Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa 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-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 210 g | 253 g |
| Driver size | 45 mm | 35 mm |
| Active noise cancellation | false | true |
| Spatial audio | false | true |
| Multipoint | false | true |
| Battery life | 0 h | 24 h |
Between the ATH-R70xa and QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, the ATH-R70xa comes out ahead in weight / driver size, while the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones wins on active noise cancellation / spatial audio. Overall, the ATH-R70xa scores 54.7 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 15.2 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-R70xa if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, driver size. The single most decisive one: Weight — 43.00 g less. 210 vs 253.
Pick the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones if audio quality and feature breadth (ANC, codecs, multipoint) are the lead criteria for your purchase. Its strongest claims are active noise cancellation, spatial audio, multipoint, among others. The single most decisive one: Has Active noise cancellation.
Both ship with comparable ldac, 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-R70xa or Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?
Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones leads the current Mars Score by 15.2 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-R70xa if…
Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa has the measurable edge on weight g, driver size mm.
Choose Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones if…
Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones has the measurable edge on has anc, has spatial audio, has multipoint.
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-R70xa wins
- ▲Weight — 43.00 g less. 210 vs 253.
- ▲Driver size — 28.57% more. 45 mm vs 35 mm.
Why Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones wins
- ▲Has Active noise cancellation.
- ▲Has Spatial audio.
- ▲Has Multipoint.
- ▲Battery life: 24 h vs 0 h.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Type | over-ear | over-ear |
| Weight | 210 glead | 253 g |
| Water resistance | none | none |
Audio
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 45 mmlead | 35 mm |
| Impedanceⓘ | 470 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-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Battery lifeⓘ | 0 h | 24 hlead |
| Fast chargeⓘ | false | truelead |
Connectivity
| Spec | Audio-Technica - ATH-R70xa | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Headphones |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 0 | 5.3lead |
| Multipointⓘ | false | truelead |
| 3.5mm jack | true | true |
| LDACⓘ | false | false |
| aptX HDⓘ | false | truelead |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery life, ATH-R70xa or QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?+
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones lasts 24 hours vs 0 hours.
Do ATH-R70xa or QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have active noise cancellation?+
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones has active noise cancellation; ATH-R70xa does not.
Which supports LDAC, ATH-R70xa or QuietComfort Ultra Headphones?+
Neither supports LDAC.