Price: One Costs a Lot More
Bose and Sony raised the prices of their premium headphones over the past year. Apple didn’t, but that doesn’t mean Apple’s price is lower. The QuietComfort Ultras cost $499, up from $429 for the previous generation. Similarly, Sony increased the price of its WH-1000XM6 headphones from $429.99 to $449.99 when compared with the older pair.
With Bose and Sony essentially at the same price, the AirPods Max 2 are far and away the costliest at $549—the same price as the original pair. That extra $100 might be all you need to know.
Winner: Tie (Bose, Sony)
Where to Buy These Top Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Each of these headphones takes a different design approach. The Sony XM6s look a lot like the previous-gen XM5s, with matte plastic materials that keep the build lightweight and functional. There are a few color options (Black, Silver, Midnight Blue, and Sand Pink), and Sony has reintroduced a foldable design for better portability. They look a bit blocky, but in person, the build quality feels great. Bose’s QuietComforts fold up even tighter, which makes them the most portable option here. They’ve got glossy metal accents and come in Black, Lunar Blue, Plum, and White Smoke. These headphones have modern designs, but they don’t necessarily stand out in a crowd.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
The AirPods Max 2 design exists on a higher plane. The full metallic build gives them an unmistakably premium feel, and the removable earcups are a nice touch. Apple offers the widest color selection, too—Blue, Midnight, Orange, Purple, and Starlight. There’s something timeless about the design’s cleanliness and simplicity, even though Apple hasn’t changed the appearance at all from the original AirPods Max. The trade-offs? The Max 2s are noticeably heavier thanks to all that metal, and they don’t fold up for easier traveling. Purely on style, they’re the most distinctive and high-quality of the three. The Digital Crown dial remains one of the best control mechanisms you’ll find on any headphones; volume and playback adjustments feel precise and satisfying.
Winner: Apple AirPods Max 2
Comfort: Weight Matters
You’d expect the heavy metal build of the Max 2 to be a comfort problem—and it is, but perhaps not as much as you might think. Apple has done a commendable job spreading the weight across the mesh headband, and the plush earcups don’t clamp down too hard. Still, you feel the Max 2s on your head in a way that lighter competitors avoid. They are comfortable to wear, but the weight never fully disappears. It’s particularly noticeable if you move around.
The Sony XM6s and Bose QuietComforts are more comfortable. Sony’s headphones offer a more secure fit that feels completely stable during movement. Of the three, though, Bose headphones take the comfort crown thanks to their lower clamp force and thicker padding, making them the best choice for long listening sessions. Both the Bose and Sony weigh about the same (around 9 ounces), significantly less than the AirPods Max 2 (13.6 ounces). If extended comfort is a top priority, the Bose cans are your best bet for long flights and extended listening, while Apple’s weighty Max 2s are more likely to cause fatigue.
Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Cases and Cables: Compact Is Key
Unfortunately, Apple has stuck with the meme-worthy rubber Smart Case, which is little more than a soft cover for the earcups that offers little in the way of real protection. You also get a high-quality USB-C cable that doubles as a wired audio cable. Want to use a 3.5mm source? You’ll need to buy Apple’s separate USB-C-to-3.5mm cable. A proper hard case that fully protects this pricey investment, complete with room for cables, would go a long way here.
Both the Bose and Sony headphones come with a clamshell hard case and all the cables you need for charging and wired listening. Each includes a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable, while Bose ships a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable for its smaller input port, and Sony includes a standard 3.5mm cable. Sony’s case has a pleasing magnetic clasp instead of a zipper; the Bose case is smaller and more compact, matching the headphones’ tighter, closed dimensions. The smaller case and wires give Bose the portability advantage.
Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Bluetooth and Connectivity: Codecs and iCloud
All three headphones support the basic AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs. That’s the end of the list for the AirPods Max 2, though. The QuietComfort Ultras add AptX Adaptive, which works with compatible Snapdragon-powered phones. And in classic Sony fashion, the XM6s include LDAC, which is compatible with most modern Android phones and supports high-quality audio streaming over Bluetooth. All three headphones support USB-C audio, with the AirPods Max 2 handling up to 24-bit/48kHz lossless playback over a wired USB-C connection.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Bose and Sony support Bluetooth multipoint, letting you connect the Ultras and XM6s to two devices at once. The AirPods Max 2 skip traditional multipoint, but they get something arguably better. If you’re in the Apple ecosystem, the Max 2s can seamlessly switch between your iPhone, iPad, and MacBook as long as you’re signed in to the same iCloud account on all three. Since you’re not limited to just two devices, this is more versatile than multipoint, as long as you’re all-in on Apple products.
Sony takes the codec win since LDAC supports more phones than AptX Adaptive, while Apple wins for device-switching versatility (provided you use Apple devices).
Winner: Tie (Sony and Apple)
Battery Life: Bose and Sony Beat Apple
None of these headphones offers class-leading battery life, but there are some differences worth calling out. The AirPods Max 2 comes in last at 20 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation enabled. Making matters worse, if you don’t put them in their case when you take them off (which puts them in deep sleep), actual listening time dips below that number. Anecdotally, I find the battery depletes quickly (less than 20 hours) under heavy use. The Bose QuietComforts and Sony XM6s both offer 30 hours of battery life with ANC on.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Sony charges the fastest of the three. Plugging them in for 3 minutes provides up to 3 hours of listening. The Bose headphones need to be plugged in for 15 minutes to provide 3 hours of listening. Plugging the AirPods in for 5 minutes gives you 1.5 hours of listening time.
Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
Mobile App: Customization Wins Out
The app experience differs significantly. The AirPods Max 2s take the most bare-bones approach. There’s no dedicated app; instead, all the settings live in iOS Settings, where you can tweak noise modes, enable automatic head detection, and adjust Spatial Audio preferences. Some settings are also accessible through Control Center. The integration is seamless if you’re an Apple user, but you won’t find a traditional EQ, which limits sound customization.
Bose’s app is pared back and easy to navigate. From the main screen, you can access noise modes, Bluetooth settings, and button shortcuts, plus a basic EQ. That EQ is simplistic to a fault—you can adjust broad bass, mid, and treble sliders with no frequency labels, so fine-tuning is limited.
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Sony’s Sound Connect app is more complex than the Bose app, but it includes far more settings. For example, you can configure noise modes, button shortcuts, and location-based noise profiles. The real standout is a comprehensive 10-band EQ with bands ranging from 31Hz to 16kHz. It takes a bit of time to navigate, but the level of customization gives Sony the win. If you like to dial in your own sound, Sony’s app is in a different league entirely.
Winner: Sony WH-1000XM6
Noise Cancellation: The Closest It’s Ever Been
This is one of the most contested categories, and the answer isn’t as clean-cut as it used to be. The AirPods Max 2 feature significantly improved ANC over the original. Apple claims its new H2 chip has better algorithms for managing the eight mics used for noise cancellation, providing 1.5x better performance. The result is AirPods that do an excellent job handling low- and lower-mid-frequency noise. On public transport, in cafes, and in other noisy locations, they deliver deep silence, coupled with effective noise reduction in consistent-level environments like on planes.
The Bose QuietComforts are particularly strong at blocking high-frequency sounds and consistent drones from things like plane engines. The downside is that Bose takes a fairly heavy-handed approach that creates a noticeable “vacuum” effect (negative pressure), which some people find uncomfortable over longer listening periods.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
Sony’s XM6 headphones take a more sophisticated, subtle approach than Bose. They outclass Bose by a bit, but they’re no longer the king of ANC; the AirPods Max 2 do a slightly better job. All three are among the best we’ve tested, and we’re splitting hairs by picking a winner.
Winner: Apple AirPods Max 2
Recommended by Our Editors
Transparency: One Is Best for Talking Heads
The AirPods Max 2 don’t just beat the others at ANC; they’re also a clear winner in transparency modes. Apple’s implementation is natural and consistent, without the hiss introduced by Bose and Sony. Apple’s transparency is also good at reproducing high frequencies, which can be difficult even for expensive headphones. That makes the AirPods Max 2 the best choice for having face-to-face conversations while wearing headphones (if you must).
Bose and Sony aren’t too far behind. Their transparency modes sound natural, but they’re not quite as refined as Apple’s. Apple also offers Adaptive Audio, which intelligently blends ANC and Transparency modes based on your surroundings, and Conversation Awareness, which pauses audio the moment you start talking.
Winner: Apple AirPods Max 2
Sound Quality: It Comes Down to Tunings and Tweakability
All three headphones sound excellent. The AirPods deliver a clean, separated sound with an emphasis on crispness, clarity, and airiness. The 40mm drivers produce deep, tight bass extension and sharp highs—the best high-end response of the three. Apple boosts the bass beyond a neutral tone, but it’s not over-the-top. The soundstage is wider and more vibrant than the competition, and vocals come through with impressive weight. The catch (again) is there’s no EQ, so you need to be happy with Apple’s tuning presets out of the box. They also support 24-bit/48kHz lossless playback over a wired USB-C connection from your iPhone, iPad, or Mac for the absolute best quality.
The Bose QuietComforts lean into a bass-rich character, too. You get soundstaging with more air and more forward vocals, plus better background detail resolution than you might expect. If you prefer a warm, engaging listen without needing to touch an EQ, Bose delivers. They’re not as clean in instrument separation as the AirPods, though, and the bass extension isn’t as deep.
(Credit: Christian de Looper)
The Sony XM6 cans offer the most neutral sound, and given their exceptional EQ, you can tweak it to sound exactly how you prefer. Out of the box, they have slightly pulled-back mids and a touch of bass boost. The soundstage is more compact than the AirPods Max 2, but the detail is impressive. The natural sound gives them a pleasant appeal.
If Spatial Audio matters to you, the AirPods Max 2 are the best of the bunch (as long as you use them with Apple devices). They can take actual surround-sound input via Dolby Atmos rather than spatialize a stereo source, which makes a significant difference for movies and TV streamed via an Apple TV.
The AirPods have the widest soundstage, and while not super neutral, I do really love their tuning. However, the Sony headphones are the most neutral of the bunch and offer greater adjustability.
Winner: Tie (Apple and Sony)
Mic Quality: The Does-It-All Option Bests the Others
The microphones on all three of these headphones are quite good—easily good enough for even your most important calls. There is, however, a clear winner: the AirPods Max 2. The AirPods offer crisp highs, good body, and the ability to capture stereo and Spatial Audio if needed. Moreover, the AirPods support Live Call Transcription, allowing you to speak with someone who uses a different language.
Meanwhile, the microphones of the QuietComfort Ultras and the XM6s are reasonably crisp and good at cutting outside noise. They’re not quite as strong at removing background noise as the AirPods.
Winner: Apple AirPods Max 2
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