Quick correction (as several people have pointed out) - these _do_ have a power button (it's actually the Bluetooth button!). Regardless... who's going to pick up a pair of QuietComfort Ultras?

Just a quick PSA: Be careful with volume and your hearing. My teen years were filled with very loud music, and I suspect it led to my tinnitus. I now have a 4K Hz hiss that follows me every single second of every day. Plug my ears, and it's still there. Enjoy your tunes, but care for your ears.

Hi there! I recently got the famous Bose QC Ultra Headphones, and I can confirm that despite the drivers (speakers) being similar to the Bose NCH 700, this very recent model sounds even better than its predecessor. I also have the Sony WH-1000-XM4, and find that the QC Ultra's sound signature is much clearer than the Sony model. What's more, a little adjustment of the well-rounded bass, and the midrange drive the point home even further. *As a preventive measure, I'd advise you *not to exceed 65% volume, and to take a few listening breaks for the sake of your ears (e.g. 15 to 20 minutes for 1 hour's listening).* Indeed, these headphones have a lot in reserve, and I didn't notice any major sound distortion, which is very good quality. But be careful with your ears, because they're really powerful! And yes, the sound is very clear! Lightweight (257 grams), it folds neatly and has a wider, more comfortable headband. The depth of the speakers (especially for big ears - you don't sweat as much as with Sony headphones) and its active noise reduction are truly impressive! Somewhat superior to Apple's Air Pods Max, that is! For the moment (2023), in concrete terms, *it's the best noise-canceling headset!* At the same time, it's the most recent. We'll see how it fares next year (2024), with the future Sony WH-1000-XM6 and Apple Air Pods Max 2. The "attentive" (transparent) mode is a real success! A notch below the Air Pods Max, and a good notch above the WH-1000-XM4/5. You can clearly hear everything around you. The immersive mode is a bit of a gimmick, as it gives the impression that the soundstage is getting bigger, but I still find it well worthwhile, especially for films and video games! That's another world! I also note that this mode is a little more energy-hungry in terms of this product's autonomy (around 19h35 for me, as opposed to the 18 hours announced by Bose). In fact, as far as battery life is concerned, I think that Bose has underestimated its headphones, because without the immersive mode, and staying at 60~65% maximum volume, I've actually gone up to around 30 hours. The official press release claims 24 hours' autonomy. . What's more, a mode (even two) designed to cleverly save battery power has been integrated: _ Like Apple and Sony, the sound stops when the QC Ultra is removed... And restarts once the device is placed back on the head. _ Automatic sleep mode, when the headset is removed for a long time. It restarts automatically when put back on. Automatic pairing, no headaches, it works like a charm. Multipoint is amply correct, and the solid Bluetooth is certified in 5.3 (the latest available), which is much better in terms of wireless connection stability. A very good point in itself. The WH-1000-XM4 (which is in bleuetooth 4.2) that I've owned since 2021 can cut out from time to time for no reason at the moment... I don't know why. Maybe it's due to my smartphone being almost full of internal memory? I don't know. In any case, I no longer have this little inconvenience with the Bose QC Ultra. The application is nice and quite rich! It's straight to the point, and somewhat less sophisticated than Sony's, whose geekiness is its specialty. As for the buttons, they're all located on the right speaker, behind the ear. A touch-sensitive surface for volume, and incidentally a personalized touch-sensitive button (press for 2 seconds in the middle of the touch-sensitive surface and that's it), either to obtain a voice assistant, or to indicate battery level or something else, for example... Personally, I opted for the battery level. How convenient! And in terms of physical buttons, there are only 2. . The first, at the bottom of the right-hand speaker, is reserved for switching on the headset. . The second button is located a little higher up, towards the rear of the speaker. . The second button is located a little higher up, towards the back of the speaker. This button allows: _ 1 short click: play / pause; 1 long click: change mode (immersive, attentive, silent - additional modes can be added and/or removed, such as the outdoor mode with its more or less successful optional "windbreaker" function, for example); _ 2 quick clicks: next track; _ 3 quick clicks: previous track. Personally, I find these two physical buttons rather instinctive and less headache-inducing (100% subjective, of course). As for the tactile part, I find it better thought-out than the NCH 700 and the Sony WH-1000-XM4/5, in the sense that there's no tactile conflict when unwanted rubbing occurs, such as fabric rubbing when you're in bed, or when you're putting on a hood. The left speaker features a USB-C input for headphone charging only, and an input for... A 2.5 mm jack!... The 2.5 mm jack... I'll never understand why that is... Especially as the headphones must be switched on to be effective(!)... I really don't understand this choice... As far as phone calls are concerned, the people I'm talking to can hear me clearly, even when there's a lot of noise around me! It's not as sophisticated as the Air Pods Max, but it's still one of the most effective. My voice is clearly audible, and it's possible to adjust the volume of the voice when telephoning via the headset. I write this because none of the testers mentioned this detail generally. Unfortunately, it's impossible to obtain lossless sound via a wired USB-C cable (which is quite incomprehensible to me, especially given its high price at the moment). The French Batys headphones, for example (albeit more expensive than the QC Ultra), make this possible. Finally, the price is high (499€) for the moment, but will inevitably drop in the coming months (logically). And then the bargains will start rolling in over the coming year. It has to be! So, I've tried to be as complete as possible about my pleasant experience with these Bose Quiet Confort Ultra Headphones. Expensive, yes, it's undeniable, but very pleasant to hold, not at all uncomfortable on the head, light and very comfortable, this top-of-the-range headset (2023) does quite well, if not very well. A special mention for the active noise reduction, which so far puts it ahead of Apple and Sony. All in all, this headset is a success, far from flawless, let's be honest, but what it does, it does really well. Very satisfied overall. Oh yes, I almost forgot: *the ear pads are detachable and therefore replaceable, in case of any long-term wear and tear.* Hoping for interesting updates (USB-C wired sound, I dream of it! x) ) to come! Thanks for your work sir! Respect! 👍🏾🔥 Looking forward to hearing from you!

Great review, ive been waiting for your take on the QC Ultras. Would have liked to hear some Microphone tests for call quality.

Thx for the review. Still waiting for more thoughts on the new PX7 S2e though. Hence, in-depth comparison highly appreciated.

Great review mark, would love to see a comparison against the XM4/5

Mark, you've officially become my favorite headphone reviewer! You're really touching on all the most relevant/interesting questions (in my opinion). Thanks for this great breakdown. I've already preordered the Ultras, currently waiting for delivery. You just confirmed all my expectations - really looking forward to trying these out for myself. Btw, I recently returned the XM5 because of top-of-head discomfort (yes, I have very thin hair), then I returned the Momentum 4 because they refused to play nice with Ms Teams (loved everything else about them), and finally I returned the QC45 because although I love the fit and finish, the sound and features leave a bit to be desired in 2023. Looks like the Ultras shape up to be the perfect headphones for me!

Got them last month I swear I’m in love with these headphones

Your reviews are fantastic, love watching them 👍

Was waiting for this review. Keep up the good work Mark!

Thanks for the review! Any information on the mic quality, as could certainly use them for pick up a call from time to time? Thanks!

Great review man! watched all your old headphone reviews and bought myself the momentum 4s. could u compare these to the sennheiser momentum 4s?

Thank you Mark for your video. I have had Bose headphones for years and have been thinking of upgrading to the new expensive Ultra ones. I have made my mind up now, I now know what I want for Christmas. 😊

Please do comparison vid mark!! Just received my ultra ones today really enjoying. Think they are the king of nc.

Great review. Waiting for mine to arrive :) editing on speakers is problematic on some occasions so I decided to take a leap of faith and place an order.

Great review I have had mine forever a couple days and the more use them the more love these Bose qc ultra.

Nice vid! Now I can't wait for the unnumbered QC review. But I'm skeptical the changes justify the price of those.

I also thought i should point out on top of the power button/bluetooth button existing, when it comes to Motion and Still Immersive modes. Still is for staying still, meaning u will not be moving so the headphones wont adjust the sound direction. Where on Motion, it will move the sound with u to keep the sound in front of u. The whole point of immersive mode is to make it feel like a concert or sound in general, is in front of u.

So happy I crossed this video! I have the QC45 and was considering the QC Ultra, but only after watching your other video did I notice there's a Quiet Comfort, which isn't the same. Do you sense the QC Ultra is a better buy in value than the QuietComfort??

Great review. Can you please compare Bose quite comfort ultra with Bowers and Wilkins PX7 S2e? I am trying to choose between one of these and your review can help me a lot on my decision. Thanks

Always really enjoy your reviews mate!

Quite informative, thanks for the review.

Another great, insightful, review. I'm still enjoying my QC35s, I like Bose customer service, parts availability, plus their ease of use/storage/portability etc. I think that QC45's or QC's would be my preference for next purchase.

I am very much torn between the Px7 S2e and the QC Ultras so yes please do a comparisom between them!

Its crazy bc I used to own the bose q45 in blue. The design wasnt horrible, but I thought man how great would a redesign be similar to like a sony xm4/xm5? They really did an amazing job with this redesign. Still keeping my xm4's but deff a good gift consideration for black friday sales :)

Nice review, I am now confused on which one is better. The BW PX8 or these. 😅

Thanks Mate - a brilliant review. I have bought a pair - I did think they felt a bit cheap and very light tbh - however the sound is amazing. As you said super loud - esp listening to the Stones album yesterday. I must admit I dropped them in Neros yesterday - the ear pad thing came off but I put it back on and no damage done. I am also a B&W fan. Thanks again

Great review as always, Mark! It would be really interesting to hear your thoughts on the QC Ultra vs Sony XM5

I have been watching reviews of the new Ultra's and appreciate your in depth review Mark. I have one question though. So do you think these have a break in peroid like speakers do?

Could you make a detailed comparison between the new PX7 S2E and the QC Ultra? Mic tests would be really helpful for a decision which one to buy. Thank you!

Hi Mark, Thanks for this review. I am a novice with premium headphones and currently have a Bose QC45 and they are fine for my fairly basic music listening needs and are fine with my iPad. However, with my Windows 11 laptop there is noticeable lag with the voice vs the video. I have read about Bluetooth codex and Aptx and Low Latency etc. but it is doing my head in and all I really want to know is what pair of headphones do I need to buy to make my video playback from my OLED laptop an enjoyable experience?? I would very much value your opinion. Is this such a hard question to answer? In 2023 it seems that I need an engineering degree to keep up but your videos are a breath of fresh air amid the technobabble. Thanks for any help you might offer.

Great review, just bought a pair based on it! I had the Bowers & Wilkins PS7 S2, but they started falling apart after a year. Glad to be back with Bose!

Nice review. I’d like to see one comparing Airpods Max to QC Ultra.

A great video. I would like to see you compare these with the Bose 700, which were the brand leaders before these came along. This is more relevant than the previous QuietComfort or B&M. Still, loved the video.

Yes pls do a comparison between Px7 s2e and Bose ultra headphones!!!

I have the bass and treble plus ten and mids plus 6 def will give yours a try

Thanks for the review. Love your videos! Question please: when you EQ them, are the settings stored in the headphones and therefore apply to any connected phone or computer or do these settings apply only to the device with the EQ app?

Great review thanks..

QC Ultra vs B&W PX7 S2e review please!! In the market for new headphones and I'm currently debating these two

Is it worth upgrading from the Bose 700? Also, how does it compare to the PX7 S2E?

Ditto the request for a comparison between QC Ultra and Sx7 S2e. Thank you. Your reviews are excellent by the way👍

YES - please do a PX7 S2E vs QuietComofort Ultra review! Exactly what I've been hoping to see.

Hey, great video, how do these sound compare to the bower & wilkings px 7 s2e or px8 ?

Just got these and I love them .. my old pair was sound core..

Great review

Hey bro!! Nice video. Just want to ask you something, between these Bose Ultra and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 which one is louder??? I mean even if you put max volume? (100%)

Hey there! Great job, thanks for your videos! Could you tell me please which one of them more suits for audiobooks and podcasts, I mean where are voices more natural and pleasant? Actually I already got Bose qs ultra and find them quite good for listening audiobooks but still I can change them if Sennheisers make the job with voices better than Bose. Thanks in advance.

Just sold my B&W Px7S2 since I have never really enjoyed them. Soundwise yes, but ANC wasn’t satisfying, the weight too much and not really foldable compared to Bose. The only thing I am missing with the Bose QC Ultra is USB Audio. Other than that it seems to be the right package for me.

What about the size of the earcups? Are they the same size as the QC45’s?

Yes sir, I would like to see a comparison between Bose and Bowers and wilkins px7 s2e.

Please a comparison review of the B&W PX7 S2e vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones !! Thanks :)

hey mark, im really debating buying these headphones, ill use them a lot around the place but especially playing games, will these work well when playing any sort of games?

Well, after this. I got the Jabra Elite Active 8 ( I did not find the 10's to be comfortable fit at all!), but I have also been looking for the perfect over ear headphones for work, commuting and just chilling at home and cancelling out the kids (and wife). I must say....Bose QC Ultra has me very much tempted...

Hey Mark, great review..if you want another track that's a good workout for any headphone then I find "polyphia-ego death" is a ripper

Thank you for sharing the part about your EQ settings. This literally has changed my entire audio experience and made immersive audio so much better in my mind. I’m not an audiophile by any means so typically I don’t touch these settings but the immerse always sounds a bit off to me so far. This has made is so much better.

For a Christmas Eve gift, i decided upon the Sony XM5s. Love them so much, great addition to my 14 pair of over the ear arsenal. Then reviews like this and many others made me go out on the 26th and also get the Ultras. I like them just as much. I put my headphones into tiers and my current top tier consists of the two i just mentioned, Tecnics and Sennheiser M4s. The next tier is the older versions from Sony and Bose, the XM4s, QC45s, Edifier and Soundcore 45s Then, 3rd tier is Soundcore 35s, Sonoflow 1More, Beats and Skullcandy Crushers 2. Lastly, but not bad at all, these are my specialty sets. Good for the gym (water resistant rating) or for specific sound. It's a Jabra, JBL, Raycon and Heavys. All really fun to play around with. Great video and thanks for convincing me to make another purchase.

Would you use the same equalizer settings on the quiet comforts 2023?

I absolutely love them, I thought both of them. I previously had the 700 which were a bit heavy, where the Ultra comfort are truly a game changer for me in terms of comfort, sound quality , looks, design and build quality! Highly recommended!

Great review. I'm happy with Ultras

Wanted to get the Sony xm5 but I think I ll go for this pair

is the Bose QC ultra a right purchase for an apple user instead of apple AirPods Max ? is the connection with ecosystem comparable ? is the noice cancelling much better than the AMP?

Sennheiser M4 3:52 doesn’t have any issues where the headphone would turn on when in the case. You have a faulty product get it repaired.

I've had QC35s for 6 years now and instead replacing the ear pads I'm looking for an upgrade. I've been binging XM4 vs XM5 content and now this has thrown a spanner in the works. Going on 6 years of use for my previous pair I know I will use these enough, but they are ~£135 more than XM5! Given that these and the Sony's are both great I think I will go and try them on and go for the comfiest pair (I don't like the look of the Airpods)

If you would compare the sound quality with the Airpods Max, which one would you say is better? And which one would you recommend?

These do sound promising, don't think I've heard anything bad about these yet, I know it's all personal preference and some people are more picky than others, but still curious to what audiophiles think of these if channels like DMS review these before I consider getting these (I'll probably end up getting them during a Black Friday sale if they are part of deals anyway, let's face it) Never tried the Bowers and Wilkins, and not the new QC Ultra's but as someone who already owns a decent paired of wired headphones paired with a dac (HiFiman Edition XS + Fiio K7) I think of the two I'd pick the Quietcomforts any day whenever I'm not at home or home listening where I am moving around a lot as (as long as it sounds good enough) The comfort is a big deciding factor for me. The B&W are probably what I'd pick if I didn't already have wired headphones, especially if I'm coming from cheap pairs and want the biggest jump in sound quality.

Great video. I must be very unlucky because Im going to return the Ultra Earbuds for the Ultra Headphones because for some reason despite trying every included ear tip and the rubber band, I just cant get it to feel comfortable in my right ear. Maybe I have a deformed ear, I dont know but it feels like it's digging into a tiny part of my ear. Comfort was the last reason I thought I'd be returning them because everything else about them is fantastic. It is what it is, so now its time to try the headphones. In the store they felt fantastic, so I have a feeling I'll be keeping those instead.

So I have the Bose 700; is it a worthwhile upgrade to the ultra or hang on for the airpot max 2

Great review. However I’ve spent all morning deciding whether to buy the Sony XM4s or XM5s then noticed that these have just been launched. It’s a shame you haven’t made any comment on how these compare to the Sonys that seem to be globally recognised as the best sounding headphones. Your expert thoughts would be very much appreciated. Keep up the good work!

What’s your opinion compared to the momentum 4 ?

They look good , I still have my qc 35’s , I must confess I do prefer the buttons for up and down volume as opposed to the swipe function which for those of us with big clumsy mitts which don’t always work out so well 😊 , my 35’s also have a an extra button for google search , and also facility for running the phones via cable which is nice from its additional 3.5 mm headphone jack apart from the charge port. I’d certainly give the neweys a go though my ear pads are getting a little ragged on my 35’s.

Had a pair of QC2 ear buds and lost them on recent flight, the case is really difficult to keep a hold of, changing to these Ultra’s I think.

I am struggling with Bose qc ultra, wh1000xm5, B&W px7s2e, and Airpodsmax since I am an Apple user. Which is the best regardless of sound quality. I just wanna have a headphone with good ANC and transparency mode.

Thank you for your detailed reviews. I bought these haedphones and I was actually very disapppointed with the sound, although I have been a "Bose person" for the last years. As you say, the sound experience is something very subjective, so I do not want to judge them as bad... But for me they sound somehow flat and metallic, the hights are clanging although I reduced them, even the bass is not really bassy. Maybe I received some faulty ones? 🤔I also bought the B&W PX8 and compared the two headphones. The sound on the PX8 for me is really rich and soft and voluminous. Listening to music with the PX8 is pure joy. With the Bose I hear every detail, they are really precise, but somehow they give me no joy at all... I tried both headphones also with the audio cable, with the same outcome (although I really had a noticeable difference in sound quality between bluetooth and cable connectection in both headphones... Still the Bose are not satisfying for me...). When it comes to ANC, the Bose are clearly the winner, and regarding this I found the PX8 somehow disappointing... Still with the Bose I totally have the feeling to be in a kind of pressure cabin an as the ANC can not be switched of, using them is somehow exhausting... So that is my personal opinion to these haedphones. What I like on the Bose ist the fact, that when you buy them from Bose directly, you have a trial period and are allowed to return them, if you are not satisfied. I will use that opportunity... However, your reviews helped me a lot for the decision!

I wonder if this is a mix of NC 700 with QC45 and if it worths to upgrade from NC700

I loved my Sennheiser momentum 3 to start and after two years think they are naff. The Apple ones sounded amazing last week in the shop but I haven’t tried these Bose ones. I may just risk and buy some.

Can these be used for workouts, like gym/cardio??

Would you prefer bose ultra over bowers px7 s2e?

My girlfriend got me these after I was saying I was on the fence about them since I already have AirPod pro earbuds. The over ear is definitely the way to go. Omg they are so comfortable and I already fell asleep with them on lol. They are so sleek and sexy. I got them in white and I love the quiet mode. I just wish the usb-c port was a wired method for my phone instead of using their aux cord. Also, the switching between audio when I have them connected to my pc and my phone at the same time, it sometimes takes a while to switch between them. Similar to phone calls and going back to music, it takes a bit long

I have the qc35s and thinking of upgrading to this. Is it worth it?

How do they compare to the XM5s and AirPods Max’s?

Would you consider these better than the 700s or a repackaging?

can you make comparisons between Bose Ultra, Sony XM5 and Apple AirPods Max

Where did you get that cool headphone desk stand?

How do these compare to QC 45's in terms of comfort on the ear ? Ive heard the cups are rather shalow.

Do the ANC levels affect the battery life? Lower the ANC the longer the battery?

I got a pair of B&W for listening to music, and some old QC25 headphones for work. The QCs have far superior comfort and ANC, but the music reproduction is pretty meh. Varies from good to annoying depending on the style of music, but if I'm writing code it can play dance music well enough, and they don't distract me. It's just a bummer I can't enjoy most of my music with the Bose cans, whereas the B&W PX play everything well. They just don't do ANC well, are not as comfortable, are appalling for calls, and don't fold up as small. Maybe these can do the job of both the others? Can you use them wired?

Where did you get your headphone stand from??

How's the audio performance between Ultra and the Focal Bathys you had months ago?

After a lot of thinking I bought these over the xm5’s due to the ear comfort after trying them on in the bestbuy store. Also tried the xm5’s on but didn’t like the comfort or the small possibility that the hinges could potentially break and cost 100-200 dollars to fix

Hello there, sorry but I need to ask. Is this new QC Ultra capable of connecting to a PC? I see an 'accessory' called 'Bose USB Link Bluetooth module' (on the store) which I hope is just an attempt to sell a better Bluetooth accessory and not a mandatory thing.

Thanks for the review... My missus is getting me the QC Ultras for Xmas :). Quick question if I may... I am just about to upgrade to a Samsung S23 Ultra phone to coincide with getting these. Will the sound of these excellent headphones suffer from the Samsung (seemingly) having a poor suite of codec options, as opposed to other similar premium phones? Or is that just rubbish, as I haven't seen a single reviewer mention it at all. Can't think of a better person to ask ;).

I had planned on buying the sony xm4 with their lower price until I tried the bose ultras with the immersive mode. Holy cow its a total game changer. Ive never experienced anything like that with a pair of headphones. The sound difference is amazing.

are there any buttons that can toggle between paired devices like the qc35's/45's and quiet comfort headphones?

Are the Qc45s a good upgrade over soundcore q35

Another great review, I have purchased the B&W PX8 headphones based on one or two of your reviews and you were right, they are exceptional. But please do a comparison review of the Bose QC Ultra headphones Vs the B&W PX72e, that would be interesting. Thanks.

I had an issue with the Sony xm5's, where when my glasses were tilted slightly, the leather makes a horrible creaking sound. Are these ultras tight on your head with glasses and is the creaking there?? Also the earcups of the xm5's werent very deep, which causes discomfort to the top and side of my ear when worn for long periods of time. Are the ultras deeper and more comfortable for the ear?Please advise me as a glasses user I don't want to make the same mistake again.

I've been happily using a pair of wired Bose QC 25s for some years with wireless adapter, but wanting to make jump to wireless. Seen your review of Bose Quiet Comfort , currently on offer most retailers @£259, in your opinion is it worth spending another £190 for ultra version ?

Great video. I am a tried and true dyed in the wool Apple Guy, I tried these and thought they were better than the my AirPod Max. I ended up selling my Maxes. It came down to comfort for me. I think this have better ANC and sound. I think these are amazing.

Can you please do a comparison video with bowers and Wilkins px7 s2e👍🏼👍🏼 thank you!

Which noises cancelation is stronger, the earbud versions or the headphone version.