These are the very best Bose earbuds ever. Cease. That’s the assessment. That’s it. Okay, okay. There’s extra to it than that, however significantly. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II take every thing the corporate has discovered from its final two generations of buds and headphones, refined it down and located the diamond in a tough we didn’t know existed. The buds are smaller, the audio hotter and extra highly effective and the battery life is longer.
And the ANC? Chef’s kiss. Mixed with the businesses proprietary CustomTune know-how is a few of Bose strongest thus far, drowning out even essentially the most annoying noises, dulling them to negligible whispers.
There are a number of missteps nevertheless, specifically the shortage of Discover My performance in case an earbud goes AWOL and a method to management how a lot ambient noise enters the soundstage. And the $299 worth is certain to be an impediment for these of us on a price range. However when you can look previous these roadblocks, you might have a number of the strongest really wi-fi earbuds in the marketplace and the newest entrant on our greatest wi-fi earbuds web page.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II pricing and availability
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are a pair of premium earbuds. As such, they don’t come low-cost. At $299, the QC Earbuds II sit on the increased finish of the spectrum. The primary-gen buds debuted at $279, however are at present out there for $199. In the meantime, the upcoming AirPods Professional 2 have a worth level of $249. The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Professional and Sony WF-1000XM4 price $229.
If the value tag didn’t scare you off, you will get a pair now.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II design
Once I popped the QC Earbuds II out of their reasonably giant charging case, I used to be relieved to see that they had been smaller than their predecessors. The newbies weigh 0.2 ounces and measure 1.2 x 0.7 x 0.9 inches in comparison with the originals (0.3 ounces, 1.5 x 1 x 1.1 inches). That’s about the identical measurement as the brand new AirPods Professional 2 (0.19 ounces, 1.2 x 0.9 x 0.9 inches) Nonetheless, they’re nonetheless greater than most earbuds in the marketplace. For example, the Galaxy Buds2 measure 0.4 x 0.9 x 0.7 inches and weigh 0.19 ounces. The WF-1000xM4 weigh in at 0.26 ounces.
The QC Earbuds II can be found in two colours: Triple Black and Soapstone which has similarities to a really mild grey. I’m reviewing the Triple Black and because the title suggests, they’re very black. The highest a part of the earbud that sits outdoors of the ear is made from matte black plastic with Bose prominently stamped in white.
Apart from the black silicone ear tip and stability bands, nearly all of the QC Earbuds II’s housing is made from shiny black plastic. Three metallic charging connectors sit on the again of the arm, Whereas ports for the mics and audio system] reside alongside the thicker finish of the earbuds which have a white L or R stamped on it relying on which bud you’re holding.
If Triple Black or Soapstone aren’t your bag, concern not, Bose is launching different colours down the road.
I want the QC Earbuds II’s charging case received a measurement discount. It’s one of many greatest instances I’ve seen from this newest era of really wi-fi earbuds. The matte black plastic with the Bose emblem shining alongside the entrance measures 1 x 2.3 x 2.6 inches and weighs 2.1 ounces. The Galaxy Buds2 Professional’s case weighs 1.5 ounces and measures 1.98 x 1.96 x 1.1 inches in comparison with the AirPods Professional (1.9 ounces, 1.2 x 0.86 x 0.94 inches). The WF-1000XM4 case weighs 1.5 ounces.
The QC Earbuds II have an IPX4 ranking, making them sweat and water-proof which can defend them towards a very sweaty exercise or a heavy rainfall.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II consolation
Since scripting this assessment, I’ve worn the QuietComfort Earbuds II a number of instances for over 5 hours. That covers my commute and several other hours within the workplace earlier than I have to recharge. The complete time was spent in supreme consolation which is saying lots since my ears are usually on the smaller facet.
The QC Earbuds II sat snugly towards my ears’ conchas. And due to the detachable silicone stability bands, the match was safe sufficient to endure my heavy panting and sweating on my Bowflex elliptical machine.
One thing else to notice, I didn’t discover any strain adjustments when switching between Quiet (ANC) and Transparency modes. That is massive when touring as you have already got to deal with the pressurized surroundings that an airplane presents.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II controls
The QuietComfort Earbuds II are managed by a collection of faucets and swipes. Like different earbuds, one faucet controls play/pause, whereas two faucets skips ahead and three skips backwards on a observe. If a name is available in, a single faucet solutions the decision whereas a double will reject or finish the decision.
Lengthy urgent both bud will set off a shortcut that may be designated within the app (extra on that later). For example, I set my proper earbud to change between Quiet and Transparency modes and my left to summon my digital help.
Lastly, swiping up on the earbuds will flip the quantity up whereas a downward swipe will flip the audio down.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II app
Just like different Bose merchandise, the QuietComfort Earbuds II work in tandem with the free Bose Music app out there on Android and iOS. The app is the place to go whenever you wish to decide up some pointers in your new buy, tweak equalizer settings, rename the earbuds and run firmware updates.
You too can run the ear tip check to search out your preferrred match, handle Bluetooth connections in addition to change up your contact controls.
The app affords a clear and easy-to-navigate interface. Nonetheless, I’m nonetheless left wanting for Discover My performance. There’s a low grade panic that I’ll lose considered one of these $299 earbuds in one of many many crevices in my home that issues like these love to cover in with no method to observe it down.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II Quiet and Conscious modes
Arms down, that is a number of the greatest Lively Noise Cancelling know-how that I’ve encountered thus far. And it’s completely by design. It’s all part of the corporate’s proprietary CustomTune know-how. It begins with that cheerful chime you hear whenever you place the earbuds into your ears. The small noise is definitely the way in which the earbuds take a look at your distinctive ear form. Because the sound bounces again, it will get picked up by the built-in microphones.
From there, the noise discount is calibrated to your ears with a give attention to lowering these beforehand hard-to-handle frequencies –– consider these chatty of us in your workplace that all the time cease for his or her tete-a-tete proper by your desk. It additionally does effectively with crying infants and different irritating distractions. Even higher, the know-how is constantly adapting to the noises in your surroundings, guaranteeing optimum ANC.
What which means is that the QuietComfort Earbuds II are scary good at protecting issues whisper quiet, borderline silent. Like a “it’s quiet, too quiet” type of silence.
Carrying them in my home, my central air was instantly muted as was my boyfriend as he was animatedly telling me a narrative that I heard not one phrase of. I used to be anticipating some muffled dialogue, however I heard nothing. Once I turned on LG TV, the QC Earbuds II blocked out Craig of the Creek with the quantity turned on 17, matching the Bose 700 Noise Canceling Headphones. That’s some uncommon air on the subject of wi-fi buds.
I went for a stroll and as a substitute of the traditional din of my Brooklyn, NY neighborhood, I used to be greeted with close to silence. Certain, some issues like sirens received by way of, but it surely was a boring whine reasonably than an ear-piercing shriek. It was surreal. No honking horns, no loud conversations. It was just like the earbuds had erected a forcefield of quiet round me. The sounds that remained had been so minimal, I didn’t really feel a have to activate the music.
But when ever you need to wish to take note of the world round you, there’s Conscious mode, Bose’s tackle Transparency mode. When activated, the embedded mics permit the skin world into the soundscape. I didn’t discover any strain adjustments when switching with modes. Nonetheless, it’s a bit jarring to go from close to silence to listening to your coworkers chatting round you.
As cool as conscious mode is, I do not want the ambient noise coming in at full blast. You may management precisely how a lot of the skin world comes into your quiet bubble by creating your individual private modes within the Bose Music app. You may create modes based mostly on use case comparable to Work or Train and modify the ambient noise ranges there.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II audio efficiency
Generally the issues that make you nice can even maintain you again. Such has been the case for a lot of Bose merchandise that commerce chilly, considerably distant audio for its highly effective ANC. Not this time. The QuietComfort Earbuds II’s highly effective 9.3-millimeter transducers guarantee a heat, punchy efficiency with pleasantly deep lows.
Nonetheless, the low-end could possibly be a bit subtle on some tracks. For these events, head over to the EQ within the Bose Music app and hit Bass Reducer. Or, if you wish to take a deep dive into these dank lows, have interaction Bass Increase. And if you need extra (or much less) from the highs and mids, there’s buttons for Treble Increase and Reducer, respectively.
I began my testing with Kirk Franklin’s “Simply For Me” on Tidal at Grasp high quality. I used to be instantly impressed with the low finish and the way it established itself with out blowing out the keyboard and synthy electrical wind instrument and high-hat. Element was so clear I might hear the slight twang of the guitar strings whereas the choir soothed my soul with stunning harmonies. However think about my shock after I listened to the identical observe on the AirPods Professional and needed to flip up the quantity to roughly 55% to match Bose’s 50%. And whereas the track sounded nice on the Apple Buds, the bass was as highly effective.
I cued up Chapel Hart’s “You Can Have Him Jolene” as my subsequent observe and was instantly hit with a raucous electrical and acoustic guitars with punchy percussion that also made room from the delicate piano and three-part concord. The AirPods Professional had a extra restrained efficiency, though the piano was simpler to listen to. Nonetheless, the cymbals weren’t as dynamic.
Child Keem and Kendrick Lamar closed out my check with “household ties.” My ears welcomed the triumphant horns that quickly gave method to a playful flute to a fluttering violin all of the whereas handily supporting the deep bass and the artist’s scorching bars. The lows on the AirPods Professional weren’t as pronounced, however in any other case, the audio replica was practically similar.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II battery and Bluetooth
Bose charges the QuietComfort Earbuds II for six hours of battery life. And in case you had been questioning, the ANC can’t be disabled so you may’t squeeze out a further hour. Throughout a number of days of testing, the earbuds lasted a mean time of 5 hours and 49 minutes. It’s a decent time that retains the first-gen AirPods Professional (4.5 hours) at bay in addition to the Galaxy Buds2 Professional (5 hours). It couldn’t maintain a candle to the WF-1000XM4 which has an estimated time of 8 hours.
The QC Earbuds II’s charging case brings three full costs to the combo, bringing the penultimate battery life to 24 hours.
The earbuds use Bluetooth 5.3 to connect with wi-fi units. The know-how is a minor replace designed to enhance energy utilization and general gadget efficiency whereas boosting sign high quality. Whether or not I used to be out and about within the metropolis or downstairs in my workplace whereas my telephone was misplaced within the sofa upstairs, the earbuds maintained a gentle connection. It’s solely after I left my telephone throughout a fast journey to the bodega on the nook that the connection lastly severed.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II name high quality
It’s nearly eerie how good the ANC is on the QC Earbuds II. Every bud has 4 mics: an exterior and inside mic engaged on the noise cancellation with the remaining two beamforming mics centered on selecting up your voice throughout calls. I referred to as my brother for a fast check chat. He said that I sounded wonderful, noting that he couldn’t hear something within the background. I discussed that was most likely as a result of I used to be sitting in my recliner in the home. However then, I took a stroll across the block.
My brother didn’t hear anybody however me, although there was a pair yelling throughout the road from me. Hell, to be trustworthy, I barely heard them. He reported that he heard a faint whooshing and requested if a automotive simply went previous me. Surely, it was the loud, rumbling motor of a New York Metropolis bus.
Backside line
Silence is golden, however so is nice audio. Fortunately, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II don’t make you select. The audio is daring and dynamic with nice element, simply standing toe-to-toe with the heavy hitters within the house. And whereas Bose’s energetic noise cancelling know-how ought to by no means be slept on, this time the corporate has actually outdone itself utilizing proprietary software program that analyzes every ear, tailoring each the audio and the ANC for a singular, but optimum listening expertise. Plus, the earbuds are tremendous comfy and final practically six hours on a single cost.
Nonetheless, for $299, I desire a definitive method to observe down my buds within the occasion one will get misplaced and it wouldn’t be a foul factor to regulate how a lot ambient noise is let in when Conscious mode is enabled. If you wish to save $100 and decide up spatial audio, you need to take a look at the first-gen AirPods Professional (or anticipate the upcoming mannequin). However if you’d like supreme ANC and audio efficiency with nice battery life, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are the way in which to go.
