Spatial audio is often treated as a velvet rope around a brand’s most expensive headphones. The Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) pull it into the model designed for daily use, while keeping the folding form and physical controls that made QuietComfort a travel staple.

TrueSpatial Technology enables three Immersive Audio modes previously limited to the QuietComfort Ultra series. Still mode fixes the virtual soundstage in place as the listener turns their head, while Motion mode allows it to follow head movement. Cinema mode spatializes background audio and effects while keeping dialogue clear and centered. Bose has also added wired USB-C playback at up to 24-bit/48 kHz for lossless listening from compatible sources.

The active noise-cancellation system receives more than a software rebrand. Six microphones work with new adaptive feedforward controls to compensate for seal gaps created by glasses, hair, or hats. In Aware mode, an updated ActiveSense system applies noise cancellation more gradually when sudden sounds interrupt the environment.

Bose has reshaped the earcups into a slimmer oval profile, widened the adjustable headband sliders, and added softer synthetic-leather cushioning. Physical playback and mode controls remain, joined by Bluetooth 5.4, multipoint connectivity, and Google Fast Pair. Battery life reaches 24 hours with standard listening or 18 hours with Immersive Audio enabled. The company’s recent QuietComfort earbuds show the same preference for comfort over visual theater.

Preorders open August 8, with shipping beginning August 13. The headphones cost $359 in Black and White Smoke, plus limited-edition Eucalyptus Green, Dewdrop Mint, and Rosewood Mauve.