BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds 2nd Generation Self-Purchased Review

*This article contains affiliate links.

Hello! This is Baba.
It has been a very long time...

Last month, my main job was in a transition period and my whole family caught a cold, so
I wasn't able to write on note (´;ω;｀)

Starting in August, I will resume writing on note,
and I would like to provide everyone with useful information and gadget reviews,
so thank you for your support!

Meanwhile, on August 7th,
the "BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds 2nd Generation"
was released!!

This time, they cast singer Aina the End for their advertising,
and since a limited edition model in a new color called"Deep Plum"was released,
I decided to purchase this new color without hesitation!

Since I purchased this with my own money,
there is absolutely no bias like in YouTuber sponsored videos!
Well, there's no need to anyway (lol)

So,
is this model recommended for first-time BOSE users?
And what about the connection stability issues that have been talked about so much?I have thoroughly used it for a week since purchase,
so I will review it in every detail!
For those who are worried about buying it, I hope you read until the end!

To start with the conclusion,
this BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds 2nd Generation,
was incredibly good!
If you are interested, the level of perfection is so high that you can go ahead and buy it
without even looking at this review!

Now, let's get into the detailed review!!

1. Before unboxing... (Introduction)

First, before unboxing, let me tell you why I decided to buy this new product.
Actually, the last time I used Bose earphones was with the flagship model from two generations ago,the "BOSE QuietComfort Earbuds II"model.
↓ I'll leave a link just in case, but it seems to be a discontinued product.

These earphones had great sound quality and a perfect fit,
and above all, the noise-canceling feature was the best even back then!
They were the best earphones for shutting out
unpleasant noise on the train...

However...

These earphones hadincredibly poor connection stability...

I was an iPhone user at the time,
and the connection would drop over and over again...

But the sound quality, noise canceling, and fit were the best...
Yet they kept cutting out...

This was so frustrating that
I let them go after a few months.

A year after these earphones,
the first generation of this new product,"BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds"was released, and it also became a huge hit in no time.
However, honestly, I still hadn't woken up from the nightmare of the"BOSE QuietComfort Earbuds II"I used previously, so I was afraid to buy this model carelessly,
and I couldn't bring myself to buy it (´;ω;｀)

In other words, this is my first time back to Bose earphones since the"BOSE QuietComfort Earbuds II", so it has been exactly 3 years!

However, even though I've had such painful experiences,
the reason why I, an old lady, decided to go ahead and buy them is because the

BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Headphones released at the same time as the earbuds were absolutely amazing!!

What's so good about these headphones is that
the noise-canceling performance is the best, the sound quality is wonderful,
and the feature called Immersive Audio was just incredible!
This is a feature also included in the 1st generation BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds,
but the quality far surpassed that of other companies!
I think the only rival for these headphones is probably the AirPods Max,
and watching movies or dramas with them is, without exaggeration, like being in a movie theater (lol).

Also!! What's worth mentioning is!!

The connection never drops at all!
Connection stability has been significantly improved!!

So, even for those who had given up on Bose headphones,
I think you can buy these without a second thought.
That's the level of quality they have!

That's why I was
incredibly excited for the new product, the BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds 2nd Gen!
I was excited after watching some early reviews from gadget YouTubers,
but I also naturally had the feeling of
Is it really true??.

For those who feel the same way,
I will provide an honest review, so please read until the end!!

② Unboxing

The introduction was long, but let's get to the unboxing!!

The contents are as follows.

The shape of the earbuds is exactly the same as the QCE2 I used before.
When I pre-ordered at Yodobashi Camera this time, I heard from the Bose sales representative that
apparently, since the shape of Bose wireless earbuds was perfected
at the time of the QCE2, they don't intend to update the housing for the time being.

Here is a spec comparison with the previous 1st generation model!

Improvements are highlighted in red.
Most notably, there is wireless charging.It finally supports it!
With the previous model, you couldn't use wireless charging unless you bought a separate wireless charging-compatible case for about 7,000 yen, but
this time it's supported right out of the box!!

What!! Only now!!??

I can hear you saying that, but
honestly, there are quite a few features like this that are standard for other companies
that BOSE often doesn't support.
Recently, even earphones under 10,000 yen supportmultipoint connectionwhich
the previous model only finally supported more than a year after its release.
I think they might even be sacrificing other conveniences to go all-in on noise-canceling performance and sound quality (lol).

Also, in terms of codecs, it now supportsSnapdragon Sound.
There are few smartphones that support this,
and the Galaxy I own doesn't support it,
and as for the iPhone, which is said to be used by almost half of Japanese people,
it only supports the AAC codec,
so I think the benefits here are slim...

If you are an Xperia user, it is supported,
so Xperia owners can maximize the sound quality potential of these earphones!
*I cannot provide a sound quality review using Snapdragon Sound in my playback environment... I am sorry...

Also, the cinema mode was not in the app at the time of purchase!
It is said to be supported in the autumn update.

Now, I would like to move on to the actual sound quality review!

3. One-week usage review

The playback environment this time
was set to the same specifications as when I use my daily favorite, the "Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro"!

Playback device: Galaxy S24 ultra
Playback app: Spotify
Codec: AAC (because Galaxy does not support Aptx Adaptive)

I purchased these on the release date and listened to them thoroughly for a week.

This"BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Earbuds 2nd Generation"also
adopts BOSE's proprietary"CustomTune technology",
and just by putting the earphones on,
you hear the unique Bose"Buon♪"sound,
and it is a groundbreaking feature that automatically optimizes the sound according to the shape of each individual's ear.
→ In short, it is a feature that says,
"I'll make it sound good for you automatically!"

Thanks to this feature, you can enjoy music with more personalized sound quality without using detailed equalizers in the app!

・Sound quality

The first thing I thought when I listened to them was that
the overall sound quality has becomeclearer.

The sound of BOSE up until now,
for better or worse, had deep bass, which sometimes made the mids and highs sound muddy.

In this model, both the mid and high ranges are clear,
making it sound very transparent!
And yet, the low range is just as dynamic as ever.
I think this is a proper evolution!

・Immersive Audio

The Immersive Audio that has been included since the previous generation
is, of course, also included in this 2nd generation.

This feature is a so-called "spatial audio function",
which allows you to enjoy music and video content by converting stereo audio into pseudo-surround sound.

Regarding that Immersive Audio,
in this model as well,
・Still mode
・Motion mode
there are two modes.
Still mode is suitable for enjoying content while sitting because the sound field is fixed, and
Motion mode is suitable for enjoying content while moving such as while walking, because the sound field follows your head movements.

Since the BOSE QuietComfort ULTRA Headphones I own also feature Immersive Audio,
I often use it when watching movies or YouTube.

And the Immersive Audio on this new BOSE QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Generation
was a fantastic achievement!

There was no difference in quality
from the Immersive Audio featured in the headphones.
Of course, there is a difference in driver size, but
the sense of presence is amazing even with earbuds!

When I listen to the live audio of UVERworld's 'Otoko Matsuri' that I have been listening to for a long time,
it was fun because I felt like I was participating in the Otoko Matsuri myself!

In addition to this live audio,
when I watched a drama on TVer,
I was able to enjoy it with the same powerful impact as a movie theater!

I watched the drama I've been hooked on lately, 'Broadcast Station Occupation' on TVer
using this Immersive Audio mode,
and it was so powerful that the TV speakers felt inadequate...!

※ A spatial audio mode suitable for video content,
Cinema mode is scheduled to be added via an update around autumn!
I will provide an additional review once this is released.

・Noise Canceling

This time as well, the noise canceling options are
・Quiet mode (Max noise canceling)
・Aware mode (External sound passthrough)
・Immersive mode (Noise canceling + spatial audio)
which are provided by default.

You can also add your own preferred noise canceling modes from here,
and you can also set it up in the app
so that you can select the added noise canceling modes via touch controls!

Now!
Regarding the noise canceling function which is said to be synonymous with BOSE,
this model was also noise canceling that overwhelms other companies!
I think it is the strongest noise canceling, to the point where I don't think there is anyone who wouldn't be satisfied with it.

This is a comparison with the 'Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro' I have on hand, but
Anker is also quite excellent.
It has quite a high level of silence for under 20,000 yen,
and I have the image that the volume of train running noise is significantly reduced.

In contrast, BOSE's noise canceling doesn't just lower the volume,
it tries to completely erase it (of course, it doesn't erase it completely. lol)

However, it has a level of silence that is as close to erasing it as possible,
and it erases not only the train running noise but also the clattering sounds of dishes in a cafe.
The only thing is that women's voices are not erased, sounding like they are heard from a distance, but
it makes them much quieter.
So, if you are playing music, you really cannot hear outside sounds.
In the case of Anker, you can still hear them, even if they don't bother you.

When you want to concentrate on work,
or when you want to immerse yourself in video content on the train,
it is a truly excellent noise canceling function.
It really shows its effectiveness on the subway too!

・External Sound Passthrough Mode

Next is the external sound passthrough mode,
and this is also quite excellent.
Anker is quite weak in this regard, so I felt a clear difference that justifies the price!

Anker's noise canceling performance is excellent, but
the external sound passthrough feels like it's picking up sound with a microphone, and the volume of all the sounds it picks up is loud, so honestly, it's hard to hear.
So, I end up taking off the earbuds when talking to store clerks, but
BOSE picks up sound at a natural volume as if you were listening with your own ears!

What's good about this feature is that
you can listen to music or radio while naturally picking up sounds, so
it's really perfect when walking in the city!
As I said earlier, BOSE's noise canceling is dangerous when walking in the city.
I tried verifying this on a safe sidewalk, but
I didn't notice a bicycle approaching at all..
It is too dangerous to walk on busy roads using this noise canceling, so
this external sound passthrough (Aware mode) was really convenient in those situations!
It was the moment I finally realized the words often said by earphone YouTuber Kajikaji,
'With excellent external sound passthrough, you can listen to music like background music!'
!

The only other time I've been impressed by external sound passthrough was with the AirPods Pro, but
I thought BOSE's external sound passthrough mode
was at a level that rivals the AirPods Pro!

Overall, I think the noise canceling and external sound passthrough functions
are finished to a level that will satisfy you even if you purchase them expecting just these two points!

・Regarding connection stability

I think everyone can agree that this point is unavoidable, right?
The part about connection stability.

This was the biggest reason I let go of the QCE2 from two generations ago after just a few months, but
the connection really wasn't stable at all...

Earbuds that can't even play a single song properly, let alone an entire album,
aren't really functioning as earbuds at all!
I was quite frustrated, so I got rid of them immediately, and since then, I haven't had a good image of BOSE.

As a major premise, this is when the codec is AAC,
so I'm not sure about when connected via Aptx Adaptive, but...

These BOSE QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Generation,
the connection is quite stable.

I walked around areas where other earbuds often cut out (such as near Tokyo Station and Akihabara Station in the city center)
while wearing these,
and they didn't cut out even once!

I thought this with BOSE headphones too, but
I felt that the connection has gradually become more stable since the ULTRA model.
However, since I had heard rumors that the 1st generation wasn't stable,
with the 2nd generation model, the connection stability has become quite reliable!

4. Points of concern

There are three points of concern regarding these earbuds.

・The fit is subjective
・The touch sensitivity is too sensitive
・The app is too simple

I suppose those are the main ones.

・The fit is subjective

BOSE has used this shape since two generations ago, but
the earbud housing is just huge.
I have large ears, so I actually think the fit is good, but
I don't think it's a shape that provides a Cinderella fit for everyone.

For women, even if they use the S-size ear tips,
the housing might be too large to wear, right?

This is an unavoidable aspect of earbuds, so
when purchasing, I definitely want you to try on the actual unit at an electronics store.

・The touch sensitivity is too sensitive

This also bothered me.
I have long hair that covers my ears, and
when my hair touches the touch area of the earbuds,
it registers as a touch,
and sometimes the music stops.

Depending on the earbuds,
there are sometimes pages in the app to change the touch sensitivity,
so I think it would have been good if we could change these kinds of things in the app as well.

・The app is too simple

This is more of a question than a concern, but
when the QuietComfort Earbuds 2nd Generation (not the ULTRA model) was released last year,
a new app called the QC app was introduced.

However, this model is not compatible with the new QC app, and
it is compatible with the traditional BOSE Music app.
I wonder why that is?

This new app doesn't seem to have that much of a performance difference from the traditional one, but
since there is a new app,
I thought it would have been better if they had integrated it with that one.

In the first place, BOSE apps only have the bare minimum of features.
Well, if there are too many features, users might get left behind, so
which is better depends on the person, but
what personally bothers me is that the equalizer only has three bands: bass, mid, and treble,
meaning you can only adjust the sound quality very roughly,
which is a sad specification for people who are particular about sound.
By the way, the new app increased the number of adjustable bands from three to
five.
This is a subtle point of improvement, but
it cannot be used with this model...

However, BOSE has its own Custom Tune technology,
which has a feature that optimizes the sound quality just by putting the earphones on, so
it might be designed on the premise that you don't use the equalizer after all.

Those were the points that concerned me.

5. General Review

It has become a long review, but here is the general assessment.
I have given my personal score out of 5 points.

*BOSE QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Generation
Sound Quality: 4.5
Noise Isolation: 5.0
Ambient Sound: 4.8
Convenience: 4.0

The overall rating is 4.8 points!

Regarding sound quality, considering the price, there are models specialized for sound quality,
so compared to those earphones, it might be slightly inferior.

Nevertheless, you can enjoy the deep bass unique to BOSE,
and this time the mid and high ranges can be heard clearly without being drowned out by the bass,
so I think the overall balance has improved significantly!
I think that with this sound quality, unless you have a very discerning ear, you will be sufficiently satisfied.
So, I rated it 4.5 points.

Noise isolation/ambient sound is a perfect 5 points without complaint!
The only people who won't be satisfied with this noise-canceling feature are probably those who don't like noise canceling!
For those who want noise canceling and want to be completely satisfied with it,
I recommend this without hesitation.
The ambient sound mode is also very natural, allowing you to listen to music like background music while walking outside!

Regarding convenience, I felt that it had all the necessary features without being excessive.

・Multipoint connection
・Wireless charging
・Spatial audio support
・Touch controls can be freely changed via the app
・Volume control via swipe

These are well supported, and the quality is at a necessary and sufficient level.
However, while BOSE supports up to 2 devices for multipoint,
there are models recently that support 3-device multipoint connection,
and honestly, I can't help but feel that the support for wireless charging is so late that I wonder, 'Only now??'.
I think it has finally reached the same level as other highly convenient TWS in the 30,000 yen range.

Also, starting with this model, it supports Spotify Tap,
and if you put on the earphones and assign Spotify Tap to the touch controls,
it will automatically launch Spotify and play some playlist, a feature
that has been included since the 2nd generation!
As a Spotify user, I find this feature extremely convenient,
and I think this is a major point of evolution.

...However, well, it does cost 39,600 yen (laughs).
Except for Spotify Tap,
the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro, which can be bought for half the price, has all these features,
so in terms of functionality, it might be average.

I would rate it 4.0 points.

And even considering the points of concern mentioned earlier,
this ultimate noise-canceling feature and the sound quality that is fun to listen to.
The quality here is just so high!
Also, considering that the connection stability, which was a concern, has been significantly improved,
I think the perfection as a TWS is just very high,
so the overall rating is 4.8 points!

If you just want a strong noise-canceling feature,
and want to listen to music in a fun way with deep bass,
I would like to recommend this new BOSE model to those people!

Thank you for reading this far!
See you in the next article.