What determines the outcome of a fight between two heavyweights? Especially when they can it seems evenly matched? It often comes down to the little things. A comparison between the two that highlights the not-so-obvious characteristics that may be determining factors in determining the winner.
Such a battle can be found when comparing the two best active noise-canceling champions in the field of headphones: the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Generation).
Everyone’s hearing is slightly different, so I can tell you that one cancels out certain frequencies better than another, but it doesn’t really matter if your ears don’t pick them up well anyway. Read on and I’ll explore the major and minor feature differences between them so you can make the best buying decision. for you!
In general
|
Categories |
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Generation) |
Sony WH-1000XM6 |
|---|---|---|
|
Relatedness |
Bluetooth 5.4 w/Multipoint connection |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
|
Loudspeakers |
TBD |
30 mm drivers |
|
Codec support |
SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive (Snapdragon Sound) |
SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
|
Wired support |
16-bit, 44.1 or 48kHz audio via USB-C audio, 2.5mm to 3.5mm analog aux cable |
3.5mm analog auxiliary cable |
|
Battery life |
Up to 30 hours of playback with ANC (up to 23/Immersive Audio enabled), 15-minute charge for 3 hours of playback |
Up to 30 hours of playback with ANC, 3 minutes of charging for 3 hours of playback |
|
Filling up |
USB-C |
USB-C |
|
Software support |
Android, iOS |
Android, iOS |
|
Audio adjustment |
3-band EQ (app) |
10-band EQ (app) |
|
Microphone |
10 microphones in total |
A total of 12 microphones |
|
Colors |
Black, White Mist, Desert Gold, Midnight Purple, Driftwood Sand, |
Black, Midnight Blue, Platinum Silver, Sand Pink |
|
Bundled accessories |
USB-C cable, 2.5mm to 3.5mm aux cable, hard case |
USB-A to USB-C charging cable, 3.5mm aux cable, hard case |
Create quality and convenience
The first thing you’ll notice when you unbox it is that the Bose QC Ultra (2nd Generation) case is slightly more compact than the Sony WH-1000XM6 case. It’s not a monumental difference, but it’s easily noticeable. And this turns into the headphones themselves.
While Sony has new metal hinges that allow for more compact storage than before, Bose is still mindful of how small the cake folds in its case. If they need to be “collected” and stuffed into a bag, they will be a little smaller footprint.
I appreciate the build quality of both pairs of headphones. I review many high-end headphonesand by comparison, these are “plastic”, but that’s because they’re designed for long hours of wear and tear. However, they don’t feel cheap. The springs, hinges and friction sliders all feel durable and will last over time.
Sony’s headphones feel tighter in the rotation of their hinges and the springs that press the cups against your head, while the Bose friction slider for vertical adjustments on your head has more friction, so it feels like it’ll stay in place better.
In general, I find the Bose more comfortable when left on for long periods of time due to its remarkably light compressive strength. It also means you probably won’t like these if you wear them to the gym.
On the other hand, Sony’s offering feels more locked to your head, which would make them great for workouts. I wouldn’t recommend this with either pair as they have no IP rating against water ingress. However, a quick search of Al Gore’s internet shows that there are users who have been using the previous models in the gym for years without issue. It’s hit or miss, though, so use the gym at your peril, or Check out our best headphones for the gym.
Controls
I’ve said before that I prefer mechanical controls to touch controls, but that’s more for products I’ll use regularly for workouts. Both headphones have two buttons for power, pairing, and ANC control, but Bose’s multifunction button also controls media playback and phone calls. In addition, the Bose has a volume slider that makes it easy to adjust the volume without having to acquire new muscle memory, in addition to getting used to its placement.
Sony, on the other hand, uses high-quality touch controls for media playback and phone calls, but with a caveat: they’re smarter. With Sony, you also get the option to simply nod or shake your head to answer phone calls. I prefer it to any physical interaction, especially when it works as reliably as Sony’s app.
There’s also more customization for users through Sony’s Sound Connect software. You can customize playback and ANC in the app based on geotagged locations or your activity/movement, such as walking or running.
Active noise cancellation
This is an easy one. They both have market-leading noise cancellation, but the Sony WH-1000XM6 cancels slightly more at both ends of the frequency spectrum.
The difference is small, given that most people can’t tell the difference between a mediocre MP3 and a FLAC file played through high-end headphones. Trust us. We tested this with a small sample of users through a blind “taste test”.
Sound quality
Here we are indeed to gain an advantage. I’ll summarize the difference between the sound quality of the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Generation) this way:
- Sony = warm and dark with delicious dynamics
- Bose = neutral with a bit of shimmer on top
The Sony has more presence and more weight to its sounds. They’re tuned warmer than the Bose QC Ultra 2, but both headphones do a strong job of capturing nuanced detail.
Despite these tunings, “Want more?!!!???!” By The Roots, Black Thought’s lyrics involved Sony more than Bose. This difference didn’t sound artificial or harsh, but was a byproduct of the different dynamics of the two pairs of headphones.
The Bose is more neutral and reproduces the sound closer to how it was recorded, while the Sony’s tuning gives more weight to the lows and highs. The good thing about Sony is that the Sound Connect app offers excellent EQ options via a 10-band equalizer, so you can get the XM6 sound you’re looking for.
On the other hand, if you don’t like the more neutral reproduction of the QC Ultra 2, you only have a 3-band equalizer to dial in the sound of your choice. Both headphones have preset EQ options, although the Sony offers twice as many as the Bose.
with Spotify lossless and high-quality music is a thing these days, Bose is more future-proof because it allows both audio over USB-C and 3.5 mm connections. With the Sony, you only get a 3.5mm analog audio option. When listening to the XM6, the sound is darker with the headphones off, but brighter and more energetic with them on. This DAC has a solid power output as I didn’t have to bend Fosi Audio’s excellent ZH3 headphone DAC/Amp like I did with the Bose.
The Bose QC Ultra (2nd Generation) should be turned on during wired playback and is brighter over the wire, allowing for better detail retrieval. Immersion mode with some jazz tracks makes listening even more fun.
Sounds like a winner!
It’s hard for me because I really like both headphones. I prefer the Sony’s sound profile to the Bose’s, and I also prefer its customization. With the Bose, the lighter clamping force, slightly more travel-friendly size, aesthetics and mechanical controls suit me better.
Both pairs of headphones have ANC cornered, but if you’re a frequent flyer, you’ll probably prefer the Sony over the Bose for its ability to correct for pressure differences at altitude. That said, unless you find the Sony’s compression power a bit too aggressive for those long-haul flights, the Bose is your Huckleberry.
I’d have a hard time choosing where to spend my money, but I think I’ll go with the Sony because music is the most important aspect to me and I prefer the Sony’s sound out of the box, as well as its superior smarts.
Sweet sounds and silence!
The amazing Sony WH-1000XM6 are the smartest ANC headphones you can buy right now. Geo-location based settings, 10-band EQ and a good list of offline volume controls are worth it, but those aren’t the best features! Great sound and great ANC make it hard to walk away from these headphones!
Bose
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Generation)
Sweet silence!
For excellent noise cancellation, overall sound quality, charging while listening, and USB-C audio, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Generation) ANC headphones are a tough choice!
