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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize noise isolation and use during exercise, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds with active noise cancelling are a great choice but come at a premium price. They are also highly portable, making them well-suited for travel. However, if you're looking for headphones within a budget, the Sennheiser HD 400S offers good overall sound quality and superior microphone quality, making them suitable for calls and meetings. They also have a detachable cable which can be useful for wired connections, but they lack active noise cancellation, and their bulkier design may not be as convenient for exercise or travel. 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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for music
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sennheiser HD 400S
- Very good for phone calls
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.6
7.1
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Phone Calls
5.1
8.2
The Sennheiser HD 400S is very good for phone calls, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
7.6
The Sennheiser HD 400S is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
TV and Video
8.1
7.6
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is good.
Noise Reduction
8.9
5.3
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser HD 400S is poor.
Battery
6.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser HD 400S does not have a battery.
Cost
$249
$50
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the Sennheiser HD 400S costs $50.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the Sennheiser HD 400S has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
8.8
8.6
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Sennheiser HD 400S are both very good for gaming.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the Sennheiser HD 400S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | Sennheiser HD 400S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$249 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | January 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.7/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 8.7/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6.5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.9/10 | 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 | 6.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.7 Grams | 213 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 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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