Bose is back with its most effective noise-cancelling headphones yet: a massive upgrade that’s smaller, sounds better, and could knock Sony out of the top spot.
The QuietComfort Earbuds II are £280 ($279 / A$430) and are at the higher end of the market, competing directly with Apple’s AirPods Pro and Sony’s WF-1000XM4.
The new headphones are 30% smaller, much lighter and more discreet than their predecessors. They have short, flat stems that stick towards your mouth, making them look a bit like old-school Bluetooth headphones.
Very comfortable and stable in the ear, they come with three-size silicone tips and three-size stabilizing wings that can be mixed and matched for the perfect fit. He Bose music app You can perform a fit test to make sure you have a good seal in the ear.
Each stick is touch sensitive for playback, noise cancellation, and slider volume controls, which all work well. Remove a button and the music stops and switches to transparency mode.
The earbuds last for about six hours of playback and magnetically clip into a flip-top case. The case can fully recharge the earphones three times. It’s much smaller and easier to store than its predecessor, but it’s still 50% bigger than the best on the market.
Specifications
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Waterproof: sweat resistant (IPX4)
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Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC
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Battery duration: 6 hours (up to 24 hours with case)
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Headphone Dimensions: 17.2×30.5×22.4mm
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Headphone Weight: 6.24g each
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Charging case dimensions: 59.4×66.3×26.7mm
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Cargo box weight: 59.8g
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Box loading: USB-C
First class noise cancellation
The headphones calibrate their sound and cancel noise to your ears every time you turn them on, play a short violin strum tone when you insert them, and use microphones to measure the shape of your ear canal.
It’s hard to tell if this makes a material difference because you can’t turn it off, but the headphones definitely sound better than their predecessors and have the most effective in-ear noise cancellation I’ve ever tested.
They drastically reduce all of the usual deep rumble, hum and roar that the Rivals handle, but they also do a much better job of reducing the mid and high tones that are the hardest for active noise canceling to deal with. Louder conversations, keyboard clicks and other tones are masked much more effectively, performing almost as well as the best large noise canceling headphones. They also handle wind noise very well, which can’t be said for all of its competitors.
The noise cancellation level can be customized using different user-configurable modes, from maximum blockage to full awareness. The transparency mode is also very good and has a function similar to the recent AirPods Pro 2 that automatically reduces sudden and very loud noises, preventing you from being overwhelmed by the screeching of train wheels, for example.
lots of bass
Audio quality is also improved. It retains Bose’s signature clear, controlled sound, which can feel a bit clinical in some grittier genres, but overall they do a good job with a wide range of musical styles.
They are very bass-heavy on default settings, which is almost too much at times. A quick adjustment to the equalizer in the Bose Music app to turn it down a bit made them a bit more balanced. Otherwise, they have good detail in the mids with slightly softened high notes, making them great easy-listening headphones. However, they don’t sound as good as the best from Sony or Sennheiser.
Call quality is good, my voice comes through loud and clear in quiet environments and is still audible on the street with only slight background noise filtering through in very noisy places.
The headphones support Bluetooth 5.3 standard with the universal audio formats SBC and AAC. In use with various phones, tablets and computers, the earbuds generally had a strong and stable connection, even in harsh environments like train stations, but would occasionally skip when unlocking a phone.
Bose buds only connect to one device at a time, but can switch between up to six paired devices. Only the right earphone can be used for calls only.
Sustainability
Bose estimates that the batteries will last more than 500 full charge cycles, but they are not replaceable and the headphones are not currently serviceable, so they are ultimately disposable.
Some replacement parts Includes ear pads (£15) and a charging case (£90) available. Headphones do not contain recycled materials. Bose offers discounts for returning broken products. It does not publish environmental impact reports for individual products, but it does publish annual sustainability reports.
Price
The cost of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II £279.95 ($279/$429.95) and are available in black or white.
For comparison, the Sony WF-1000XM4 costs £159the cost Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 £220the cost of Google Pixel Buds Pro £179the cost of beats fit pro £220Apple AirPods Pro 2 cost £249 and the cost of Nothing Ear (1) £149.
Verdict
The second iteration of Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds is a vast improvement across the board over its predecessors.
They are smaller, lighter, more discreet, and easier to fit and transport. They have good controls, solid battery life, and are stable and comfortable to use for long periods. They sound best with good, easy-listening audio and plenty of bass, though they still have that signature Bose “clean” sound that can’t match the sonic highs of the best available.
Most impressive is the noise cancelling: they set a new benchmark, cutting out more unwanted noise than any other headset, including annoying higher-range noise like voices.
They are expensive compared to rivals, so shop around. Despite having spares available, they are not serviceable and the battery is not replaceable, ultimately making them disposable and losing one star.
Advantages: Class leading adjustable noise cancellation, solid battery life, decent case, good sound, customizable and comfortable, sweat resistant, good controls, decent call quality.
Cons: expensive, only SBC and AAC, not higher quality audio formats, no multipoint connectivity, only right earphone can be used alone.