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Credit: Illustration by Ian Moore and product image courtesy of Amazon.
When it comes to the best headphones you can buy, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is at the top of the list for active noise-canceling (ANC), but they also excel in other important categories. Right now, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is $349 (originally $429) on Amazon, the price they last hit briefly during Prime Day, according to price-checking tools.
There is no better headphone to cancel the noise around you than Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra lineup. Apart from the headphone model, they also make the best ANC earbuds, both using the same ANC technology. PCMag’s “outstanding” review goes into detail on how the headphones do the best job at dialing back low-frequency rumbles as well as lows and mids.
Despite them being the best ANC headphones, they’re not perfect: There are high-frequency sounds that still make it through the ANC technology. But these headphones performed better at ANC than their other two main competitors, Apple AirPods Max and the Sony WH-1000XM5.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones launched in the fall of 2023 with many reviewers praising their overall quality—while many complained about their steep price, at almost half a grand. But at their current price, there is no better value for your money for ANC technology.
If you’ve tried ANC headphones before, you’re probably familiar with that feeling of pressure in your ears when you turn the ANC on. These headphones have that pressure, and the pressure can shift directions depending on where the noise is coming from (although some people don’t notice these sensations).
Another great feature of the headphones is their transparency mode, meant to be used to hear your surroundings. This way you can wear your headphones outdoors and hear cars, bikes, or people around you. You can expect about 24 hours of juice with a full charge or about 18 hours if you’re using ANC. The app also has a well-designed customizable EQ and you can choose two devices to have active multipoint connection.
