Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
I recently upgraded my good old Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones, which flawlessly served me for more than eight years. I looked for options, even asked colleagues on Slack, and received tons of suggestions, but ultimately decided for Bose again.
I didn’t want in-ear headphones because I never can make them work for me. I tried AirPods Pro, for example, but immediately returned them, as I wasn’t able to plug them in securely. Even though I liked their noise cancellation, awareness features and, of course, interoperability, the proper fit is essential.
I’ve already battle-tested my new Ultra headphones on trains and planes, and can now share my initial impressions.
Me wearing brand new Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones
Key upgrades
- Ultra has a USB Type C port for charging. Hallelujah, I can drop Micro USB cable from my travel bag.
- Ultra fits even better.
- QC 35 already had a great sound quality, but Ultra is even better, it is clearer, the bass is deeper, and the sound has more volume.
- I traveled hundreds of hours in QC 35 and enjoyed its noise cancellation, but Ultra raises the bar even higher.
- Option to pause music after removing headphones.
Unchanged (for good)
- Multipoint Bluetooth still works.
- Travel case. It is maybe a bit stiffer, but overall it is pretty much the same.
Controversial stuff
- Volume control touch strip requires some practice to get used to.
- Buttons are weird, I still cannot get used to how Bluetooth/Power button works, and how long it needs to be pressed.
- USB Type C sound is not supported. I don’t need it right now, but would be nice to have.
Materials
The main weakness of QuietComfort 35 headphones was the quality of ear cups and headband. I replaced them many times over the years. I have no idea how well would Ultra survive the extensive use, I just hope it would be better than its predecessor.
Wrap up
Overall, I’m delighted to have these headphones. They maybe are a bit overpriced, but I got a great deal which cut down the price almost to 60% of the original. And since I see it as an investment for the next 8–10 years, I’m pretty satisfied.
This is post 9 of #100DaysToOffload
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