The catch
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
A touch strip handles volume. USB input is capped at 16-bit 44.1 or 48 kHz, and analog playback is not passive.
Side by side
Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 vs Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Compared: Px7 uses one port, Bose can charge during analog
Quick verdict
Bose Ultra 2 is the pick if you want a folding travel frame, analog listening while USB power is plugged in, or TV volume of its own through a compatible Bose Smart Soundbar. Px7 S3 is the pick for physical volume buttons and USB playback up to 24-bit 96 kHz from a compatible source. Analog listening needs power on both. Because Px7 S3’s analog cable takes up its USB-C port, charge it before that session.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
The analog cable may take up the port you need to keep listening
On a long trip, the supplied USB-C-to-3.5 mm cable of Px7 S3 uses the same headphone socket as its charger. Its manual also requires enough battery and power-on for analog listening, so you cannot just add the ordinary charging cable next to that analog cable. Bose has a separate analog socket and explicitly allows USB power during analog use. If your seat has analog audio and you carry a compatible power source, Bose documents the more forgiving setup. Pack both cables. A USB audio source is a different route, one that lets Px7 play and charge together.
Where this comes from
Physical port occupancy paired with powered analog requirements. It assumes no unapproved splitter, third-party adapter or battery-runtime extension.
The catch
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
The supplied analog cable takes up the USB-C port and so shuts off the ordinary charging path during that session. Analog playback also turns off the volume and play/pause buttons.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Why pick it
- Analog audio has to keep going while USB power is connected, and Bose documents using those separate connections together.
- Your setup includes a compatible Bose Smart Soundbar, and you want headphone volume and room volume kept apart through SimpleSync.
- The catch
- A touch strip handles volume. USB input is capped at 16-bit 44.1 or 48 kHz, and analog playback is not passive.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
- Why pick it
- You like physical volume buttons and want USB playback of up to 24-bit 96 kHz from a compatible source.
- You are fine with an analog cable that occupies the charging port and needs a charged, powered-on headphone.
- The catch
- The supplied analog cable takes up the USB-C port and so shuts off the ordinary charging path during that session. Analog playback also turns off the volume and play/pause buttons.
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What this page compares
Bose Ultra 2 and Bowers Px7 S3 for travel, a shared TV and wired listening. See how they differ on charging during AUX use, USB limits and controls you can find by touch.
For the same commuter or home listener, these premium over-ear ANC headphones are realistic alternatives. The choice comes down to connection details and daily handling and not to any claim that one driver specification guarantees better sound.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
Use an analog seat connection with USB power supplied
Simultaneous use is documented for Bose. The supplied analog cable of Px7 takes up its USB-C charging socket.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Better fit
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
- Caution
Control volume with physical buttons over Bluetooth
Buttons come with Px7, while Bose has a touch strip. In analog mode the Px7 advantage does not apply.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Caution
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
- Better fit
Send audio at a supported 24-bit 96 kHz over USB
That input is accepted by Px7, whereas Bose accepts 16-bit 44.1/48 kHz. It guarantees nothing about audible quality.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Caution
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
- Better fit
Listen to TV audio at separate volumes with a compatible Bose Smart Soundbar
Through SimpleSync, Bose documents this. Any other source arrangement needs a compatibility check of its own.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Better fit
- Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
- Depends
In practice
Differences you will notice
The analog cable may take up the port you need to keep listening
On a long trip, the supplied USB-C-to-3.5 mm cable of Px7 S3 uses the same headphone socket as its charger. Its manual also requires enough battery and power-on for analog listening, so you cannot just add the ordinary charging cable next to that analog cable. Bose has a separate analog socket and explicitly allows USB power during analog use. If your seat has analog audio and you carry a compatible power source, Bose documents the more forgiving setup. Pack both cables. A USB audio source is a different route, one that lets Px7 play and charge together.
How we worked this out
Physical port occupancy paired with powered analog requirements. It assumes no unapproved splitter, third-party adapter or battery-runtime extension.
Tactile controls help on a commute and then vanish in analog mode on Px7
If swiping an earcup to change volume annoys you, the physical buttons on Px7 S3 are a practical everyday reason to pick it. Keep the connection mode in mind. Bowers says the volume and play/pause buttons do not work over the analog interface, so those controls fall to the source. Its Quick Action button can cycle noise control or serve as the voice-assistant shortcut, depending on your app setting. If you often switch between a phone and an aircraft socket, choose based on the whole routine and do not assume the button layout behaves the same everywhere.
How we worked this out
Control mapping and analog-mode restrictions set against switching sources. It makes no claim about gloves, impairment, error rate or accessibility certification.
A shared living room and a high-resolution desk call for different connection priorities
With a compatible Bose Smart Soundbar, Ultra 2 can keep room volume and headphone volume independent. That can end a disagreement over TV volume with no change to the soundbar. At a USB desk, Px7 S3 takes input up to 24-bit 96 kHz instead, above the 16-bit 44.1/48 kHz limit on Bose. Pick it for an actual source requirement and not for a promised audible improvement. Px7 disconnects Bluetooth in USB mode, so its two-device wireless support does not establish simultaneous wired music and phone calls.
How we worked this out
Two concrete source requirements checked against documented compatibility and mode limits. No winner on higher-resolution sound quality or TV latency is assumed.
Plug in your setup
Which headphones suit the way you listen?
Start with how you listen. Charging over USB is not the same as playing audio over USB, and some headphones need power even on a cable. These answers are placeholders until you apply your own.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Passes these checksPlays over Bluetooth.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
Passes these checksPlays over Bluetooth.
Battery figures are maker claims for the stated mode. They do not reflect measured travel time. Volume, codec, calls and battery age all change runtime. Closed earcups can still leak some sound. Weight alone does not predict comfort. USB audio needs a compatible source and cable. This check does not judge sound quality, mic quality or amplifier power.
Option A
Bose, QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Analog audio has to keep going while USB power is connected, and Bose documents using those separate connections together.
- Best for
- Analog audio has to keep going while USB power is connected, and Bose documents using those separate connections together.
Facts we checked
- Analog input and charging: Separate 2.5 mm audio input and USB-C power. Concurrent use documented
- Analog without battery power: Not supported
- Digital USB input: 16-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz
- Volume controls: Capacitive volume strip
Option B
Bowers & Wilkins, Px7 S3
Px7 S3
You like physical volume buttons and want USB playback of up to 24-bit 96 kHz from a compatible source.
- Best for
- You like physical volume buttons and want USB playback of up to 24-bit 96 kHz from a compatible source.
Facts we checked
- Analog input and charging: Supplied analog cable connects to the headphone USB-C port
- Analog without battery power: Not supported
- Digital USB input: Up to 24-bit, 96 kHz
- Volume controls: Physical volume buttons, inactive with the analog interface
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analog input and charging | Separate 2.5 mm audio input and USB-C power. Concurrent use documented | Supplied analog cable connects to the headphone USB-C port | The analog session on Bose can stay powered. That audio cable takes up the normal charging socket on Px7. |
| Analog without battery power | Not supported | Not supported | An included analog cable does not make either one a passive backup. |
| Digital USB input | 16-bit, 44.1 or 48 kHz | Up to 24-bit, 96 kHz | A higher-resolution input is accepted by Px7. That is no listening-test verdict. |
| Volume controls | Capacitive volume strip | Physical volume buttons, inactive with the analog interface | Preferring buttons pays off only in the modes where those buttons work. |
| Bluetooth during USB | Documented switching between USB and Bluetooth | USB connection automatically disconnects Bluetooth devices | Two-device Bluetooth support should not be taken as automatic phone-call mixing during USB playback. |
| Private TV volume | Independent volume with a compatible Bose Smart Soundbar via SimpleSync | Source-dependent Bluetooth or wired connection | Look at your current TV equipment before counting either as a complete shared-room solution. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Compatible Bose equipment is needed for the separate-TV-volume benefit. Not every television connection offers it.
With Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
- The physical controls are an advantage in supported modes and not in every mode. Setting the Quick Action button to voice assistant also changes its noise-control shortcut.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
Analog travel audio has to keep playing while USB power is on hand
Go with Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen). Separate sockets are kept on Bose, which also documents the concurrent-power route.
Your priorities are physical Bluetooth controls and high-resolution USB input
Go with Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. Those specific requirements are met by Px7. Its analog mode still needs power and turns off those volume controls.
Decision guide
Before you buy
A wired backup for travel shouldn’t cost you easy charging. On Bose, the analog and charging sockets are separate. Px7 S3 sends the supplied analog cable into its USB-C socket, which ties up the charging connection.
What this page can’t tell you
- We claim no comparative result on ANC, tonal preference, call isolation or comfort. Battery-free analog playback is not verified for either pair.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the headphones we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) |
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| Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
Analog audio has to keep going while USB power is connected, and Bose documents using those separate connections together.
Your setup includes a compatible Bose Smart Soundbar, and you want headphone volume and room volume kept apart through SimpleSync.
See price & reviews on AmazonBowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
You like physical volume buttons and want USB playback of up to 24-bit 96 kHz from a compatible source.
You are fine with an analog cable that occupies the charging port and needs a charged, powered-on headphone.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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