Use Prevents Obsolesence

I used M&W M8 earbuds when working to listen to music and for work phone/Teams calls. I also used them when mowing and doing yard work. I used a pair of 15 year old Sennheiser wired headphones when editing videos I make. When I had to replace the earbuds I looked into wireless headphones to take the place of both the earbuds and my old cans. We already own several Bose products and I like their sound, so looking at these was a natural. The thing that sold me was that they can be used with an audio wire when the battery is dead. That means when the battery ultimately dies I will still be able to use them which is huge to me because I hate this business model where the product life cycle is based o the batteries life cycle. That said, I’ve used these for one day and have work them all day working inside. They are super comfortable and sound great. The true test will come when summer rolls around and I’m wearing them in the sun doing yard work. Not sure how they will handle the sweat. But for now, they are great replacement for my dead earbuds and old cans. Thanks Bose!

5.0 out of 5 stars

Beyond wonderful

My aging and daily used for hours QC15 headset was getting rather tatty. Time to replace. The QCU seemed like it would fill the bill. It came a little while ago. I unboxed it, noticed a wire with audio plugs on both ends. It turns out the QCU can do wired connections. And the BT transmitter I ordered comes tomorrow. So I simply plugged it into the audio system and settled back to listen. The title says it all. They sound WONDERFUL with the exception of being slightly bassy compared to the QC15. I can equalize that out. (I like orchestral music.) Tomorrow I play with the Bluetooth functionality. I may edit or comment to this report if there are difficulties. I don’t expect any.{^_^}

4.0 out of 5 stars

Love Them

What can I say? They are great. The fit is better and they are not as bulky. Took a while for me to get used to the way they power of and on and the not so many buttons. The battery life is improved and the ability to use the app to improve the already great sound is such a bonus. On top of the improved, already great noise cancelling, you just can’t go wrong buying these. Just wait for them to go on sale as the regular price is too high. I upgraded from a prior model which soiunded awesome with great noise cancelling. But I wated for them to go on sale for way less than the regular price, at the price of the prior version of the headset.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

They’re simply the best

After my daughter lost my quietcomfort headphones, I was forced to use my husband’s Sony headphones. They were the absolute worst.Finally reached the end of my rope and bought these quietcomfort ultra after 4 months of Sony torture. I had forgotten how absolutely amazing these headphones are and how terrible everything else is.They are insanely comfortable and fit so nice and snug around your ears. The sound is absolutely amazing and you’ll hear things that you never have in songs that you’ve heard 100 times.If you wear headphones daily for work or you really love music in headphones, these are worth their price by far and you won’t regret this purchase.

One person found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

8/10

They’re REALLY good, but not as mind blowing for the price. Maybe my expectation doesn’t exist. I listen to a lot of EDM music and was hoping to feel like I’m live at a festival but not quite. Still really good. Excellent battery life. A little too snug around my ears which creates sweat being trapped which is a problem. They slip off my head sometimes. Overall 8/10

4.0 out of 5 stars

Nothing like Bose

I have used Bose since the 80s they continue to evolve and improve I just opened them this morning first thing I tried a variety of music. Sony and Bose are always in competition I think it depends which one you like. I have Sony and Bose my previous 700 were great but I listen to a wide variety of music from Matt Monroe, George Straight to Phantom of the Opera. I’am old school I remember growing up with a transistor radio. I know what good music sounds like these headsets have a wonderful deep acoustic sound. No matter what direction you turn your head the surround never changes. One thing I notice with future generations they have a habit of blowing out their ear drums you can lower the volume and still hear the great sound. When I fly I like quite to many distractions on a plane. The only complaints with Bose I have is their cheap cardboard box and the airline audio cord. I can go to Walmart and buy a stronger cord. My Sony headphones are fantastic and they go a bit further in the cord quality and how they present their product overall from the box to the zipper case. I do not care for the knew Bose or Sony ear buds they both need to improve on how they fit in the ears comfortably. In my opinion Bose or Sony you can not go wrong. One other point you get what you pay for.

One person found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Quiet Headphones, limted swivel

What is great: These headphones are quiet. Just like the Quiet Comfort 15 headphones I had years ago. These headphones can take out the noise. The microphone being built into the cups with no microphone boom is great.What comes with the design. Over the ear headphones are warmer than on the ear designs. My prior headphones were Plantronics Voyager Focus UC. The Bose Quiet Comfort keep the ears warmer, this should be considered.The part that made me take one star away: The ear cups only swivel about 100 degrees. Which means the cups cannot be turned down when I slide take the headphones off and leave them around my neck. I tried reversing the headphones, but then the microphone was on the backside, making it unusable for answering calls. Future design should allow for 180 degrees of ear cup swivel, or have a reversable microphone.

One person found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Almost perfect

Honestly I love this item, the sound is amazing, I love the noice cancelling, has a nice black sleek look. Comes with a very nice protective case. But the one thing with these headphones that I’m not a fan of is I’m not sure if it’s from the noise cancelling or what but the ear muffs cause so much sweat, and I thought it was just me but it’s actually a common occurrence. Other than that it’s a great pair.

One person found this helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars

Great sound but little bass, excellent ANC, comfort.

I kept reading how these headphones have too much bass. Bass heavy. One review said they will give you a concussion. Many say to turn down the bass. What? These have excellent mids and highs but very little bass. The Sennheiser M4’s have actual real bass that you can feel (10x better). Even turning bass up to max there is little bass. I still prefer these over the M4’s because despite what you read on most forums, these sound better overall and are louder. Especially when hooked up to a Samsung TV. My experience with these headphones are backwards from what others say. These would be perfect for my taste of they actually had the bass ppl say they do.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Best of the ones I tried

First impressions are all positive. Everything. Comfort, sound, weight, fit, and certainly price (I paid $329). I looked at Hifiman, Beats, JBL, Sennheiser, and Sony, among others. These Bose model had them all beat when all attributes are considered together. I found one independent industry publication that rated them as “9.8 / 10. Exceptional” and that closed the deal for me.I have not tried them on an airplane yet, but I certainly have high expectations for them. And finally, the LEAST important attribute was still a big plus for me. Color. This blue unit looks far better, more luxurious, whatever, than black or white. I really like it!Again, these are first impressions only. Should something change, I’ll revise as need be.

3 people found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Great sound

If your ears don’t tolerate earbuds very well, these are a fabulous alternative. Love the fit, sound, noise cancellation, and especially the auto-pause feature. Carrying/storage case is a definite plus! Bose never disappoints.

4.0 out of 5 stars

Great at the most important things but lacking in controls

Sound, noise canceling and comfort are all A+ but the audible playback button that you have to hit 3x to rewind feels pretty junky especially compared to the nice volume control. The switching between Bluetooth devices also works horribly, you need to pause music before switching devices or it causes all kids of bugs. This is on current firmware.Overall will be keeping them but they could use some improvements in physical controls and app

5.0 out of 5 stars

Bose saved me from loud neighbourhood

Wow shockingly good ANC. Now i can relax and listen to music. Thank you bose for this great product. App is much better than sony xm4.

One person found this helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars

Bose’s best offering to date if you value sound quality, comfort, and ANC

I own the Bose QC45 and have recently tried comparable headphones in this class including the B&W PX7 S2 and Sennheiser Momentum 4. The Bose QC Ultra are probably the best among this group when it comes to my top three priorities – sound quality, comfort, and ANC. Here are my relative rankings in these categories:SOUND QUALITYI was a bit skeptical at first that Bose’s new Immersion Mode would amount to a mere marketing gimmick, but it’s really unlike anything that I’ve ever heard. It’s hard to describe (you have to listen for yourself!). Immersion Mode somehow gives the sense that the audio source is in front of you (almost like speakers), which ultimately creates a more expansive, 3D-ish effect that makes the music “come alive.” I now listen exclusively in Immersion Mode and don’t know that I can go back to the more traditional, “closed-off” sound of other headphones. The QC Ultra is a definite step-up from the QC45.I was also impressed with the B&W PX7 S2’s balanced and clean sound signature; however, I had to return my pair because the left ear cup suddenly and inexplicably went dead after only a week of gentle use. I contemplated repurchasing because of how good they sound but don’t want to take the chance on receiving another dud.While the M4 has a loyal following, I was personally disappointed by the Sennheiser sound signature. The M4 was too bass-heavy for my taste; moreover, the clarity/separation for vocals and instruments was muddy and often overpowered by the bass.Rankings: QC Ultra >= PX7 S2 > QC45 > M4COMFORTBoth the QC45 and QC Ultra live up to the “comfort” in their names. Their light weight and plush padding are second to none, with perhaps a slight edge to the QC45. The PX7 S2 is also quite pleasant to wear but a little heavier compared to Bose. I was not a fan of the M4, which felt a bit cheap to me; the material used for the ear pads was not breathable (think hot ears), and the clamping force was tighter than Bose and B&W.Rankings: QC45 >= QC Ultra > PX7 S2 > M4ANCBose has earned a reputation as the “King of ANC”, a title that is well-deserved IMO. Both the QC45 and QC Ultra are noticeably more effective at drowning out ambient noise than the PX7 S2 and M4.Rankings: QC Ultra = QC45 > PX7 S2 = M4Hope that my observations help you if you’re trying to decide between these headphone options. I plan to keep the QC Ultra as Bose has made substantial improvements to the QC45, namely the Immersion Mode, that justify the price differential for me. I do wish that the battery life were longer, but its other distinguishing features make up for it. Overall, I’d give the QC Ultra 4.5 (rounding up to 5) stars!

117 people found this helpful