The TRUTH About AirPods Max (vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra)

I check out the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones and compare them with the Apple Airpods Pro Max in this ultimate flagship headphone comparison.

If you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem and automatically bought the AirPods, you could be missing out in a big way! I compare the Bose QuietComfort Ultra with the Airpods Pro Max in 4 key areas: sound quality, noise cancellation, transparency, and features.

0:00 Intro
0:42 Sound Quality
2:47 Microphone Comparison
04:00 Headphones are too big?
05:10 Noise Cancellation Comparison
05:52 Transparency Comparison
06:44 Features Comparison - This is where they stand out

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Disclosures: All opinions are my own. Some links in the descriptions are affiliate links that if you click on, I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

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[PeteMatheson]

What are your 'Go-to' pair of headphones?

[MrDexterSr]

Respect on starting your headphone video on SOUND QUALITY 🙏🏾!

[joshjhoward]

The Bose just seems like a better deal. Especially since they support lossless quality on apple music, crazy that the Max's can't do that.

[desidudes]

thanks for the high quality comparisons and recognizable tracks! cool to see a reviewer putting in this much attention to detail

[IMHO-dmxf]

Watched the Microphone test (at 8 min ) on CNET's review of the Bose Ultra...
The mic sounded flawless in the middle of a busy NYC street...

[davidhughes]

I have both and both are greet, but the Bose take the lead due to comfort for me (the ap max do have a rather unforgiving clasp for anything more than a couple of hours for my liking). but really I dont think either would be a note worthy wrong choice when choosing overall.

[stephenknight]

I found the Bose the Bose sounded thicker and richer in sound.

[drrider]

For some reason the bose sounded better to me.

[BrandonToy]

I’ve been using Quiet Comfort headphones since 2005. The first time I put a set on, I heard things in my favorite music that I had never heard before. I think I paid almost $300 for them at the time, which was an enormous amount for young me. But it was one of the best purchases I ever made. I literally wore those headphones completely out.

Later, I’ve been wondering about getting some really expensive headphones. What am I missing?

[chocolatewheelchair]

I tried the apple headphone on tonight after never seeing them in person ever before. They’re amazing. Like you put them on and they’re so comfortable. No cheap leather on your ears. I listened to some music and the extremely loud store was completely silent. I wish they didn’t cost so much

[paulnhbtx]

Bro, what mic are you using? sounds great! such a top notch produced video. great work

[sstrmqvst]

Bose QuietComfort Ultra have 24hours of battery with ANC on and 18 hours with Immersive mode on.

[Jezzrichjames]

I had the Bose QC25, QC35, and the beautiful 700 series in rose gold, and I was incredibly skeptical of the Max headphones as I wasn’t particularly impressed by the normal AirPods and AirPod Pros, but I preordered them to try them out…I was shocked by the build quality, and also by the clarity and separation of instruments, which is incredibly important to me as I’m someone who listens to Rachmaninov, and Tim Henson. This, combined with the seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem (which I’m immersed in) made them my primary overhead headphones.

[gyang]

As someone with a massive head, the biggest draw for me to the Airpods Max is the comfort. I previously owned the Bose NC700 and they would hurt after about 2 hours. It was a pleasant surprise that the Airpods have a better sound. IMO the only area that the Bose comes out on top is the noise cancellation.

[RED-light_]

This is why I’m waiting to see what apples new AirPod Maxes 2nd generation will look like when I comes out

[beckerj]

Just bought the QC Ultra's to upgrade from the 700's and had to return them. There was a kind of plastic on plastic click coming from the left earcup when I moved my head, but I couldn't place it, even after watching a few videos and opening them up. I swapped them for another pair and they had it too. It drove me nuts. It might be the quality control on those two pairs, or it might be a manufacturing issue, but I couldn't get past it. The noise canceling and sound quality were great though. Just something to think about for everyone out there.

[martinguy]

Have to say Bose wins for me, throughout all your sound tests the Bose won every time (well, to my ears anyway). Intrigued by the Technics in-ear.... have you a comparison video?

[wojovox]

I left Bose headphones due to build quality which was not discussed here. My last QuietComforts I had to replace the ear pads once per year as the seam would tear. And you have to buy direct replacements from Bose at over $40 as off brands were not the same sound when used. I was paying a $40 tax annually to use those headphones. The ear pads on Apple are just plain more long term planned with their material choice.

Sound wise, I think Apple is due a new model in the next year for better tech and USB-C. I’ll still go Apple, but right now I’m not leaving these for Bose Ultra.

[sjefhoudoe]

And don't forget that (at least here in Europe) the Bose QuietComfort Ultras are about 200 euro cheaper than the Apple AirPods Max. 395, - vs. 579, - (or 638, - if you want the same 2-year factory warranty).

[alex_ayers]

In the sound quality test, were you using Noise Cancellation? Transparency Mode? No mode? Another thing to consider, if you were playing back on Airpods vs QuietComfort, I think the rendering Apple uses will be different for Apple's head-tracking engine vs what it provides for the QuietComfort. Also having that not all songs have a Spatial Audio version, which will sound different if the "Auto" settings on Apple Music is enabled. Might give a different mix overall switching between these headphones.

Not saying you didn't make sure of these settings and ideas, but would have been awesome if clarified in the video in the Sound Test. Otherwise a phenomenal video.