we recommend Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones in our guide to best wireless headphones for those who want the most powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) possible in a truly wireless design. If you’re interested in picking up a pair, take note: A recent sale brought the headphones down to $249, which is $50 off their regular price and matches the previous low price we saw during the holiday season. The offer is available at several retailers, including Amazon. Walmart and Bose’s own online storeand comes as part of a wider series of discounts in the company’s headphones, earphones, soundbars and Bluetooth speakers.
Photo: Billy Steele / Engadget
That’s the best price we’ve seen for Bose’s latest wireless noise-canceling headphones.
Engadget senior reporter Billy Steele gave the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds a go 88 points in his opinion last September. Still, the ANC performance is the biggest draw here: The headphones do a great job of dampening external noise across the board, and Bose’s software lets you dial down the intensity of the ANC if it ever feels uncomfortable. (Though, as with most noise-cancelling headphones, vocals and other high-pitched sounds sound a little clearer than bass and midrange tones.) The actual earcups are larger than other pairs, but they’re comfortable and soft. silicone tips that don’t put too much pressure on the ear.
The Bose’s sound signature is a bit bass-heavy out of the box, but not to the point of obnoxiousness, so it should particularly please hip-hop and pop fans. If you want to go a little more low-end, you can adjust the EQ curve through the Bose app. This model also comes with an optional spatial audio feature called Immersive Audio, which aims to give any song a bigger soundstage and a sense of spaciousness. Some tracks will still receive it better than others, but Steele found it offered impressive detail overall.
There are some things to keep in mind, though. The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds lack wireless charging by default; you need to buy it to add it $49 case cover. They also cannot connect to two devices simultaneously. The built-in microphone is good but not great for phone calls, and the six-to-seven hour battery life is equally good. With Immersive Audio enabled, the latter drops to around four hours. Sony’s WF-1000XM5the best choice in our guide, a a wider set of features and excellent ANC performance (may be less comfortable for those with small ears). Apple AirPods Promeanwhile, it still includes a many amenities For iPhone owners. Still, if you want a true wireless set that focuses on ANC and surround sound, it’s a decent bargain.
In other Bose deals, the on-ear version QuietComfort Ultra also $50 off $379. This pair delivers high level ANC as well, but it is more difficult to justify when Sony WH-1000XM5our cute wireless headphones In total, it’s currently on sale for less than $50. Elderly QuietComfort headphones II It’s also available for $199, though our review found the Ultra model worth upgrading to its spatial audio tricks.
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