ZDNET’s key takeaways
- An upcoming Bose firmware update brings Bluetooth LE audio to the QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
- LE Audio enables Auracast and audio streaming.
- The firmware update also brings refined USB-C audio performance.
Almost a year after the release of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2. The flagship headphones will soon support Bluetooth LE audio, enabling Auracast and audio streaming via the LC3 codec.
Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
In addition, this firmware update includes expanded USB-C audio support, which allows higher quality audio streaming during voice calls and using the headset’s voice microphone during gaming. The 10.12.12 firmware update also brings 5.1 spatial audio support for compatible Android devices.
These connectivity upgrades will be available in this week’s beta, and users can update their QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd gen) in the Bose app.
Competitive Bluetooth features
Among the premium heavy hitters – Apple, Sony, Sennheiser, and Sonos – Bose joins only Sony in offering Auracast support powered by Bluetooth’s LE Audio standard. Other brands have embraced Auracast, including JBL and Google, but these brands fall behind the so-called powerhouses in over-ear headphone performance.
Also: Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra shows the company is still outperforming Apple in one key area
Auracast support allows users to connect to Auracast audio streams in supported venues, such as theaters, churches and stadiums, to listen to theater productions, sermons or sports event commentary in real time. On a smaller scale, Auracast also allows users with a compatible phone and a pair of headphones or earphones to share audio from the phone with an unlimited number of headphones.
Along with Auracast comes the mandated LC3 Bluetooth codec, which offers higher quality audio with less power consumption than the older, widely supported SBC codec. For now, only select Android phones support LE Audio, Auracast, and the LC3 codec, meaning Android users get the most utility from these technologies.
Bose’s release notes for this 10.12.12 firmware update state that LE Audio features are limited to compatible Android and Windows devices only.
In addition to LE Audio support, Bose’s connectivity features at launch show that the headphones have hardware support for advanced Bluetooth technologies. The QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2.
Also: Bluetooth’s latest wireless audio push could solve a connectivity problem we’ve all been dealing with
Compared to its contemporaries, Bose uses some of the best attributes of Bluetooth Low Energy, including modern audio technologies, faster device connectivity and efficient power consumption. In addition, LE Audio Support further differentiates the flagship Ultra headphones from the midrange QuietComfort headphones (2.
Expanded USB-C support
Bose’s 10.12.12 firmware update also includes refined USB-C audio performance, including game/chat balance and improved voice performance when calling via web conferencing applications.
The QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2. These upgraded audio features are not supported when connected to a game console – only on PCs and mobile devices, such as tablets or smartphones.
Also: Frustrated with your Bluetooth? How multipoint works – and why it sometimes won’t
Ultimately, Bose’s new upgrades make its flagship headphones a well-rounded contender in the connectivity category, polishing its USB-C audio performance in ways Sony lacks, its LE audio features in ways Sennheiser doesn’t offer, and its compatibility with Android devices in ways Apple doesn’t.
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