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Tom's Guide
07-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I spent 24 hours with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2 — here's what I like and don't
I love the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. They're by far the best noise canceling earbuds you can buy, with by far the best ANC. They're comfortable and packed with features — I never leave them home when I go on any kind of trip. I don't think I could live without the peace and quiet I enjoy with my QC Ultra Earbuds. So you can imagine just how excited I was when Bose announced it was launching a new version of the buds, with improvements across the board to make them even better. Well, I've now got them in my hands (ears), and I'm here to tell you all my discoveries in the 24-hour period that I've been testing. One of the only things really lacking from the charging case before was wireless charging. Unlike the Sony WF-1000XM5 and the Apple AirPods Pro 2, you couldn't drop the first gen onto a wireless charging pad to juice them up. That was (emphasis on was) a shame. It was a shame because that's no longer an issue — the generation 2 version can now be charged up with a wireless charger. It's good! It's great! And crucially, it works. Place it on a pad, and it'll charge up. Nice. It does lead me to something I wish was better though... It's no secret that the battery life of the QuietComfort line of products isn't the best. It's likely because the always-on ANC and transparency modes suckle at the battery like a thirsty newborn, and it's left Bose headphones and earbuds with less battery than the competition. Just like the first generation, the earbuds will only last 6 hours. That's only just enough and pales in comparison to the 8 hours you get on most of the competition. Some kind of battery improvement would have been nice, but alas, no such luck. I knew that the ANC was still going to be excellent. No doubt in mind. Bose has never let me down, and it's unlikely to start now. There's the same great ANC on board the gen 2 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, although there are now some subtle improvements. They still play their signature orchestral swell to listen to the inside of your ear and adjust ANC accordingly, but I've found it's worked slightly better with the new version. Transparency mode has seen some improvements, too, with some AI implementation. My dad sounded clearer in "aware mode" in the new buds than he did in the old model, and the sound of the outside world didn't feel quite as synthetic. Nice. I quite like the way that the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2 look. They're a chunkier bud than the likes of the WF-1000XM5, but that's not something that bothers me too much. What does bother me is that they look almost entirely identical to the old model. The only thing that keeps them differentiated is the color. For the most eagle-eyed, there are now grilles inside the eartips to stop dirt and grime getting into the audio bits inside, but that's not noticeable when they're in your ears. To be clear, the new white smoke color I've got here is nice. But I would have liked to see some more visual updates. The original QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds were already pretty good for calling people. Voices are crisp and noise isolation is used to make sure there isn't anything getting in the way of hearing your call partner. The call quality in gen 2 has stepped up from what I can tell. There's apparently a new AI-powered noise suppression system, which makes sure that you're easier to hear on the other end of the call. I'll be doing more testing in the next few months, but things are looking pretty good at the moment. Usually, I'd have more to say, even after only 24 hours with the buds — but this time around I simply don't. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds gen 2 are very, very similar pair to the gen 1 buds. They sound the same, and offer the same feature set, too. My verdict at the moment — if you're buying a pair of the QC Ultra buds now, don't. Wait for the Gen 2 to arrive and you'll get the benefits of the few updated features. If you're thinking of upgrading, perhaps hang about and wait for our tech reviewers to finalize our testing. Because at the moment, this feels like a limited update.
Engadget
12-06-2025
- Business
- Engadget
Bose's second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have AI-enhanced adaptive ANC
On Thursday, Bose unveiled its next-gen premium wireless earbuds. The latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have enhanced adaptive noise cancellation, thanks to AI. Among their other upgrades over the originals are boosted call quality and wireless charging. Since AI is the tech world's obsession, it's no surprise that Bose is jumping on that bandwagon. Here, the company uses it to improve adaptive noise cancellation. AI algorithms in the new model can smooth out sudden spikes in background noise while using aware mode. (That's the feature that lets you hear your surroundings while listening to music.) So, for example, the ANC should respond more quickly to a suddenly passing train or siren. In theory, that means fewer distractions from your music. AI is also behind improved call quality in the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Bose claims that its noise suppression system improves voice pickup and overall quality. The new model supports wireless charging natively. The first-gen QC Ultra Earbuds only offered it in a roundabout way. You had to buy a $50 silicone cover for the case, which wasn't the most elegant solution. The rest of the 2025 model's upgrades are subtler. Their ear tips now include a built-in earwax filter. That should make it easier to clean them and avoid sound degradation over time. You can also turn off the earbuds' capacitive touch controls in the app. The inability to do that was a common complaint about the 2023 originals. (They'll receive an update later this year that adds the same functionality.) The second-gen Bose QC Ultra Earbuds retail for the same $299 as their predecessors. They'll be available in black, white smoke and deep plum. Later this summer, the company will start pre-orders and provide a release date. Alongside the earbuds, Bose announced two new Bluetooth speakers. The SoundLink Plus is a mid-range one, sitting between the SoundLink Flex and Max. The company's tagline for the speaker sums up the niche it wants to fill: "big enough to bring the bass but portable enough to take on the go." The SoundLink Plus has one subwoofer, a tweeter and four passive radiators. It also includes an automatic tuning system called Active EQ. Bose says it adjusts its frequency response to match an optimal sound curve. It weighs 3.29 lbs. It supports Bluetooth Core 5.4. The speaker supports up to 20 hours of playback. In a nice touch, you can use its USB-C port to charge your phone and other devices. The SoundLink Plus costs $269. If you're looking to grab one, you won't have to wait long. Pre-orders open today, ahead of a June 26 launch. It will be available in black, blue dusk and citrus yellow. (The latter won't be available to pre-order until June 18.) SoundLink Micro (second-gen) (Bose) Finally, Bose is rolling out a second-gen version of the SoundLink Micro. The speaker is still small — just slightly less so than the first model. (The second-gen Micro measures 4.06 x 4.06 x 1.54 inches.) But in exchange, you get much longer battery life. Bose says the new speaker lasts up to 12 hours, an increase from six hours in its predecessor. The SoundLink Micro also includes some modernizations. First, it now works with the Bose app. The speaker also ditches the micro-USB charging from its predecessor in favor of USB-C. Elsewhere, it adds the same Active EQ and Bluetooth Core 5.4 support in its mid-range sibling. The company claims that the speaker plays back sounds more clearly at higher frequencies. (And it does so without muddying bass.) It also has a removable nylon strap. This should be handy for attaching the speaker to bags, bikes, shower heads and the like. The Bose SoundLink Micro will be available in black and blue dusk. It costs $129. The company will provide specific launch info later this summer.
