Headphones comparison · 2 products
Apple AirPods Max vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Key differences
- WeightQC Ultra (2nd Gen): 119.8 g lighter (45%)AirPods Max 384.8 g · QC Ultra (2nd Gen) 265 g
- Folds flatOnly QC Ultra (2nd Gen).AirPods Max No · QC Ultra (2nd Gen) Yes
- Battery life (ANC on)QC Ultra (2nd Gen): 3 h longer (15%)AirPods Max 20 h · QC Ultra (2nd Gen) 23 h
- aptX AdaptiveOnly QC Ultra (2nd Gen).AirPods Max No · QC Ultra (2nd Gen) Yes
- BluetoothAirPods Max 5.0 · QC Ultra (2nd Gen) 5.4
- Frequency rangeAirPods Max 48 Hz – 20 kHz · QC Ultra (2nd Gen) 20 Hz – 20 kHz
What’s the same
- Fit Over‑ear
- Active noise cancelling Yes
- Driver size 40 mm
- Spatial audio Yes
- LDAC No
- Bluetooth LE Audio No
Identical specs don’t help you choose, so “Differences only” hides them.
| Spec | AirPods Max | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit | Over‑ear | Over‑ear | Same |
| Weight | 384.8 g | 265 gLighter | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) · 119.8 g lighter (45%) |
| Folds flat | No | Yes | Only QC Ultra (2nd Gen) |
1 identical spec hidden in this section
| Spec | AirPods Max | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active noise cancelling | Yes | Yes | Same |
| Driver size | 40 mm | 40 mm | Same |
Why this matters. Driver size alone doesn’t predict sound quality; tuning and design matter more. | |||
| Frequency range | 48 Hz – 20 kHz | 20 Hz – 20 kHz | Different |
Why this matters. Most people hear roughly 20 Hz–20 kHz. Wider listed ranges mostly matter on paper. | |||
| Spatial audio | Yes | Yes | Same |
3 identical specs hidden in this section
| Spec | AirPods Max | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life (ANC on) | 20 h | 23 hLonger | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) · 3 h longer (15%) |
| Battery life (max) | 20 h | 30 hLonger | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) · 10 h longer (50%) |
| Full charge time | 2 hShorter | 3 h | AirPods Max · 1 h shorter (50%) |
| Spec | AirPods Max | QC Ultra (2nd Gen) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.4 | Different |
| LDAC | No | No | Same |
Why this matters. LDAC is a higher‑bitrate Bluetooth codec supported by many Android phones, not by iPhone. | |||
| aptX Adaptive | No | Yes | Only QC Ultra (2nd Gen) |
| Bluetooth LE Audio | No | No | Same |
| Wired listening | No | Yes | Only QC Ultra (2nd Gen) |
2 identical specs hidden in this section
How this comparison works
Every product in a category uses the same fields and units. Rows highlight a difference. A direction label such as “Lighter” or “More” appears only on fields where DuelVS’s methodology defines which way is generally preferable. Nothing here declares an overall winner.
Questions, answered from the data
- How many specs are different between AirPods Max and QC Ultra (2nd Gen)?
- Of 15 specs DuelVS lists for this comparison, 9 differ, 6 are identical.
- Which is lighter?
- QC Ultra (2nd Gen): 265 g vs 384.8 g for AirPods Max, 119.8 g lighter.
- Which lasts longer with noise cancelling on?
- QC Ultra (2nd Gen): 23 h vs 20 h for AirPods Max, 3 h longer.
- Which supports LDAC?
- Neither, in DuelVS data: both are listed at No.
- What do they have in common?
- Fit: Over‑ear; Active noise cancelling: Yes; Driver size: 40 mm; Spatial audio: Yes; LDAC: No; Bluetooth LE Audio: No.