Is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Worth It? Cheapest in Australia 2026

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are worth it in Australia if noise cancelling and comfort matter most to you. Bose calls their noise cancelling its best and lists up to 30 hours of battery (23 with Immersive Audio on). Where they are cheapest changes week to week, so compare Bose's own store with big retailers such as JB Hi-Fi on the day, and remember Bose's 14-day price match.

Bose describes the QuietComfort Ultra as having its best noise cancelling, and this guide compares it with Sony's WH-1000XM6. Below, we cover whether the Bose is worth it, how it compares with the Sony, where to pay less for each, and which earbuds give the best value if you would rather go smaller.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you money back when you shop at partner stores, including JB Hi-Fi, Samsung and Sony. Open the store from ShopBack, check out in the same visit, and part of what you pay comes back as cash. Join ShopBack Australia for free.

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Is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra worth it, and where is it cheapest?

Yes, if you want strong noise cancelling and plush comfort for flights, commutes or open-plan offices. The cheapest place is whichever authorised seller has the lowest effective price on the day you buy. Bose sells the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) directly on its Australian store, and the model is also sold through electronics retailers.

What Bose lists for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), at the time of writing:

Feature	What Bose lists
Battery	Up to 30 hours, or 23 hours with Immersive Audio
Charging	USB-C, about 3 hours to charge
Noise cancelling	Adjustable active noise cancelling, which Bose calls its best
Audio features	CustomTune, spatialised Bose Immersive Audio, Cinema Mode
Wired listening	USB-C audio, plus a 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable in the box
Bluetooth	Version 5.4, with Snapdragon Sound
Weight	0.26 kg for the headphones

Source: Bose Australia product page for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen).

It is worth it if you fly often, work in noise, or want spatial audio for films. It may not be worth it if you mostly listen at home, where a cheaper pair will sound fine, or if you mainly want earbuds for the gym.

Bose direct vs JB Hi-Fi: what each offers

Bose's own store gives you the clearest buying protections, while retailers such as JB Hi-Fi can run their own sale prices. Bose lists these benefits of buying direct:

• A 30-day return policy on products bought from Bose, with return shipping at no cost.
• A price match promise: if you buy a new product from Bose and then find a lower price for the same product on Bose's site or through selected authorised Bose dealers, you can request a price match or refund within 14 days of purchase.
• Free standard shipping on orders of $49 or more.

Retailers such as JB Hi-Fi set their own prices, which can sit above or below Bose's on any given day. Compare both on the same day, and check the exact model name, since Bose still lists the original QuietComfort Ultra Headphones alongside the 2nd Gen.

Bose is not on ShopBack Australia at the time of writing, so for Bose's own store, compare the price only. At retailers that are on ShopBack Australia, such as JB Hi-Fi, going through ShopBack lowers the effective price, subject to the store's terms.

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What are the best noise cancelling headphones to buy in Australia?

Two flagship over-ear models worth weighing up are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) and the Sony WH-1000XM6. Both are strong choices, and the right one depends on fit, the phone you use and the features you care about. Here is how the makers' own figures compare:

	Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)	Sony WH-1000XM6
Battery, noise cancelling on	Up to 30 hours (23 with Immersive Audio)	Up to 30 hours over AAC, 26 hours over LDAC
Battery, noise cancelling off	Not listed separately	Up to 40 hours over AAC, 36 hours over LDAC
Standout features	CustomTune, Immersive Audio, Cinema Mode	Automatic noise cancelling optimisation, LDAC, multipoint
Wired option	USB-C audio and 3.5 mm cable	Supplied headphone cable

Sources: Bose Australia product page; Sony WH-1000XM6 Help Guide.

How to choose between them:

• Try them on if you can. Comfort decides whether you will wear them on a long flight.
• Match your phone. Sony lists support for the LDAC codec as well as AAC; check which codecs your phone supports.
• Pick the features you will use. Bose leans into spatial audio and its Cinema Mode; Sony offers automatic noise cancelling optimisation and audio switching between devices.

Other headphone and earbud brands with stores on ShopBack Australia include JBL Australia and Samsung.

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Where can I buy the Sony WH-1000XM6 for less in Australia?

Compare Sony's own Australian online store with big electronics retailers such as JB Hi-Fi on the same day, check the seller is authorised by Sony Australia, and go through ShopBack before you pay. Both Sony and JB Hi-Fi are on ShopBack Australia.

Sony vs JB Hi-Fi for the WH-1000XM6:

Where	What to know
Sony's own store	Sony's ShopBack page lists purchases from eBay, Amazon, parallel import stores and other resellers not authorised by Sony Australia as not eligible
JB Hi-Fi	JB Hi-Fi's ShopBack page covers online orders, and lists pre-orders, in-store purchases and marketplace sellers as not eligible at the time of writing

Use the four-step routine. Step 1: compare prices. Step 2: look for a promo code. Step 3: go through ShopBack. Step 4: pay with your best rewards card. A store that looks a little dearer can work out cheaper once ShopBack's money back is counted.

A worked example

These prices are made up to show the maths, not real prices.

	Store A	Store B
Price on the day	$499	$505
On ShopBack?	No	Yes
Money back at an illustrative 1.5% rate	$0	$7.58
Effective price	$499	$497.42

The rate is illustrative only. Each store's live rate and exclusions are on its ShopBack page.

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Which wireless earbuds are the best value in Australia?

The best value earbuds are the pair whose features you will actually use, at the lowest effective price. For many buyers that means a current mid-range model, or a previous-generation flagship at a clear discount, rather than the newest flagship at full price.

What to compare on any pair:

1. Noise cancelling. Worth paying for if you commute or fly; less so for the gym.
2. Battery life per charge and with the case.
3. Phone compatibility. Some features depend on your phone's brand or the codecs it supports, so check before you buy.
4. Fit and water resistance if you train in them.
5. The effective price after ShopBack, at stores that are on it.

Brands to compare include Sony, Samsung and JBL, and Sony, Samsung and JBL Australia all have stores on ShopBack Australia. For Sony vs JBL earbuds, compare the specific models you are considering on each brand's own store and at JB Hi-Fi on the same day.

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Are Galaxy Buds 3 worth buying?

Galaxy Buds3 can still be worth buying if you find them at a clear discount and they have the features you need. At the time of writing, Samsung's Australian online store lists Galaxy Buds4 Pro, Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds3 FE among its earbuds, so the Buds3 are now a previous-generation model.

How to decide:

• If the Buds3 are heavily discounted, they can be good value next to the newer models.
• If the gap to Buds4 is small, the newer model is usually the better buy.
• If you want the lowest price from Samsung's current range, look at the Galaxy Buds3 FE.

Samsung vs JB Hi-Fi for Galaxy Buds: check Samsung's store through ShopBack and JB Hi-Fi on the same day. At the time of writing, Samsung's ShopBack page lists store promotions and promo codes not featured on ShopBack as excluded unless stated, so compare the effective price both ways.

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Best deals in Australia in 2026: when to buy

Headphones and earbuds are often discounted in Australia's big November sales. Click Frenzy's Main Event usually runs in November, and Black Friday falls on 27 November 2026. See our guide to whether Click Frenzy 2026 is worth waiting for.

Track the exact model for a few weeks before a sale, so you can tell a real price drop from a "was" price. If you buy from Bose before a sale and the price falls, Bose's 14-day price match may help.

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How ShopBack lowers the price of your headphones

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

On ShopBack Australia, the steps are:

1. Open the store's page on ShopBack, such as JB Hi-Fi, Samsung or Sony.
2. Tap through and check out online in the same visit, with an empty cart to start.
3. Withdraw the cash once the order is confirmed.

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Promo codes, price matches, rewards cards and ShopBack together

Whether these work together depends on each store's terms, so check before you combine them. At the time of writing:

• Promo codes. The ShopBack pages for Samsung, Sony and JBL list purchases made with promo codes not featured on ShopBack as excluded. Compare the price with the code against the price without it minus what ShopBack returns.
• Price matches. Bose's price match is Bose's own policy; Bose is not on ShopBack Australia at the time of writing. At retailers on ShopBack, check the store's ShopBack page for how price-beat discounts are treated.
• Rewards cards. Your card's points come from your bank, so they usually apply as normal. Check your card's terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra worth it, and where is it cheapest?

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) are worth it if noise cancelling and comfort are your priorities: Bose calls the noise cancelling its best and lists up to 30 hours of battery. The cheapest place changes week to week, so compare Bose's own store with big electronics retailers on the day, and remember Bose offers a price match within 14 days on purchases from Bose.

What are the best noise cancelling headphones to buy in Australia?

Two flagship over-ear models worth comparing are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) and the Sony WH-1000XM6. Bose lists up to 30 hours of battery, or 23 hours with Immersive Audio on. Sony lists up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on over AAC and up to 40 hours with it off. Try both for fit, then buy the one that suits your ears and phone.

Where can I buy the Sony WH-1000XM6 for less in Australia?

Compare Sony's own Australian online store with big electronics retailers such as JB Hi-Fi on the same day, and check the seller is authorised by Sony Australia. Then go through ShopBack before you pay, since both Sony and JB Hi-Fi are on ShopBack Australia. Check each store's ShopBack page for exclusions, such as pre-orders at JB Hi-Fi.

Which wireless earbuds are the best value in Australia?

The best value earbuds are the ones whose features you will use at the lowest effective price. For many buyers that means a current mid-range pair such as Samsung's Galaxy Buds3 FE or a discounted previous-generation flagship, rather than the newest model at full price. Compare noise cancelling, battery and phone compatibility, then the effective price after ShopBack.

Are Galaxy Buds 3 worth buying?

Galaxy Buds3 can still be worth buying if you find them at a clear discount and they have the features you need. At the time of writing, Samsung's Australian online store lists Galaxy Buds4 Pro, Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds3 FE among its earbuds, so the Buds3 are now a previous-generation model. Compare a discounted Buds3 against Buds3 FE and Buds4 before you buy.

Is it cheaper to buy Bose headphones from Bose or JB Hi-Fi?

Neither is cheaper every week. Bose's own store offers a 30-day return policy, free standard shipping on orders of $49 or more and a price match within 14 days of purchase if Bose or selected authorised Bose dealers sell the same product for less. Compare the price on the day, and count what ShopBack returns at stores that are on it.

Is Bose on ShopBack Australia?

Not at the time of writing: the Bose store is not currently available to shop through ShopBack Australia, so compare Bose's own price directly. Electronics retailers that are on ShopBack Australia, such as JB Hi-Fi, are where going through ShopBack can lower the effective price of headphones, subject to each store's exclusions.

When are noise cancelling headphones cheapest in Australia?

Headphones are often discounted in big November sales. Click Frenzy's Main Event usually runs in November, and Black Friday falls on 27 November 2026. Track the price of the exact model for a few weeks before, so you know whether a sale price is a real drop.

How does ShopBack lower the price of headphones?

Going through ShopBack gets you a cash rebate on the same order, at the same store. Open the store's page on ShopBack Australia, such as JB Hi-Fi, Samsung or Sony, tap through and check out in the same visit. Once the order is confirmed, part of what you paid comes back as cash, so a store that looks a little dearer can work out cheaper.

Can I use a promo code and ShopBack on the same headphones order?

It depends on the store. At the time of writing, the ShopBack pages for Samsung, Sony and JBL list purchases made with promo codes not featured on ShopBack as excluded. Work out both routes, the price with the code and the price without it minus what ShopBack returns, and pick the lower one.

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Key takeaways

• Bose lists up to 30 hours of battery for the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen), and calls its noise cancelling its best.
• Bose direct offers 30-day returns and a 14-day price match; Bose is not on ShopBack Australia at the time of writing.
• Sony lists up to 30 hours with noise cancelling on (AAC) for the WH-1000XM6; Sony and JB Hi-Fi are on ShopBack Australia.
• Galaxy Buds3 are now a previous-generation model; buy them only at a clear discount.
• Compare prices, look for a promo code, go through ShopBack, then pay with your best rewards card.

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Disclaimer

The views in this article are those of the author. Product features, prices, model ranges, return policies and price match terms are set by each brand and retailer and change often; check the store before you buy. Prices in the worked examples are illustrative. Rates and exclusions on ShopBack vary by store and over time and are shown on each store's ShopBack page.

This article is general information only and is not financial advice.