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Sony, Bose, and Apple have all released the latest generation of their over-ear headphones within the past year. With Apple’s release of the AirPods Max 2, the trifecta is complete. If you’re ready to upgrade your over-ear headphones and are weighing your options between Sony’s WH-1000XM6, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen), and Apple’s AirPods Max 2, you have some serious decisions to make.
Also: I replaced my Sony WH-1000XM6 with the AirPods Max 2 for a week – and didn’t miss a beat
I’ve worn all three, and each has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Generally, Bose offers the most versatility, Sony offers the most audio customization, and Apple offers the best experience for Apple users.
If you don’t have Apple devices, consider yourself lucky that your options are down to Sony and Bose. You can find our detailed comparison between the QC Ultra 2 and WH-1000XM6 here. If you have at least an iPhone, let’s get into a three-way comparison.
Here’s how to determine which one you should buy, based on how each model excels and falls flat in the real world.
Specifications
| Apple AirPods Max 2 | Sony WH-1000XM6 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | |
| Battery life | 20 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours |
| Wired connectivity | USB-C | 3.5mm jack | USB-C; 3.5mm jack |
| Codec support | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 | SBC, AAC, AptX Adaptive |
| Audio modes | ANC, Transparency Mode, Adaptive ANC | ANC, Ambient Sound Mode, Adaptive Sound Control | ANC, Aware Mode, ActiveSense |
| Spatial audio | Yes (Spatial Audio with Head Tracking) | Yes (360 Reality Audio) | Yes (Immersive Audio) |
| Additional features | Live Translation, Siri Interactions, Conversation Awareness, studio-quality audio recording, low-latency audio editing | Speak-to-Chat, Windows Swift Pair, Google Fast Pair, LE Audio, Head Gestures | CustomTune, auto low-power mode, Cinema Mode |
| Price | $549 | $459 | $449 |
You should buy the AirPods Max 2 if…
1. You have an expansive Apple ecosystem
The AirPods Max 2 are best suited for those with several Apple devices, such as an iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. Each of these devices offers new AirPods Max capabilities, such as low-latency gaming, near-real-time audio editing, and watching TV and movies in Spatial Audio. If you often work and play across several Apple-made screens, you’ll find the most utility in the AirPods Max 2 inside and outside the house.
Review: Apple AirPods Max 2
Though you can connect the AirPods Max 2 to non-Apple devices via Bluetooth, you’ll miss out on the very features worth $549, including Siri, Spatial Audio, Live Translation, Adaptive Audio, and more. If your only Apple device is an iPhone, but you still want AirPods, consider the AirPods Pro 3.
2. Spatial Audio is most important to you
Apple’s Personalized Spatial Audio is unmatched, while its competitors don’t hold a candle to it. The AirPods Max 2’s upgraded audio performance and processing are on full display when consuming media in Spatial Audio, with clear object imaging and clarity. Apple licenses Dolby Atmos, meaning its Spatial Audio technologies can “read” Dolby Atmos data.
Also: Do Apple’s new AirPods Max 2 beat the AirPods Pro 3? I’ve tried both, here’s my take
Conversely, Sony and Bose offer proprietary spatial audio formats, foregoing Dolby Atmos licensing in favor of in-house upmixing. As a result, its spatial audio formats are hit-or-miss and not nearly as lively or realistic as Apple’s. However, Spatial Audio on the AirPods Max 2 is unavailable on non-Apple devices.
You should buy the Sony WH-1000XM6 if…
1. Customization is key
Sony’s WH-1000XM6 are highly customizable and feature-rich, giving users an elaborate in-app equalizer and the ability to adjust noise cancellation strength based on location and certain behaviors. Additionally, Sony offers several audio formats for wireless listening, including its DSEE Extreme to enhance the quality of compressed files, higher-quality LDAC and LC3 codecs, Auracast, and AAC and SBC.
Review: Sony WH-1000XM6
On the other hand, Apple and Bose have more limited customization options: Bose offers a limited EQ only for bass, mids, and treble, and Apple offers EQ presets with an Apple Music subscription. Additionally, Apple limits users to the AAC and SBC codecs, while Bose offers AAC, SBC, and AptX Adaptive.
2. You use Android and Windows devices
With most people’s anchor device, as in the device they build their personal device ecosystem around, being a smartphone, Sony’s WH-1000XM6 offer the most utility to Android users.
Although Android and iOS users can access the XM6’s host of features, including Bluetooth Multipoint, adaptive noise cancellation, gaming mode, and more, Android users can maximize the XM6’s compatible Bluetooth codecs.
Also: Your Sony headphones just got a useful Bluetooth upgrade with the latest software patch
Most Android phones support Sony’s LDAC and Bluetooth’s LC3 codecs for higher-quality wireless audio streaming. Though Samsung phones use Qualcomm chips, Samsung does not license AptX codecs in favor of its proprietary codecs, and chips inside Google Pixel phones do not support AptX.
So, with Bose and Apple, most Android users are stuck with SBC or AAC, which can be hit-or-miss on Android.
Also, Sony caters to Android and Windows users with Bluetooth Multipoint, Windows Swift Pair, and Google Fast Pair. The XM6 headphones also support head tracking in LE Audio, Gemini Live, Head Gestures, and Speak-to-Chat, mirroring Apple’s Spatial Audio with Head Tracking, Siri Interactions, and Conversation Awareness.
You should buy the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) if…
1. Comfort is nonnegotiable
Bose did not include the word “comfort” in its product name in vain. Bose’s headphones are very comfortable, and its premium QC Ultra 2 headphones feature plushy, roomy earcups, a lightweight build, and a gentle, relaxed clamping force. They’re easy to wear for hours at a time, making them a great choice for working, traveling, and commuting.
Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Conversely, I found the Sony XM6 to have a tighter clamping force that squeezed my glasses into pressure points around my ears, causing discomfort within the first hour of wear. Apple’s AirPods Max 2 feature the same weight distribution and fit as the first generation, and its notably weighty earcups can cause fatigue for some after a few hours.
2. You have an iPhone and other non-Apple devices
If your device ecosystem’s anchor is an iPhone, but you have a non-Apple desktop, laptop, tablet, or TV, you’ll find the most utility with Bose’s premium headphones. These headphones support the AAC codec, which is the primary Bluetooth codec for iOS, offering higher-quality audio and power consumption than SBC.
Also: Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra shows the company still outperforms Apple in one key area
Bose upgraded its second-gen over-ears with USB-C audio support, including 16-bit/48kHz lossless audio. If the rest of your device ecosystem consists of non-Apple devices, you will not lose the QC Ultra 2’s feature set while connected to it, including Immersive Audio, ANC, ActiveSense, Cinema Mode, and more.
Writer’s choice
Out of the three flagship headphones from Apple, Sony, and Bose, I prefer the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).
I delegate all of my daily audio tasks — mainly consisting of hands-free phone calls and listening to music while exercising — to my AirPods Pro 3. That leaves tasks such as listening while working and traveling to my Bose QC Ultra 2, which are more comfortable to wear for hours than Sony’s and Apple’s latest headphones.
Unlike the AirPods Max 2, the Bose QC Ultra 2 retain a 3.5mm headphone jack to connect to a plane’s infotainment system, and unlike the WH-1000XM6, the Bose QC Ultra 2 feature USB-C audio to wire to my iPhone 17.