Bose - Noise Cancelling USB-C Wired Earbuds with In-Line Microphone and Remote - White Smoke

I already have Wired/Wireless Headphones (ATH M50X) and wireless earphones (AirPods Pro 2) and i wanted to dwell down the memory lane with wired earphones and wanted to avoid radiation that wireless headphones/earbuds brings with. Bose noice cancelling earbuds sound quality is good and love the carrying case provided. I wish the DewDrop mint color option is provided on bestbuy for purchase.

I was not quite sure why there was such an interest and resurgence of wired earbuds until I tried them (again). Freedom from charging and pairing and the inclusion of automatic noise cancelling permitted by the powered USB-C connector used as the interface, allows the magic. Granted, it limits usage to devices with USB-C connections, but then that’s not a very heavy lift these days. When the industry led by the bitten-fruit company killed off analog headphone connections on most of its personal listening devices, I was devastated and disappointed. It decapitated my ability to easily connect any number of conventional headphones or analog amplifiers to the growing number of portable music storage machines. So, I suppose just like the fashion industry’s attempts at revitalizing a faded fashion with a slight variation to make it just modern enough, yet “vintage” to peak a customer’s interest, wired headphones are back. At least for a while. When you open the spartan box, you will find the wired ear buds, a handy zippered case to store them in that doesn’t require or give any charging, three sizes of ear tips and two sizes of support wings, all aspiring to nestle into your ears and accomplish the needed acoustic seal that enables your future appreciation of all thing’s bass as well as all those other frequencies. The color of your buds will have been chosen from among three choices, Black, White or Dewdrop Mint. Strung out on the cable, you’ll find some controls that allow for volume and start/stop/next music control, and a microphone for clear phone communications. While Bose doesn’t always guarantee that what you say over that microphone will be brilliant and timely, it won’t be for lack of your hearing clearly through those great sounding ear buds. Using only intuition and without the aid of any written or other communication from Bose that might have otherwise accompanied the product and might have been a better use of the two completely blank pages in the quick start guide, I discovered that the slow press of the center button on the control module on the cord is what allows the selection of three different operating modes. “Quiet” mode enables the ANC function as well as a significantly different and better sounding EQ compared to the mode described by the disembodied voice as the “Off” position. “Aware” mode, the third position, allows for a bit of outside sound to mix in with your program to keep you alert to your immediate surrounding environment. One caution for my big-ear-canal brethren out there, the large ear tips fit pretty well, but an expression change on your face might also yield a temporary EQ change, as the ear tips shift around a bit when your pinnae move and break the all-important seal that allows the low frequencies to be perceived as they were intended. It is most noticeable when in the non-quiet mode. I’d also personally prefer a few changes on top of all the good features already employed. For the sake of durability, a right-angle USB-C connector might make for a longer-lasting connection before wear from use takes its toll on the strain relief junction. Oddly, there are no strain reliefs on either side of the control/microphone module. Hopefully, that area proves to be sufficiently durable without them. One thing that I don’t miss is the need for yet another app and the need to agree to some lengthy legal agreement. I also won’t miss the possibility of my data being sold for profit and/or compromised. The simplification of this product is very refreshing. It just does what you’d hope it would do. It sounds really good. It stores easily in its pouch. You don’t worry about needing to charge it or keeping it up to date with firmware or controlling it with an app. There are very few controls or options to fuss over and if one of the buds falls out of your ear, it doesn’t fall into a gutter or onto a commuter train track, it just falls about a foot or two and you haul it back up by the cord and stick it back in or maybe put it away and talk to people around you! Also, people are less likely to start a one-sided conversation with you like when wearing cordless earbuds, as the wearing of this corded device makes it obvious that you are listening elsewhere. In conclusion, these corded earbuds sound great, are just flexible enough in their features to cover what you need and allow clear phone communication via the cord-mounted microphone. I’d recommend them as a supplement to whatever you may be using currently. I haven’t been on a flight with these to really test the ANC function and gauge the additional battery drain on a listening device over an extended flight time, but I’m sure it won’t be too long before that happens. In everyday use, the ANC is a welcome relief from background noise. I don’t think it’s quite as effective as my over-the-ears Bose headphones with both their mechanical sound-blocking ability and ANC, but seemingly more effective than any other cordless earbuds that I’ve tried. I recommend these for their high-quality sound and affordability.

Finally, Bose refreshes its wired earbuds just in time to meet the resurgence of wired audio. After nearly 11 years, Bose updates and releases its wired buds, bringing the legendary ANC and Aware modes everyone knows and loves to a sleek redesign that is less bulky and more modern. With IPX4 protection against sweat and splashes, these are good for runners and gym rats who don't want to fuss with batteries and pairing. Students, travelers, commuters, and road warriors will also benefit from these, as you don't need to worry about losing them since they are connected. Eliminate humming and background noise from your day while traveling, studying, or working at your best. Setup is simpler than ever; just plug in directly into any USB-C port, and you'll have access to the features you may be accustomed to on their wireless buds line. There is almost no latency and no Bluetooth pairing, making this easier to set up, but the only trade-off is the almost 4' wire. Sometimes it gets in the way; most of the time, you don't run into it unless you are actively jumping around. Everything fits nicely into the included zipper case, which is a nice added bonus. Included in the nice case are all the tips and stability bars to make the fit perfect. These are the high-quality, exceptional-sounding earbuds you know, love, and would expect from Bose. This rendition brings clean and clear sound while it fuses legendary ANC to bring focus and attention to what you are listening to. No more A/C or fan rumbling contaminating your soundscape. ANC handles that perfectly. These buds can accept source input at any sample and bit rate, locking in fixed output at 24bit/48kHz.The exquisite sound signature is typical of Bose, with boomy, clear bass and clean mids with crisp highs. The soundstage is wide and clear and doesn't get muddled together. They remember the last setting used, and you can cycle between Aware (transparency mode), Quiet (ANC), or Off with the press of the inline controller. These really feel premium, and I don't experience ear fatigue. The new design almost allows me to forget they are in, except for a cord. The fit was perfect for me after switching to the soft silicone Large-sized ear gels and using the largest stability tip that was already installed. While running and working out, there are no issues with movement or being loose. They stay put and seal out the outside noise so that ANC and Passthrough work well without sound leaking in. ANC is excellent at filtering low and mid-pitched hums and rumbling. Fairly good at blocking noise, although you can still hear higher-pitched sounds, which is typical. I noticed pressure from long-term use, and this is to be expected for most ANC. Passive noise isolation is good, but you can still hear voices. Aware "Pass-through mode" is welcome and works great, making it clear like you don't have your buds in. They actually help you hear better by amplifying sounds in quiet environments. My only gripe with these is the microphone. If you use these for phone calls or recordings, the mic sounds basic and what you would hear from 10 years ago. Sounds like you are in a tin can, and your voice doesn't sound full at all. You hear lots of background noise, and I would like to see them improve this for the price. Things to know: They sound great; exceptional Bose sound signature. Fit is comfy. Ear tips are comfy, and so are the wings. They are a little heavier due to the weight of the buttons on the inline controller, but not crazy. Mic is just basic and reminiscent of early 2000s sound tech. Cable is long and high quality. Controls are easy to use and tactile. USB connection for iOS and Android devices alike. Also, these are great for work laptops or PC when you need quiet time. Things to improve: The mic. They should upgrade the mic to make them sound better. Sounds like I am in a can with background noise. The Verdict: These are a nice pickup, and I am glad to see Bose refresh the wired lineup for those who aren't interested in charging or losing earbuds. This is a nice, no-fuss, easy-to-use, and reliable audio solution for anyone in the market for wired audio needing ANC and passthrough. Definitely recommended!

I’ve been listening to the Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds now for about a week and have to say I am quite impressed with the sound quality, especially for the price. Wired earbuds disappeared from the scene about 8-10 years ago with the advent of Bluetooth. It seems Bose is feeling nostalgic in bringing back wired earbuds for new generations to enjoy. It certainly brought back memories of what life was like back then, listening to music from my iPhone again through wired earbuds, but I don’t ever remember them sounding this good back then. As far as audio quality goes, they sound close to earbuds costing at least two times as much based on my experience with high-end earbuds. The bass on these is tight and clean and not boomy, while the highs are crisp without being harsh sounding. What I noticed most is the emphasis or projection of the singers’ voices, coming through noticeably clear in the mid-frequencies. You can feel the kick of the bass drum in the bass, and you have to wonder how that kind of sound can come from such a small source in your ear, but it works! I have a set list of songs I like to use to evaluate headphones and all sounded great. The earbuds plug into any smartphone or device that uses a USB-C connector for charging and accessories. In the case of my iPhone 16 Pro Max, the earphones were instantly recognized with no setup required. It’s weird at first, since there is no app to download and nothing to configure. Any equalization settings to tailor sound to personal taste needs to be done in the music app itself. I did find the bass will distort if you push the low frequencies too far. Everything is operated by the inline control, located where the wire splits to each earbud. There are three buttons and they are raised so that you can operate by feel. The top and bottom buttons control the volume up and down. The middle button is multi-functional, controlling the music with pause and step forward and back through your playlist. A long press of the middle button is used for Bose’s QuietControl noise cancellation settings (off, ambient, and on). Noise cancellation was effective and perfect for settings like public transportation. The ambient setting uses the built-in microphone so that you can hear important things like gate boarding announcements at an airport for example. The microphone also works well when taking phone calls and I was able to continue a conversation without removing the earbuds. Each time I called someone, the person I spoke with said my voice was clear. The earbuds themselves are very comfortable and come with difference tips and ear “stability wings” that fit the shape of your ear. They fit my ears perfectly out of the box but it’s easy to change them to fit anyone. I did find it a bit odd that there are no L or R labels on the earbuds, but once you get the hang of how they fit, you will adapt quickly. The tips are very soft but fit firmly and perfect for wearing even during strenuous exercise. Bose includes a nice flat carry case that will easily fit in a back pocket, purse, or jacket. It’s perhaps a little bigger than it needs to be, but I do appreciate a slimmer profile case such as this. In summary, these are great sounding earbuds that include features like noise cancellation that one would expect from Bose, at a very affordable price. I think wired earbuds are still relevant today and in some ways are refreshing because of their simplicity…no batteries to charge and no Bluetooth connections to worry about...they just sound good.

These Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds attempt to fill in a gap that I have been wanting to fill. Even when phones eliminated headphone jacks, I used wired earbuds for as long as I could with dongles. I eventually did go wireless since it was the easiest to purchase and also allowed simultaneous charging. I hate having to make sure they are charged and dealing with Bluetooth functions. While many of us (me included) have gotten used to wireless, there is still a place for wired and the desire to have something compact that just needs to be plugged in. I use wired headphones at home but would love some compact earbuds to toss in my bag and maintain the sound quality I have become accustomed to. I have to be honest and admit that within the first first hour of owning these earbuds, I managed to damage them while changing the silicone tips. The tips are silicone but also contain a plastic connector collar. The instructions say to squeeze and peel it way to get the tip off. I was unable to get it to budge and in one of my attempts to squeeze, my nail managed to cut into the ear buds and create a rip. I was shocked because I have natural short nails and was careful to not pull too hard. I initially thought maybe it was just an impression but nope, it was a clean cut. Hopefully, Bose will sell spare tips in the future like they do for their other products because these are clearly not that sturdy or easy to avoid user error. Fit and Comfort: Over the period of 4 days, I tried to find the perfect fit by swapping out the tips and the stability wings. It felt like a huge learning curve to finding a good fit as someone who has never used Bose earbuds before and is used to the traditional round tips that go further into my ears. I read through the manual and did a lot of research to try to get a good comfortable fit. I wish there were more sizes available than the 3 included. I feel like I probably fall between two sizes because the small was too wiggly but more comfortable and the medium had a more snug fit but I was sore afterwards. The shape and design of the earbuds just don’t make it that intuitive on correct placement. There is a lot of leeway on how much rotating can be done as I try to find the best fit and position. The winning design feature of these earbuds are the stability wings. No matter what ear tip size I tried, how far I pushed the ear tips into my ears or barely put them in , the stability wings kept them in place. I can shake my head or tip my head from side to side without fear of the earbuds from budging. Initially, I scoffed at the ugly stability wings because I associated them with the sport versions of earbuds that go behind the ear and are typically clunky. These are tiny and disappear once they are behind my ear ridge. Sound: The sound is good and feels full. It is the quality I would expect from Bose. I have been using mostly audiophile level headphones the last two years and I was not disappointed with the sound from these. The earbuds don’t allow for any adjustments to the bass and other audio levels like wireless ones. I don’t often adjust them anyway so it's ok. The active noise cancelling was decent. It is definitely not the best out there but it was enough to comfortably block noises at the gym and a really loud recumbent bike. I really did like the aware setting. My voice was also enhanced so I could maintain a normal volume and didn’t feel like maybe I need to speak louder since I couldn’t hear myself to know the actual level I was speaking. One of the annoyances of wired earbuds is hearing the cable vibrate and move around. The traditional fixes that usually reduce it a bit are not included in this pair of earbuds. There is no slider at the chin to reduce movement. There is no clip for the controller. I have myself stuffing the controller into the collar of my shirt to try to reduce movement. I think I will get used to it as I was used to for the decades before wireless but unfortunately right now trying to do some chores or things that require a lot of head turning is accompanied by a lot of awareness of the cable movement noise. Controls: The controller is substantial in build and the buttons are easy to press. This unfortunately means it also is heavy and pulls the earbuds down. I wish it had a clip to assist with the weight but I guess that would also add to the weight. I am probably the happiest though that there are physical buttons. I am so tired of having to learn sequences of taps and swipes to control wireless earbuds and headphones or just plain ignoring the functionality due to lack of intuition or response. It took me less than 2 minutes to learn the controls of these earbuds. I am so thankful that the ANC, Aware and Off functions are switched by just holding the center button and that there is a voice that will let you know what function is currently being used. I hate when it is just a beep and I am spending a lot of time trying to figure out if the ANC is on or off by trying to see what I can or cannot hear. The controller holds the microphone and I found it had good sound. Even though it says you don’t have to hold it up to your mouth, if you try it is kind of difficult because it is attached to both cables as opposed to just one side. Overall, if you can find your perfect fit, these are a good option for wired earbuds. I do think they could make some improvements in future iterations that combine more advancement in tech and comfort with the ease of having a wire.