Apple AirPods Pro 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: Which Second-Gen Earphones Are Best?

pcmag.com:

Apple and Bose both just announced their new noise-cancelling true wireless earphones, and while they look very different, their features and functionality are actually quite similar. Both the second-gen AirPods Pro from Apple and the QuietComfort Earbuds II from Bose have active noise cancellation (ANC), and analyze your ears to provide the most effective distraction-blocking experience. They're also relatively pricey at $249 and $299, respectively.

Both pairs are sequels to highly recommended Editors' Choice award winners, the original AirPods Pro and QuietComfort Earbuds. We can't say for sure which pair is better until we put them to the test, but for now we can asses how they "sound" on paper.

This is the most important aspect for earphones, and while arguments can be made about accuracy and response, it's also the most subjective aspect of the testing experinence.

Both the original AirPods Pro and QuietComfort Earbuds sound excellent, though neither will please audio purists, as neither delivers a flat sound signature free of boosting. We expect similar performance from their successors, though each model has the benefit of a few more years of audio engineering from their respective designers.

Which pair sounds better will depend on their drivers, tuning, how they fit in your ears, and, of course, a little bit of subjectivity.

Bose has been in the ANC business for decades, while Apple is a relative newcomer. That said, both the AirPods Pro and the AirPods Max have really impressed us with their ability to tamp down outside noise. Apple claims the second-generation AirPods Pro offer double the noise cancellation capabilities over the previous model, which should automatically put them near the top of the class.