Bose has unveiled its next generation of the QuietComfort headphones which have an updated design and offer one of the industry’s best active noise cancellation.
The new Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) go on sale for $549.95 on August 13 and are available in Black, White Smoke and three new limited edition colours: Eucalyptus Green, Dewdrop Mint and Rosewood Mauve.
Bose has introduced new TrueSpatial Technology to these latest headphones, which offer three Bose immersive audio listening modes – Still, Motion and Cinema.
Bose Immersive Audio also provides a virtualized stereo sound experience from any audio source.
This means the listener is always in the sweet spot as if they are listening to a 2.0 sound system.
Still Mode keeps the audio in place in the room with the sound shifting as the listener moves their head from left to right.
Motion Mode keeps the audio with the listener and follows their movements and is best for staying immersed while listening on the move.
In Cinema Mode the headphones can balance and spatialize background sound and other audio effects to offer a theatre-like experience when watching video content or listening to podcasts by widening the soundstage and keeping the dialogue clear and centred.
The new QuietComfort headphones not only maintain Bose’s iconic high-quality sound and proprietary sound design digital signal processing while now also offering lossless playback via a wired USB-C audio up to 24-bit/48 kHz.
At the centre of the Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) is its remarkable noise cancellation technology now called QuietComfort.
The new headphones offer several improvements over the first generation model in active noise cancellation performance.
One design change will also help listeners who wear glasses.
Glasses and hat wearers have previously struggled to achieve a perfect seal with the ear cups.
With the new QuietComfort headphones they will notice an improvement in the noise cancellation thanks to the new feed-forward control.
The six-microphone system now has better compensation for gaps in the ear cup seal to help maintain high levels of noise cancellation.
Also on board is an enhanced ActiveSense response in Aware Mode, which applies just the right level of noise cancellation in a smoother and natural way to ease for sudden noise spikes like a passing train, for example.
The Bose app allows users to manually adjust the noise cancellation levels.
Custom modes can also be created to find the right mix of noise cancellation and acoustic transparency.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) also have a new headband design with smooth adjustable sliders and softer and more plush leather cushioning that gently rests on the head.
Clamping force has also been optimised to offer a secure and yet lightweight fit while the new oval-shaped ear cups add the effect of creating a more seamless profile and more contemporary look.
The headphones have a range of physical controls to easily allow for adjustments and navigation of your music.
Bluetooth Core 5.4 offers multi-point connectivity, which allows users to seamlessly switch between two connected devices so they can move between music, calls, and other content.
There’s also additional connectivity flexibility through the USB-C port, which can provide things like two-way USB-C audio for higher quality listening as well as clear voice input for calls and video conferencing apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
Also included with the headphones is a USB-C to 3.5mm cable for compatibility with analogue sources, including in-flight entertainment systems.
On the battery side the new Bose headphones offer up to 24 hours of listening time, 18 hours with immersive audio with the ability to charge them while you’re wearing them.
A 15-minute quick charge can also provide up to 2.5 hours of playback.
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (Gen 2) are priced at $549.95 and go on sale on August 13.
