Bose chose Weylin, a large, historic 19th-century Brooklyn bank turned event space, to unveil its next generation of QuietComfort products on Thursday. Was the team suggesting that buyers will enjoy a great return on their investment? We would say “yes”.
The new Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones ($429), QuietComfort Ultra earbuds ($299), and QuietComfort headphones ($349) all promise to outperform with solid noise cancellation, high-quality sound reproduction, and stable, stable wearability. comfortable of their most popular products. predecessors, the 700 Noise Canceling Headphones ($379), QuietComfort II earphones ($299) and SilentComfort 45 headphones ($329).
Most notable is that the two models labeled “Ultra” jump into the (much talked about) spatial audio arena with a custom set of signal processing techniques dubbed Bose Immersive Audio.
This news is part TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best noise-canceling headphones.
The toolkit delivers extensive sound field depth and detail effects to listeners across all content and platforms, unlike Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio treatments which are specific to only certain materials, streaming services and headphone manufacturers rivals. While Spotify and Pandora devotees probably never had improved sound field playback options before, now they do, Bose says.
Placing the listener in a virtual “lover’s place,” Bose’s three-dimensional processing is activated by the user in “Still” or “Motion” mode. The former is designed for seated listening, while the “motion” keeps the audio in the foreground while you’re on the move.
The swiveling ear cups, which allow for a more compact carrying case, represent the biggest design change of the new QuietComfort Ultra headphones compared to its predecessor, the Bose Noise Canceling 700, which also folds up but does not rotate inward.Jonathan Takiff/Foundry
Both feature an integrated inertial measurement unit (with gyroscope and accelerometer) and proprietary Bose digital signal processing maximized for the individual user’s ears through the manufacturer’s CustomTune measurement/calibration technology. (It briefly “rings” your ears whenever you put the music creators in place.)
Yes, many other headphone manufacturers, including Samsung, Soundcore, 1More Audio, and Steel Series, have introduced some form of in-house (i.e., not Dolby, not Sony) “spatial audio” processing in recent models. None performed well enough to win critical acclaim.
After our first brief listening session with the Bose earphones and phones, followed by more in-depth testing, it’s easier to argue that their design team has truly cracked the code.
While the cans or earphones are tight on your ears, the sound doesn’t seem to pound in your head, but rather emanates from wide-dispersion stereo speakers spaced several feet in front of you.
The QuietComfort Ultra headphones’ most notable design change involves the new swivel earcups, which allow for a smaller carrying case than that of its predecessor, the Noise Canceling Headphone 700 (the 700 also folded flat but didn’t swivel inward ). The color-contrasting sandblasted anodized aluminum pivoting and sliding pieces have also been improved for stability, more precise adjustments and a sleeker look.
Under the hood, the new flagship headphones boast a “completely redesigned system that includes proprietary signal processing, a robust chip set and advanced microphones,” the manufacturer said. With the QuietComfort Ultra earphones, Bose is promoting new dynamic microphone mixing and adaptive filters.
The new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (one of which is pictured on the left) add a touch of metallic sparkle over the QuietComfort Earbuds II.Jonathan Takiff/Foundry
These updates improve Bose’s already great noise cancellation and CustomTune process. Additionally, it improves “beamforming” voice reception which improves call clarity and increases the likelihood that your virtual personal assistant will actually understand and follow your voice request.
Both the QC Ultra headphones and QC Ultra earphones feature the Snapdragon Sound technology suite that supports the latest Qualcomm aptX Adaptive codec for lossless, low-latency high-resolution streaming with Android devices. Both models also rely on Google Fast Pair and are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3, with future feature updates looming as a possibility.
Battery life is improved by four hours (now 24, with Immersive Audio off but ANC on) in the updated flagship headphones.
The Ultra Earbuds add sleek metallic accents and enhance the already effective (and barely noticeable) ear-hugging stability bands of their predecessors with a new locking feature that will further ensure they stay securely in place. And for those who complained about their predecessors’ lack of Qi charging capabilities, a new silicone slip-on charging case ($49 at Bose.com) is coming on October 20 for both the Ultra Earbuds and QC Earbuds II .
Bose’s flagship ANC model, the QuietComfort headphones, improves on the QC 45 with the ability to adjust noise-canceling levels and set custom modes in the Bose Music app, offering multi-point Bluetooth 5.1 functionality and increasing battery life from 22 to 24 hours .
Expect improved battery life with Bose QuietComfort headphones.Bose
They also now support Spotify Tap to start a listening session with the push of a button, and include an audio cable with inline microphone for listening or wired communications. And for those interested in a stunning look, the QC headphones will also be available (starting September 21st) in the new limited edition Cypress Green color, as well as in Black and White Smoke.
Pre-orders are already underway for all three models. The Ultra Quiet Comfort headphones and earphones are expected to be available in early October.
