Bose QC Ultra Earbuds vs Headphones Review | Impossible to Compare? 🤔

Reviewed by Aaron - 20 Nov 2023

The reason you don’t see such comparisons often is because to some people, it could seem silly comparing earbuds to headphones. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and QC Ultra Earbuds are totally different form factors that serve different needs, but some of you might be struggling with questions like “is the Ultra headphones that much better at performance to justify pay that much more? Or can I get satisfied with the earbuds instead?”

That’s what we’re going to talk about today, and at the end of this review we will discuss which one is a better purchase for different needs.

Microphone Comparison

I think their voice pickup sounds similar in quiet conditions, but in noisy, windy conditions, the Ultra headphones do a bit better at still picking up my voice above the noise, while on the earbuds, my voice fades out a lot. Listen to the samples.

(Tested in both quiet and noisy conditions, with some wind noise coming from this fan.)

Active Noise Canceling Comparison

In terms of ANC, the Ultra Headphones definitely sound quieter in the midrange than the Ultra earbuds. This would also mean that it’s sounds quieter than any earbuds in the market now, since the Ultra earbuds currently have the best ANC. Listen to the samples.

Transparency mode Comparison

They’re both very close in terms of transparency passthrough. On max Aware mode it feels almost like you’re not wearing them, except for the earbuds having a bit more occlusion in the mid range frequencies. It’s not that obvious at first, but when you start having a conversation with someone, then that muffling becomes more obvious. But otherwise, very close.

Sound Quality Comparison

In terms of sound quality, since the fitment is different, we can expect very different sound signatures. The Ultra earbuds will sound more compact, its bass also feels more impactful. But it’s got more emphasis on the upper mids above 1.3khz, which gives vocals a more radio-like quality, and high frequencies above 10khz in an attempt to make them sound more spacious for earbuds. They also do sound rather tensed up compared to the Ultra headphones which simply have a more relaxed sound signature, with better clarity and detail, cleaner track separation, and a wider soundstage. Listen to the samples.

This also means that when you’re using “Immersive mode” (a mode that increases the spaciousness of stereo sound for extra enjoyment for videos and movies) audio sounds more enveloping on the Ultra headphones compared to earbuds.

Why choose the QC Ultra Earbuds?

Okay! We’ve just looked at their differences in terms of sound, noise canceling and mic pickup, now we’re going to break down which one’s more suitable for your needs. Obviously if portability is your top priority, and you want something you can take with you everywhere, get the Ultra earbuds. Even if you feel that case is too big, you can simply bring the earbuds out while keeping in mind its shorter battery life compared to headphones. It’s also possible to use them for phone calls one side at a time, just another benefit of the QC Ultra.

If you want something to use for workouts, earbuds are also much more suitable. I know some people use headphones for workouts, but I’ve learnt over the years that it drastically shortens the headphones’ lifespan - especially when there’s a lot of sweating into the earcups. Then you’ll have to deal with things like corrosion and rust in the driver compartments, cushions that get sticky and smelly. Ew. You don’t really get that problem with earbuds, just try to keep them as dry as possible after workouts.

Why choose the QC Ultra Headphones?

The reason to get the Ultra headphones over the earbuds, aside from better noise canceling and sound, is definitely the longer battery endurance. You don’t have to charge them as often, and this also is a big requirement if you fly a lot. You can hop on a long haul flight over 12-18 hours, and throughout the flight you could enjoy your own content, some BGM when sleeping, all the while canceling the plane noise without interruption.

You can also plug the headphones directly into the in-flight entertainment system, which you can’t do over the Ultra earbuds unless you use a Bluetooth adapter.

Another big plus over the earbuds is multipoint pairing. You can get connected to two devices at the same time and switch between them for calls and audio. Ultra earbuds don’t have multipoint pairing at all.

Those are some compelling reasons to get the headphones, but as I’ve pointed out, there are also reasons to get the earbuds. In the meantime, you can check the latest Amazon prices of these products through the links below.

Check latest prices

Bose QC Ultra Headphones - https://amzn.to/3QU2X5U
Bose QC Ultra Earbuds - https://amzn.to/3rVHBeZ

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