I own the Bose QC Ultra Headphone since 2023.
Let me talk of the bluetooth codecs first
Earbuds which truly support Aptx Lossless are the
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
Denon PerL Pro
Headphones which truly support Aptx Lossless are the
B&W Px7 S3
B&W Px8 S2
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Given the above conditions the Bose QC Ultra headphone is not compatible with the Samsung phone since the latter only supports LDAC.
Key Features Comparison
Many reviewers tested the Bose QC Ultra Earphone/Earbuds for music playback but how many actually tested with Aptx Lossless and FLAC lossless music to get the best sound quality out of it?
Pros
1) Light in weight.
2) Super comfort
3) Very little ear clamping force
4) Can use on long hours in the sun without much heating on the ears
5) Soft earpads and headband
6) Don't feel weighed down after many hours of wearing
6) With Aptx Lossless the music (like from YoutTube) sounds much better. With FLAC lossless music sound is superb
Cons
1) Eardpads and headband not so durable. See below pictures of peeling. In short this headphone is not suitable if you constantly sweat like on heavy workouts, running, walking under the hot sun etc
2) Low trade-in value. 10% of retail price vs Sony WH-1000XM headphone
To enjoy great music using a Samsung phone (in my case the S24U) with the Bose QC Ultra headphone one needs a BT transmitter. There are a couple in the market which supports Aptx Lossless like the
Creative BT-W6 (no android app only a desktop app)
Sennheiser BTD 700 (no android and no desktop app)
Fiio's BT11 (has an android app)
Questyle QCC Dongle Pro (has an android app). The non-Pro version do not have LDAC support
From net reviews it seems the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro is the best. IMO, having an android app is the best because one can select the different codecs from there
I have the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro (bought from Shopee) and it works great with the S24U and the Bose QC Ultra headphone. YouTube music is much better. For best result should listen with FLAC lossless music. There's no need to enable BT in the phone and the Bose app won't work since the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro is a BT device with its own app. So you'll lose the use of some features in the Bose app. If you need LDAC when connecting to a PC/laptop change the setting in the android app first before inserting into the PC/laptop. So you can change the codec setting using the android app with different devices on-the-go.
Some issues with this BT transmitter is that it's constantly turn on (i.e. consuming power) when it's inserted into the phone. Because this item is small one can easily lose it if removed from the phone. Wish that the software has a Auto/On/Off button so that the item can be inserted and left in the phone and turn off. If the phone needs charging then just remove it.
The other is the LED indicator lights. Red color for Aptx Adaptive/Aptx Lossless/LDAC. I wish they could separate into different color lights for better clarification like the Creative BT-W6
FI, the Creative BT-W6 has separate LED indicator lights for
Aptx Adaptive (High Quality - Purple)
Aptx Adaptive (Low Latency - Cyan)
Aptx Lossless (Yellow).
No support for LDAC and no android app. One can set say to Aptx Lossless using the desktop app and then insert into the Samsung phone. The downside is if need to change codec must go to the desktop app to do it.
On the website indicating compatibility devices Bose Ultra Headphone is not indicated so not sure it'll work, The Bose Ultra Earbuds is supported though.
https://us.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets/creative-bt-w6#specs
Let me talk of the bluetooth codecs first
Earbuds which truly support Aptx Lossless are the
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
Bowers & Wilkins Pi8
Denon PerL Pro
Headphones which truly support Aptx Lossless are the
B&W Px7 S3
B&W Px8 S2
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
- aptX Lossless Support: The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones do support aptX Lossless. However, this feature is only available when connected to a compatible device.
- Device Compatibility: To utilize aptX Lossless, you need a compatible Android device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 or newer processor. This ensures optimal audio quality during playback.
- aptX Adaptive: These headphones also support aptX Adaptive, which optimizes audio quality based on the connection quality. This codec is beneficial for devices certified with Snapdragon Sound.
Given the above conditions the Bose QC Ultra headphone is not compatible with the Samsung phone since the latter only supports LDAC.
Key Features Comparison
| Feature | aptX Adaptive | aptX Lossless |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Quality | Near-lossless, adapts to conditions | True lossless, CD-quality audio |
| Bitrate | Up to 420 kbps | 1,100 - 1,200 kbps |
| Latency | Low latency, suitable for gaming | Minimal latency, ideal for audiophiles |
| Dynamic Adjustment | Adjusts bitrate in real-time | Maintains high bitrate for quality |
| Use Cases | Gaming, streaming with variable quality | Music streaming for audiophiles |
Many reviewers tested the Bose QC Ultra Earphone/Earbuds for music playback but how many actually tested with Aptx Lossless and FLAC lossless music to get the best sound quality out of it?
Pros
1) Light in weight.
2) Super comfort
3) Very little ear clamping force
4) Can use on long hours in the sun without much heating on the ears
5) Soft earpads and headband
6) Don't feel weighed down after many hours of wearing
6) With Aptx Lossless the music (like from YoutTube) sounds much better. With FLAC lossless music sound is superb
Cons
1) Eardpads and headband not so durable. See below pictures of peeling. In short this headphone is not suitable if you constantly sweat like on heavy workouts, running, walking under the hot sun etc
2) Low trade-in value. 10% of retail price vs Sony WH-1000XM headphone
To enjoy great music using a Samsung phone (in my case the S24U) with the Bose QC Ultra headphone one needs a BT transmitter. There are a couple in the market which supports Aptx Lossless like the
Creative BT-W6 (no android app only a desktop app)
Sennheiser BTD 700 (no android and no desktop app)
Fiio's BT11 (has an android app)
Questyle QCC Dongle Pro (has an android app). The non-Pro version do not have LDAC support
From net reviews it seems the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro is the best. IMO, having an android app is the best because one can select the different codecs from there
I have the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro (bought from Shopee) and it works great with the S24U and the Bose QC Ultra headphone. YouTube music is much better. For best result should listen with FLAC lossless music. There's no need to enable BT in the phone and the Bose app won't work since the Questyle QCC Dongle Pro is a BT device with its own app. So you'll lose the use of some features in the Bose app. If you need LDAC when connecting to a PC/laptop change the setting in the android app first before inserting into the PC/laptop. So you can change the codec setting using the android app with different devices on-the-go.
Some issues with this BT transmitter is that it's constantly turn on (i.e. consuming power) when it's inserted into the phone. Because this item is small one can easily lose it if removed from the phone. Wish that the software has a Auto/On/Off button so that the item can be inserted and left in the phone and turn off. If the phone needs charging then just remove it.
The other is the LED indicator lights. Red color for Aptx Adaptive/Aptx Lossless/LDAC. I wish they could separate into different color lights for better clarification like the Creative BT-W6
FI, the Creative BT-W6 has separate LED indicator lights for
Aptx Adaptive (High Quality - Purple)
Aptx Adaptive (Low Latency - Cyan)
Aptx Lossless (Yellow).
No support for LDAC and no android app. One can set say to Aptx Lossless using the desktop app and then insert into the Samsung phone. The downside is if need to change codec must go to the desktop app to do it.
On the website indicating compatibility devices Bose Ultra Headphone is not indicated so not sure it'll work, The Bose Ultra Earbuds is supported though.
https://us.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets/creative-bt-w6#specs
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