Latest news with #QuietComfortUltraHeadphones
Tom's Guide
29-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I've tested hundreds of headphones — and these 3 options are the most comfortable
At this point I've tested countless headphones, each one with their own set of weaknesses and strengths. But beyond sound, feature set, and noise canceling, there's one very important parameter to me that I believe is more important than almost everything else: Comfort. Because it doesn't matter if the best headphones sound amazing and block out loads of noise, if they're not comfortable, you're not going to want to wear them. It's why some of the most popular headphones don't rank in my personal rankings as with other people. The Sony XM5 headband is too thin and hurts my head after a while, for example. So which headphones are the most comfortable that I've tested? Here are the three options you should think about buying if you're looking for the most plush, comfortable experience around. The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 are my favorite headphones right now not just because of their excellent sound and handsome good looks — they're also incredibly comfortable. The headband is nice and wide, spreading the weight of the cans across the top of your head instead of focusing on one spot. That's what makes other headphones feel uncomfortable. The earpads are thick and soft, with plenty of give to make them feel comfortable over longer periods of time. While they're not the lightest pair of headphones around, you don't feel it while wearing them because they do such a good job of spreading themselves over your head. A firm but not invasive clamping force rounds out the headphones and their fit. They're not going to fall off with vigorous headbanging, and neither are they too tight. They're just right. The Goldi-headphones as it where. Vegans delight — the soft leather here is animal product free. The PX7 S3 are our favorite headphones here at Tom's Guide. They sound excellent and block out plenty of noise — but it's the comfort that will keep you coming back for more. Luxurious vegan leather keeps them feeling premium, while also providing a soft surface for the lovely foam to sit behind. I've worn them for hours and hours on end thanks to their well judged comfort levels. Pretty much anything you buy from the 'QuietComfort' line is going to be really comfortable — it's in the name for goodness sake. But the line toppers, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, are where it's really at for comfort. They're super light, and feature some lovely plush cushioning to make sure that they don't get uncomfortable should you wear them for a long flight. As with the previous set of cans, part of it comes down to their lovely, wide headband that stretches the weight of the headphones out better than a slim headband. That means you don't get anything pressing down too much on top of your head, making them more comfortable. Clamping force is a little loose, which makes them more comfortable overall. It also means they're more likely to fly off if you start to bang your head too much. So keep it still. There's lovely vegan leather here as we, so the global cow population doesn't have anything to fear from Bose. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones bring a lovely light construction to the table to go with their ample padding and vegan leather covering. That makes them a very comfortable pair of headphones overall, and one that you'll happily wear for long flights and other travel. If only the battery lasted a bit longer. The Focal Bathys MG aren't a cheap pair of headphones — but my word are they a comfortable one. Just look at those massive, deep ear cushions and tell me you can't imagine melting into them as you listen to your favorite jazz albums. They can get really big as well, so they'll fit on a wider range of head shapes and sizes. The leather that covers those earpads is soft and breathable, making sure that your ears don't get hot over long periods of time. I wore them for a whole day of work and then a few hours afterwards to listen to some music, and I didn't want to take them off the entire time. The headband is slightly slimmer than those above, but thanks to some excellent padding and the microfibre covering it never becomes too tight on the top of your headphones. Clamping force is strong too, so you can bang your head to your hearts content. Alas, no luck for vegans here — there's some very high quality standard leather all over the earcups. Focal's updated version of their popular Bathys headphones might cost an arm and a leg, but they're super comfortable thanks to some thick, plush padding. They also sound excellent, and the noise canceling is great too. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
24-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Bose QuietComfort Headphones vs QuietComfort Ultra: Which should you buy?
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones sit at the top of Bose's headphone tree, with the best noise canceling and immersive sound mode. They're very comfortable and offer some excellent features across the board — but are they worth the extra over their less expensive cousins? Bose's cheaper option might not have the sleeker design of the more premium option, but they still pack in excellent noise canceling and good sound. They're very comfortable, and fold up nicely for travel. Is the saving worth buying them over Bose's more expensive model? Both of Bose's over-ear headphone options have now been available to buy for about two years. In that time, they've seen a whole range of competition released looking to unseat them from the best noise-canceling headphones throne, but nothing has yet come close. But which of the two headphones should you buy? Should you choose the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones? After all, they've got a whole spate of flagship features to tempt you. A comfortable fit, a smart design, and the best noise canceling in the business come at a $449 price tag. What about the QuietComfort Headphones then? They're $100 cheaper than the Ultra Headphones, but feature comparable sound and noise canceling. You might miss out on some of the fun extras, like Immersive Sound, but that's all sacrificed at the altar of affordability. To find out whether you should save or splurge, I've put the two head-to-head to see which headphones you should be buying in 2025. Bose QuietComfort Headphones Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Price $349/£299/AU$479 $429 / £449 / AU$645 Colors Black; White Smoke; Blue Dusk; Chilled Lilac; Sandstone; Petal Pink; Twilight Blue Lunar Blue; Deep Plum; White Smoke; Black Size Not specified Not specified Weight 8.4 ounces 8.8 ounces Battery life (rated) Up to 24 hours Up to 24 hours Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1 with SBC, AAC support Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC and LDAC, aptX HD support support Special features Adaptive ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable sound, quick charge, passive mode ANC, Immersive Audio, Bluetooth multipoint, customizable EQ, quick charge, Immersive sound The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones cost $449, a whole $100 more than the $349 QuietComfort Headphones. In a vacuum, without considering any of the specs and the perceived performance differences, the price alone makes the cheaper pair worth picking up. But things aren't in a vacuum, so the battle continues. They've both received hefty discounts during deals events, so it's worth waiting for the likes of Prime Day and Black Friday if you really want to save some money. There's no denying that the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the more attractive pair of headphones. They're a more modern affair, with more visual interest thanks to metallic accents and pearlescent finishes in some of the color options. That's not to say that the QuietComfort Headphones are an unattractive option. They're simply less 'up to date' than the Ultra, with a look that echoes that of the QC45 and some of the older QuietComfort headphone line. Bose sets these headphones apart with a superior range of colors, however. Just look how lovely the 'chilled lilac' color we've got here is. Build quality is similar between the two, with similar materials in use. The Ultra have more metal in their build, and the QuietComfort are lighter as a result. Both are supremely comfortable — you won't be disappointed with either. This is an easy win for the cheaper option. The QuietComfort Headphones feature proper physical controls, my preferred way of controlling playback and noise canceling. They're simple to use — the volume buttons turn the volume up and down, and the play/pause button doubles as a skip key. They're clicky and responsive, and well laid out to make sure you can find them without looking. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have one button for play/pause and skip, and then a funny touch slider for the volume. In theory, it sounds great, but in use it's much more of a pain. It's inaccurate and tricky to activate. I'd usually spend loads of words talking about the sound quality of headphones and how they differ. The QuietComfort Ultra and the QuietComfort Headphones sound so similar that there's really not all that much point in dwelling on things. They're both warm-sounding headphones with solid audio performance at their core. The Ultra sound slightly better, with more detail and a more rounded overall signature. They also support more Hi-res codecs you can listen to with the best music streaming services. They win here — but it is surprisingly close. When you look at the specs sheets, the QuietComfort Headphones have fewer features than the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. In reality, things are closer than they appear. There's better codec support for the QuietComfort Ultra, and the Immersive Sound feature that is divisive at best. It makes music sound more spacious and wider, but it thins out the sound to do it. Those are both lacking from the QuietComfort Headphones, although I'd argue that one feature is actually more useful than both of them combined. When the battery dies (and it will — the battery life isn't fantastic), you can connect a 3.5mm headphone cable and continue to use them. That's a relative rarity now, and it's super helpful. There are more features on the QuietComfort Ultra which means they take the win — but the QuietComfort Headphones' features are more usable. As you'd expect from Bose headphones, both models feature excellent ANC. The QuietComfort Ultra take the win because they edge out the QuietComfort Headphones when it comes to higher range sounds, but you'll get excellent performance no matter the headphones you choose. Transparency modes are the same for both, which is a nice bonus. Both have lackluster battery life, unfortunately. Because you can't turn off the ANC or transparency mode, there's no way to extend the staying power beyond their 24 hour specs. That's not quite up their with the competition no matter how much you pay for your headphones. Quick charge is present in both models as well — as a result, this round is a draw. Overall the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones come out on top. You get more features, slightly better sound and a bit better noise canceling. But that doesn't mean it's the right option for you. Despite their fewer features and slightly less impressive sound, I'd spend my own money on the QuietComfort Headphones. The $100 saving is well worth it, and they tend to get even cheaper when deals events roll around. If you need to have the very best of the best, the QuietComfort Ultra will serve you very well, but QuietComfort buyers can rest easy they're not missing out on all that much if they buy the less expensive model. Bose QuietComfort Headphones Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones Price and value (5) 4 3 Design (15) 13 14 Controls (10) 7 5 Sound quality (25) 20 22 Active noise cancelation (20) 19 20 Call quality (10) 9 9 Connectivity (5) 4 5 Battery life (10) 5 5 Total Score (100) 81 82 Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
08-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
This is what Prime Day is for — the awesome Bose QuietComfort headphones are $150 off right now
When you're looking to block out noise with your headphones, there's only one place you should go — and that's Bose. You don't even have to spend that much on a new pair of Bose cans at the moment either. Thanks to Prime Day deals, we've got a new lowest price on the Bose QuietComfort Headphones. Right now you can get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for just $199 on Amazon. That's $150 off and lower than they've ever been for a record-breaking lowest price. The Bose QuietComfort Headphones take the excellent noise canceling of their more expensive cousins, and pack it into a cheaper pair of headphones. They block out loads of noise, sound good, and they're super comfortable as well. This deal brings them down below their lowest price ever, beating the record by $20. We loved them in our 4-star review. The QuietComfort Headphones might not have the same luster as the more expensive QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, but they're still some of the best ANC headphones you can buy right now. Despite their lower price, you still get excellent noise canceling straight out of what I can only assume are Bose's hermetically sealed labs. It blocks out the noise of your commute without any problems at all, silencing that annoying dude on his phone like he's not even there. The sound quality is good too, although it tends to be slightly bassier than some would prefer. They're comfortable for long periods of time, and they'll last for 24 hours for some adequate battery life. The QuietComfort Headphones fold up nicely to fit into their solid protective case, so you don't have to worry about them getting bashed up and scratched in your backpack. This reduction brings them a whole new lowest price ever, beating out the previous by about $20. That's a massive deal. Don't miss this one — it's not likely to stick around for long! Also check out our Prime Day deals live blog for lots more savings on everything, plus the best Amazon Prime Day freebies. There are plenty more deals to be had this Prime Day — make sure you check out our Prime Day live blog to make sure you're staying on top of all the latest sales and offers.
Tom's Guide
16-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Here are the 3 settings you should change for every pair of Bose headphones
Your Amazon parcel has arrived — it's your brand new pair of Bose headphones! Congratulations, you're now the proud owner of some of the best wireless headphones available today. That could be a pair of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones or earbuds, some QuietComfort headphones, or even some QuietComfort Earbuds. Either way, there are some settings in the Bose app that you're going to want to adjust to make sure that you get the best experience possible. From some slight sound changes to making sure that your controls are all in order, here are the settings that you need to change to get the best performance possible out of your Bose headphones and earbuds. Before you go any further, make sure that you've got the Bose app installed on your device. Without it, you'll be using the headphones as they come out of the box with no customizations at all! The Bose QuietComfort Headphones sit at the top of our list of the best noise-canceling headphones thanks to their excellent ANC. There is good sound to be found inside as well, and they're some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever had perched atop my head. First off, Bose has a habit of over-egging the low end in its over-ear headphones. Both the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the QuietComfort Headphones have bass-heavy sound profiles that have a habit of drowning out the highs. To compensate, we can use the EQ settings in the Bose app to further enhance the sound quality. Find the 'EQ' menu in the Bose app, and from there, we can dial in the perfect sound for your lovely new ANC headphones. Here you'll find the 3-band EQ that you can manipulate. To deal with the all-encompassing bass, we're going to crank it down a couple of notches. -2 will do. If you prefer a bassier sound, bring it down to -1. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. We're going to leave the mids as they are, but we want to dial in some more high-range frequencies to make sure you can hear more detail in your music. My preference is +3, although some might prefer +2 if the sound becomes a little too piercing. With those settings adjusted in the Bose over-ears, you're going to get a more well-rounded sound signature with less pervasive bass and more detailed highs. For in-ears, things are more refined already. There's still lots of bass, but you don't need to adjust it anywhere near as much as with the over-ear options. Here, the bass can remain the same, but for some more vocal body, we want to bring the mids up a notch. Then, for some more detail and high-range response, we can raise the treble by +2 to make those cymbals and highs sing. And there we go! Bose headphones and earbuds dialled in for sound. Out of the box, your Bose earbuds and headphones are going to feature some epic noise canceling. After all, Bose makes the best noise-canceling earbuds and the best noise-canceling headphones at the moment — it might even be why you bought them. However, did you know that there are certain settings in the Bose app that you should check to ensure everything is functioning properly?Hop into the 'Modes' tab of the Bose app to find the noise-canceling and transparency settings. Here you'll find the standard noise-canceling modes, with Quiet, Aware, and Immersion. The latter features immersive sound with noise cancellation, in case you were wondering. You'll also notice a little 'plus' button at the bottom of the list — this is what we're looking at. Tap that, and you can create a new noise-canceling mode for a different use case, like working out, working, or any other activity you can think of. Choose one of the options, and from there you can set the noise canceling level depending on where you'll be (less noise canceling, more battery), and whether you want the Immersive sound mode to turn on. If the three main modes aren't quite enough customization for you, this is one setting you have to change. On the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, there are two controls that cannot be changed — the power/Bluetooth button and the multi-function playback button. You can, however, change the function of what Bose calls the 'shortcut'. If you tap and hold the touch-sensitive volume slider, the headphones will tell you how much battery you've got left, and you can change what the gesture does. In the 'shortcut' menu in the Bose app, you can change the function of the touch gesture between volume level, Spotify tap, and more. Choose the best option for you, and you're good to go. There are also touch shortcuts on Bose's earbuds, and you can change what they do depending on the left and right earbuds. You could set the left to change between your noise canceling modes, and then the right to change between your connected devices. The shortcut settings are a valuable way to customize your headphones and earbuds, making them easier to use in the long run.
Tom's Guide
11-06-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Score Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at a record low price when you use our exclusive code
Sitting atop our list of the best noise-cancelling headphones in Australia, Bose's excellent QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are now available at a record low price thanks to the audio company's EOFY sale and an additional special offer. In our 4.5-star Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review, we gushed about its outstanding ANC performance, stylish design, improved battery life and immersive audio experience, stating that the QC Ultra is "as close to perfect as you're going to get in the noise-canceling headphones category." Right now, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are priced at AU$649 AU$399.95 on Bose's online store. However, you can score an additional 10% off on orders over AU$200 when you head to our Bose Promo Codes page and click the 'get unique code' button located up top. Then, simply apply that unique code at checkout on the Bose online store to bring the final discounted price down to AU$359.95 — an epic saving of AU$289.05 on the RRP! Save AU$289.05 with unique code Bose's class-leading QuietComfort Ultra are now available to buy at an all-time low price, thanks to this fantastic EOFY deal. To get the full discount, locate the 'get unique code' button on our Bose Promo Codes page and click it to generate your unique code. Then, apply it at checkout on the Bose online store to bring the final discounted price down to AU$359.95. Alternatively, you could use that unique 10% off code on any other item on the Bose online store that's priced over AU$200. Here are some other Bose products that you can combine with our unique code to score some massive savings: Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar: AU$1,499.95 AU$892.75 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds: AU$449.95 AU$269.95 Bose SoundLink Revolve+ II Bluetooth Speaker: AU$499.95 AU$359.95 We wouldn't wait around too long, though — Bose's EOFY sale ends after June 30, 2025 and these products are only available while stocks last.
