Bose QuietComfort Extremely headphones: 2nd Gen vs 1st Gen

What occurs subsequent after you make among the most comfy and efficient noise-cancelling headphones in the marketplace?

It is a query I am certain the parents at Bose needed to ask themselves when creating the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones Gen 2. They turned obtainable Oct. 2, two years after the discharge of the unique QuietComfort Extremely headphones.

Whereas the practically unchanged design urged on first look that Bose hadn’t modified a lot, I knew I wanted to place them head-to-head. So, which headphones do you have to purchase for those who’re in search of among the greatest long-wearing noise-cancelling headphones? And may first-gen house owners improve to the brand new Bose headphones? You will must learn the total comparability to search out out.

Bose QC Extremely Gen 2 vs. Gen 1: Specs

Whereas these headphones could seem related, there are some variations of their builds price understanding earlier than we get into the comparability.

Battery life

• First era: 24 hours of battery life (18 hours with immersive audio), 15-minute fast cost for two.5 hours of playback

• Second era: 30 hours of battery life (23 hours with immersive audio), quarter-hour of cost for

Listening modes

• First era: Conscious, quiet, immersive (spatial audio), auxiliary cable (with headphones powered on)

• Second era: Conscious, quiet, immersive (spatial audio), lossless with USB-C cable connection, passive playback with auxiliary connection

Bluetooth and connection

• First era: Bluetooth 5.3; SBC, AAC, and AptX Adaptive codec help; multipoint pairing on as much as two gadgets

• Second era: Bluetooth 5.4; SBC, AAC, and AptX Adaptive codec help; multipoint pairing on as much as two gadgets

Colorways

• First era: Black, white smoke, lunar blue, deep plum

• Second era: Black, desert gold, driftwood sand, midnight violet, white

Weight

Bose QC Extremely Gen 2 vs. Gen 1: Sound high quality

First issues first: the best possible sounding headphones of 2025 are doubtless going to be the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones (barring any surprises in these remaining two months of the 12 months). Should you’re an audiophile above all else, you will positively wish to verify these out.

Nevertheless, that does not imply the QuietComfort Extremely line goes down with out swinging. Bose is aware of learn how to make a balanced sound profile, and with the second-generation headphones, they upped the ante. Whereas I would not name the distinction evening and day, the second-gen headphones typically sounded richer and extra well-rounded in comparison with the first-gen headphones. (This improve felt not not like that between the Sony XM5 and XM6 headphones).

I am unsure I might mechanically discover a distinction on an informal hear by means of, however testing the headphones on songs again to again made the variations stand out. On the second-gen headphones, Daniel Caesar and H.E.R.’s “Greatest Half” got here by means of with extra readability and mix, which made particulars like vocal harmonies stand out much more. That readability wasn’t so sharp as to warp the unique sound of songs — Ella Fitzgerald’s smoky vocals on “Misty” felt particularly like a heat hug to my ears on the second-gen headphones.

Maybe the clearest take a look at was the unconscious bopping of my head that occurred whereas I listened to Twice and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Technique” on the second-gen headphones. Do not get me improper, the first-generation Ultras produced a pleasant, full sound that also did justice to the music; they simply did not fairly match up with the second-generation headphones. With these, I felt totally immersed within the pop music, feeling a wonderful mix of the bass line and vocals.

Talking on immersion, the immersive audio high quality on each headphones is about the identical, which is to say I wasn’t too impressed by it. Bose hasn’t fairly discovered learn how to create a sound that feels prefer it’s coming round you with out dropping the richness that makes their headphones sound so good within the first place. Whereas there’s positively that spatial audio high quality, it nearly feels just like the sound profile has been hollowed out from the center on each headphones.

Additionally somewhat missing was the equalizer — Bose saved the straightforward three-band equalizer for the second-gen headphones, which is serviceable, however not on par with choices from different manufacturers.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort Extremely (2nd Gen)

Bose QC Extremely Gen (2nd Gen) vs. 1st Gen: Noise cancellation

Bose claimed that the second-gen Ultras include improved adaptive ANC. Although I examined each headphones whereas on walks close to busy streets, whereas working from a home the place seven individuals reside, and proper on the opposite facet of a window from a really noisy leaf blower, I am unable to say that I actually seen a distinction between the 2.

Granted, that could possibly be the testing situations not placing the adaptive ANC by means of the wringer (and the ANC on the first-gen headphones is fairly killer anyway).

The place the second-gen headphones do have extra of a leg up is in how simple it’s to regulate the ANC stage by means of the companion app. The second-gen headphones have a noise management tab straight on the principle display screen of the app, which lets you regulate the ANC from stage one to 10.

You possibly can technically additionally regulate the ANC on the older headphones, however you must by means of the “modes” tab on the app, then create a brand new listening mode, the place you’ll be able to then preset the noise cancellation stage. In different phrases, for a premium pair of headphones, it requires extra effort than it ought to.

Winner: Tie

Bose QC Extremely (2nd Gen) vs. 1st Gen: Consolation and design

The design of those two headphones is close to an identical, with the identical on-ear button placement and normal look. Aesthetically, Bose opted for a shiny accent piece on the headscarf, versus the satin brush end on the first-gen headphones. The second-gen headphones are additionally 0.02 kilos heavier, however the distinction in how they felt on my head was indiscernible.

The on-ear controls, nonetheless, are positioned in precisely the identical place and have the identical precise performance.

Regardless of their similarities, I discovered the second-gen headphones to be ever so barely extra comfy (a feat I did not suppose attainable, particularly contemplating three separate Mashable staffers have deemed the first-gen headphones probably the most comfy they’ve ever tried). The ear foam on the second-gen headphones feels ever so barely firmer whereas nonetheless providing a wholesome quantity of give, which I believe helps situate the headphones on my head higher total.

As for storage and journey, each headphones have an identical carrying instances, making that exact facet of their design a pure tie.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort Extremely (2nd Gen)

Bose QC Extremely (2nd Gen) vs. 1st Gen: Connection

Whereas the primary gen of the QC Ultras did loads proper, my greatest factors of competition with these headphones all got here again to how they related (and keep related to gadgets).

As I would skilled with different Bose merchandise, the multipoint connection of the first-gen QC Extremely headphones did not all the time carry out the best way you’d anticipate for $449. With two gadgets related, it wasn’t unusual for lagging audio when switching between gadgets or stuttering audio when each gadgets had been paired (even when I used to be solely actively streaming audio from one).

Although much less generally used, their wired connection left one thing to be desired. I wished to check it utilizing the aux cable to take heed to an interview transcript. With different headphones, you are able to do this powered off, or passively. You will lose out on the top-quality audio you get by having the headphones powered on, but it surely’s not an enormous deal for those who’re listening to one thing like an interview or just wish to save your battery. Bizarrely, the first-gen headphones do not mean you can take heed to audio by way of the aux cable with out powering on the headphones as nicely, which means passive playback is not an choice.

Much less egregious (however extra generally encountered) was the lag between urgent the facility button and really listening to the headphones activate. Initially, I believed the button wasn’t working, and it wasn’t till utilizing the headphones for some time that I spotted I simply needed to wait longer than anticipated to listen to the noise that indicated the headphones had turned on and related (which though minor, may result in some minor annoyance when powering them on — once more, not one thing I anticipate to come across at $449).

These are all points which have just about disappeared with the second era Ultras.

For starters, I have never had a single situation with the multipoint connection within the two weeks I have been testing the QC Extremely 2 headphones, which may be a Bose first for me. Past that, Bose improved the on-head detection of the second gen headphones and added a lay flat mode, which mechanically disconnects the headphones from Bluetooth and places them right into a low energy mode. The latter function would not work if the connection was finnicky in anyway, however each time I examined it, the headphones simply disconnected and reconnected.

Bose additionally gave wired playback a critical improve with the second era mannequin. Not solely is passive playback now obtainable with the aux wire (making the headphones a good better option for air journey, IMO), however there’s additionally a second choice for wired listening. The included USB-C cable can be utilized to cost and play your audio again on the similar time. The headphones do must be powered on for the audio to transmit, however that is much less aggravating contemplating there’s an choice for passive playback.

Better of all, the newer headphones join a lot quicker when powered on, minimizing any annoyance.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort Extremely (2nd Gen)

Bose QC Extremely (2nd Gen) vs. 1st Gen: Worth

At full value, the primary gen Bose QC Extremely headphones go for $429 and the second era headphones go for $449.

A fast pricing historical past: upon their 2023 launch, the older Bose’s debuted at $429, and it was solely in Might of this 12 months they quietly bought a $20 value bump to $449. Following the discharge of the newer Ultras, they’ve dropped again down.

All this to say, at full value, it is laborious to suggest the primary era Ultras, contemplating that the second gen easy over a few of their flaws, and make minor enhancements the place they already excelled. That mentioned, Black Friday is across the nook, and the primary Bose QC Ultras have been identified to get good value cuts. As I write this within the early days of November, they’re $100 off, going for simply $329, however they’ve hit a good cheaper price up to now at $299. In different phrases, for those who’re attempting to avoid wasting more money, the newer gen would possibly go on sale throughout Black Friday, however the actual worth decide is the primary gen headphones.

Winner: Bose QuietComfort Extremely (1st Gen) on sale, 2nd Gen at full value