For the past few years, Bose has been in a very bad shape. Its standard QuietComfort headphones remain an easy recommendation, but they also feel a little… forgettable. While the Ultra lineup caught the spotlight with new features and a refreshed design, the standard QuietComfort remained unchanged. That may be about to change.
A new leak suggests that Bose is preparing a QuietComfort (2nd Gen) model, and if accurate, this looks like Bose is bringing its standard headphones much closer to its premium offerings.
More than just a fresh coat of paint
One thing I always like is when a company updates a product without simply changing the color and calling it “new.” If this leak is anything to go by, Bose seems to have done a lot more work than that. The redesigned headphones are said to feature softer, pill-shaped ear cushions, a wider headband with extra padding, and controls placed directly on the earcups. These are the exact adjustments you see after wearing the headphones for hours.
The rumored audio upgrade sounds even more compelling. Features like USB-C lossless playback, TrueSpatial audio, and new listening presets, including one specifically aimed at making movie dialogue clearer, can make QuietComfort feel more versatile than ever. Even better, the battery life is reportedly unchanged. The headphones are expected to offer 24 hours of listening time with active noise cancellation enabled, with ambient noise reducing that number to 18 hours.
The biggest surprise would be what hasn’t changed
The leaked specifications are interesting, but the rumored price is what caught my attention. According to the report, Bose plans to keep the QuietComfort (2nd Gen) at $359 in the US, which is in line with the current model’s starting price despite the additional features. At a time when new tech products seem to be getting more expensive every year, holding the price down almost feels odd.
It also raises an interesting question about the QuietComfort Ultra. Many of the rumored additions have already appeared on Bose headphones, so bringing them to the cheaper model naturally narrows the gap between the two. Unless the Ultra still delivers a better listening experience, most buyers may find the regular QuietComfort a wiser purchase. Well, none of this is official yet. Bose hasn’t announced the new QuietComfort model or commented on the report, so it’s worth treating every detail with a healthy dose of skepticism until the company makes it official.