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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Sound
- Design
- Isolation
- Microphone
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- Comments
Apple AirPods Max vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
Apple AirPods Max
Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless
Tested using Methodology v2.0
Updated May 16, 2025 03:54 PM
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Amazon.comTested using Methodology v1.8
Updated May 22, 2025 04:29 PM
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TypeOver-Ear
Noise CancellingYes
EnclosureClosed-Back
Bass AmountSlightly Emphasized (1 dB)
WirelessYes
TransducerDynamic
Treble AmountUnderemphasized (-4 dB)
MicYes
Sound SignatureWarm
TypeOver-ear
Noise CancellingYes
EnclosureClosed-Back
WirelessYes
TransducerDynamic
MicYes
Variants
- AirPods Max (USB-C) (Blue)
- AirPods Max (Lightning) (Green)
- AirPods Max (USB-C) (Midnight)
- AirPods Max (USB-C) (Orange)
- AirPods Max (Lightning) (Pink)
- AirPods Max (USB-C) (Purple)
- AirPods Max (Lightning) (Silver)
- AirPods Max (Lightning) (Sky Blue)
- AirPods Max (Lightning) (Space Gray)
- AirPods Max (USB-C) (Starlight)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Chilled Lilac)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Cypress Green)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Moonstone Blue)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Sandstone)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Steve Lacy)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Triple Black)
- QuietComfort Headphones (Twilight Blue)
- QuietComfort Headphones (White Smoke)
Our Verdict
Apple AirPods Max
Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless
The Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless and the Apple AirPods Max are both high-end headphones. While both offer fantastic noise isolation performance, the Bose are much more comfortable and they have a longer battery life. Thanks to their companion app, they're also more customizable, and you can pair them with up to two devices at a time. However, the Apple headphones are better built and are more integrated into the Apple ecosystem, thanks to the H1 chip.
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Blue
AirPods Max (USB-C)
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Finding storeChilled Lilac
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storeGreen
AirPods Max (Lightning)
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Finding storeCypress Green
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storeMidnight
AirPods Max (USB-C)
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Finding storeMoonstone Blue
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storeOrange
AirPods Max (USB-C)
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Finding storeSandstone
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storePink
AirPods Max (Lightning)
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Finding storeSteve Lacy
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storePurple
AirPods Max (USB-C)
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Finding storeTriple Black
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storeSilver
AirPods Max (Lightning)
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Finding storeTwilight Blue
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storeSky Blue
AirPods Max (Lightning)
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Finding storeWhite Smoke
QuietComfort Headphones
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Finding storeSpace Gray
AirPods Max (Lightning)
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Finding storeStarlight
AirPods Max (USB-C)
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Finding storeMain Differences forNeutral Sound
Neutral Sound
Threshold
Neutral Sound
7.8
Full Comparison
Sound
Sound Profile
Sound Profile
Normalization Frequency
400 Hz
1,200 Hz
Bass Amount
4.7 dB
Bass Amount
Slightly Emphasized (1 dB)
Treble Amount
-0.3 dB
Treble Amount
Underemphasized (-4 dB)
Sound Signature
Warm
Frequency Response Consistency
8.1
7.7
Consistency L
Consistency R
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.83 dB
0.45 dB
Raw Frequency Response
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
9.6
7.8
Bass Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
1.5 dB
4.9 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
20 Hz
20 Hz
Low Bass
1.72 dB
5.79 dB
Mid Bass
1.15 dB
4.39 dB
High Bass
1.49 dB
3.21 dB
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
9.1
9.5
Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
1.3 dB
0.72 dB
Low Mid
0.49 dB
0.11 dB
Mid-Mid
0.2 dB
-0.61 dB
High Mid
-1.34 dB
-0.13 dB
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
6.1
8.2
Treble Profile: Target Compliance
RMS Deviation From Target
5.14 dB
2.37 dB
Low Treble
-4.28 dB
-0.59 dB
Mid Treble
-4.58 dB
0.03 dB
High Treble
-3.65 dB
-4.36 dB
Peaks/Dips
7.9
7.7
Peaks/Dips Graph
Peaks
1.01 dB
1.27 dB
Dips
2.31 dB
1.83 dB
Stereo Mismatch
9.1
Frequency Response Mismatch
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.1 dB
1.33
Weighted Frequency Response Mismatch
0.7 dB
1.29
Weighted Phase Mismatch
0.6°
2.14
Cumulative Spectral Decay
CSD
PRTF
4.4
4.2
PRTF Accuracy (RMS Deviation)
4.28 dB
3.44 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
6.81 dB
5.99 dB
PRTF Distance
5.22 dB
3.64 dB
Openness
1.2
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.8
Harmonic Distortion
9.5
Harmonics Levels
WHD @ 94 dB SPL
0.06%
0.315
WHD @ 104 dB SPL
0.10%
0.257
Electrical Aspects
Impedance
Sensitivity @1kHz-1V
N/A
Bluetooth Max SPL
103.2 dB
Virtual Soundstage
2.9
0.0
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
No
Speaker Modeling
On/Off
No
Room Ambience
No
No
Head Tracking
On/Off
No
Virtual Surround
Spatial Audio
No
Test Settings
Firmware
6A326
1.0.6-80+f5f219b
Power
On
On
Connection
Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
Test Instrument
Audio Precision APx517B
Audio Precision APx517B
EQ
Adaptive EQ
No EQ
ANC
On
Quiet
Tip/Pad
Default
Default
Microphone
Integrated
Integrated
Imaging
8.3
Group Delay
Phase Response Mismatch
Weighted Group Delay
0.55
Weighted Phase Mismatch
0.6°
2.14
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.1 dB
1.33
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
0.7 dB
1.29
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
7.3
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.06%
0.315
WHD @ 100
0.10%
0.257
Design
Style
Design Picture 2
Type
Over-Ear
Over-ear
Enclosure
Closed-Back
Closed-Back
Wireless
Yes
Yes
Transducer
Dynamic
Dynamic
Comfort
7.0
8.5
Comfort Picture
Weight
0.85 lbs
0.52 lbs
Clamping Force
1.2 lbs
0.7 lbs
Controls
7.9
8.1
Controls Picture
OS Compatibility
iOS
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use
Great
Good
Feedback
Good
Good
Call/Music Control
Yes
Yes
Volume Control
Yes
Yes
Microphone Control
No
Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
No
Noise Cancelling Control
On/Off
On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
On/Off
Additional Controls
Voice Assistant
Voice Assistant
Breathability
Breathability After Picture
Avg.Temp.Difference
Portability
6.0
6.4
Portability Picture
L
7.8" (19.8 cm)
7.1" (18.0 cm)
W
7.5" (19.1 cm)
5.4" (13.8 cm)
H
1.7" (4.3 cm)
1.7" (4.3 cm)
Volume
99.00 in³ (1,622.31 cm³)
65.17 in³ (1,068.00 cm³)
Transmitter Required
No
No
Case
6.0
8.0
Case Picture
Type
Soft case
Hard case
L
7.9" (20.1 cm)
8.3" (21.1 cm)
W
8.5" (21.6 cm)
5.7" (14.5 cm)
H
1.7" (4.3 cm)
2.2" (5.5 cm)
Volume
114.00 in³ (1,868.12 cm³)
102.64 in³ (1,682.00 cm³)
Build Quality
8.0
7.5
Build Quality Picture
Stability
6.5
7.0
Stability Picture
Headshots 1
Angled Picture
Side Picture
Headshots 2
Front Picture
Rear Picture
Top
Top Picture
In The Box
In The Box Picture
Isolation
Noise Isolation - Full Range
9.4
9.3
Noise Isolation - Full Range Graph
Noise Cancelling
Yes
Yes
Overall Attenuation
-26.06 dB
-25.80 dB
Bass
-19.54 dB
-19.74 dB
Mid
-30.62 dB
-27.05 dB
Treble
-28.95 dB
-31.77 dB
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
9.0
9.1
Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios Graph
Airplane Noise Attenuation
-21.85 dB
-20.95 dB
Airplane Noise Isolation Audio
Office Noise Attenuation
-19.98 dB
-21.22 dB
Office Noise Isolation Audio
Street Noise Attenuation
-21.92 dB
-22.79 dB
Street Noise Isolation Audio
Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
Female Voice 1
Male Voice 1
Female Voice 2
Male Voice 2
ANC Wind Handling
ANC Wind Handling Graph
ANC Wind Noise
Leakage
7.1
6.7
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
38.88 dB
41.02 dB
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
Yes
In-Line
No
Yes
Boom
No
No
Detachable Boom
No
No
Mic
Yes
Yes
Recording Quality
6.6
7.4
Microphone Frequency Response
Recorded Speech
LFE
273 Hz
302.04 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.77 dB
2.89 dB
HFE
3,466.89 Hz
6,736.4 Hz
Weighted THD
3.025
0.773
Gain
15.85 dB
15.08 dB
Noise Handling
5.0
5.3
SpNR
9.61 dB
46.49 dB
Noise Gate
No
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
5.0
5.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
5.0
5.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample
Active Features
Battery
8.3
8.6
Battery Type
Rechargable
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
21.6 hrs
26.1 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
0.0
Total Battery Life
21.6 hrs
26.1 hrs
Charge Time
1.5 hrs
2 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Standby mode
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
Yes
No
Passive Playback
No
Yes
Charging Port
Lightning
USB-C
App Support
6.0
8.0
App Picture
App Name
iOS Interface
Bose Music
iOS
Yes
Yes
Android
No
Yes
macOS
Yes
No
Windows
No
No
Equalizer
No
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
On/Off
Adjustable
Mic Control
No
No
Room Effects
No
No
Playback Control
No
Yes
Button Mapping
No
Yes
Surround Support
Yes
No
Connectivity
Wired Connection
9.3
7.5
Cable Picture
Analog Audio
Yes
Yes
USB Audio
No
No
Detachable
Yes
Yes
Length
N/A
3.28 ft (1.00 m)
Connector
Lightning
1/16" TRRS
Latency - Analog
1.7 ms
15.8 ms
Latency - USB
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Connection
Analog
Analog
Bluetooth Connection
7.9
8.5
Bluetooth Version
5.0+H1 chip
5.1
Multi-Device Pairing
No
2 Devices
Quick Pair (Android)
No
No
Quick Pair (iOS)
Yes
No
Line Of Sight Range
328.00 ft (99.97 m)
334.65 ft (102.00 m)
Latency - SBC
185 ms
183 ms
Latency - aptX
N/A
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality)
N/A
N/A
Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency)
N/A
N/A
Latency - LDAC
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
Recorded Latency Codec
SBC
SBC
AAC Support
Yes
Yes
Wireless Connection (Dongle)
0.0
0.0
Line Of Sight Range
N/A
N/A
Latency - Dongle
N/A
N/A
Recorded Latency
N/A
N/A
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Audio + Microphone
Wired USB
No
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
Audio + Microphone
PS4 Wired USB
No
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
PS5 Analog
No
Audio + Microphone
PS5 Wired USB
No
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Audio + Microphone
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
No
Base/Dock
0.0
0.0
Type
No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
No
Line In
No
No
Line Out
No
No
Optical Input
No
No
RCA Input
No
No
Dock Charging
No
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock
No Base/Dock
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Blue
AirPods Max (USB-C)
Searching
Finding storeChilled Lilac
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storeGreen
AirPods Max (Lightning)
Searching
Finding storeCypress Green
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storeMidnight
AirPods Max (USB-C)
Searching
Finding storeMoonstone Blue
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storeOrange
AirPods Max (USB-C)
Searching
Finding storeSandstone
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storePink
AirPods Max (Lightning)
Searching
Finding storeSteve Lacy
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storePurple
AirPods Max (USB-C)
Searching
Finding storeTriple Black
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storeSilver
AirPods Max (Lightning)
Searching
Finding storeTwilight Blue
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storeSky Blue
AirPods Max (Lightning)
Searching
Finding storeWhite Smoke
QuietComfort Headphones
Searching
Finding storeSpace Gray
AirPods Max (Lightning)
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Finding storeStarlight
AirPods Max (USB-C)
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Apple AirPods Max
Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless
Comments
Apple AirPods Max vs Bose QuietComfort Headphones Wireless: Main Discussion
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