Headphones · 2025 · Bose

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Foldable active-noise-cancelling headphones for travel and everyday listening, with Bluetooth, USB-C digital audio and an analog cable input. Wired listening still requires power; there is no water-resistance rating.

QCUH2-HEADPHONEARN · second-generation over-ear Ultra

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) — Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, second generation, in Cherry Chocolate.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, second generation, in Cherry Chocolate.

Specifications

SpecificationValue
LaunchAnnounced 10 September 2025; available from 2 October 2025
Noise controlActive noise cancellation; Quiet and ambient-sound Aware modes
WirelessBluetooth 5.4; multipoint connection to two devices

Bose quotes a 30 ft (about 9 m) range. On Snapdragon Sound sources, Gaming Mode uses aptX Adaptive.

Digital audioUSB-C; 24-bit / 48 kHz lossless audio support

The product page’s current FAQ says 16-bit, 44.1/48 kHz for USB audio; manufacturer sources disagree on bit depth.

Analog audio2.5 mm headphone input; included 3.5 mm–2.5 mm cable; headphones must be powered on
BatteryUp to 30 hours with ANC on and immersive audio off; 23 hours with immersive audio; 45 hours with both off

Manufacturer test figures; volume, settings and use affect runtime.

ChargingUSB-C; up to 3 hours for a full charge; 15 minutes for up to 3 hours with ANC on
ControlsPower/Bluetooth and multifunction buttons; touch volume strip; wear detection
Weight and sizeHeadphones about 264 g; 4.5 × 16.0 × 20.5 cm

Manufacturer figures are 0.583 lb and 1.772 × 6.299 × 8.071 in; metric values are converted.

In the boxCarry case; 3.5–2.5 mm audio cable; 1 m USB-C to USB-C cable

No charging adapter in the box.

ModesQuiet, Aware, Immersion, Cinema; EQ and shortcuts in the Bose app
Water resistanceNo IP rating; avoid situations where the headphones may get wet
PC calls8.2.20 and later: two-way PC audio over USB-C; app compatibility varies
Software 10.12.128 September 2026: LE Audio beta on compatible Android/Windows devices and improved USB calls

From the manufacturer

Bose emphasizes adaptive noise cancellation, ear-based sound calibration and a Cinema mode intended to clarify video dialogue. Bose

Strengths and limitations

  • RTINGS finds strong noise isolation and long-wear comfort, but notes slipping during vigorous exercise. Bluetooth latency limits fast gaming. Glasses and head shape can alter the tonal balance.

    Driftwood Sand test unit. The review's older USB microphone limitation is superseded by later manufacturer release notes.

    RTINGS: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review

Owner experiences and issues

  • Best Buy buyer AndrewS likes the comfort, ANC and wired listening but finds the multifunction controls awkward. DavidT enjoys the sound and ANC but reports heat and sweat around the ears during exercise.

    Verified, incentivized reviews; two weeks and one month of ownership. AndrewS has Driftwood Sand, DavidT Black.

    Best Buy: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) customer reviews

  • On Bose's product page, Fed63 reports comfortable use on flights. This personal experience does not establish the same fit for every head and ear shape.

    Ownership claim on the manufacturer's site; the accessible text does not show verified-purchase or incentive information.

    Bose: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owner reviews

  • kythatos describes faint hiss during quiet listening and a sticky feeling from the ear pads. In the same discussion, terdles1121 reports multipoint and wear-detection interruptions. With firmware unstated, these do not establish a defect in the current release.

    Different users; purchases not independently verified. Electronic hiss and mechanical creaking are distinct symptoms.

    Reddit: kythatos' QC Ultra 2 long-term review

  • Separate second-generation Ultra owners report earcup creaking or clicking with head movement. w4r10ck94 describes the right side and another owner the left. Repeated symptoms do not establish one common failed part, cause or failure rate.

    Reports explicitly identifying the second generation; first-generation and in-ear models excluded. Forum disassembly and lubrication suggestions are not manufacturer instructions.

    Reddit: QC Ultra Gen 2 mechanical-noise discussion

  • Five reviews visible on the Bose page are positive: Jammer262 likes the fit compared with another brand and the call clarity, DRob62 the ANC that blocks a vacuum cleaner and long-term comfort, and Khalid Inshan the comfort during workouts and battery life.

    Five reviews on the manufacturer’s own site, all 5 stars; the view may be curated and may not represent negative reviews.

    Bose: QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) product page customer reviews, October 2026

Tags

ANC2025

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Sources

  1. Bose: Unveils the Next Generation of QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
  2. Bose: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) product information
  3. Bose: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owner's guide
  4. Bose: Updating Your Headphones and firmware release notes
  5. RTINGS: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) review
  6. Best Buy: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) customer reviews
  7. Bose: QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) owner reviews
  8. Reddit: kythatos' QC Ultra 2 long-term review
  9. Reddit: QC Ultra Gen 2 mechanical-noise discussion
  10. Bose: QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) product page customer reviews, October 2026