Doing reviews is not always easy, and my headline might seem like it’s throwing some shade at these buds. When you get a product like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds and you’re expecting to really love them but then find one thing that doesn’t sit right. Well, you do get a little disappointed. Especially when that one thing may not bother other users at all. As a matter of fact. I used these buds on my trips over the past few weeks, and other reviewers did not have the same experience and really loved these buds a lot.
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
All that to say, the fit and size of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds were my one major grievance against them. But don’t let that color your choices. Seek out other reviews, because everyone’s ears are different, and what you find comfortable may differ from what I find comfortable. Personally, I like the fit and design of the Bose QuietComfort earbuds I reviewed a few months ago. Let’s get into this review and talk about the awesome, and we will return to this at some point.
Listen, the ANC and sound quality of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 are premium and well worth the asking price. My only negative takeaway was that I, personally, did not like the fit and size of these earbuds. But that does not mean you won’t. These are worth the money and have tons of value if you’re comfortable with the fit.
I don’t normally give so much away in the first two paragraphs of a review, but I thought the headline needed to be addressed out of the gate. So you know my thoughts on the one con I have for these earbuds. I say, buy them and try them, and if you also don’t get along with the fit, you can return them. So let me give you the PROS.
The ANC on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 is excellent. It’s what I expect from Bose, and it is spectacular. The sound is fantastic, also what I expect from Bose, and the soundstaging is wonderful. The clarity is outstanding, and this is what you want from a good set of buds. The app is great and has some excellent features. The battery life is outstanding, and these are easy to pair and set up. Overall, these are some of the best earbuds you can find with some of the best ANC and sound you can get.
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OK, KUDOS to Bose for not making the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 an AirPods Pro clone. I have to give them that 1000%. Just like the less expensive QuietComfort Earbuds, these earbuds have a look and design all their own. I respect it.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 have an interesting shape and fit. As I already mentioned, I found the fit of these earbuds to be a bit uncomfortable and bulky. These just stuck out from my ears a bit too much, and resting your head on a plane is more difficult with the bulk these have.
I like the two-tone look of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2, and the build quality is fantastic. These feel much more premium than the cheaper QuietComfort buds. The case also has wireless charging, and it feels more robust than the cheaper cousin.
Overall, these earbuds LOOK really nice. I love that Bose isn’t falling into the cookie-cutter design that numerous earbuds are falling into. The build is spectacular, the features are great, but the fit and comfort for me were a miss. That does not mean these are bad; they are not. These are really nice-looking earbuds, and I know for a fact that many users will find them comfortable. I know because many of my colleagues love them and did not have the same fit experience as I did. So don’t let my fit experience scare you off.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 are straightforward to use, with the typical features you’d find on most earbuds these days. The touch surface is located on the outer surface of both earbuds. With the touch control, you can play/pause audio, change the volume, perform basic call functions, adjust the audio, and change the noise-canceling mode. The full list of touch controls is below. I, personally, do not like the touch controls on most earbuds, and I don’t use them. I control it with my watch or phone. But many users love touch controls, including my kids, so it’s nice to have them.
The setup of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 is easy. First, make sure they are fully charged, and then open the case. Leave the buds in the case and push the button on the back. The Bluetooth LED will blink, and when you open the Bose app, they will show up there. Hit pair and go through the app setup, which may include an update of the firmware.
Overall, these are simple to use and set up. Most users should have zero issues getting started with these.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 use the Bose app, not the Bose QC app that the regular Bose QuietComfort earbuds use. I found that odd, but it is what it is. The app offers what most apps offer: a place to switch modes, turn ANC on and off, adjust the EQ, choose from preset EQs, update firmware, and turn off touch controls. The screenshots below show most of what you’ll find in the app.
I love that you can turn the touch controls off, as I find myself constantly accidentally hitting these controls on not only these buds but most buds. So I turn those off for my own sanity. I do wish the EQ setting was a bit more robust for more control over the frequencies. But not a huge deal, as I really enjoyed the out-of-the-box sound as is. Overall, the app is excellent but may benefit from giving the user more EQ control.
Out of the box, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 come with a very nice flat soundstage. You can adjust some EQ frequencies within the app, but I left it flat as I like to hear the music as the artist intended. The passive noise-cancelling from the eartips is excellent, but make sure you have the right fit, and they are in properly. Bad-fitting ear tips can affect passive and active noise-cancelling.
Speaking of ANC, Bose is well known for its ANC, and they are in the top three when it comes to effectiveness of their ANC. The ANC on these earbuds is far better than the cheaper QuietComfort earbuds; there is no question of that. Plus, if you get a good seal with the eartips, the passive cancelling just adds more punch to the ANC.
There are other great ANC earbuds on the market, but man, Bose really does ANC well. Even their cheaper buds have pretty astonishing ANC. Call quality is also great, and noise-canceling works nicely here too. Transparency mode works well. I rarely ever use it, but it works well enough.
Overall, the sound is what we would expect of Bose, and the ANC is best in class. I love the flat soundstaging Bose has, but I do think the EQ could have more frequencies to adjust for better, more granular control of the sound for some users. The clarity and spatial qualities of these earbuds are premium, and these things sound great with music, gaming, and spoken word.
Battery life on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 is rated at 6 hours of continuous ANC listening. If you use the spatial audio feature, then the battery goes down to 4. Yes, we can always want more battery life, but the 6 hours these buds offer is pretty standard across the competition. I was able to get just over 6 hours and a little over 25 hours with the charging case. So the battery life is excellent, in my book.
The USD 299 asking price for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 is a fair and reasonable price for what you get. These are actually priced better than some of the competition. You will not be disappointed with the ANC and sound. I would just suggest keeping your receipt in case you don’t like the fit.
I don’t normally give so much away in the first two paragraphs of a review, but I thought the headline needed to be addressed out of the gate. So you know my thoughts on the one con I have for these earbuds. I say, buy them and try them, and if you also don’t get along with the fit, you can return them. So let me give you the PROS.
The ANC on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 is excellent. It’s what I expect from Bose, and it is spectacular. The sound is fantastic, also what I expect from Bose, and the soundstaging is wonderful. The clarity is outstanding, and this is what you want from a good set of buds. The app is great and has some excellent features. The battery life is outstanding, and these are easy to pair and set up. Overall, these are some of the best earbuds you can find with some of the best ANC and sound you can get.
Listen, the ANC and sound quality of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds are premium and well worth the asking price. My only negative takeaway was that I, personally, did not like the fit and size of these earbuds. But that does not mean you won’t. These are worth the money and have tons of value if you’re comfortable with the fit.
