The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If your budget allows for a premium product and you're seeking superior overall quality, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are likely your best bet—they offer very good sound quality, excellent noise isolation, and features like AptX Adaptive codec for low latency listening and active noise cancelling, which are great for immersive music experiences and frequent air travel, though poor for calls and meetings. The Sony MDR-ZX110, while much less expensive, provides less impressive audio quality and comfort, and lacks features like wireless connectivity and noise cancelling; however, they could be suitable if you're looking for a straightforward, wired pair of headphones for casual listening at a budget-friendly price. If you're an active user who exercises or travels often and prefers wireless convenience and high-quality sound isolation, you'll appreciate the features in the Bose earbuds. If you prioritize saving money and don't need advanced features, the Sony headphones might be sufficient. 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 gaming
Very good for TV and video
Very good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sony MDR-ZX110
The Sony MDR-ZX110 has no clear advantages over the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
Key differences
Music
8.6/10
7.6/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is good.
Gaming
8.8/10
5.9/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1/10
3.0/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Sony MDR-ZX110 are both poor for phone calls, though the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0/10
4.3/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is poor.
TV and Video
8.1/10
6.9/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.9/10
5.3/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is poor.
Battery
6.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Sony MDR-ZX110 does not have a battery.
Cost
$249
$10
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the Sony MDR-ZX110 costs $10.
Build Quality
9.0/10
6.0/10
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 has only fair build quality.
"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."
"My opinion about Sony MDR ZX110 is they are the best budget headphones of Sony with top-class sound. Clear vocals, great bass, and balanced sound with low sound distortion. The treble could be sharper, but it's ok. 30 mm neodymium dynamic drivers give clear and precise audio, and an inline remote with a mic give decent call quality. Closed-Back Design also helps to improve sound performance."
Get a great deal on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the Sony MDR-ZX110
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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