I reviewed some of Bose's over-ear noise-canceling units such as QC 35II, QC 45, and NCH 700. These are the names you can't avoid when talking about the top active noise-canceling models in the industry. But one thing is for sure, Bose's products aren't for everyone.
They deliver excellent audio quality and noise-canceling performance, but their price tag can also make you feel down if you don't have deep pockets. So, why am I talking so much about Bose audio cans? Because today, I have my first Bose in-ear headphones, or you may call them the first active noise-canceling earbuds of Bose - the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. I have already reviewed some noise-canceling earbuds, but these belong to the premium category. They cost $280, which was $299 when they first launched.
Is Bose QuietComfort earbuds II worth it? Should you invest in them? We have some other noise-canceling earbuds like Sony WF-1000XM3 in our reviewed list to check if you want a lower-priced alternative. Let's dive in and go for the Bose QuietComfort earbuds 2 review.
Pros:
Cons:
Sound
Build
Battery
Value
bose quietcomfort earbuds 2 package
Whatβs in the box?
- Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
- Bose Fit Kit
- 3 pairs of eartips
- 3 pairs of stability bands
- Charging case
- USB-C cable
- Quick start guide
Who should get Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II?
If you are a fan of the Bose sound signature, then the Bose QuietComfort earbuds II are a great option to consider. These earbuds offer top-notch noise cancelling, and if budget isn't an issue for you, they are definitely worth a try. They are also highly comfortable, making them a great choice for long listening sessions.
Bottom Line:
Investing almost $300 in earbuds can be a difficult decision, especially when there are so many options available at the same or lesser price. Today, we will review the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, which have undergone tests for sound quality, ANC, comfort and fit, build quality and design. Let's take a look at each of these categories.
The Bose QC earbuds II are super comfortable thanks to the included ear tips and stability bands. I was able to wear them for four hours straight without feeling any discomfort or fatigue, and they stayed in place without any issues. For comfort and fit, I would rate them 9 out of 10. They are also IPX4 rated, which means they are suitable for workouts and rain splashes, but not for swimming or showering due to their low IP rating.
In terms of build quality, I wasn't particularly impressed with the Bose QC earbuds II. Despite their $280 price tag, they have a somewhat plasticky appearance, which is not acceptable at this price point.
Moving on to the ANC test, the noise-canceling feature was quite impressive, and it's clear that Bose is the king of noise cancelation. Although you can't adjust the noise-canceling level directly, it works superbly in this department. I would rate them 8.5-9 out of 10 for noise canceling.
The sound quality is great, with balanced mids, perfect instrument separation, and an enhanced listening experience thanks to the perfect sealing. You can also customize the EQ with the app, although there aren't many customization options available.
However, there are some drawbacks to consider before making a final purchase decision. At this price, it's surprising that they don't have wireless charging, a feature that's included in many earbuds that cost less.
Additionally, they don't have multipoint connectivity, which can be annoying when you can't have this feature at $300. If you prefer very compact earbuds, you may not like the Bose QC earbuds II. Although they are smaller than previous generations, they are bigger than rivals like Airpods and Samsung.
In conclusion, if you don't mind not having multipoint connectivity and wireless charging, and you're impressed by the noise-canceling and sound quality of these earbuds, and don't mind spending $300, then go ahead and buy them. However, I wouldn't strongly recommend them considering the price and lack of some features that I would expect to have at this price point. My overall rating for the Bose QC earbuds II is 8 out of 10.
How is the Design and Build Quality of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II?
If you're looking for earbuds that provide premium comfort, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II won't disappoint you. They are extremely comfortable, with dimensions of 1.23" H x 0.79" W x 0.96" D. Compared to the previous generation of QC earbuds, the QC Earbuds II are almost 30-40% smaller, but they are still larger than their competition, such as AirPods and Samsung. The same is true for the charging case.
The Bose QC Earbuds II comes with a Bose fit kit, which includes three pairs of ear tips in small, medium, and large sizes, three pairs of stability bands, and a USB-C charging case. The stability bands provide a more secure fit when combined with the ear tips.
If you are still unable to find the right size ear tips, you can contact Bose customer support and ask for extra small or extra large ones. I was able to easily match the earbuds and stability band, and it provided the perfect seal against noise. You can test whether your QC Earbuds II are perfectly fitted or not with the help of a fit test, which you can perform with the app.
The size of the stability band is noted on the band, which helps you get the right size. I would rate Bose QC Earbuds II 9-9.5 out of 10 for comfort and fit.
Now let's move to the touch controls of the earbuds. The touch controls are responsive and easy to operate. You can also customize the touch control settings through the app.
The single tap allows you to pause/play the music, the double tap skips to the next track, and the triple tap skips to the previous track. You can slide your finger up to increase the volume, slide your finger down to decrease the volume, and use a single tap to answer a phone call. The double tap can be used to cut the call or decline an incoming call. You can also activate a shortcut by tapping and holding for a second on the earbud.
You can customize the button and touch control through the app. You can activate the shortcut on both the buds and a single bud, whatever you want.
As I said, the charging case is smaller compared to the previous version but still larger than its rivals. If you love a small case, you may not like these, but it's small enough to keep them in a pocket.
Bose QC Earbuds II are IPX4 rated, which means they can be used for a workout and are okay for raindrops. However, I can't risk using them for a shower or swim due to the low IP rating.
You have three color choices. Triple Black, Soapstone, and Eclipse Grey. Though they are made up of ABS plastic, I feel they don't look very premium. When you pay $300, you expect a premium look. They don't look cheap, but they don't look premium either.
If you care too much about looks, you may feel a little bit down. Overall, I would rate Bose QuietComfort 8 out of 10 for build and design, but for comfort, it's 9 or more.
Bose Quietcomfort earbuds 2
How is the Sound Performance of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II?
Let's discuss the sound quality of the Bose QC earbuds II. These earbuds provide a clean and clear sound with good instrument separation. Additionally, you can customize the EQ to enhance your listening experience.
What I liked the most about these earbuds is that they automatically adjust the sound according to your ear canals. These earbuds also have an IP rating, making them suitable for workouts that require boosted bass. Fortunately, the QC earbuds II have stronger bass than many other Bose models we have tested. Overall, my experience with these earbuds was good, and I would rate them 8.5 out of 10 for sound quality.
ANC
Bose claims to be the best in active noise cancelling, and I agree after reviewing the noise cancelling abilities of their QuietComfort earbuds. These earbuds do an excellent job of blocking both low and high-frequency noises, such as a car's engine or fan's noise.
The aware mode works perfectly, allowing you to stay aware of your surroundings while the ActiveSense feature minimizes unwanted noise. This is my favorite feature in the ANC department. And the perfect fit with the combination of stability band and ear tips gives you great passive noise isolation. Overall, I would rate Bose QC earbuds II 8.5 to 9 out of 10 for their ANC, well done Bose!
Call quality
Let's talk about the call quality. Honestly speaking, I am not impressed very much with the call quality of these earbuds. Compared to the AirPods pro call quality these are very much behind in the race. Person opposite to me could hear muffled sound. I was expecting better performance at this price. Overall I would rate 7.5 out of 10 for call quality.
How is the Connectivity of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II?
When you send $300 for a pair of earbuds, it's not unreasonable to expect premium audio codec and multipoint connectivity. Unfortunately, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II does not come with these features.
It has a 5.3 Bluetooth version with SBC and AAC codecs. You can connect your QC Earbuds II through the Bose Music app or via the Bluetooth setting of your phone. To connect the earbuds with your phone's Bluetooth, press and hold the button on the charging case. You get the most out of these buds when you have the Bose Music app.
It's important to know what the light indicators mean for Bluetooth connectivity. When the blue light slowly blinks, it means your QC Earbuds II is ready to connect. When the blinking blue light turns into a solid blue light, it means that the buds are connected to your phone. When the white light blinks two times, it means that the stored device list is cleared.
If you want to clear the stored device list, you have two options. Firstly, when the earbuds are in the charging case, press and hold the button on the case for 15 seconds. You need to ensure that the case is open and both the buds are inside the case to use this method. Secondly, you can clear the stored device list directly from your phone.
Let's take a look at what you can do with the Bose Music app. When you open the app, you get the battery percentage of the left and right earbuds. You can increase and decrease the earbuds' volume through the app.
The Bose Connect app shows different modes to adjust the noise-canceling level. You can't adjust the level directly but through these predefined modes. The modes include Quiet mode, which means that the maximum noise-canceling level is on.
The next mode is the aware mode, which is nothing but the transparency mode that includes a convenient feature like ActiveSense. What it does is that it automatically adjusts the noise-canceling so you can enjoy the music. There are various modes that you can use as per the situation, but it's a little disappointing to go through the mode every time you want to adjust the noise-canceling.
You can also customize the EQ with the Bose Music app. Adjusting the bass, mids, and treble through the app is convenient. You can also create shortcuts through the app - what functions you want to perform with the left and right earbuds.
As I said earlier, you can also run the ear tips fit test through the app so that you can get your perfect fit easily. One good thing is that you don't need to set the mode every time. It automatically shows you the last used mode. Some other features like in-ear detection, auto play/pause, and auto answer calls can also be activated or deactivated with the app.
Overall, I am satisfied with the Bose Music app, but some features are missing at this price. I was expecting Multipoint connect and higher audio codec, and for these, I would rate these 8-8.5 out of 10.
How is the Charging and Battery performance of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II?
When it comes to battery life and charging, I always have two important questions in mind. Firstly, can they be quickly charged? Secondly, are they compatible with wireless charging? The Bose QuietComfort earbuds II come with a USB C charging cable because they do not support wireless charging. However, they do feature quick charging, which means 20 minutes of charging can give you 120 minutes of playtime, which is quite decent. It takes one hour to charge the earbuds to 100%, and they can last up to 6 hours on a single charge.
These earbuds automatically voice prompt the battery status when you remove them from the charging case and wear them in your ears. You can also check the battery life using the Bose music app.
The earbud status light glows according to the charging status, and while the earbuds take one hour to charge fully, the charging case needs three hours to charge to 100%. A fully charged earbud can give you three full charging, which means the Bose QuietComfort earbuds II offer a total of 24 hours of playtime.
You may wonder what the two status lights on the charging case indicate. The light inside the case shows the earbud charging status, while the light outside the case shows the battery status of the charging case.
Overall, the Bose QC earbuds II have a decent 24-hour total battery life, and quick charging works well. However, given the price, I was expecting the earbuds to have a wireless charging. a feature that is present even in cheaper buds like Tozo NC9. For this reason, I would rate them 8 out of 10 for battery and charging.
