Great sound, powerful noise cancellation – but can Bose’s new true wireless earphones tip Sony off its perch?
Bose isn’t known for its true wireless earphones, with the QuietComfort Earbuds only the second model released by the big audio brand. In the three years between the Bose SoundSport Free and the QC ‘Buds, Apple and Sony have outpaced Bose, releasing the AirPods Pro and WF-1000XM3 that quickly became the best true wireless headphones to feature active noise cancelling. Those three years, though, were spent really well. The new Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are one of the best true wireless ‘buds we’ve tested, with what is arguably the best noise cancelling performance from any device in this class. Bose has taken a leaf out of its Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 playbook and added 10 levels of ANC to the QC ‘Buds as well. And at maximum, you’re practically cut off from the rest of the world, encased in a cocoon of sound that’s made entirely up of your favourite tunes. You’ll only be able to hear some high frequency sounds like sirens (and even they’re muted to a large degree). This kind of powerful ANC doesn’t come at the cost of comfort or sound quality. The QC ‘Buds have a much improved design that’s similar to the Sony WF-1000XM3 in bulkiness, but far and away better balanced than the SoundSport Free. There’s more accessories in the box to ensure a better fit – so whether you’re walking, running or doing jumping jacks, the QC Earbuds sit firmly and very comfortably in the ear. No matter what genre of music you enjoy, the sound is absolutely enjoyable. You’re not going to get the pleasantly warm bass that Sony is known for, but the Bose QC Earbuds have just enough thrum at the low end to make the double bass in jazz sound ethereal. The QC ‘Buds definitely sound better at mid to higher volumes though, and no matter how loud you get, there’s no distortion and every layer within the music is perfectly clear. Vocals are crisp and every instrument in the background can be heard beautifully. Battery life is competitive enough, with up to six hours of playback from the ‘buds alone. The charging case though, which is pretty bulky, only offers two more full charges, whereas you’ll get three extra charges from the Sony WF-1000XM3 case. This is a little disappointing, especially considering the premium price tag the Bose QC ‘Buds come with. However, the Bose ‘buds are slightly more weather-ready than their Sony counterparts. Where the WF-1000XM3 has no IP certification, the Bose has an IPX4 rating. That means the Bose set is sweatproof and will survive a light drizzle, but that’s about it. So if you’re after a slightly more secure, slightly more treble-heavy, and slightly more weatherproof ANC in-ear ‘buds than Sony can offer right now, then the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds are the best alternative. Bose announced the launch of its new QuietComfort Earbuds in September this year, and the ‘buds went on sale soon after in early October. At launch, they cost a very premium $279 / £249 / AU$399 – similar to the launch price of the Sony WF-1000XM3. However, the price of the latter has since dropped, making the Bose option a lot more expensive at the time of writing. That said, if you wait for a major sale, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get a set for less. Like Bose’s other QuietComfort headphones, the ‘Buds also come in a couple of different color options – there’s the usual Triple Black and, instead of the Luxe Silver, there’s a Soapstone model (which has been reviewed here). Unlike the SoundSport Free, which has a very chunky design, the Bose QC ‘Buds look a lot sleeker. It’s a similar aesthetic to the Bose 700 over-ears, but the in-ear headphones aren’t what we’d call small. Each ‘Bud measures 3.9cm x 2.6cm x 2.7cm and weighs 8.9g – that’s almost as bulky as the Sony WF-1000XM3 (which tips the scales at 8.5g each) and sticks out of the ear just as much. Despite the bulk, the QC ‘Buds are extremely comfortable to wear for hours on end (although we wouldn’t recommend you do so). They ship with three different sets of ear tips, which also feature fins for a more secure fit. We would have liked to see the ear tips come separate to the fins so listeners could choose different sizes of each to best suit both their ear canal and general shape.
