Bose has long held one of the top headphones spots with the QuietComfort 45 headphones. Now, the company is doubling down on that prowess with a new pair of entries – the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds with device-agnostic spatial audio.
A new QuietComfort entry has been on our wishlist for a long time. The QC lineup has held a special place in our hearts for a long time, and the idea of a new pair of headphones or earbuds with updated drivers and processing ability just makes our day. We’ve seen previous leaks of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones, which seem to line up perfectly with Bose’s announcement.
In a press release posted today, Bose unveiled the QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds that improve on any previous QC headphones significantly. On the exterior, the new headphones take on a more premium design with a casing that looks to flow naturally over the earcups and into the band. The headphones take on the same flexibility that previous versions had while sporting a tougher-looking band support.
One area of improvement on the physical side is the new control method. A new capacitive touch strip is located on the right earcup. It controls volume as well as certain shortcuts. That side also houses a Bluetooth pairing button and a multifunction button for listening modes. The left earcup employs an LED status light and a 2.5 mm jack for line-in audio when the 24-hour battery dies.
Bose doesn’t detail any of the specifics on the inside, though it makes mention of a much-improved signal processing system as well as a new robust chipset. New “advanced microphones” are also employed to help with noise reduction in calls and when using ANC.
The company states that the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones take advantage of Snapdragon’s sound tech to support Qualcomm’s aptX adaptive codec on Android devices. This makes room for higher-end audio that will hopefully sound fantastic through the QC Ultras.
To improve on that, Bose is also taking advantage of spatial audio with its Immersive Audio modes. When used on the QC Ultras, there are no app or device restrictions like other forms of spatial audio. Instead, Immersive Audio is done on-device and adds a wider soundstage to any recorded content through the headphones. With that, users can take advantage of Motion and Still modes, which will switch between a stationary and mobile soundstage.
Both the QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds have Google Fast Pair compatibility, which will speed the process along when pairing and switching devices.
As expected, the QuietComfort Ultras will not come cheap. The QC Ultra headphones come in at $429, while the earbuds will hit $299. Both will be available in a Black and White Smoke color. Pre-orders are open for both QuitComfort Ultras starting today, with shipping in early October.
Pre-order Bose QuietComfort Ultra
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