Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Sony WH-1000XM5: Which Is Better?
Two of the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy in the Baltics now cost almost the same. Here is how they differ.
Two of the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy in the Baltics now cost almost the same. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra and the Sony WH-1000XM5 both shut out the world and sound great doing it — but they suit different listeners. Here is how they compare.
Design and comfort
Both weigh around 250 g and wrap your ears in soft memory-foam pads you can wear for hours. The big practical difference is folding: the Bose earcups rotate and fold inward, so the case is noticeably smaller and easier to drop in a bag. The Sony cups only swivel flat, so its case is bulkier. Build quality on both is excellent.
Noise cancellation
This is where Bose has the edge. The QuietComfort Ultra delivers some of the quietest active noise cancelling on the market, especially against low rumble like planes and buses. The XM5 is not far behind and arguably handles voices and higher frequencies a touch better, plus it gives you 20 manual ANC levels and an optimiser that adapts to air pressure and fit. For pure silence, Bose; for fine control, Sony.
Sound and codecs
The Sony supports LDAC for hi-res streaming on Android, DSEE Extreme upscaling and 360 Reality Audio, and its sound is warm, punchy and fully adjustable through a graphic EQ in the app. The Bose uses aptX Adaptive on compatible phones and counters with Immersive Audio — spatial sound that widens the stage and makes music feel like it is in the room rather than your head. CustomTune also tunes the sound to the shape of your ears. Bose sounds more natural out of the box; Sony is more customisable.
Battery and calls
Sony wins on stamina: 30 hours with ANC on, versus 24 hours for Bose (and only about 18 hours if you keep Immersive Audio running). Both fast-charge in a few minutes for several hours of playback. For calls, Sony's eight-microphone system is among the best in the category, so if you take a lot of meetings on the move, it has the advantage.
Price and value
In Lithuania the Bose QuietComfort Ultra currently starts around 172 €, slightly undercutting the Sony WH-1000XM5 at about 199 €. That flips the usual story: here the Bose both isolates better and costs less.
Verdict
Choose the Bose QuietComfort Ultra if you want the quietest commute, spatial Immersive Audio and a more compact, foldable design at the lower price. Choose the Sony WH-1000XM5 if you value longer battery life, LDAC hi-res audio, the best call quality and a sound you can tune to taste. Both are top-tier — the right pick depends on how you listen. If you are curious how the newer generation stacks up, the Sony WH-1000XM6 is also worth a look.
