Bose and Thom Browne Team Up on a $950 QuietComfort Headphones Special Edition
Bose has partnered with fashion house Thom Browne on a special-edition QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) finished with cashmere and white stripes, priced at $950 in the US and £760 in the UK — more than double the standard model. It goes on sale on September 28, with pre-orders already open.
The designer version carries a substantial premium over the standard QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), which sell for $449, £449 or AU$699 depending on market and finish. Bose's Australian website makes no mention of the Thom Browne edition, TechRadar reported.
The extra money buys design changes rather than different acoustics. The left ear cup carries Thom Browne's signature white stripes, and the ear cushions and headband are made from cashmere instead of the standard material. Buyers also get a protective case designed by Browne, and the finish is offered in a single colour called Smoked Pearl.
In hardware terms the headphones are otherwise similar to the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen), the flagship model that TechRadar awarded five stars. The review praised the Bose-tuned sound, spatial audio processing and noise cancellation, and singled out the comfort of the QuietComfort range, which the added cashmere is expected to only improve. The Thom Browne model should not be confused with the newer standard Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), a separate product that TechRadar rated at four stars.
TechRadar's audio editor described the designer flourishes as "delightful, I must have them," and the writer of the piece said she was already saving up for a pair. The same article noted that the Bose QuietComfort line had previously felt expensive next to its competitors, and that a version costing more than twice as much does not resolve that complaint. On that basis, the Thom Browne edition was framed as a purchase for listeners with flexible budgets, while the standard QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) was described as the better buy for anyone who does not care about the designer additions.
For context, TechRadar's current guide to noise-cancelling headphones lists the Sony WH-1000XM6 as its best overall pick, the standard Bose QuietComfort Headphones as its best mid-range option, the 1More Sonoflow Pro HQ51 as its best model under $100 or £100, and the Soundcore Q30 as its best under $60 or £50.
Bose has not published sales projections or production numbers for the Thom Browne run, and neither company has said whether the partnership will extend to other products.