There are really only a few headphones that are at the top of the majority consumer market, like the AirPods Max or the Sony WH-1000XM5, and they represent some of the best headphones you can buy. Recently, a new contender entered the ring in the form of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and it’s certainly giving the other headphones a run for their money. Not only that, but there’s an excellent Memorial Day deal on them that will bring the price down to $379 from the usual $429, so you should certainly consider grabbing them.
The “comfort” in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra name isn’t just a fancy marketing term, and for those who really value comfort, the QC Ultra certainly delivers, with large plush cups and a gentle clamping force that doesn’t feel overwhelming. That’s great because the audio performance is excellent, and if you’re a fan of Bose, then you’ll be happy that the QC Ultra goes back to the older day, so Bose’s energetic high-frequencies but with a dollop of more bass performance. Essentially, if you like Bose’s audio beautification with how it handles EQ, then you’ll likely really enjoy these headphones, especially if you also appreciate the way that Sony handles audio since it’s a step in that direction as well.
When it comes to Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), the QC Ultra has dethroned all the previous headphones and is currently the best at ANC. Surprisingly, it’s even at the top of the game when it comes to transparency mode, dethroning the AirPods Max and making it sound a lot more natural than before. That said, you weirdly can’t switch ANC off entirely, which is a little bit frustrating. Also worth noting is that the battery life isn’t phenomenal compared to other headphones at this price range, with about 18-24 hours worth of charge depending on the level of ANC and the use of immersive audio.
All in all, the QC Ultra is an excellent pair of headphones if you want the best ANC and very Bose-leaning audio, and with the $50 discount from Best Buy, it’s worth taking the plunge. Even so, if you’d still rather go for one of the other high-end options, check out these other great headphone deals.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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