Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 Review: A Yay or Nay?

In today’s time, wireless buds might be considered a dime a dozen. But exceptions are always there, and the one we can think of is the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II.  

 

Bose has been an old player in the market when it comes to wireless headphones and earbuds. One of its pretty popular ones includes Bose QuietComfort 25 headphones. However, the QuietComfort line is not limited to headphones and has a successful generation of wireless earbuds as well. 

Bose has made its way back with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II into the wireless earbuds’ production sphere. So to test them, we will also compare them with their predecessor, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds I in the article.

Overview of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II 

Released almost 2 years after the launch of its previous generation Bose QuietComfort Earbuds I, Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II has yet again stomped forward from its competitors. 

While you might think we are exaggerating, we aren’t. Look at the ANC (Active Noise Cancelling) feature that has stood out from a number of A-brands. In fact, the superb ANC itself has made the Bose QuietComfort the winner and lets it have the ANC King title! 👑

But when it comes to the pricing, people have second guesses, and doubts if they are worth it. So in this review, we will help you get clear with your decision by providing a thorough and unbiased review of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. Now, let’s start with their specifications. 

Tech Specs 

We will now kick off with the specifications of Bose QC Earbuds II to help you understand its basics a bit. With the following table’s help, you will get an idea of the feature you are looking for and what the pair has to offer. 

Features	Specifications
Type	In-Canal
Earbud Dimensions	17.2 × 30.5 × 22.4 mm
Earbud Weight	6.24g each
Wireless	Yes
Wireless Charging	No, USB-C
Water Resistance	Sweat Resistant (IPX4)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC
Battery Life	6 hours (with the case, up to 24 hours)
Year	2022
Bluetooth Range	Up to 30 feet
Charging Case Dimensions	59.4 × 66.3 × 26.7 mm
Charging Case Weight	59.8g
Colors	Triple Black, Soapstone, Midnight Blue, and Eclipse Gray
Price	$299

As you now know, the different specifications of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, let’s have a look at their features and how good of a job they really do. 

Features 

If you are on the lookout for wireless earbuds, these are some important features to consider before coming to a final decision for the Bose QC Earbuds II. 

Design 

If we have to talk about the design of the Bose QC Earbuds II, we can’t help but make a comparison with the previous generation. Well, they are clearly lighter, more compact, and 30% smaller than the Bose QC Earbuds I. However, the users have complained that they don’t fit perfectly. While for some they do, for others they don’t.  

And in case you are worried about the same, there are stability band options that you can choose from. You can also install the Bose Music app prior to getting a QCE II pair. This will help you in getting an idea about the right size and fitting of the earbuds. 

The overall design of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II is classier and smaller – much different from the QCE I. There are different ear tip sizes available in case you think that the fit is not right and consistent for you. With a multifunction button at the back, you also get helpful prompts and alerts once the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II pair is plugged in. 

Sound Quality and Performance 

There is no doubt that the Bose QC Earbuds II provides a well-balanced sound with precise details. But when it comes to calling quality, they don’t really deliver the best. It is pretty mediocre because whenever you are on call, the voice still comes a bit muffled as if you are on the speaker, making it sound like you’re stuck in traffic. 

Compared to the Bose QCE II, the previous model lacked bass. So we can say that CustomTune is doing its job and giving away its magic. With next-level ANC, the users get to have a pleasant experience while listening to anything on the QCE II. 

Battery Life 

For a pair of wireless earbuds, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II lasts a good amount of time. During our testing, we played the music at around 75 dB, and the battery life was 7 hours and 15 minutes for a single charge. 

Interestingly, the amount of time claimed by Bose for the battery life is 6 hours. So as you already know, in the test we ran, the amount of time is extra. And this is a quite decent time for wireless buds. However, we won’t recommend using them for a whole day at work with the idea of not having to charge them once more. 

Now let’s see how its software works and if there are any factors in it that you might have to pay attention to. 

Software 

There is no need to worry about how the software works on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. The work of technology in the BCE II is quite simple and straightforward. And in addition, it also plays a major role in how one gets to experience pleasant sounds with ANC. 

The CustomTune in the QCE II fine-tunes the signal for noise reduction or cancellation, and this is how you can avoid crying babies and busy streets. Nevertheless, the QCE II does pick up noises in the transparency mode, as a result of ActiveSense. 

When the Aware mode is enabled, CustomTune lets the users have access to the natural sounds around them. But just like most of the brands, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are no exception in providing a muffled sound in Transparency mode. In this case, it lags behind Apple, which does a pretty decent job with the mode turned on. 

Connectivity  

If you are thinking about the sync or compatibility factor while using the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, there is not really any issue. Since they can get connected to any device, their working is the same on every device, and you don’t have to think that they will work differently for any specific one. 

If you want to have a better experience, you can download Bose’s companion app. In the app, you can manage the touch controls and control ANC strength. It lets you adjust the audio EQ as well, which is a plus part that not all apps offer. 

Moreover, the layout of the app is easy to understand and simple to use. You get to have shortcuts, different modes, product tips, and an ear tip seal test as well. 

Touchpad 

The touchpad of Bose QC Earbuds II, which is given to the wide surface area at the back of its earbuds, has a look of its own. It works quite well for different actions, and one might need them whenever they don’t have their phone in reach or simply running errands. 

So we are going to provide the points below for different inputs and their outputs of action.

• Single tap: Play/Pause Music or answer a call
• Double tap: To track forward music
• Triple tap: Track forward the music 
• Long press: Voice assistant 
• Swipe up or down: For volume 

Bose QC Earbuds II do a fine job in most of the parts. However, two things that might be bothersome are the price of them and the missing features that most of the competitors offer, like wireless charging, Spatial audio, and multipoint connection. 

Another essential aspect is the pros and cons of the product, and in the case of Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, they are given below.  

Pros and Cons 

Now, heading to one of the most significant factors that a potential buyer considers before getting any product – its pros and cons. Listed below are what we think are the plus and minus points of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II after testing them. 

So compared to the cons, the pros definitely weigh more. And if you are someone who can adjust with the listed cons, go ahead! Now let’s head over to the pricing section and see what is the deal with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. 

Pricing 

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are still sold at a whopping price of $299 on the official website of Bose and are also available on Amazon as well. They come in four different colors – Triple Black, Soapstone, Midnight Blue, and Eclipse Gray. 

The Midnight Blue color somehow rings the bell for Apple, as it also came out with MacBook Air M2 13-inch, in the same color. Talking about Apple, interestingly the AirPods Pro 2, cost 17% cheaper at $250 than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. 

Now, getting back to the pricing part, many have questioned whether the Bose QC Earbuds are really worth the high price. So in conclusion, it varies from person to person and what their pocket allows.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds I vs. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

If you are wondering whether to go for the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds I, rather than buy II, hold on! There are some points of distinction that we are going to list below in the given comparison table between the two. 

Basis of Comparison	QuietComfort Earbuds I	QuietComfort Earbuds II	Winner 👑
Design	Design and the overall look are slightly bulky.	The new QC Earbuds are lighter by 30% than the previous ones.	Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
	The size of the case is bigger despite not giving wireless charging.	They offer a wider range of ear tips and stability bands.
Battery Life	Claims 6 hours of use per charge, with 2 more charges for 18 hours in total.	There are comfortable soft controls.
	Do not offer wireless charging.	The QCE II claims to have a battery life of up to 6 hours and 3 extra charges.	Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Features	No Active-Sense Technology.	There is no option for wireless charging in the QCE II, either.
	CustomTune, Bose’s sound calibration tech, is missing.	Has good Aware mode.	Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
Sound Quality	The older generation of Bose QC Earbuds still provide every detail even after two years.	Provides excellent noise-canceling.
		Active-Sense technology is impressive.
		The Bose QC Earbuds II sounds much better than the BCE I.	Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
		The call sound quality is improved with the same number of microphones.

So, the clear winner of the comparison here is the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. if you have made up your mind and need a bit more guidance, read the final verdict.

Also Read: 

• Brief Review on Skullcandy Crusher 2014 Headphones 
• A Comprehensive Review of SteelSeries Arctis 3 Headphones 
• You Surely Need Headphones for Podcasting 

GetAssist Final Verdict: Do We Recommend Buying the Pair? 

If your priority for getting a pair of wireless earbuds is getting the feature of good Active Noise Canceling (ANC), with additional pros, you can definitely go for the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. And of course, one of the most essential points – if your pocket allows so. 

You may have now got an idea about what the deal is with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. And the final call is totally yours to make.

There are various other options available in the market like LucidSound LS31 Wireless that provide just the apt features that one might look for in wireless earbuds or headset. However, they may cost lesser or more than the Bose QC Earbuds II, depending on their features.