The new headphones are able to reproduce audio of excellent quality and, above all, offer an ambient noise cancellation function that has nothing to envy to traditional over-ear headphones. Here’s our proof
With the new QuietComfort Earbuds II, Bose renews its line of in-ear headphones by presenting a very interesting model that, in our opinion, has two great features: excellent active noise cancellation, almost comparable to traditional over-ear headphones, and excellent playback quality. After a few weeks of testing, here’s our review.
The main features
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are made of plastic with gold-plated connectors for battery charging and can be stored in a lightweight but not very small hard plastic case. On the outside of the headphones we find a touch surface with which, if you touch it from top to bottom or vice versa, you can increase or decrease the volume; when pressed it gives access to the different noise reduction modes, to answer the phone, pause a track or go to the next, to call the voice assistant. Very easy pairing and installation: thanks to the CustomTune technology, the sound quality automatically adapts to the shape of the user’s ears: once started, the earphones emit an acoustic signal that, returning to the microphones, is able to ” learn – they explain by Bose – the unique shape of the ear canal”. We talked about the noise reduction modes, which are very effective: the main one can completely suppress the ambient sounds thanks to the presence of four microphones for each headset. Then there is the ” Aware” mode that allows you to listen to the environment instead (useful, for example, if we need to talk to someone and we do not want to take off the headphones or if we are listening to music but also waiting for an announcement at the airport). Bose explains under moreover, thanks to ActiveSense technology, the loudest background noises are dampened or completely excluded (a much-appreciated feature, all too in the second-generation AirPods Pro). Very useful is the possibility to create profiles (for example work, gym, public transport) in which you can choose how much noise canceling the headphones should apply.
One small negative element in our opinion (but one that can actually be remedied with the app) is the lack of Bluetooth Multipoint on earphones of this level, that technology that allows you to connect to two devices at the same time – smartphones and laptops, for example – and to answer the phone from your smartphone while listening to music on your laptop without having to switch headset configurations. An absent feature, but still remedyable via a simple software menu that lets you choose which Bluetooth source to connect to (the earphones remember the last six devices they’ve paired with). The smartphone app is really well done: in addition to giving helpful advice, it has an equalizer that lets you control audio levels. Finally, the headphones are equipped with the Bluetooth 5.3 protocol that guarantees a stable connection even at great distances from the phone and is resistant to moisture thanks to the IPX4 certification (drops, splashes, sweat).
Our test, availability and prices
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are headphones that we really liked. The noise reduction is truly phenomenal, it almost seems as if the ears are completely enveloped by the headphones, and instead we wear “normal” in-ear headphones. In our classic subway test, the sounds disappear almost completely; the same at the entrance of a server room or in a station, where the passage of a high-speed train (usually an extremely noisy passage) is managed almost perfectly by the headphones. Perhaps a small price to pay to achieve this result, the headphones are slightly larger and bulkier to wear than the average pair of headphones in circulation. Listening to music is also of the highest quality, whether listening to the latest hits, podcasts or more complex songs such as jazz standards or classical music: the excellent fidelity makes it possible to distinguish levels of detail that are often not perceived in other forms of listening ; very good control of low tones.
The conversations (telephone, Whatsapp, Teams, Meet) are also of very good quality: the sound of our interlocutors is warm and clear; the people on the other end of the line confirmed that they could hear our voice very well, with the headphones’ artificial intelligence excluding background noise. The headphones are also comfortable to wear, even for an entire working day: the package includes inserts and stability straps in three sizes. Finally the battery: in our test we were able to work and listen to music for three days before needing to fully charge the case. Speaking of charging, the earbuds charge in just over an hour, the case in about three hours. Finally, one very small detail, in our opinion, to fix: the voice of the guide in Italian is not very clear. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are sold in two colors (Triple Black black and Soapstone light gray), suggested retail price 300 euros (but with a discount online).
Pros and cons
PRO
- Excellent level of musical reproduction
- Great noise canceling function
IN RETURN FOR
- Bluetooth Multipoint functionality is missing
- Voice guide in Italian needs improvement
Source: TG 24 Sky
I am James Novak, a passionate and experienced news writer with the ultimate goal of delivering the most accurate and timely information to my readers. I work in the news department at a website dedicated to providing reliable and up-to-date information about technology. My articles are widely circulated, often featured on major publications, and have been read by millions of people around the world.
