Bose reveals QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds with 'immersive audio' tech
TL;DR: As of Sept. 14, you can preorder the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for $429 and $299, respectively. Both new releases will officially launch in October.
Bose officially revealed the newest generation of its flagship QuietComfort headphones and earbuds. Dubbed the QuietComfort Ultra, the line also introduces Bose Immersive Audio, a new spatial sound system.
I got the chance to preview the new QuietComfort Ultra products for Mashable, and Bose also let me demo the Immersive Audio technology ahead of their release. Keep reading for my first impressions of the Bose Immersive Audio tech.
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The Bose QuietComfort line gets an upgrade in the new Ultra series
Bose has a reputation for making high-end noise-canceling headphones and earbuds, and like Sony and other audio brands, it typically releases new flagship products on an annual basis. The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones officially replace the Bose Noise-Cancelling Headphones 700 as the company's flagship over-ear headphones. And since the 700 model is Mashable's top pick for the best noise-canceling headphones, the bar is set really high.
So what's new here?
First, Bose has introduced a technology called Immersive Audio, and it brings spatial audio to the QuietComfort lineup. This technology recreates the experience of listening to music live or through speakers. As the listener moves their head or walks around, the sound shifts and moves with you.
In a press release, Bose describes its new audio tech like so:
"Traditionally, when listening to recorded content through headphones, the soundstage is collapsed into your head between your ears. Bose Immersive Audio reveals its true depth, spatializing what you’re hearing by virtually placing it in front of you. This effect is enabled by an onboard IMU and newly developed, proprietary Bose digital signal processing software in the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and Earbuds."
I got to try out this new tech with the Ultra Headphones, and I was definitely impressed. As I turned my head to the right, the balance of the stereo sound shifted the audio to the left side of the headphones, as if I was turning my head away from a speaker. It's a neat little trick, made even cooler thanks to Bose's deeply impressive noise cancellation.
Immersive Audio will also be available with the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Bose promises that it can offer immersive spatial audio for any stereo sound, which means you can use immersive audio when streaming music, TV, and movies.
Bose's premium headphones and earbuds get a design upgrade
Along with immersive audio, the new over-ear headphones also feature some design upgrades that make them more comfortable to wear. I can verify that these headphones are supremely comfortable. I haven't had the chance to test them in depth, but from what I've heard so far, the noise cancelation is also very impressive.
Both of these new products will be strong contenders as the best wireless earbuds and headphones of the year, but it's too early to make that call.
Topics Bose
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
