Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are the company’s latest flagship over-ears, replacing the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. They sport a familiar folding design and feature Bose’s new Immersive Audio tech that enables spatial stereo audio on any device. These headphones also support Fast Pair for easy pairing on Android.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Though the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have been around since 2019, these headphones still have sound quality and ANC to almost match the top flagships of today. They’re also plenty comfortable. Of course, they’re still pricey and miss out on some useful features.
The first thing to understand in a head-to-head Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs. Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 comparison is the four years of separation between the two. This means the consideration between the olderBose Noise Cancelling 700and the fresh-facedBose QuietComfort Ultracomes down to whether you want all the latest features and improvements or a tried-and-true classic at a discount.
Despite the fact that the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have been around since 2019, they still have the sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC) to almost match the top flagships of today. They’re also plenty comfortable. However, they remain pricey while missing out on some useful features.
While there are generational differences, choosing between the two can be hard, as both are among thebest noise-cancelling headphones. They both excel when it comes to audio and comfort, yet they also share some flaws — most notably when it comes to price.
Price, availability, and specs
We need to start with a basic premise: Bose flagship wireless headphones of the past and present are uniformly expensive, with a price tag that seems to hold up over time, similar to other premium products (Apple comes to mind). So it’s no wonder that the Bose Noise Cancelling 700, which have been available since 2019, still come in at a pricey MSRP of $379.
The much, much (much) newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra retail for $429. That’s a $60 difference between something that came out when a global pandemic sounded like a joke and something that’s been out for just a month at the time of writing. But there’s still a silver lining to the Bose Noise Cancelling 700. Yes, they might have a retail price of just under $400, but these ‘phones often go on sale, just like other previous-generation products. It’s not uncommon to find them for under $300, which tips the balance quite a bit when comparing these two models.
Design and fit
Both headphones are elegant and sleek, with oval ear cups with recessed edges. The second-best word to describe them (after “elegant”) is “ergonomic.” Ergonomics is certainly in play here, as the two models are very comfortable to wear.
Now, there are some issues in both cases. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have plenty of cushion for even weight distribution for long sessions; however, the headband is a bit narrow. And the Bose QuietComfort Ultra share that same distribution of padding so that the ears are nicely protected, but the headband could use a little extra, especially for those with smaller heads.
These Bose headphones share capacitive controls that are easy and intuitive to use. Unfortunately, they also infuriatingly share a very strange design choice in terms of ports; both are equipped with USB-C ports for charging and a 2.5mm port, meaning you have to use the included proprietary 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable. At least both have multipoint connectivity.
Sound and ANC
Like most brands, Bose has a sound, and the QuietComfort Ultra and the Noise Cancelling 700 share the same DNA. Specifically, they have a slightly sweetened, mostly neutral frequency range that works equally well across all genres. And there’s plenty of bass and high-end.
Where the Bose QuietComfort Ultra truly pull ahead of the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 is the inclusion of a very well-implemented Immersive mode, aka spatial audio. Instead of a fake surround sound, it’s more akin to Dolby Atmos, making everything sound wider and taller. Depending on the audio, it can really help what you’re listening to come alive. But, like this kind of feature, it doesn’t always translate well.
RegardingActive noise cancellation or ANC, it’s adjustable on both headphones, not to mention the same technology is used for the very effective Aware mode, aka transparency or ambient mode. The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 were the cans to beat when they hit the market. Even today, they are still better than a lot of the competition. Really, Bose and Sony have been the ones to beat for years now, and this long-in-the-tooth model isn’t that far behind the flagship options from Sony. However, the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra carries the torch with ANC strong enough to block out crying children.
Both headphones use the Bose app for in-depth control. And since both are feature-rich, so is the app. For example, you’re able to not only toggle ANC on and off, but you can also adjust how much you want, choose EQ settings, and more. The app is intuitive no matter which pair you go with.
Since the Bose QuietComfort Ultra comes with some new features, settings for them, notably Immersive Audio, will be available in the app. It’s worth noting that during our testing, we had some issues with these headphones connecting and staying connected to the app, something we didn’t experience with the Noise Cancelling 700. Hopefully, a firmware update will address the issue.
Battery life
When it comes to battery life, both models are best described as adequate. That’s actually a bit harsh as they both top 20 hours, which is more than enough for most people, but they pale in comparison to some of the competition, like theSennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, a pair of headphones that can last 60 hours with ANC on.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra and the Bose Noise Cancelling 700 have some of the best ANC in the business, and that’s a feature that can be very draining on the battery life. The older Bose Noise Cancelling Noise 700 can last 20 hours with ANC on, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra offer a slightly healthier 24 hours with ANC on. They both take a similar time to charge as well, with the older model charging in two and a half hours and the newer one in two hours (yet advertised at three).
At the end of the day, their battery performance comparison is not big enough to be that much of a consideration. But if you like to squeeze every last drop out of your devices, the QuietComfort Ultra give you an extra four hours.
Which are right for you?
If you like the latest and greatest, the answer is simple. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra are a refinement, though not a redefinition, of the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. There’s a little more battery life, slightly improved ANC, and, of course, that engaging Immersive mode.
The new king
On the other hand, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, despite being about ready for kindergarten, are basically 90% of the way there (ignoring the Immersive Audio) and easy to catch on sale for much less. On a normal day, you would save $60; during a sale, it’s closer to $160 — a huge factor for many.
The classic
