The one Bose fact this page can pin to an official source: the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) "supports Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless" — Qualcomm's own sentence on its certified-product page. The first-generation QC Ultra Headphones sit on the same certified list. SBC remains the mandatory baseline every A2DP device shares, and iPhone sources offer AAC and SBC only — the standard Apple-side ceiling. The aptX lane needs a source that can send it.
Figures on this page were checked September 2026. Every table row carries its source and access date.
Codec support record
Bose's codec story is best documented on the certification side: alongside its certified list, Qualcomm keeps a per-product record — and for the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) it states, in one sentence, exactly what the headphones carry.
| Model line | Codec record | Source / as of |
|---|---|---|
| QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) | "supports Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless" — Qualcomm's sentence, verbatim | aptx.com 2nd Gen product page, 2026-09-23 |
| QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) | On Qualcomm's certified-product list for Bose | aptx.com Bose listing, 2026-09-23 |
| QC Ultra Earbuds (both gens), Ultra Open Earbuds | On the same certified list | aptx.com Bose listing, 2026-09-23 |
| Any Bose, with an iPhone source | iPhone side offers AAC and SBC only — the aptX lane stays closed | SoundGuys codec support article, 2026-09-23 |
| Universal baseline | SBC, the mandatory codec in A2DP | A2DP 1.3.2 §4.2.1, 2026-09-23 |
What certification says
The certified list for Bose runs to nine entries: both generations of the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, both generations of the QC Ultra Earbuds, the Ultra Open Earbuds, and four SoundLink speakers. The 2nd Gen over-ears carry the strongest statement Qualcomm publishes — Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless, the platform tier our aptX family profile documents as a Snapdragon Sound feature rather than a standalone codec.
The dependency travels with the benefit: aptX Lossless needs a Snapdragon Sound-capable source. Pair the same headphones to an iPhone and the aptX lane stays closed, because Apple's side of the negotiation offers AAC and SBC and nothing else. The headphones don't change; the source decides.
What this means in practice
- Snapdragon Sound phone owner: the 2nd Gen runs its certified aptX lane, Lossless tier included where the platform delivers it.
- iPhone owner: the aptX lane stays closed. That is Apple's ceiling on every headphone brand, not a Bose limitation — see our iPhone codec record.
- Comparing brands: Sony's flagship line walks the LDAC ladder, Bose's certified lane is aptX — the codecs differ while the "hi-res over Bluetooth" marketing reads the same. The per-brand records in this section exist so the difference is checkable.
Bose's own product pages are not the anchor here — the certification record is. This profile quotes the codec owner's published sentences, with dates, and leaves Bose's marketing copy to Bose.
FAQ
Yes — through the official record this page cites: Qualcomm's certified-product page states the 2nd Gen "supports Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless," and the 1st Gen appears on the same certified list.
LDAC appears nowhere in the official record this page cites. The certified lane Qualcomm documents for Bose is the aptX family; Sony's LDAC shows up in Sony's own line instead.
The aptX lane stays closed: iPhones negotiate AAC and SBC only, so the link runs on one of those two — the same ceiling every aptX-rated headphone hits on iOS.
A Snapdragon Sound-capable source. aptX Lossless is a feature of Qualcomm's Snapdragon Sound platform rather than a standalone codec page — our aptX family profile covers the dependency.
blafili B3 Bluetooth Receiver
XLR, RCA, optical and coax outputs with an OLED front panel, built on the QCC5125 + ES9018K2M platform. A wired amp or receiver, put on a wireless source.
- Qualcomm aptX product page, Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): "supports Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless." aptx.com/products/bose-quietcomfort-ultra-headphones-2nd-gen, accessed 2026-09-23
- Qualcomm aptX product listing filtered to Bose: nine entries covering QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (both generations), QC Ultra Earbuds (both generations), Ultra Open Earbuds and four SoundLink speakers. aptx.com/product-listing?brand=1076, accessed 2026-09-23
- Bluetooth SIG, A2DP 1.3.2 Section 4.2.1: SBC as the mandatory codec all A2DP devices share. bluetooth.com/specifications/specs/advanced-audio-distribution-profile-1-3-2/, accessed 2026-09-23
- SoundGuys, Bluetooth codec support for headphones: "iPhones only support the AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs." soundguys.com/bluetooth-codec-support-headphones-61989/, accessed 2026-09-23