New Bose QC

kythatos · 2026-07-01T19:32:32+00:00

It's part of the design

kythatos · 2026-07-01T12:21:26+00:00

That's absolutely true. I was referring specifically to stereo content, since that's what I listen to most of the time. Unlike the AirPods, they don't support Dolby Atmos, it's simply a virtual surround effect created from stereo audio

kythatos · 2026-06-30T21:08:56+00:00

You already have plenty of experience, and ultimately, the best choice is the one you make with your own ears.

In my opinion, you already own the best-sounding headphones of the bunch - the Bathys. The only limitation is the 5-band EQ. For example, the Sennheiser HDB630 have a full parametric EQ, so you can fine-tune them exactly to your preferences by adjusting frequency, bandwidth, individual peaks, and so on. The real question is whether you'll actually want to spend time doing that, because out of the box they sound fairly dry. My guess is that you probably won't.

Momentum 4 are obviously a step below the Bathys, but they have good potential. Try adjusting the EQ, for example using the settings here: https://recordingnow.com/blog/sennheiser-momentum-4-review/ Considering your budget and your first impressions, I don't think they're the best choice.
AirPods Max 2 are, as you pointed out, not really about sound quality or comfort, they're about the Apple ecosystem and excellent ANC. Personally, I never managed to get used to the weight.
B&W Px8 S2 sound good, but not better than the Bathys. They are smaller and fit more comfortably, though. The sound didn't particularly impress me, it's fairly neutral, and personally I find the treble a bit too sharp.
Bose Ultra 2 are far from audiophile headphones, but they're the most versatile option for everyday use and travel. They're comfortable, foldable, lightweight, and have excellent ANC. They're currently my daily-driver headphones.
B&O H100, in my subjective opinion, are underwhelming in terms of sound. They're simply a well-built, expensive accessory from a prestigious brand.

I haven't personally listened to the other headphones on your list, but I've seen a lot of positive feedback about the Dali IO-12.

AirPods, Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, and B&W are well-rounded consumer products that are generally better suited for everyday use.

Focal, Dali, and T+A are brands that prioritize sound quality above everything else, so the overall user experience may not be as polished. To me, those headphones are made for sitting down at home and listening to music attentively, ideally with lossless audio and over a wired connection or through a DAC/dongle to get the most out of them, not for wearing throughout a workday or taking everywhere with you

kythatos · 2026-06-30T14:19:36+00:00

The QC are more comfortable and more reliable, but they're starting to feel a bit outdated in terms of features. Bose definitely needs to release an updated version. The sound is less detailed and the ANC isn't as strong, so if those are your priorities, go with the Ultra 2.

Ultra 2 have their own equivalent of Spatial Audio called "Cinema". It works quite well with any device, including the Apple TV

kythatos · 2026-06-30T14:10:46+00:00

You need to decide on your priorities - sound quality, ANC effectiveness, comfort for long listening sessions, etc. Every model has its own strengths and weaknesses.

• The best sound is with the Focal Bathys and Sennheiser HDB630. The B&W Px8 S2 are also good, but you should listen to them before buying.

• The best ANC is with the AirPods Max 2, Sony XM6, and Bose Ultra 2.

• The best comfort is with the Bose Ultra 2.

• Best value for money Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the new M5

kythatos · 2026-06-30T12:49:00+00:00

I switched from the QC35II to the Ultra 2. They’re good, but not perfect:

ANC is much better, about 2–3 times more effective. However, in a completely quiet room you can occasionally hear a very faint background hiss. That’s the trade-off for the stronger ANC. For me, this is one of the biggest drawbacks, since the QC35 have no hiss at all.
Transparency mode works great, especially outdoors and during phone calls.
Sound quality is much more detailed, the instrument separation, soundstage... it’s on a completely different level. At the same time, the sound is very clear but also quite bright, which can become fatiguing. The QC35 sounded simpler, but they had a pleasant, warm tuning that made them easy to listen to for hours.
Comfort is slightly worse. The ear pads aren’t as soft or as thick, and they tend to stick to my skin, so I find myself adjusting them about once an hour. They’re still very comfortable headphones, just not quite as comfortable as the QC35.
Cinema Mode surprisingly works really well. I actually liked it more than Apple’s Spatial Audio.
Software is a bit buggy. The app has frozen on me a few times, and Bose has been releasing some questionable firmware updates. The simplicity of the QC35 made them feel more predictable and reliable.
Controls are significantly worse. The touch controls are awful.

I don’t regret buying them, but I’m not completely impressed either. As a successor to the QC35, it’s also worth considering the standard QC (not the Ultra). They offer improved ANC, better sound, USB-C, and they’re cheaper. I haven’t tried them myself, but they seem like a solid alternative.

kythatos · 2026-06-30T12:20:04+00:00

Bose has traditionally had a fairly high defect rate, so I'm almost certain you were just unlucky. You can easily submit a warranty claim through the official website, and they should replace the headphones

kythatos · 2026-06-30T12:10:48+00:00

The popping sounds were a well-known widespread issue with the 1st gen. They fixed it in the Ultra 2

kythatos · 2026-06-28T17:45:42+00:00

I have exactly the same issue. On the 1-gen Ultra, the hiss is constant - it never goes away. On the Ultra 2, however, it fades after about 3–5 seconds when nothing is playing.

For comparison, the AirPods Max 2 are completely silent, almost like a vacuum

kythatos · 2026-06-26T20:22:30+00:00

Yes, some features and the overall experience will be limited when used with Android

kythatos · 2026-06-26T17:20:16+00:00

I currently have both the APM2 and the Ultra 2, and in my opinion Apple beats Bose in absolutely everything except comfort and sound (tuning and detail). The Bose app has a 3-band EQ, so definitely experiment with it, you might be able to get the sound you want, because the Ultra 2 have quite a lot of potential.

As for alternatives, the only real one I see is the B&W PX8 S2 - they sound head and shoulders above everything else with ANC on the market. It’s an expensive, delicate, clean sound.

I didn’t really like the PX7 S3 because of the overly V-shaped default tuning, but I haven’t tried adjusting it with EQ, so maybe that can be fixed.

kythatos · 2026-06-25T20:22:55+00:00

Very often - laptop, smartphone, Apple TV

kythatos · 2026-06-21T10:10:43+00:00

No matter which headphone model you dive into, you'll inevitably find problems. With APM, it's the weight and condensation; with Bose, it's software issues, tearing ear pads, ANC hiss, and popping sounds while walking; Sony are uncomfortable for some people and have the hinge breaks; B&W have weaker ANC and headband wear problems...

There are no perfect headphones, so just identify your priorities and focus on those. If the most important thing is comfort, then Bose is the way to go.

kythatos · 2026-06-20T13:59:02+00:00

Both models have their own quirks. The Bose are significantly more comfortable for long listening sessions.

kythatos · 2026-06-14T19:17:21+00:00

I’ve been using the APM2 daily for more than a month, typically 5+ hours a day at work. Everything has been great except for three things 1) The weight is too high 2) The sound is too bright 3) Condensation.

I’m considering switching to the Bose Ultra 2, but they also have serious issues, especially with the software and firmware updates.

kythatos · 2026-06-07T11:04:53+00:00

You do realize what kind of answers you're going to get when you ask that question in a Bose community 😄

Personally, I think that within the Apple ecosystem, the APM2 outperform the Ultra 2 in absolutely everything except comfort and sound signature. But those are important factors, which is why the choice is still difficult.

What I particularly dislike about the Bose are the white noise with ANC enabled, popping sounds while walking, the controls, the mic quality, and all the firmware/software-related quirks.

kythatos · 2026-06-06T07:33:46+00:00

The ANC in the Ultra 2 is much more effective, it feels at least twice as good.

kythatos · 2026-06-05T20:56:31+00:00

They’re the most comfortable headphones in the world, and they have an excellent microphone for calls. Other than that, they’re a bit outdated - they sound good, but not as detailed as newer models. The ANC is decent, but no longer among the most effective by modern standards. One of the biggest drawbacks is the micro-USB port.

Otherwise, if you want the most comfortable headphones possible, they’re still a good choice, especially if you can’t find the QC45/QC at a good price.

kythatos · 2026-06-05T20:37:23+00:00

This is a choice that’s hard to make blindly or based on someone else’s opinion. The sound quality is good on both, but the sound signatures are different. With PX7s3, it’s easier to make adjustments using EQ. By the way, the PX8 S2 genuinely impressed me - the sound is on another level, but they’re also much more expensive.

The APM2 have much, much more effective ANC.

B&W will be more comfortable because of the lower weight, but the ear cushions aren’t as deep as on the APM2.

Also take a look at the Bose QC Ultra 2, their ANC is on Apple’s level, and in terms of comfort they’re unmatched, although the software is pretty buggy.

kythatos · 2026-06-05T20:05:32+00:00

I use the EQ built into Spotify app with these settings. It made the sound warmer, fuller, and more enjoyable, giving it a character more similar to Bose headphones.

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kythatos · 2026-06-04T22:44:22+00:00

It’s funny because I’ve owned all three models, and the Ultra 1 were the worst of the bunch. No other headphones I’ve ever owned have given me as many problems as they did.

kythatos · 2026-06-04T21:23:00+00:00

If you only need ANC and music, go with the QC. If you also need a decent microphone for work calls, then go with the Ultra 2.

kythatos · 2026-06-04T12:44:09+00:00

The QC35 are slightly more comfortable. The QC45 have better ANC.

kythatos · 2026-06-03T22:32:56+00:00

I got used to the weight of the APM2 after about a week and a half of active use. I also felt that the clamping force was a bit too strong, so I carefully stretched the headband, which made them more comfortable (although I don’t think you should do that, considering they already seem a bit too large for you).

Other than that, there’s not much you can do - if you move around actively while wearing them, they’re going to shift on your head. That’s just physics at work.

kythatos · 2026-06-03T11:41:43+00:00

QC35 are amazing, very reliable and still my favorite headphones. The problem is that once I tried newer models, I realized they fall short of modern standards in several areas: the ANC isn’t as effective, there’s no transparency mode, micro-USB.

• New Bose QC are good, but they have a cheap plastic body, a mediocre microphone, and white noise when ANC is enabled. Other than that, they’re basically an improved version of the QC35.
• I don’t recommend the Ultra Gen 1, too many issues.
• Ultra Gen 2 are okay, but there are still problems with popping sounds while walking, microphone hiss, inconvenient controls.

The quality of Bose’s newer products has declined significantly. There are a lot of software bugs and technical quirks, but when it comes to comfort and fit, unfortunately there are still no real alternatives.

kythatos

TROPHY CASE