Odi Productions
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Bose QuietComfort (2023) Headphones Review with comparisons vs QuietComfort Ultra 1 and 2, QC45, Sony WH-1000XM6, XM5, XM4, Apple AirPods Max 2, and Beats Studio Pro.
I’m going to do my best to share whether these headphones are worth it, and ideally who these headphones are for. I bought these headphones with my own money, and was NOT sponsored, paid, or received a free copy for review. All thoughts are my own.
I’ll be sharing my critical opinion with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, and tech journalist. I also run the RecordingNow YouTube channel with over 24,000+ subscribers and over 5 million views.
Let’s dive right in!
Bose QuietComfort (2023 Model) Headphones review in short
The Bose QuietComfort (2023 model) headphones is a noticeable improvement to the previous Bose QuietComfort 45, and is just slightly behind the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 1 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2. It is an excellent value when on sale under $200, thanks to its world-class comfort and noise cancelling performance. Competes with Sony WH-1000XM6, Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony WH-1000XM4, AirPods Max 2, Apple AirPods Max, Beats Studio Pro, Sennheiser Momentum 4, JBL Live 770NC, and Anker Soundcore Space One Pro.
Watch the Full Review on YouTube!
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Bose QuietComfort (2023) Pros and Cons
- Fun sound quality (after EQ)
- Strong noise cancelling performance
- Very comfortable and lightweight
- Excellent value on sale
- Less impressive for audiophiles
- Full retail price is less of a value
- No spatial audio
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Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Sound Quality
Important Note…
I actually think the Bose QuietComfort 2023 is the one of the better-sounding Bose right out of the box, compared to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 1st gen and previous-gen QC45.
I do think that the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 sounds great out-of-the-box as well, but does benefit from a touch of EQ like this QuietComfort 2023.
It needs the least amount of EQ to sound its best, and could be enjoyed even without any EQ. I can’t say the same for the other 2 Bose models above, which require rather extreme EQ settings to bring out their full potential.
The stock sound is very bass and treble-forward, just a bit too much to be enjoyed as an audiophile, so my focus was simply balancing out the sound.
That said, the EQ settings I share below take the QuietComfort 2023 to a new level, and we ended up with a sound that is truly an absolute pleasure to listen to. Just pure fun, even more fun than the Bose QC Ultra (despite being lesser in overall sound quality).
The Bose companion app has a customizable EQ that allows us to easily alter the sound. It’s quite limited because it only has 3 bands, but that’s enough to at least make a massive improvement in sound quality.
(The QuietComfort 2023 is not the only headphone that gets massive gains from its EQ, as the QuietComfort Ultra, QC45, and Sony XM5 also badly need EQ to unleash their full potential.)
So with that disclaimer out of the way, I’ll be reviewing the sound quality WITH the following EQ settings. I think this is fair considering EQ is using the official Bose app that is completely free.
Feel free to try this out yourself and hear the difference it makes. Personally, I believe this is how they should’ve been tuned from the factory.
Best Equalizer Settings for Bose QuietComfort (2023 Model)
- Bass: -4
- Mid: +3
- Treble: -3
Result: Vocals are much less distant. Still very bass-forward with good slam, just more controlled. Much smoother highs with most sibilance removed and smoothened out. Mids are now much more present and detailed. Overall sound is much better balanced.
Bass
Similar to the previous QC45, I think the bass is the best aspect of the QuietComfort 2023.
Out of the box, the sound is clearly bass-heavy with really fun slam, bass impact, and bass quantity.
Because this is the strongest aspect of the headphones, I EQ’d it down just a bit to keep things controlled and bring out more detail in the Mid/Treble.
Rest assured, even at -4 Bass, its still punchy, in your face, and satisfying slam.
I actually much prefer the bass on the QuietComfort 2023 to the more expensive flagship QC Ultra, the latter of which is more sub-bass focused with not as much slam or upper-bass punch.
Simply put, I think the QuietComfort 2023 is more fun to listen to for modern music than the QC Ultra due to its awesome bass response and characteristics.
Mids
The Mid-range has historically been strong for Bose products due to focusing mostly on Classical, Jazz, and maybe softer Rock music.
Those genres are pretty enjoyable out of the box for most Bose headphones, even without EQ.
But a trend I’ve noticed in more recent Bose headphones is an emphasis on chasing the more consumer-friendly sound signature by boosting the bass and treble.
Unfortunately, I think this is where they went “wrong”, as the stock tuning on these latest headphones has been terrible for modern music. Luckily, even their rudimentary 3-band EQ can make a massive difference.
One common complaint from the stock sound is vocals sounding “too distant”. I’ve remedied this with a slight boost to the Mids to really bring out that fullness and detail, giving a more vocal-forward sound which I prefer.
This was very effective in bringing out the Mids to be more in line with the other frequencies, and it proved that the stock Mids are quite enjoyable and detailed for male vocals and instruments.
They were just hiding underneath the overly-boosted bass and treble.
Treble
In my in-depth review of the previous-generation QC45, I basically roasted the Treble portion which was easily its weakest link.
The QC45 treble is ear-piercingly sibilant, which is a shame because the rest of the sound is quite good, not unlike the QuietComfort 2023 actually.
Thankfully, most of the pesky sibilance is now gone, and the Treble on the newer 2023 QuietComfort is smoother (though not as smooth as the QC Ultra).
I still had to turn down the Treble -3 on my EQ to tune out most of the sibilance, but I’m quite happy with the result. I could never rid the QC45 of all of its sibilance, so it is forever flawed.
Out of the box, these are very treble-forward, and they still are even after EQ.
The treble is “in your face” and fairly detailed, but Treble is easily the weakest aspect of the QuietComfort 2023 compared to the QC Ultra.
Which I’ll expand upon more in the Audiophile section below…
Audiophile: Soundstage, Resolution, Separation, Imaging, Timbre
In some ways the QuietComfort 2023 is a perfect consumer-friendly headphone, but falls a bit short on the more audiophile technicalities.
Listening back-to-back with Bose’s flagship QuietComfort Ultra, the Ultra is clearly more resolving, detailed without sibilance, much better separation, and a bigger soundstage with more depth.
To read online that some people actually think the QuietComfort 2023 has better sound quality than the Ultra reinforces the idea that the QuietComfort 2023 is the more consumer-friendly sound.
But for any audiophiles reading, I believe the Ultra is on another level – especially when it comes to these more nuanced details. To my ears, the difference is crystal clear and not close… *shrug*
That said – I actually do think the QuietComfort 2023 is more outright FUN to listen to than the Ultra, at least for modern music. And this is all due to a more satisfying bass slam. The perfect headphone would have the bass of the QuietComfort 2023, with the audiophile-friendly mids/treble of the Ultras.
Now, I think the QuietComfort 2023 has above average soundstage in this class, where some others can sound quite claustrophobic and flat. But it’s more width than depth.
Another mark against the QuietComfort is that the treble and female vocals especially are lacking in timbre and airiness. Yes, I am subtracting -3 Treble in my EQ, but anything above this introduces a bit of sibilance that would really ruin the sound.
Here’s a few select sound comparisons to get an idea…
vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2
The newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 is the best-sounding Bose headphone released to date.
While I actually preferred the Bose QuietComfort 2023’s stock sound profile to the QC Ultra 1, the QC Ultra 2 is tuned much better and has higher sound quality as a whole.
One area that the QuietComfort 2023 was arguably better than the QC Ultra 1 is the bass region, and this is now matched up by the QC Ultra 2.
Add in the hi-res codec support of aptX Lossless, along with Lossless audio via USB-C wired connection, and the QC Ultra 2 is in another league to the slightly-aging QuietComfort 2023.
vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra (1st Gen)
Out of the box, I surprisingly prefer the regular QuietComfort 2023 to the QC Ultra 1st Gen.
It’s simultaneously more exciting and consumer-friendly, while being less muddy due to the bloated bass of the QC Ultra 1.
Now, where the QC Ultra 1 comes alive is with custom EQ, and to a lesser extent, listening via the hi-res codec of aptX Lossless (unavailable on the QuietComfort 2023).
After applying these changes, the QC Ultra 1 elevates itself to a slight level above the QuietComfort 2023.
I still may prefer the deep sub-bass of the regular QuietComfort over the QC Ultra 1, but it’s no contest when it comes to the mids and treble.
vs Bose QuietComfort 45
The Bose QC45 has one main flaw, and it is the ear-piercing treble which is quite sibilant.
The newer QuietComfort 2023 thankfully smoothened out the stock treble to be much less harsh.
Add in custom EQ, and the QuietComfort 2023 is a much better listening experience than the QC45, and much less fatiguing.
If it wasn’t for the fatiguing treble, the QC45 actually has impressive bass that is similar to the QuietComfort 2023.
vs Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4 is a warm and musical headphone that pleases most listeners with its stock sound profile.
I think I do slightly prefer the stock tuning of the Sony XM4 over the QuietComfort 2023.
That said, after applying custom EQ to the QuietComfort 2023, I think the Bose is in a slight level above for overall sound quality.
Where the QuietComfort has the XM4 beat is in the bass region, which is much more impressive in the Bose.
vs Sony WH-1000XM5
Although I prefer the Sony XM4’s stock tuning to the XM5, the XM5 is the better-sounding headphone after custom EQ and with the hi-res codec of LDAC.
It is very close between the Sony XM5 and the Bose QuietComfort 2023, but I actually slightly prefer the Bose in both stock sound profile and after EQ.
The XM5 has a pretty underwhelming stock sound, but it does come alive with custom EQ and LDAC.
Even though the QuietComfort 2023 doesn’t support a similar hi-res codec, the sound quality matches up nicely with an even better bass.
vs Sony WH-1000XM6
While I have the QuietComfort 2023 beating the XM4 and XM5, Sony’s latest XM6 is in another tier of sound quality and competes better with the QC Ultra 1 and 2.
The XM6 sounds okay out of the box, but really comes alive with EQ and LDAC.
I also think the driver hardware is slightly superior on the XM6, as I’m just hearing a slightly higher level of fidelity over the QuietComfort 2023.
Both headphones have some of the more impressive bass responses in the class, with the XM6 being cleaner and less boomy.
vs Apple AirPods Max 2
The AirPods Max 2 is a much newer 2026 release and competes better with the Bose QC Ultra 1 and 2.
One area that the Bose QuietComfort 2023 does compete well in is the bass department, with the Bose being arguably the more impactful and deeper in sub-bass, albeit not as clean and controlled as the AirPods Max 2.
Both headphones have an energetic quality to their sound profiles due to forward treble, but the AirPods Max 2 is the more neutral and tastefully tuned, needing less EQ.
Sound Quality Score: 8.4 out of 10
Comfort
True to its namesake and history, the Bose QuietComfort series has always been insanely light and comfortable to wear for hours on end.
The QuietComfort 2023 carries on this tradition, and is the second lightest headphone tested in its class:
- Bose QuietComfort 45 – 235.4 grams
- Bose QuietComfort (2023 model) – 236.1 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM5 – 245.9 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM4 – 251.6 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM6 – 252.8 grams
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (1st gen) – 254.4 grams
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen) – 262.2 grams
- Beats Studio Pro – 268.6 grams
- Sennheiser Momentum 5 – 288.8 grams
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 292.9 grams
- Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2e – 305.2 grams
- Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION – 311.2 grams
- Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 – 312.0 grams
- Sennheiser HDB 630 – 313.4 grams
- Sonos Ace – 318.1 grams
- Bowers & Wilkins Px8 – 320.1 grams
- Bang & Olufsen H95 – 323 grams
- Focal Bathys – 350 grams
- Focal Bathys MG – 365.5 grams
- Bang & Olufsen H100 – 375.6 grams
- Dali IO-12 – 379.4 grams
- Apple AirPods Max 2 – 384.4 grams
As you can see, the QuietComfort 2023 is less than 1 gram heavier than the previous-gen QC45, an imperceptible difference really.
The QuietComfort 2023 feels (and looks) pretty much identical to the QC45, extremely comfortable and lightweight.
Being one of the lightest headphones we’ve tested in the premium wireless noise cancelling class, the QuietComfort 2023 is tied for elite comfort with the likes of the QC Ultra 1 and 2, Sonos Ace, and JBL Tour One M3 to name a few.
Comfort Score: 10 out of 10
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality
Features
The Bose “QuietComfort” (why?) officially replaced the previous-generation QC45 in September 2023.
There’s also the “big brother” flagship QuietComfort Ultra that came out shortly after in October 2023.
The QuietComfort 2023 has most of the important modern features like customizable Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes, “Immersive Audio” (Bose’s Spatial Audio implementation), USB-C charging port, multiple built-in microphones for calls, and customizable EQ with companion app.
Nearly identical to the QC45, these also fold neatly and come with a nice, very compact hardshell case. It’s clear that Bose designs their headphones and cases for frequent travelers and commuters who need to maximize bag space. I personally love this aspect.
Bose QuietComfort (new 2023) Battery Life
The Bose QuietComfort 2023 is rated at 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is slightly below average overall. This is 2 hours longer than the previous-gen QC45.
- Marshall Monitor III – 70 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE – 60 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
- Audeze Maxwell – 80 hours (no ANC included)
- Sennheiser HDB 630 – 60 hours
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 60 hours
- Sennheiser Momentum 5 – 57 hours
- Dali IO-12 – 35 hours (ANC on)
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 – 34 hours (ANC on)
- Focal Bathys MG – “Over 30 hours” (ANC on)
- Sony WH-1000XM6 – 40 hours (ANC off), 30 hours (ANC on)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) – 30 hours
- Sony WH-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM4 – 30 hours
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 and Px8 – 30 hours
- Sonos Ace – 30 hours
- Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION – 24 hours
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (1st Gen) – 24 hours
- Bose QuietComfort (2023) – 24 hours
- Bose QuietComfort 45 – 22 hours
- Apple AirPods Max 2 – 20 hours
- Apple AirPods Max – 20 hours
In my testing, I actually found the battery life to be mostly accurate, needing to charge 1-2 times per week depending on daily usage.
There are more impressive headphones when it comes to battery life, like the 60 hour Sennheiser Momentum 4, or 30 hour Sony WH-1000XM5.
Build Quality
Pretty identical to the previous QC45, the QuietComfort 2023 build quality is very solid throughout, with lots of metal underneath the plastic exterior of both the headband and hinges.
These headphones just feel very sturdy when handling.
One small caveat here is that the area around where the hinges swivel is kind of sharp and has very little clearance, so my fingers can get a little stuck/poked by this area when handling.
Also can I make a small note of appreciation for this gorgeous Cypress Green colorway?
Absolutely gorgeous, I think Bose’s styling is top-notch for the QuietComfort 2023’s various colors, and even just plain black looks so good.
Practicality
The Bose QuietComfort 2023 hits high marks for practicality, thanks to its lightweight comfort, strong noise cancelling performance, and compact travel case due to its foldable design.
I would like to see longer battery life as the 24 hour rating is now below average for the class.
And one minor nitpick would be the lack of any spatial audio like the excellent “Cinema Mode” found on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2, which is a game-changer for movies, TV, and gaming.
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality Score: 8.5 out of 10
Bose QuietComfort (2023 model) Noise Cancelling Performance
Noise cancelling is Bose’s bread-and-butter, and I find the QuietComfort 2023 to perform near equal to the QC Ultra.
Like the QC45 and QC Ultra, the QuietComfort 2023 allows you to customize 11 levels between noise cancelling and Transparency Mode.
The new addition versus the QC45 is the “Wind Block” mode that will filter out wind more effectively, very useful outside in windy conditions.
On its quietest setting, the QuietComfort 2023 is very effective at reducing outside noise, even on airplane travel with jet engine noises in the background.
For less noisy environments, I find that even halfway between noise cancelling and ambient noise can shut out the outside world with music playing.
My only wish is that the Bose app should allow you to fully turn OFF both noise cancelling and transparency modes, just like Sony and Apple offer.
Noise Cancelling Performance Score: 9.0 out of 10
Value
Currently retailing at $349 USD, the Bose QuietComfort 2023 is not cheap by any means.
At the current market price of around $249, the QuietComfort 2023 is a decent overall package due to its noise cancelling and comfort, and is a noticeable improvement over an already quite-good QC45.
Where things get exciting is if you can find the QuietComfort on sale for $179 to $199 new, or renewed for around ~$160 or below.
At those prices, only the Sennheiser Momentum 4 could hope to compete on value-per-dollar.
Value Score: 9.0 out of 10
Are the Bose QuietComfort (2023) Headphones Worth it?
Simply put, the Bose QuietComfort 2023 is one of the most complete packages in wireless noise cancelling headphones today, and is worth every penny in my book. It improves significantly upon the previous QC45’s biggest weakness, which was its sound quality, and is the best-sounding Bose headphone from the factory (before EQ). It is identical to the QC45 when it comes to Comfort and Style, which are near-perfect anyways.
I honestly would pay full retail price for these and not feel any buyer’s remorse knowing that this is truly a solid overall value with minimal flaws. Even if the more expensive QC Ultra has better audiophile-level sound quality and *very* slightly better comfort, these are more fun to listen to and I could live in blissful ignorance.
If you can find them for cheaper than retail (or renewed), that value-per-dollar goes through the roof and we have a real winner here.
Best Bose QuietComfort (2023) Alternatives
Some very Strong Alternatives in this class of noise cancelling headphones are:
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2
- Sony WH-1000XM6
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra
- Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Apple AirPods Max
- Beats Studio Pro
- Beats Solo 4
- JBL Live 770NC
- Sennheiser Accentum Plus
- Anker Soundcore Space One Pro
- Nothing Headphone 1
- Sony WH-1000XM5
- Sony WH-1000XM4
- Bowers and Wilkins Px8
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
- Sonos Ace
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
Some Relevant Comparisons in this class of noise cancelling headphones are:
- Bose QuietComfort vs QuietComfort Ultra
- Bose QuietComfort vs Sony WH-1000XM5
- Bose QuietComfort vs QuietComfort 45 (QC45)
- Beats Studio Pro vs Bose QuietComfort
- Bose QuietComfort vs Sony WH-1000XM4
I recommend you check those out next!
Lastly, if you’d like to save some money and keep supporting RecordingNOW.com’s 100% independent, unbiased reviews, do consider using some of our affiliate links below to shop and even just compare prices. We purchase all products we review with our own money to maintain the highest level of integrity, and your support goes into that, plus a continuously improving site experience.
Overall Scoring Breakdown
Sound Quality (50% of score): 8.4 / 10
Comfort (10% of score): 10 / 10
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality (10% of score): 8.5 / 10
Noise Cancelling (20% of score): 9.0 / 10
Value (10% of score): 9.0 / 10
Overall: 8.75 / 10
Order the LATEST VERSION for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Save money with RENEWED!
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
FAQ
What is the difference between Bose QuietComfort and Ultra?
Bose QuietComfort 2023 is considered the “standard” line of Bose’s noise cancelling headphones, while the QuietComfort Ultra is the more expensive, upgraded flagship model.
Can you answer calls with Bose QuietComfort?
Yes, the Bose QuietComfort headphones has multiple built-in microphones for hands-free calling.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase all of the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment. Noise cancelling performance is tested in the real-world, primarily on airplane flights, coffee shops, and walking around large metropolitan city environments.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.
Post Update History
- June 2026: Updated scores to “Version 2.0” of our Headphone Scoring System. Added long-term “1 Year Review” updates throughout post. Included comparisons to newer models including Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2, Sony WH-1000XM6, and AirPods Max 2.
- February 2025: Original publication date.
Read Next
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 Review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Review
Bose QuietComfort vs QuietComfort 45 (QC45)
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro Review
Sennheiser Accentum Plus Review
Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Sony WH-1000XM5: Which is Best?
Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Review
