Bose has launched two new in-ear headphones – the QuietComfort Earbuds & Bose Sport Earbuds. The two new buds replace Bose’s existing, and badly-named ‘Bose Noise Cancelling Earbuds 700’ and ‘Bose Noise Cancelling Earbuds 500.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
The flagship product here is undoubtedly the QuietComfort Earbuds. Its headline feature is what Bose describes as “all the ‘quiet’ of Bose around-ear headphones”, but in a bud – offering 11 levels of noise cancellation.
The new QuietComfort Earbuds have 18 hours of total listening time — 6 hours fully charged and an additional 12 using their charging case. They have a matte finish with metallic and gloss accents and come in two colours: Triple Black and Soapstone. Each bud measures just over 2cm long and weighs 8g.
Speaking about the new launch, Mehul Trivedi, category director, Bose wearable audio said “We spent a lot of time making sure our new QuietComfort Earbuds were the most effective noise cancelling in-ear headphones ever.”
“But they also sound incredible and are a pleasure to wear and use. That’s an unbeatable combination that puts them ahead of the industry and makes them every bit a QuietComfort.”
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Price and release date in NZ
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds be available to buy in NZ on September 29th for $439.95 (NZD)
More info about the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds below…
Bose Sport Earbuds
The Sports Earbuds are a little less high-tech. Instead, they’re designed to be worn, predictably, when exercising. This means there’s more focus on comfort and, um, in-ear grip.
The Sport Earbuds deliver better audio quality than their predecessor, according to Bose, and measures in at roughly half their size and – with an IPX4 rating to resist sweat and water.
The new Sport Earbuds have up to 5 hours of battery life and a charging case that provides up to 10 hours of additional playback time. They come in Triple Black, Baltic Blue, and Glacier White.
Bose Sport Earbuds: Price and release date in NZ
The Bose Sport Earbuds will be available to buy in NZ on September 29th for $329.95 (NZD)
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Features: Continued
About the Proprietary Noise Cancellation System — Only from Bose
The QC earbuds are a technical tour de force. To physically block unwanted sounds, new StayHear™ Max tips create a soft-yet-tight seal. And the buds do the rest. They use multiple microphones to sense, measure, and send any remaining noise to a proprietary electronic chip loaded with an exclusive new algorithm. Together with tiny transducers, the system responds with a precise, equal, and opposite signal in less than a fraction of a millisecond. The result is dramatic and exclusive to Bose. In an instant, the buzz of nearby coffee grinders fade to a whisper, and the roar from engines and construction all but vanish.
Adjustable Noise Control — A World-Volume Button at Your Fingertips
The QC Earbuds come with 11 levels of noise control so you can choose how much of the world you let in or keep out. It’s easy to set preferences and change them anytime — from “transparency” that keeps you aware of your surroundings, to full noise cancellation that lets you tune out completely or hear every detail from your content and conversations
For Music, Movies, Podcasts, and Calls
For entertainment, QC Earbuds shine, and the difference is noticeable the first time you use them. For music, they avoid manufactured “boosts” in select frequencies, opting for faithful reproduction — as close as possible to the recording itself. Unlike conventional earbuds, the bass on your favourite songs won’t disappear or distort — instead, it’s rich and strong at any volume. For movies, videos, news, and podcasts, there’s no electronic “hiss” and speech and dialogue are natural. And for talking on the phone, QC Earbuds separate your voice from those around you and dampen the rush of wind, so what you’re saying is more intelligible on the other end.
Opinion:
There’s a huge market for truly wireless in-ear buds. Apple has proved this with the success of AirPods Pro – a product that, on its own, is reported to be a business worth over US$6b.
Will these Bose buds see the same sort of success. Probably not. They’re not Apple, for one. And more importantly, they’re not as good looking.
But from a technical PoV, they look great. Bose has a great reputation for making quality headphones, and I’m sure these will be great too. The noise-cancelling ability of the QuietComfort Earbuds is something that there’s a real hunger for. It also looks as if the Sports Earbuds will rival the established “best of the rest” (aka not AirPods) options, such as the Jabra Elite 75t and Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus.
Would I buy them? I doubt it. You can pick up a pair of AirPods Pro for less than NZ$400 now. And I’m not sure these buds are compelling enough to make me want to spend an extra $40 and not get the AirPods.
