Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 vs Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 50 h | 24 h |
| Weight | 307 g | 253 g |
| Driver size | 45 mm | 35 mm |
| LDAC | true | false |
| Active noise cancellation | false | true |
| Spatial audio | false | true |
Between the ATH-M50xBT2 and QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, the ATH-M50xBT2 comes out ahead in battery life / driver size, while the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones wins on weight / active noise cancellation. Overall, the ATH-M50xBT2 scores 59.8 and the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones scores 69.9 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 10.1 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the ATH-M50xBT2 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery life, driver size, ldac. The single most decisive one: Battery life — 108.33% more. 50 h vs 24 h.
Pick the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight, active noise cancellation, spatial audio. The single most decisive one: Weight — 54.00 g less. 253 vs 307.
Both ship with comparable multipoint, water resistance, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 or Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?
Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones leads the current Mars Score by 10.1 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare driver size, battery life, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 if…
Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 has the measurable edge on battery life h, driver size mm, supports ldac.
Choose Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones if…
Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones has the measurable edge on weight g, has anc, has spatial audio.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 wins
- ▲Battery life — 108.33% more. 50 h vs 24 h.
- ▲Driver size — 28.57% more. 45 mm vs 35 mm.
- ▲Has LDAC.
Why Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones wins
- ▲Weight — 54.00 g less. 253 vs 307.
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Has Spatial audio.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 307 g | 253 glead |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mmlead | 35 mm |
| Impedanceⓘ | 38 Ωlead | 32 Ω |
| Sensitivityⓘ | 99 dB | 100 dBlead |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | false | truelead |
| Transparency mode | false | truelead |
| Spatial audioⓘ | false | truelead |
Battery
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 50 hlead | 24 h |
| Fast chargeⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-M50xBT2 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.0 | 5.3lead |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | truelead | false |
| aptX HDⓘ | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, ATH-M50xBT2 or QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?+
ATH-M50xBT2 lasts 50 hours vs 24 hours.
Do ATH-M50xBT2 or QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have active noise cancellation?+
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones has active noise cancellation; ATH-M50xBT2 does not.
Which supports LDAC, ATH-M50xBT2 or QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?+
ATH-M50xBT2 supports LDAC; QuietComfort Ultra Headphones does not.