I test headphones for a living – Bose's QC Ultra 2 just arrived for review and are my new top travel headphones

I'm sat here writing this with a pair of Bose's second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Headphones wrapped around my head – and loving every minute of it.

The originals of these are widely regarded as the best headphones for travel for many people – because they sound great, have epic active noise-cancelling (ANC), a folding design, and are really lightweight.

I wrote about the 2nd Gen product's reveal just last week, highlighting the top new features and upgrades, but now I've got a pair of my own to actually test. Ahead of that upcoming review in the future, however, here's how my time with the QC Ultra Headphones 2 is going.

On background

A bit of background first: I've lived with and used the original Bose QC Ultra Headphones since their launch in 2023. They've travelled with me extensively, doing a grand job at every turn.

Indeed, I even used the headphones for 18 hours of flying – something I'll be doing with the new-and-improved version at the end of this week, too, when I embark on a long-haul trip.

What you'll notice first and foremost, however, is that the headphones I have are not black. What you're looking at is what Bose affectionately calls "White Smoke". I would probably call it something less kind, but here we are – it's not the colour choice I'd pick.

ANC excels

Irrelevant of my colour preference, once these headphones are on over your head, the sound is truly impeccable.

Given the lightweight, almost 'flimsy' feel of these cans, that the soundstage has such weight to it is impressive.

But it's the ANC that's a huge reason for ownership. I've already sat with music playing out of a soundsystem, whilst wearing the headphones and listening to another source, and it's honestly incredible just how much the QC Ultra omit that external sound.

I've had a little wander around when headed to the shop, so I know how good the headphones are at squashing traffic noise, for example, but I'll need to test some more – in London's tube network, on aeroplanes – to really get the biggest benefit out of these cans.

Interestingly, Bose claims to have improved the ANC here too, offering "more precise" results due to ActiveSense technology's ability to 'read' a user's ear and adjust sound profile accordingly.

Comfort and case

In my shot above you can see the QC Ultra Headphones 2 complete with their included – and colour-matched – carry case. This is a great item that's part and parcel of purchase, and which I'll use on repeat for stowing the headphones away neatly and protected in my bag.

The case has a neat slip for cable storage, while the earcups swivel around to sit in their stowed position. It's a nicely finished case, far superior to the one Sonos ships with its Ace headphones, that travellers are certain to love.

As for the headphones themselves: it's a familiar story here, as there's no redesign to speak of between the original and the second-gen model. From the silky-smooth function of the earcups' position extension, to their soft finish and lightweight wear – no 'pinch' to fear here – these are about as perfect as can be.

Worth the money?

Second-gen model, so second-gen price? Not exactly. The QC Ultra 2 cost the same as the original did upon its release. Of course that older model has now come down in price, with some pretty great offers on – as you can see below.

So why pay more for the newer model? Well, there are some key improvements. There's USB-C for high-resolution listening, for example, should you want to plug in via the port.

The battery life has been improved, there's more bass at higher volumes, and "subtle yet meaningful" improvements to sound and ANC, too. It's mainly minor tweaks in some areas, but when you've got headphones that are pretty much perfect in the first place, getting anything extra out can only be a greater bonus.

While it's early days in testing, I suspect the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones 2 are my top pick for travel headphones already. Great comfort, great ANC, great sound – they're just great. Although buying the older pair will save you some cash.