The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) meets
the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Unmatched comfort and ANC that silences everything. We tested it head-to-head against the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ($350) across 6 key dimensions.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
“Unmatched comfort and ANC that silences everything”
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
“60-hour battery and audiophile sound at half the price”
Head-to-Head Breakdown
Strengths & Weaknesses
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Class-leading ANC blocks 87% of noise (SoundGuys lab test)
- Perfect 5/5 comfort score, spacious ear cups, low clamping force (RecordingNOW)
- Dynamic, musical sound with rich mids and excellent instrument separation (RecordingNOW)
- Lightweight at 250g with plush padding, ideal for glasses wearers (Jasper Tech)
- Cinema Mode with head-tracking for immersive spatial audio
- Audible white noise hiss when ANC is on in quiet rooms (Jasper Tech, GadgetryTech)
- Finicky touch-capacitive volume slider, easy to accidentally change volume (SoundGuys)
- Only a basic 3-band EQ, far less customizable than Sony or Sennheiser (GadgetryTech)
- Confusing single-button power/pairing design (Mike O'Brien)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
- Massive 60-hour battery life with ANC, double the competition (SoundGuys)
- Top-tier sound quality rivaling headphones twice the price (CEONTHEMAKING)
- True lossless audio via wired USB-C connection (SoundGuys)
- Rich, natural tuning with smooth treble, great out of the box (Picky Audio)
- Currently available around $200-$230 on sale, exceptional value (GadgetryTech)
- ANC rated 'Tier B', noticeably weaker than Bose and Sony for low-frequency noise (DHRME, SoundGuys)
- Tight clamping force and shallow ear cups cause pain during extended wear (DHRME, Picky Audio)
- Sennheiser's app is buggy with slow update cycles (SoundGuys)
- Touch controls on ear cups can be finicky and unreliable (Picky Audio)
The Verdict
Our Bottom Line
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 wins because it nails the two things that matter most in a noise-cancelling headphone: silencing the world and staying comfortable while doing it. SoundGuys measured its ANC at 87% noise attenuation in standardized lab tests, the highest of any headphone they tested. RecordingNOW gave it a perfect 5/5 for comfort, noting the ear cups are deep enough that your ears never touch the interior. Jasper Tech, who built a custom clamping-force rig called "Clampy," confirmed the Bose applies less pressure than any competitor while still maintaining a solid seal.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 wins because it nails the two things that matter most in a noise-cancelling headphone: silencing the world and staying comfortable while doing it. SoundGuys measured its ANC at 87% noise attenuation in standardized lab tests, the highest of any headphone they tested. RecordingNOW gave it a perfect 5/5 for comfort, noting the ear cups are deep enough that your ears never touch the interior. Jasper Tech, who built a custom clamping-force rig called "Clampy," confirmed the Bose applies less pressure than any competitor while still maintaining a solid seal.
- Frequent flyers and commuters who need elite noise cancellation
- All-day wearers and glasses-wearers who prioritize supreme comfort
- Bass lovers and movie watchers who'll enjoy Cinema Mode spatial audio
- Listeners who prefer a simple app experience over deep EQ tinkering
- Android users who want aptX Adaptive/Lossless codec support
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless makes the math hard to argue with. At its current street price of around $200-$230, you're getting a headphone that SoundGuys measured at 55 hours of battery life with ANC on, that's double what the $450 Bose and $400 Sony deliver. CEONTHEMAKING called it the "safest pick" for pure sound quality under $500, and Picky Audio declared it the best-sounding mid-range headphone without needing any EQ adjustment out of the box.
- Value-conscious buyers who want flagship sound at half the price
- Home and office users who need 60-hour battery for weekly charging
- Audio purists who want USB-C lossless wired playback
- Listeners across all music genres, natural tuning works out of the box
- Anyone who'd rather invest the $200 savings into better music or a DAC