Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 vs Sony XM6 and AirPods Max Competitors

If you’re deciding between Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2, Sony WH-1000XM6 and AirPods Max, then you’re in luck because there isn’t a wrong pick among them. Even better, each has different strengths, so which is the best depends on what you care about most: silence, sound, features or ecosystem.

The decision in brief: a quick comparison of the three

Short version: Bose gives you the most effective noise cancellation and is widely compatible with spatial audio, Sony does best on features and all-around value, while AirPods Max is the pick for Apple-first device users who appreciate minimal setup despite its aging hardware.

Noise cancellation and transparency performance compared

Bose remains the ANC benchmark. With an updated adaptive algorithm and natural-sounding ambient passthrough, QC Ultra Gen 2 attenuates low-frequency rumbles extremely well, and beats office-place racket better than rivals. Independent lab testing from the likes of RTINGS and SoundGuys consistently places Bose at or near the top when it comes to attenuation, approaching as much as 90% for steady-state noise in certain bands.

Sony’s XM6 is no slouch. It quells city noises, the hums of HVAC and even sharp transients with ease, and its adjustable 20-level Ambient Sound mode is an industry standout for transparency — you can dial in exactly how much of the outside world you want to hear. Apple’s AirPods Max do still cancel a lot of low and mid frequencies cleanly, but higher frequencies get through more than they do with Bose.

Sound quality and spatial audio across platforms

For many listeners, Sony still sets the standard for tuning: punchy (but controlled) bass, clear mids and crisp highs with LDAC support for higher-bitrate wireless on supported Android handsets. DSEE upscaling subtly restores detail on compressed tracks and 360 Reality Audio can be convincing with supported catalogs from major streaming services.

Bose pushes back with cleaner, more open sound than before, customizable EQ and aptX Adaptive for strong wireless performance on Android. Two features take it over the edge for many: USB-C lossless playback and Bose Immersive Audio, which does spatial rendering to any stereo content — not just Dolby Atmos — and forms a stable, speaker-like image even with podcasts or old MP3s.

Meanwhile, AirPods Max continue to sound great, Apple’s adaptive EQ and Personalized Spatial Audio providing pinpoint imaging and head-tracked space when you’re within Apple’s ecosystem. With the most recent update to USB-C and lossless, wired fidelity is excellent, but platform support continues to be more Apple-friendly.

Comfort and build quality during long listening

Weight matters on long flights. AirPods Max are the heaviest of the three at around 385 grams, which some users appreciate for their premium feel but others find fatiguing after long use. Sony’s XM6 and Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 are both significantly lighter and diffuse pressure much more effectively, with plush cushions and clamping forces that become background noise after hours of listening.

Battery life and charging speed, quick-charge details

Battery endurance tilts Sony. XM6 lasts up to 40 hours (approximately 30 with ANC, shaving off a few more with spatial) and charges insanely fast: an estimated three minutes gives you about three hours’ worth of playback with USB-PD charging. Bose got to around 30 hours on QC Ultra Gen 2; turn on Immersive Audio and you’re looking at a further 6–8-hour hit. A 15-minute rapid charge gives you roughly 2.5 hours.

AirPods Max are still rated at about 20 hours and a handy 5-minute quick-charge gives you around 1.5 hours of use. With all three now on USB-C, the convenience disparity has diminished but Sony still enjoys an endurance edge.

Smart features and ecosystem advantages by brand

Sony’s app ecosystem is the richest: a 10‑band EQ, Adaptive Sound Control which learns your habits, Speak-to-Chat, multipoint and strong touch controls. It’s a power user’s playpen and part of why plenty of reviews still put XM-series models near the top for feature breadth.

Bose’s tidier app promotes pragmatic features such as profiles for active noise canceling (ANC), sidetone (to make you sound clearer to yourself on calls), a responsive capacitive volume strip, dual-device pairing on Bluetooth 5.4, and quick pair via Android.

It’s less crowded, more focused. Apple doubles down on frictionless ownership: instant iCloud pairing and switching, Find My integration, rock-solid “Hey Siri” support, and the intuitive Digital Crown for volume control and playback.

Call quality and connectivity for work and travel

For voice calls in loud places, Bose has a slight advantage. With designed mic arrays and processing, voices remain intelligible with reduced wind and crowd bleed. Sony is not far behind and manages to cancel noise in cafes or on trains efficiently. In quiet rooms, AirPods Max are crisp (but not crystal) clear — they did pick up more ambient chatter outdoors than Bose.

All three support multipoint in some fashion; Bose and Sony do it cross‑platform with Bluetooth 5.4, while Apple’s magic happens during Apple-to-Apple device switching.

For Android users, Sony and Bose offer the more polished experience.

Final call: which headphones you should buy and why

Choose Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 if you value the most potent ANC, all-platform spatial audio versatility, top-notch call clarity and USB‑C lossless without getting married to a single ecosystem. They’re the most silent and most future-proof pick for mixed-device households.

If you care about the best overall feature set, top-tier sound with LDAC, great battery life and deep customization, go for Sony WH‑1000XM6. For the majority of buyers, XM6 is the best compromise between performance, convenience and price.

Choose AirPods Max if you’re all-Apple, all the time and prioritize seamlessness over everything. They continue to sound excellent and they’re deeply integrated, but they fall behind on ANC performance, battery life and cross-platform flexibility that Bose and Sony boast.

The premium headphone market continues to explode, with companies like Counterpoint Research charting double-digit sales increases for high‑end models. Of that abundant crowd, these three are the shortlist. The best pick depends on priorities — and now you have a clear idea of where each one shines.