Verdict
An impressive take in the wearable sound category , the Bose Open Ultra Earbuds boast upright sound , great comfort and a solid list of features . Call character is still off and leave out , and the agiotage cost is arguably a little too agiotage
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds take care to capitalize on the growing interest group in the wearable sound recording .
Wearable audio come with compromises but the concept is becoming more democratic as people essay to be in tune with not just their music but their wall surroundings .
Open - air phone offer the exemption that other types of headphones ca n’t quite achieve . They ’re a slippery concept to pull off , so how well has Bose carry through it with the Ultra Open Earbuds ?
Design
Bose ’s approach to Ultra Open Earbuds ’ aesthetics is more in line with manner accessories thantrue wireless earbuds . The brush metallic finish give them a distinct look , and though only contraband and white finishes are available now , the figure bring itself to different colourways .
It ’d seem natural enough to have a variety of colours to personalise the earphones – although perhaps not to the extent of Maluma’sdiamond encrusted version deserving about $ 20,000 .
The earphones fasten around the ear lobe in a “ cuff blueprint ” made up of three parts : the driver section along with the stamp battery bbl , which connects via a silicon coated flex arm . Unlike a traditional wireless earbud , these do n’t block the ear canal but allow sounds to pass through freely .
On top of the battery drum is a strong-arm release . I tended to confine the top and bottom in a pincer , that way the earbuds would n’t move . you may operate playback , bulk , the Immersive Audio feature , as well as any shortcuts through the clicky button on each earpiece .
It ’s incredibly easy to snip off them on even with my predominantly weaker hand . And once they ’re attached they do n’t pinch or cause soreness . They ’re light , and you’re able to shift them up and down your spike for the full comfort or position to play audio frequency – it ’s a rather clever pattern . tire the earbuds with music playing , there ’s little audio leakage even at high intensity .
They’rerated IPX4to guard against water and wet . The charge case is compact , and the earbuds magnetically fix inside . There ’s a Bluetooth copulate button on the caseful with a USB - C port for charging on the undersurface .
Features
Bluetooth 5.3supports SBC , AAC , and aptX Adaptive ( for Android devices ) . There ’s alsoSnapdragon Soundsupport for higher tone audio and lower latency Bluetooth with compatible devices .
There’sGoogle Fast Pairfor tie to Android equipment , while Bluetooth multipoint was add together in an update in July 2024 . Wireless connectivity has been solid – watery connections have been few and far between , and the buds exert a hard connection to my phone even when I ’m far away .
Through the Bose app you may supervise electric battery life sentence , bulk control , adapt EQ setting and switch modality – Stereo or Immersion . The app has a tendency to be flaky , connection issues or unresponsiveness seem par for the line . Sometimes I ’ve had to restart my smartphone or put the earbuds in the character to get the app working again .
Immersive Audio is supported on the Bose ’s Ultra headphone reach and turns stereo audio into 3D. It requires ( a very brief ) standardization to place up . If you find that Immersive Audio does n’t vocalize right , it can always be re - calibrate .
There ’s a alternative of mode in Still and Motion . The former keeps 3D sound recording fixed to your position , while with Motion , music moves as you move your psyche , keeping the listener immersed as you take the air about .
In general , Bose claims 7.5 hours from the Ultra Open Earbuds , which is more than theSony LinkBuds ‘ 5.5 hours . With Immersive Audio that image drops to 4.5 hr .
There ’s another 19.5 hr from the charging casing ( 12 with Immersive Audio on ) , which cause for about 27 hours in sum . In the barrage fire drains I carried out , the Open Ultra recede 30 % battery in two time of day , which arrange them around the 7 + hour bull’s eye , in line with Bose ’s title .
Fast charging is supported with two minutes ply two minute , and there is wireless charge support though it require a gaffe - on accouterment . For a £ 299/$299 twain of headphones , it ’s starnge that ’s not received . Even £ 70 wireless earbuds have the feature film .
The buds have been update with the Auto Volume characteristic that adapt the volume in accord with how tacky the environment is ; while voice pickup truck has been tweaked though it does n’t seem to have yielded a cocksure burden .
The call quality of these earphones is still rough . Like thenoise - cancelling model , they have a movement of pick up noise as shortly as I open my mouth . While vocalisation tone arm seems reliable enough when it ’s quiet , the person on the other death found it hard to hear what I was say and disassociate it from the racket around me .
On my side I found it hard to see what they were saying even with the book turned up to the easy lay . Any uninterrupted loud sound ( essentially being outside ) made it unmanageable to have a conversation . If you ’re going to use these headphone for calls , verify you ’re in averyquiet position .
Sound Quality
These wireless earphones will live or die on the healthy tone . There are obvious compromises due to the form factor – quite honestly I would not recommend them on public transport or anywhere else that ’s forte as you ’ll struggle to hear anything .
But in the right-hand environment , these are one of the better - sound open phone I ’ve test . They sound honorable than the Sony LinkBuds , and where they inch those headphone is in the clarity they open mids and highs .
A listen to Esperanza Spalding ’s I bang You screw and the Bose put up a crisper , more fix midrange compared to the Sony ’s legato and lovesome performance . The LinkBuds do n’t bear as much detail and sound softer as a result .
With Bill Evans ’ All Of You , the Bose are clearer and brighter in delineate the tinkling of the ivory . The Ultra Open Earbuds show a more adequate to and assured hired man in reproduce gamey oftenness .
They ’re also capable of go louder than the Sony , utile enough in noisy surroundings but just better in term of the nonremittal bulk . finally though , the louder they get , the thinner and more hollow they sound .
Where the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds most obviously falter is with bass . While there ’s some bass presence , clearer and slenderly larger than the LinkBuds are subject of , there ’s a lusterlessness to track such as Katy B ’s Katy on a Mission .
Where I can see the Open Ultra Earbuds being a very upright selection is listen to the audiobooks . Without postulate to cover with bass hard soundtracks and concenter on voices , I feel as if I could mind to my Audible book of Tinker , Tailor , Soldier , Spy for the entire 13 60 minutes foot race - time .
The soundstage is not the wide but the Immersive Audio works well in creating a soundstage in front of you and not just to the sides . But of the recent Bose phone I ’ve tested , the Open Ultra Earbuds are the single where the Immersive Audio features finger the most limited because of the lack of haphazardness closing off .
sour on Immersive Audio thins out music and makes it voice gentle . But the speculative facial expression is the deficiency of noise closing off . When I used them on a railroad train it sounded so faint that I could not get a sense of where the sounds were or what I was even listening to .
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Should you buy it?
If you ’re a more casual music fan and want awareness of what ’s around you at all times , then the Bose stumble the marking , the comfort grade are specially good over long periods
These are the most expensive open earbuds I ’ve tested . TheSony LinkBudsare about half the price , although there are rumor a new model is on the elbow room
Final Thoughts
It ’s clean-cut , at least to me , that the performance of open earbuds is better . The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are one of the good examples of the concept so far .
They go good than I carry even if they still struggle with outside noise and reproduce low absolute frequency . If you ’re in a loud environment you wo n’t be able to get wind what ’s playacting .
They ’re comfortable to wear , and will satisfy those after a headphone that ’s also a way particular . The feature set is dependable , although call quality is still not great , particularly in loud places .
The premium price grant me a little break . Bose would argue it ’s a premium product and therefore deserves a agio toll but there are a few too many restriction , largely down to the design , to feel the monetary value is warranted .
Nevertheless , Bose has made these earbuds as good as they can be in light of the form factor ’s limitations . It ’s repose down a marker for the rest to beat .
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every phone we review thoroughly over an extended menses of time . We use manufacture - standard trial run to equate features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
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FAQs
At launch the Ultra Open Earbuds did n’t patronage mulitpoint Bluetooth , but an update in July 2024 add together the feature to the earpiece .
