Bose Just Upgraded Its Entry-Level QuietComfort Headphones with Flagship Features and Wired Hi-Fi

Bose’s line of QuietComfort headphones has been synonymous with best-in-class active noise-cancellation for decades. After some odd naming conventions, the iconic American audio brand returned to form and revamped the line in late 2023 with two new models: the QuietComfort Headphones and the flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.

Obviously, advancements in tech and acoustics happen fast. So, just two years later, Bose introduced second-generation versions of its QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Compared to the previous flagships, they delivered improved sound, better active noise cancellation, longer battery life and some new features … chief among them, support for lossless audio via a USB-C wired connection. 

Bose’s revamped QuietComforts

Bose

Bose

However, at the time, Bose did not update the QuietComfort Headphones, which are the more affordable siblings to the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. That’s now finally changing. 

Bose has finally introduced the QuietComfort Headphones (2nd-Gen). They’re still positioned as more affordable versions of Bose’s flagship noise-canceling cans, the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd-Gen), but they have been upgraded in some key areas and have gained some of the Ultra’s flagship features.

Bose

Bose

Improved sound and ANC. Better wired audio

Naturally, Bose improved the sound. The QuietComfort Headphones (2nd-Gen) come packed with Bose’s spacial audio technology, called Bose Immersive Audio, which allows listeners to switch between listening modes, including Cinema Mode for boosting the clarity of dialogue. The feature was previously exclusive to the QuietComfort Ultra.

Bose gave the new headphones another feature tricked down from the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd-Gen): lossless audio when using a wired USB-C connection. When doing so, the QuietComfort (2nd-Gen) support up to 24-bit/48kHz audio. It’s a two-way lossless connection, too, so your voice will sound better when using this wired connection for video conference calls. 

Bose

Bose

Active noise cancellation has also been improved compared to the first-generation models. The headphones utilize the same six-microphone array, but Bose upgraded the noise-cancellation algorithm so that it responds better to “sudden spikes of noise” and can better compensate for gaps in the earcup seal (something notably important for those who wear glasses). 

Additionally, Bose updated the industrial design for the new headphones. The headband now has smooth adjustable sliders, while the earcups have a more oval shape and more cushioning. Bose says this gives them a more “modern look.”

The QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) will come in the standard black or white finishes, but Bose is introducing them in some new two-tone color finishes:  eucalyptus green, dewdrop mint and rosewood mauve.

Bose

Price and availability

Maybe best of all? Bose didn’t jack up the price. The QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) cost exactly the same as the first-gen models when they were released in 2023.

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) cost $359, which is $90 less than the brand’s flagship cans. They will be available for preorder on August 8, with shipping set to start on August 13.

Bose

Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen)

• $359 at Bose

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