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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize comfort, active noise cancellation for frequent air travel, and are willing to invest in a premium product, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones offer excellent noise isolation, great build quality, and are optimized for both Android and Apple devices. They also have a longer battery life and feature wireless charging, suitable for hassle-free use. However, the Sennheiser HD 400S is the more budget-friendly option with very good comfort, mic quality, and sound for music, calls, and gaming. It lacks Bluetooth connectivity and active noise cancellation, making it less ideal for travel but a strong choice for wired listening at home or in quieter environments. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
- Very good for music
- Excellent for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Best in class for air travel
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 400S
- Very good for phone calls
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.3
7.1
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is very good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Gaming
9.3
8.6
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for gaming, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is very good.
Phone Calls
5.3
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
7.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is only fair.
TV and Video
9.0
7.6
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for TV and video, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Noise Reduction
9.1
5.3
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is poor.
Battery
29.0 Hours
N/A
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has 29 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser HD 400S does not have a battery.
Cost
$429
$50
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has a price of $429 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser HD 400S has very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones | Sennheiser HD 400S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$429 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | January 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.3/10 | 8.7/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 29 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 255 Grams | 213 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Christian Thomas | January 2024
"The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a credible step up from previous Bose ANC headphones, and they're built to hang tough with the competition for years into the future. No waterproofing is a bit of a letdown, but these headphones have the technical chops to make most quite happy."
Sennheiser HD 400S
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Headphone Dungeon
Jim | August 2022
"Sennheiser has done it again. The HD 400S performs well beyond its price range and is one of the better budget model headphones I’ve tried. It has very few bells and whistles and offers a simple means of listening that still delivers amazing clarity and quality. If you need a good first pair of headphones or need something that you can take out of the house, then the HD 400S is definitely for you."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones or the Sennheiser HD 400S
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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