Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
100% worth it if you don't…
11/14/2023 01:35
I have spent the last month-ish testing the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones ("QCU") walking around NYC, going to the gym, going on a few flights, and on the subway, and it is so easy to conclude that these are the absolute best ANC over-ear headphones I've ever used. For anyone wondering if these are the ones to get, the answer is an absolute yes. The only instance where I would not recommend these is where you already own the QC35 or the QC45. I compared the three headphones in a few different ways, and while the QCU won most of the time, it does not win by a significant margin, so while this is not a "necessary" upgrade from the previous-generation Bose headphones, it is still the best there is.
Walking around NYC. All three headphones pretty much performed the exact same. If the QCU performed better, it might be because the ear cushion is a bit different from the QC35 and QC45. It has a bit more of a smooth finish, and less of a textured/cushiony finish than the QC35 and QC45. Still, all three performed perfectly.
Going to the gym. I prefer the QCU here. The parts where I noticed a difference were when lifting and on the exhales, where your face kind of makes funny shapes when you're under stress, and the QCU ear cups just kept their shapes secure over the ears a little better than the QC35 and QC45, which helped to keep outside noise blocked out more consistently.
Flights. This one is weird, I think I just prefer the softer, squishier ear cushions on the QC35 and QC45, especially for 3-5 hours of listening. The ANC was better on the QCU, which I suspect is what most people care about, but from a longer listening session perspective, I prefer the QC35 and QC45. I was able to "forget" that I was wearing headphones quicker with the QC35 and QC45 than with the QCU, despite the QCU audio experience being the winner.
Subway. None of the three perfectly block out background noises on the subway unless you are OK with the volume being a bit loud. I listen around 40-60% volume, so naturally there is always going to be noise coming from the outside, but I think the QCU definitely performed the best here. For this category, I will absolutely be putting the QCU in my commuting backpack.
I have used Bose as well as other competitors when it comes to ANC over-ear headphones. Bose wins every single time. Tiny nitpick though, the case forces you to fold the headphones in one particular way now.
inFidelis
New York , Spojené státy americké
Age: 32
Gender: Female