I was about a minute into my commute from work when it hit me; I can’t hear a damn thing. Here I am in the middle of the sidewalk near Union Square in Manhattan, surrounded by all sorts of ruckus (people, cars, loud construction), and I can’t hear shit—I can’t hear shit, and it’s awesome. And with a pair of wireless headphones that literally puts “quiet” in the name on your head, you should expect nothing less.
Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have already made a name for having awesome active noise cancellation (ANC), and with the $449 QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), nothing has changed in that regard, and if something has changed, it’s for the better. If Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) are the only pair of wireless earbuds that I want on an airplane, then the QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd Gen) are the only wireless headphones I want to help me tune out a literal armageddon. Sure, ANC isn’t the only metric in a pair of wireless headphones, but if it tops your list of things that you look for in personal audio devices, what you’re really seeking is Bose’s latest over-ear cans.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd Gen) Bose's QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd gen) have ridiculously powerful ANC and good sound. 4 See at Amazon Pros Excellent ANC
Good sound
Lossless audio through USB-C
Better battery life Cons Awkward fit inside the included case
Fit may be too snug for some
Sorry, did you say something?
While lots of wireless headphones have ANC, none in my experience have topped what Bose is putting out. As I type these words, I’m in a crowded coffee shop with people talking, music playing, baristas shouting orders, and I can barely hear a thing other than the song I’m playing at about 60% volume. On the subway? Same thing. I might as well be in a smelly library or, I don’t know, a well-lit coffin tuned by Bose. You are not going to need or want ANC like this on every occasion (please do not wear these while you’re riding a bike), but in the event that you’re safe enough to tune everything out, Bose’s QuietComfort headphones (2nd Gen) do just that.
According to Bose, this ridiculous level of ANC took the help of a literal rocket scientist to make. In a pretty interesting blog post about Bose’s CustomTune technology (what they call this type of ANC), Bose says that aerospace engineer John Rule, PhD, helped devise a solution that adapts ANC to your ears every single time you use them. In both second-generation models of Bose’s Quiet Comfort Ultra headphones and wireless earbuds, it all starts with the chime.
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