STACK #230 December 2023

TECH REVIEW

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at all. In fact, these are possibly the most comfortable headphones we’ve worn.

The Ultras combine both touch control for volume and sound mode selection and a physical

button for playback controls and ANC. Connectivity is via the most recent Bluetooth 5.3 and supports AAC, SBC and, for Android, this is the first Bose headset to use aptX Adaptive audio formats. Bose have a solid reputation as a leading brand in noise cancelling and that remains firmly the case with the Ultras. There's an option to customise up to seven different ANC modes from full noise cancelling to a transparency mode that will allow some sound in so users can pre-set favourite settings according to usage requirements. Now let’s talk Immersive Audio. Essentially Bose’s version of spatial audio, the difference here is that you don’t need to pay an additional fee to a streaming service to access it. So you’ll get spatial audio wherever you source your music without extra charges. There are three modes with Immersive Audio: 'Off', 'Stil'l and 'Motion'. Picture two vast stereo speakers positioned in front of you. Using digital trickery, with Immersive Audio you get a full, clean, defined wall of sound. Toggle the 'Still' mode and the speaker sound will stay front and centre irrespective of how much you move your head. The 'Motion' selection means no matter where you move your head, the music stays with you. From our extensive testing whilst walking the dog everyday, practically every genre we played through Immersive Audio hit the mark. The sound quality here is exceptional, and there’s an EQ in the Bose Music app. The Ultras work well when paired with an action movie too, and as soon as you remove the headphones, the audio is paused. The call quality is excellent with a feature that suppresses background noise from the voice, making it easier to take calls in places like a city or on public transport. Battery life is pitched by Bose at 24 hours, with 18 hours noted if using the more charge-hungry Immersive Audio mode. To summarise then, the Bose QuietComfort Ultras are a superb upgrade on the QC 45s. They offer market-leading sound quality and extreme comfort. In our book, if you seek solace in quality audio representation and you’re in the market for a new set of headphones for either yourself or a Christmas gift idea, if you’ve got the budget, then these are for you.

REVIEWS

Alongside the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, Bose unveiled the Ultra headphones – and they don’t disappoint. Words Paul Jones W ith a lot of time to spare on a recent Singapore stopover, new levels of boredom demanded a solution. Once have adopted a more premium aesthetic in two colours: black and white. From a comfort perspective, the adjustable padded faux-leather band and earcups are THE BOSE QUIETCOMFORT ULTRA HEADPHONES

we’d tried every perfume and aftershave in the airport and stared with drawn, jetlagged eyes at phones for several hours, we decided to observe what were the most popular earbuds and headphones people were wearing. Like we said, we were bored. There was one clear winner. Every second person was wearing a pair of black Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones. And there’s a reason for that – they’re a fantastic travel pair; we used them ourselves. Fast forward two months and Bose decided to pull another rabbit out of their hat by unveiling the QuietComfort Ultra headphones. But what more could Bose offer when they only released the 45s two years ago? Well, the big story here is Immersive Audio. And boy does it make a difference! Whereas the QuietComfort 45s were designed explicitly as a travel companion, the QuietComfort Ultras, still the perfect commuter mate that will slide into any bag with ease,

at the top of the game. Utilising the multi pair functionality to connect to two different devices, we have been wearing these throughout the working day without any fatigue

Battery life: 6 hours Case: 18 hours IP X4 Bluetooth v5.3 ANC: Yes

30 DECEMBER 2023

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