The popular Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones already got one update back in the summer, but the company has now announced a bigger deserving of a 2nd-generation label …
Back in June, the company jumped on the AI bandwagon with what it described as enhanced adaptive noise cancellation. It also claimed better call quality and wireless charging capabilities.
Those improvements weren’t enough to see it become an official second-generation model, but Engadget reports that’s what the company will be launching in October.
The biggest changes for the QC Ultra Headphones come in the sound department. First, lossless audio is now available over wired USB-C connection. Bose says you can expect 16-bit/44.1kHz or 48kHz playback and the setup doubles as a low-latency option for desktop or mobile gaming. When it comes to Immersive Audio — Bose’s take on spatial audio that doesn’t require specialized content — the company has added a new Cinema mode. By “spatializing and balancing background sound with other audio effects,” Bose says it creates a “movie-like experience” thanks to a wider soundstage that’s placed in front of the listener.
One of the benefits of this will be clearer dialogue, which means some users might want to use cinema mode for listening to podcasts and audiobooks.
The Gen 2 model offers better battery life of up to 30 hours using ANC or up to 45 hours without. Additionally, they will automatically go into sleep mode when you lay them flat or put them into their case and turn on again when you put them on your head. However, Cinema mode will reduce battery life to 24 hours.
The new QuietComfort Ultra headphones will be available from October 2. You can pre-order them from today, but you’ll likely get a better price if you wait a while after launch as Amazon typically discounts pretty early. Watch out too for a review on our sister site 9to5Toys.
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Photo: 9to5Mac montage of Bose photo on background by Luke Chesser on Unsplash