I Tested The Airpods Max 2, Sony Xm6, And Bose Ultra 2: Why Bose Is My Top Pick

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Sony, Bose, and Apple person each released nan latest procreation of their over-ear headphones wrong nan past year. With Apple's merchandise of nan AirPods Max 2, nan trifecta is complete. If you're fresh to upgrade your over-ear headphones and are weighing your options betwixt Sony's WH-1000XM6, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen), and Apple's AirPods Max 2, you person immoderate superior decisions to make.

Also: I replaced my Sony WH-1000XM6 pinch nan AirPods Max 2 for a week - and didn't miss a beat

I've worn each three, and each has its ain group of strengths and weaknesses. Generally, Bose offers nan astir versatility, Sony offers nan astir audio customization, and Apple offers nan champion acquisition for Apple users.

If you don't person Apple devices, see yourself fortunate that your options are down to Sony and Bose. You tin find our elaborate comparison betwixt nan QC Ultra 2 and WH-1000XM6 here. If you person astatine slightest an iPhone, let's get into a three-way comparison.

Here's really to find which 1 you should buy, based connected really each exemplary excels and falls level successful nan existent world.

Specifications

You should bargain nan AirPods Max 2 if...

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1. You person an expansive Apple ecosystem

The AirPods Max 2 are champion suited for those pinch respective Apple devices, specified arsenic an iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. Each of these devices offers caller AirPods Max capabilities, specified arsenic low-latency gaming, near-real-time audio editing, and watching TV and movies successful Spatial Audio. If you often activity and play crossed respective Apple-made screens, you'll find nan astir inferior successful nan AirPods Max 2 wrong and extracurricular nan house.

Review: Apple AirPods Max 2

Though you tin link nan AirPods Max 2 to non-Apple devices via Bluetooth, you'll miss retired connected nan very features worthy $549, including Siri, Spatial Audio, Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, and more. If your only Apple instrumentality is an iPhone, but you still want AirPods, see nan AirPods Pro 3.

2. Spatial Audio is astir important to you

Apple's Personalized Spatial Audio is unmatched, while its competitors don't clasp a candle to it. The AirPods Max 2's upgraded audio capacity and processing are connected afloat show erstwhile consuming media successful Spatial Audio, pinch clear entity imaging and clarity. Apple licenses Dolby Atmos, meaning its Spatial Audio technologies tin "read" Dolby Atmos data.

Also: Do Apple's caller AirPods Max 2 hit nan AirPods Pro 3? I've tried both, here's my take

Conversely, Sony and Bose connection proprietary spatial audio formats, foregoing Dolby Atmos licensing successful favour of in-house upmixing. As a result, its spatial audio formats are hit-or-miss and not astir arsenic lively aliases realistic arsenic Apple's. However, Spatial Audio connected nan AirPods Max 2 is unavailable connected non-Apple devices.

You should bargain nan Sony WH-1000XM6 if...

Jada Jones/ZDNET

1. Customization is cardinal

Sony's WH-1000XM6 are highly customizable and feature-rich, giving users an elaborate in-app equalizer and nan expertise to set sound cancellation spot based connected location and definite behaviors. Additionally, Sony offers respective audio formats for wireless listening, including its DSEE Extreme to heighten nan value of compressed files, higher-quality LDAC and LC3 codecs, Auracast, and AAC and SBC.

Review: Sony WH-1000XM6

On nan different hand, Apple and Bose person much constricted customization options: Bose offers a constricted EQ only for bass, mids, and treble, and Apple offers EQ presets pinch an Apple Music subscription. Additionally, Apple limits users to nan AAC and SBC codecs, while Bose offers AAC, SBC, and AptX Adaptive.

2. You usage Android and Windows devices

With astir people's anchor device, arsenic successful nan instrumentality they build their individual instrumentality ecosystem around, being a smartphone, Sony's WH-1000XM6 connection nan astir inferior to Android users. 

Although Android and iOS users tin entree nan XM6's big of features, including Bluetooth Multipoint, adaptive sound cancellation, gaming mode, and more, Android users tin maximize nan XM6's compatible Bluetooth codecs.

Also: Your Sony headphones conscionable sewage a useful Bluetooth upgrade pinch nan latest package patch

Most Android phones support Sony's LDAC and Bluetooth's LC3 codecs for higher-quality wireless audio streaming. Though Samsung phones usage Qualcomm chips, Samsung does not licence AptX codecs successful favour of its proprietary codecs, and chips wrong Google Pixel phones do not support AptX. 

So, pinch Bose and Apple, astir Android users are stuck pinch SBC aliases AAC, which tin beryllium hit-or-miss connected Android.

Also, Sony caters to Android and Windows users pinch Bluetooth Multipoint, Windows Swift Pair, and Google Fast Pair. The XM6 headphones besides support caput search successful LE Audio, Gemini Live, Head Gestures, and Speak-to-Chat, mirroring Apple's Spatial Audio pinch Head Tracking, Siri Interactions, and Conversation Awareness.

You should bargain nan Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) if...

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1. Comfort is nonnegotiable

Bose did not see nan connection "comfort" successful its merchandise sanction successful vain. Bose's headphones are very comfortable, and its premium QC Ultra 2 headphones characteristic plushy, roomy earcups, a lightweight build, and a gentle, relaxed clamping force. They're easy to deterioration for hours astatine a time, making them a awesome prime for working, traveling, and commuting.

Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Conversely, I recovered nan Sony XM6 to person a tighter clamping unit that squeezed my glasses into unit points astir my ears, causing discomfort wrong nan first hr of wear. Apple's AirPods Max 2 characteristic nan aforesaid weight distribution and fresh arsenic nan first generation, and its notably weighty earcups tin origin fatigue for immoderate aft a fewer hours.

2. You person an iPhone and different non-Apple devices

If your instrumentality ecosystem's anchor is an iPhone, but you person a non-Apple desktop, laptop, tablet, aliases TV, you'll find nan astir inferior pinch Bose's premium headphones. These headphones support nan AAC codec, which is nan superior Bluetooth codec for iOS, offering higher-quality audio and powerfulness depletion than SBC.

Also: Bose's QuietComfort Ultra shows nan institution still outperforms Apple successful 1 cardinal area

Bose upgraded its second-gen over-ears pinch USB-C audio support, including 16-bit/48kHz lossless audio. If nan remainder of your instrumentality ecosystem consists of non-Apple devices, you will not suffer nan QC Ultra 2's characteristic group while connected to it, including Immersive Audio, ANC, ActiveSense, Cinema Mode, and more.

Writer's prime

Out of nan 3 flagship headphones from Apple, Sony, and Bose, I for illustration nan Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). 

I delegate each of my regular audio tasks -- chiefly consisting of hands-free telephone calls and listening to euphony while exercising -- to my AirPods Pro 3. That leaves tasks specified arsenic listening while moving and walking to my Bose QC Ultra 2, which are much comfortable to deterioration for hours than Sony's and Apple's latest headphones. 

Unlike nan AirPods Max 2, nan Bose QC Ultra 2 clasp a 3.5mm headphone jack to link to a plane's infotainment system, and dissimilar nan WH-1000XM6, nan Bose QC Ultra 2 characteristic USB-C audio to ligament to my iPhone 17.