If you want better ANC sound impact on audio
Choose CMF Headphone Pro. It scores 5.0 vs 1.5 for ANC sound impact on audio, with a 4.0 overall score.
Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) Review
Bottom Line
Choose these for excellent ANC, lightweight comfort, easy physical controls and strong everyday sound. Skip them at full price if you want premium materials, marathon battery life, advanced wireless codecs or dependable outdoor call quality.
Best for
Frequent travelers, commuters and office listeners who prioritize strong ANC, low weight, simple physical controls and an easy everyday sound will get the most from them.
Not for
Skip them if you need premium materials, very long battery life, high-resolution wireless codecs, workout protection or consistently strong outdoor call quality.
Verdict
The QuietComfort (2nd Gen) gets the fundamentals right: noise cancellation is consistently near flagship level, the light folding design is exceptionally travel-friendly, and most reviewers found the sound more balanced and refined than earlier standard QuietComfort models. USB-C lossless playback, physical buttons and improved seal handling for glasses add practical value. The tradeoffs are unusually consistent too. The plastic construction often feels cheaper than the price suggests, the three-band EQ and software depth are limited, and roughly 24 hours of battery life now looks short. Call quality is also less dependable in wind and busy streets. At full price the value is debated, but the package becomes much easier to justify when discounted.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
76 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.035 (46%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.416 (21%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.412 (16%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.48 (11%)
-
Very negative below 1.55 (7%)
Pros highlights
-
Most reviewers recommend the QuietComfort 2nd Gen, especially for comfort, ANC, travel, and simple daily use. The main hesitation is paying full launch price when discounted alternatives or the Ultra are close.
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Noise cancellation is the clearest strength. Most reviewers place it near flagship level, praising how well it suppresses travel rumble, office noise, and city ambience, though a few rivals can still edge it out.
-
Value is highly price-dependent. Many reviewers think the full $359 launch price is awkward, but the package becomes very compelling around $299 or when compared with substantially pricier flagships.
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Comfort is one of the strongest areas overall. Most reviewers could wear the headphones for hours or full workdays, although a minority reported pressure or jaw fatigue from the firmer fit.
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Sound quality is a major success for this generation. Reviewers consistently call it good to excellent, with more balanced tuning and better detail than earlier standard QuietComfort models, though Ultra-level refinement remains slightly ahead.
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Immersive Audio is the most polarizing feature. Some reviewers love the wider, speaker-like presentation for movies, while others find it flattening, distracting, or not worth the battery hit.
Cons highlights
-
Battery life is the most repeated practical weakness. Around 24 hours is enough for ordinary use, but many reviewers consider it short for 2026, especially against 30- to 60-hour competitors.
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The three-band EQ is easy to understand but too limited for serious tuning. Casual users often find it sufficient, while enthusiasts repeatedly ask for more bands and finer control.
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Build quality is a recurring concern: the lightweight plastic helps comfort, but many reviewers say it feels cheap, loose, or insufficiently premium for the price. A few units nevertheless held up well in use.
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Premium feel is inconsistent. Some reviewers like the softer padding and refined finish, but many say the plastic chassis feels cheaper than a $359 product should.
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Call quality is serviceable rather than class-leading. Quiet-room calls usually sound fine, but several reviewers report compressed voices, low volume, or mediocre intelligibility in noisy environments.
-
Microphone noise reduction is inconsistent. Background and wind noise can leak through badly outdoors, though some tests found the newer processing improved voice isolation over the previous model.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Over-Ear Headphones, this product is above average in Idle static noise, Wind noise handling, Portability/foldability, near average in Design and Aesthetics, Transparency mode quality, below average in Auto-play/wear detection, Battery, Wear detection auto-pause.
Comparison summary
76 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher34 (45%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts15 (20%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower27 (36%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-play/wear detection | 1.0 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| Battery | 2.7 | 4.5 | -1.7 |
| Wear detection auto-pause | 1.0 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| ANC effect on sound signature | 1.5 | 3.7 | -2.2 |
| ANC sound impact on audio | 1.5 | 3.7 | -2.2 |
| Build quality | 2.3 | 4.2 | -1.8 |
| LDAC | 1.3 | 3.3 | -2.0 |
| Volume output | 2.0 | 4.0 | -2.0 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better Battery
Choose Soundcore Anker Space One Pro. It scores 4.7 vs 2.7 for Battery, with a 3.9 overall score.
If you want better Wear detection auto-pause
Choose JBL Live 780NC. It scores 5.0 vs 1.0 for Wear detection auto-pause, with a 4.0 overall score.
If you want better Smudge resistance
Choose Soundcore Anker Space One. It scores 4.8 vs 1.3 for Smudge resistance, with a 3.9 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
- Better: sound, ANC and calls Sony is slightly better in sound, ANC and voice calling overall.
- Better: ANC, battery and wireless features The Sony offers stronger ANC, longer battery life, LDAC and a livelier presentation.
- Better: build sturdiness The Crusher 1080 feels sturdier than the Bose's thin plastic construction.
- Cheaper: price and core performance Soundcore costs about half as much while matching Bose on comfort and ANC in this comparison.
FAQ
How good is the noise cancellation?
It is the strongest consensus feature. Most testers found it near flagship level for travel, office and city noise, though Bose's Ultra and some top rivals can still be slightly stronger.
Are they comfortable for long sessions?
Usually yes. The low weight and soft padding earned repeated praise, but a minority of reviewers felt clamp or earcup pressure after 90 minutes to several hours.
How long does the battery last?
Expect about 24 hours with ANC and roughly 18 hours with Immersive Audio. Reviewers generally found that usable but short compared with many current competitors.
Do they support lossless audio?
Yes, over USB-C at up to 24-bit/48kHz. Wireless playback is limited to basic codecs, with no aptX or LDAC support.
Is there a 3.5mm headphone jack?
No native analog jack is built in, but Bose includes a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable for sources such as airplane entertainment systems. Wired playback still requires the headphones to be powered.
How are they for phone calls?
Calls are generally fine in quiet rooms, but results are mixed outdoors. Several reviewers heard too much wind or ambient noise, compressed voice quality, or weaker intelligibility in busy environments.
Are they worth the full $359 price?
Opinions are mixed at full price because of the plastic build, short battery life and limited EQ. Several reviewers said the value becomes much stronger around $299 or when the Ultra is not heavily discounted.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - GearUP with Aaron
YouTube - Knowledge Sharing Tech
- Review score
- 3.3
YouTube - SoundGuys
- Review score
- 3.9
Article Reviews
techradar.com
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) sound fantastic and feel comfortable to wear, but after testing them thoroughly I'm still not sure...
- Review score
- 3.4
markellisreviews.com
The Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 bring improved comfort, better ANC, and lossless audio. Are they the best all-rounder ANC headphones you can buy...
- Review score
- 4.6
billboard.com
With TrueSpatial technology, Immersion and Cinema modes, plus improved noise cancellation, Bose’s latest QuietComfort headphones pack in more...
- Review score
- 4.8
powerup-gaming.com
The Quietcomfort is a stalwart when it comes to ANC headphones and Bose hasn't changed a winning formula but is it enough in this day and age?
- Review score
- 4.1
engadget.com
Ultra-level features and a few design tweaks highlight the updates on the second-gen QuietComfort Headphones.
- Review score
- 4.6
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