Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones vs Sennheiser HD 550

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones

Premium build and excellent comfort, though slightly heavier than the previous generation.

• These are incredibly comfortable for multi-hour listening sessions — the protein leather earpads are plush.
• They're noticeably heavier than the QC45 — I felt it after 3+ hours of continuous wear.

Sennheiser HD 550

At roughly 237g the HD 550 is the lightest model in the HD 500 line, with reduced clamping force and breathable velour pads that make it comfortable for long listening. The catch is an underpadded headband with no central cutout, and a minimalist, all-plastic build that several reviewers find drab and a step down in heft from older Sennheisers.

• At 237g the HD 550 is the lightest headphone in the HD 500 series, and Sennheiser has reduced clamping force enough that pad pressure is barely noticeable for long sessions.
• Trusted Reviews says the HD 550 are more comfortable than they look, helped by well-judged memory-foam earpads in synthetic velour, a synthetic-leather headband and appropriate clamping force.
• The build is mostly unremarkable plastic — Trusted Reviews notes it doesn't look or feel special, and the HD 550 don't fold, with only a little hinge movement for fit.
• Headphones.com really dislikes the headband pad — no central notch and insufficient padding make the HD 550 among the less comfortable lightweight headphones tested, undercutting how light the frame is.
• Headfonics wishes Sennheiser had kept the V-shaped headband cutout from the HD 560S that relieves the central top-of-head pressure point — a cheap fix that benefits the user.
• The oval velour-cloth pads are a bit stiff at first but flatten over time, are easily removed and replaced on Sennheiser's standard ring system — a serviceable, modular design.
• Headphones.com finds the HD 550's muted grey-and-black look more dated and austere than the HD 505, noting some buyers may simply prefer the sibling's appearance.
• The Source Audio Video Design Group calls the extremely lightweight ~237g HD 550 a pleasure to wear even for longer listening sessions, made primarily of plastic-type materials.
• Open-back by design, the HD 550 leaks sound freely both ways — Trusted Reviews found the leaky nature didn't endear it to people nearby when used outside, so it is a home-listening headphone.