Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) vs Sonos Ace

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QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) compared with Ace

	BoseQuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)	SonosAce
Overview
Released
Released	September 2025	June 2024
Sound
Type
Type	Over-ear	Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling	Yes	Yes
Transparency mode
Transparency mode	Yes	Yes
Spatial audio with head tracking
Spatial audio with head tracking	Yes	Yes
Driver size
Driver size	–	40 mm
Bluetooth codecs
Bluetooth codecs	SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive	SBC, AAC and aptX Lossless
Lossless over USB-C
Lossless over USB-C	Yes	Yes
Drivers
Drivers	–	Custom-designed 40 mm dynamic driver in each cup
Noise cancelling detail
Noise cancelling detail	Quiet Mode (full noise cancelling) and Aware Mode with ActiveSense, now smoother at damping sudden noise spikes; noise cancelling adjustable or fully off in the Bose app; CustomTune tailors sound and noise cancelling to your ears; wind block in custom modes	Active Noise Cancellation that adapts to fit and surroundings; Aware mode blends in ambient sound; sidetone lets you hear your own voice on calls with noise cancelling on
Audio features
Audio features	Bose Immersive Audio (Still keeps the virtual speakers in place as you turn your head; Motion lets them follow) and Cinema Mode; up to seven custom modes; adjustable EQ in the Bose app; lossless USB-C audio at 16-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz; aptX Adaptive with Snapdragon Sound devices, which Bose says adapts to lossless audio and low latency; Gaming Mode	Spatial audio with Dolby Atmos; Sonos Intelligent Motion Processing with Dolby Head Tracking (turned on in the Sonos app); TrueCinema maps your room to render virtual surround sound from a Sonos soundbar; TV Audio Swap from Sonos Arc Ultra, Arc, Beam or Ray, to one or two pairs at once; adjustable bass, treble and loudness in the Sonos app; lossless audio over USB-C (USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to 3.5 mm) or over Bluetooth with Snapdragon Sound aptX Lossless on supported Android devices
Battery
Listening time (maker's claim)
Listening time (maker's claim)	Up to 30 hours	Up to 30 hours
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Up to 23 hours with Immersive Audio on; up to 45 hours with noise cancelling and Immersive Audio off; tested by Bose at 75 dB SPL; low-power standby when laid flat or put in the case; can be used while charging	1060 mAh Li-ion battery; up to 30 hours of listening or 24 hours of calls with noise cancelling or Aware mode on
Fast charging
Fast charging	15 minutes gives up to 3 hours with noise cancelling on and Immersive Audio off (Bose's test footnote gives 2.5 hours); full charge in up to 3 hours	3 minutes of charging from empty gives 3 hours of listening; full charge in up to 3 hours
Design
Weight
Weight	264 g (better)	312 g
Bluetooth
Bluetooth	5.4	5.4
Two devices at once
Two devices at once	Yes	Yes
Headphone cable
Headphone cable	Yes	Yes
Controls
Controls	On the right ear cup, a Bluetooth/power button, a multi-function button (play, pause, skip, calls and modes) and a capacitive volume strip (swipe for volume; touch and hold for a shortcut to Immersive Audio settings, Spotify Tap or the voice assistant); on-head detection pauses and resumes audio, answers calls and wakes the headphones	Power/Bluetooth button; Content Key for playback, volume, calls and TV Audio Swap; Noise Control button to switch between noise cancelling and Aware mode; wear detection pauses playback when you take the headphones off
Microphones
Microphones	Four microphones for calls, two on each ear cup	Eight microphones for noise control and voice targeting; beamforming for calls; mesh over the microphones reduces wind noise
Fit and ear tips
Fit and ear tips	Around-ear (circumaural) with an adjustable headband; removable protein leather cushions; plastic and aluminium build with polished metal yokes; folds for the carry case	Memory foam cushions in vegan leather, replaceable; the right cup has a contrasting colour inside; folds flat into a slim travel case with a magnetically detachable cable pouch; 191 × 160 × 85 mm
Water resistance detail
Water resistance detail	–	No water resistance rating published
Works with
Works with	Bose app for iOS and Android; multipoint connection to two devices; Google Fast Pair; Spotify Tap; SimpleSync with a Bose Smart Soundbar or Bose Smart Speaker	Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint to two devices; Sonos app for iOS and Android; connects over Wi-Fi to a Sonos home cinema player for TV Audio Swap
Colours
Colours	Black, White Smoke, Driftwood Sand and Midnight Violet at launch; Bose UK now also sells Cherry Chocolate, Desert Gold and Olive Green	Black, Soft White
In the box
In the box	Headphones, carry case, 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable, USB-C to USB-C cable (99 cm), safety sheet	Headphones, travel case with cable pouch, USB-C to USB-C cable, USB-C to 3.5 mm cable