When it comes to the best noise-canceling earbuds, the competition has gotten fierce. Apple, Sony, Samsung, and Google all offer excellent options, though, unsurprisingly, Bose still retains the noise-canceling crown with the latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Luckily, you can now grab the second-gen earbuds at Amazon and Best Buy for $249 ($50 off), which matches their second-best price to date.
While the QC Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) aren’t a massive step up from the first-gen model, at least visually, they make noticeable strides in both sound and call quality. They still lean a little bass-heavy, but the high-end is clear and lively, whether you’re listening to the stock sound or fine-tune your preferences using the three-band EQ located in the Bose app. They also come with a wireless charging case and continue to support Immersive Audio, which is similar to Apple’s spatial audio in that it can add greater depth when listening to select content.
The ANC tech is where the latest Ultra Earbuds truly shine, though, particularly if you’re someone who likes to adjust the intensity. The wireless earbuds feature 11 steps, from full on to full off, which you can lock in with your own presets, whether for running or your commute. They’re fantastic at drowning out low-frequency sounds and loud spikes in sound, too, even when using Bose’s helpful transparency mode (aka Aware mode), making it easy to better focus on your conversation and everything else going on around you when you need to.
