By aspect — in detail
Isolation
Strong consensus · 9 srcThe headline strength and the clearest agreement, carried over from the 1st gen: active noise cancellation is rated best- or near-best-in-class (most sources put it level with or just behind the Sony XM6), with a well-liked transparency mode. Two things recur. The raw quieting power is barely changed from the 1st gen — improvements are mostly in smoother adaptive transitions, not gross attenuation — and a vocal minority report ANC side effects: a faint transparency hiss, an 'eardrum-suck' pressure feeling, weak wind handling, and a painful thump when outside pressure changes suddenly (a train door closing). On sheer noise-blocking, though, sources line up.
“The noise cancellation remains outstanding and is second only to Sony among current-generation models we've tested.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
“Still beats all other ANCs I have tested by miles”
AudioReviews.org (Jürgen Kraus)
Measured
TechGearLab measures average noise reduction of 32.3 dB (26.5 / 30.2 / 40.2 dB across low / mid / high), strongest in the treble; SoundGuys scores ANC 8.7 and notes gross attenuation is essentially unchanged from the 1st gen despite Bose's claims. SoundGuys also flags a first for its bench — an 'eardrum suck' sensation — and owners describe hiss, a pressure thump on sudden changes, and weak wind rejection: real-world quirks the static figure doesn't capture.
Comfort
Strong consensus · 9 srcThe second pillar of agreement, and repeatedly the reason buyers pick it over the Sony XM6: light (~253–265 g), plush pads, and a notably gentle clamp make it one of the most comfortable over-ears reviewers have worn, good for 10-hour days. The low clamp is a double edge — a couple of users note the cups slip when they bend over, and a minority still find the ear-cup pressure or ANC sensation tiring — but comfort is essentially uncontested.
“We were able to wear them for more than ten hours without needing a break.”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
“The comfort was night and day between this and the Sony XM6, and this is the biggest reason I went with the Ultra Gen 2.”
Reddit r/headphones (cong95)
Measured
Measured weight ranges from 236 g (AudioReviews) to 265 g (TechGearLab; PCMag notes it's slightly heavier than the 1st gen — 9.33 oz vs 8.96 oz). SoundGuys scores comfort 9.0 and TechGearLab 9.5, both flagging only heat buildup and ears touching the padding; the clamp is lighter than the Sony's, which is why some find it slips.
Broad agreement on the shape: a warm, bass-forward, mildly V-shaped consumer voicing out of the box — fun and full, not neutral — that most reviewers say cleans up to genuinely balanced once you spend a minute in the app's three-band EQ (common settings: −6 to −7 bass, −4 treble). CustomTune re-measures each ear on power-on, so there's no single fixed tuning, and the valence lives in the bass and value below rather than the overall balance, which sources describe consistently.
“They’re punchy and well-rounded, but not exactly neutral.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
“out of the box it delivers a heavily V-shaped signature with big bass and bright treble”
Headphones.com
Measured
CustomTune plays a calibration tone at power-on and applies a per-ear correction, so there's no static FR; the out-of-box voicing is bass-elevated (SoundGuys: +3–6 dB over its house curve) and the app's three-band (bass / mid / treble) EQ is the main shaping tool — narrower than rivals' multi-band EQs.
Genuinely split, and it tracks your taste and EQ habits. Everyone agrees the stock low end is elevated; one camp hears it as a rich, powerful, well-controlled highlight, while the other hears too much — boomy or muddy on busier tracks until you cut a few dB. Reviewers who reach for the EQ (−6 to −7 bass is common) tend to land happy; the sub-bass you actually get also depends on pad seal.
Measured
SoundGuys measures a 3–6 dB bass emphasis over its house curve — 'pleasing to most, if a little dark' — and TechGearLab scores bass 8.7, its highest sub-score; both note the lift is by design. AudioReviews and Headphones.com reach for a bass cut (−6 to −7), after which the low end reads full but controlled.
Where it splits
A rich, powerful, well-controlled highlight — big Bose bass done tight, not bloated.42%
“they are a bass superstar. Powerful without being grumbly.”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
Over-elevated out of the box — too much for busier or acoustic music until you EQ it down.58%
“Bassy is helpful in supporting the ANC in noisy environments, but it can be too much, especially when listening to more sophisticated music such as classical or jazz.”
AudioReviews.org (Jürgen Kraus)
Well-regarded but lightly contested: most hear clean, clear vocals and instruments with good separation from the heavy lows, while a couple of sources call the midrange slightly subdued or recessed behind the bass — pleasant to some, a touch polite to others. It leans positive overall.
“They provide nice clarity throughout the range without getting lost in the heavy lows or feeling overwhelmed by emphasized highs.”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
“There's a subdued response in the midrange, but many listeners may appreciate that about them.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
Consistently called smooth yet present — light and sparkling without turning harsh or sibilant, with enough body to balance the big bass. The one caveat is that the stock top end is on the forward/bright side (some EQ it down a few dB), and measurement shows the upper mids-to-treble region varies more than the rest.
“The Bose treble is floaty yet full-bodied, capable of a light, sparkling gracefulness”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
“treble remains sweet and agreeable”
AudioReviews.org (Jürgen Kraus)
Measured
TechGearLab scores treble 8.3; SoundGuys notes the highs extend up toward 20 kHz and that 'the 3kHz to 8kHz region will vary quite a lot' — the band CustomTune and seal most affect, and the reason default treble reads bright to some.
Rated resolving and refined for a wireless ANC headphone, and a step up from the 1st gen — crisp high-end detail, clean layering, and its best showing over the new USB-C lossless connection, which bypasses the Bluetooth codecs. The recurring wish is more tuning control: the three-band EQ limits how far you can personalize what you hear.
“They offer more crisp, high-end detail than the previous-generation model, even if the difference isn’t radical.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
“Generates the best sound quality with the most immediacy and sharpest note definition.”
AudioReviews.org (Jürgen Kraus)
Measured
USB-C lossless carries 16-bit / 44.1–48 kHz (not hi-res), which reviewers say gives the cleanest, most immediate presentation; SoundGuys' MDAQS overall is 4.7 with only minor distortion flagged.
Lightly covered but positive where raised: a punchy, energetic delivery that swings from quiet passages to big crescendos, part of why several reviewers call the sound fun and entertaining.
“From the most delicate fade out (al niente) to a building, booming crescendo that knocks our socks off, these headphones can do it while staying in their lane”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
“it continues with great punch and dynamics across pop, R&B, and soul.”
Pickr (Leigh Stark)
Soundstage
Contested · 6 srcSources split, and it's mostly a debate about Bose's spatial modes. The ordinary stereo stage is widely called wide and deep, but Immersive Audio (refined this generation) and the new Cinema mode are where opinion forks: most reviewers now rate the spatial implementation among the best in the class and genuinely expansive, while the measurement camp finds it a processed 'speaker-in-a-room' effect that misses the mark. The balance tilts toward praise this time, but the skeptic voice is a strong one — and Immersive costs battery (about 30 h drops to 23 h).
Measured
TechGearLab scores the (expert-ear) soundstage 9.2 and calls the stage 'wide, deep, and surprisingly tall'; Immersive Audio cuts rated battery from ~30 h to 23 h, and the new Cinema mode widens the stage and pushes dialogue forward for video.
Where it splits
Genuinely expansive — one of the best spatial implementations around, and the natural stage is wide and deep.72%
“They have one of the best implementations of spatial audio I’ve heard so far.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
A processed 'speaker-in-a-room' effect that misses the mark — not true immersive audio.28%
“pretty much all of the immersiveness modes Bose offers miss the mark for me because they attempt to replicate speakers in a room instead of offering a true immersive audio format.”
SoundGuys (Christian Thomas)
Lightly but consistently praised: clean left/right tracking and strong separation, with instruments and vocals given their own space in the mix. Positive where covered, though it's discussed less on its own than the spatial modes.
“The separation of instruments and vocals is simply stellar, with very clean tracking between the left and right ears.”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
“they ensure the different sections are relatively distinct, while allowing the solo vocalist to stand out in the mix.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
The most argued non-sonic axis, and a recurring Bose sore spot. One camp finds the mostly-plastic frame solid enough and not cheap-feeling — decent workmanship some rate above the Sony's — while the other calls it creaky, thin and fragile, citing ear cushions coming loose, non-replaceable headband parts, a bendy feel and audible plastic creak. Both are true: there are metal accents, but there's also no ingress rating and a real thread of owner durability complaints for the money.
Measured
SoundGuys scores durability/build 6.9 and notes no IP (water/sweat) rating; measured weight is 236–265 g of largely polycarbonate with a thin metal casing. Owner reports on Amazon and r/bose repeatedly cite plastic creak, loose ear cushions and non-replaceable parts — the source of the split.
Where it splits
Solid enough — plastic-heavy but doesn't feel cheap, with decent workmanship for daily use.46%
“The construction is largely plastic with thin metal casing, but it seems durable enough to withstand daily life.”
SoundGuys (Christian Thomas)
Creaky, thin and fragile for the price, with real durability worries.54%
“They overall just feel fragile and bendy as hell.”
Reddit r/bose (all-the-time)
The $449 price (up $20 from the 1st gen) is where the verdict forks. One camp judges it worth it — nothing matches the ANC-plus-comfort package, and it's practically flawless if the budget allows. The other calls it overpriced next to the Sony WH-1000XM6, which costs the same and is rated to sound and cancel a touch better, and suggests grabbing the 1st gen on discount instead. Owner ratings are high but carry a larger one-star tail than Bose's reputation implies; the price frequently drops toward ~$379 on promotion.
Measured
Launched at $449.99 (up $20 from the 1st gen's $429), the same price as the Sony WH-1000XM6 and $100 under the AirPods Max; the current Amazon featured offer is $449 with frequent promos to ~$379. The overpriced argument leans on the identically-priced Sony; the counter is that neither matches the Bose on comfort.
Where it splits
Worth it — class-leading ANC and comfort make it practically perfect if you can afford it.48%
“if your budget can afford it, we think the Ultra 2nd Gen is practically perfect in every way, much like Mary Poppins.”
TechGearLab (Rachael Lamore)
Overpriced next to the Sony WH-1000XM6, which costs the same and edges it on sound and ANC.52%
“they fall just short of the Sony WH-1000XM6, which offer better audio and more effective noise cancellation, so they remain our Editors' Choice winners.”
PCMag (Christian de Looper)
