Bose, the brand that started the craze for noise-canceling headphones, intends to take this technology to the next level with the launch of a new truly wireless model, the QuietComfort Earbuds II.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II headphones are available September 29 with pre-orders starting September 8. Their price is $ 299 / £ 279 / $ 429. They will be available initially in a “triple black” finish, then in an alternative color “soapstone”.
The QuietComfort Earbuds II makes its debut with new Bose technology designed to calibrate both sound and noise reduction to the unique shape of each ear. Yes, even yours.
The “CustomTune” audio calibration is activated each time QuietComfort Earbuds II is removed from the charging case and placed in the user’s ears. Proprietary audio is played and a microphone inside the earbud evaluates the acoustic response of the ear canal. The information is used to adjust sound performance and noise reduction in less than half a second.
When it comes to sound quality, the “CustomTune” function optimizes the frequency response according to the characteristics of each particular ear – no matter how the shape of the ears changes the sound, the earbuds adjust the sound to compensate for this.
For noise reduction, CustomTune follows the frequencies that tend to be most resistant to noise reduction algorithms – and continuously examines the user’s environment, adapting to changes to ensure optimal performance.
One internal microphone and three external microphones for each earpiece listen for external sounds, which are then canceled out by Bose’s ANC technology in a fraction of a millisecond. The company says the specific methodology is exclusive to Bose.
Intelligent “CutomTune” personalization even includes the Quietcomfort Earbuds II’s transparency mode. It is now called “ActiveSense Awareness Mode” – which in practice means a transparency mode that responds immediately to loud and / or sudden external sounds, turning on noise reduction for as long as it may be necessary. This is a smart idea – it will help you hear more, but it will also protect your hearing.
Bose has reduced the size of the QuietComfort Earbuds II by approximately one-third compared to the model it replaces, and weighing in at 6 grams each is considerably lighter. Even so, you still get large 9.3mm drivers that produce sound.
Convenience is further enhanced by the Bose “FitKit”, in which the company describes three sizes of earbuds and three sizes of stabilizing bands included in the package. This means there are a total of nine fitting options for each earbud, which should be enough.
QuietComfort earphones II use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity and are compatible with the standard SBC Bluetooth and AAC audio codec. There is no aptX or any other lossless audio support.
They have an IPX4 rating for moisture resistance, which should make them sweatproof enough – just like the Beats Fit Pro. The earbuds have six hours of battery life – their charging case comes with another three full charges. 20 minutes of plugged in via USB-C to power supply for another few hours of playtime.
Control is available via capacitive touch buttons on each earbud, and Bose is compatible with any source player’s voice assistant. They also work with the company’s Music Control app, which means EQ adjustments, access to noise reduction modes, and other customization options.
Bose’s timing is impeccable – when the AirPods Pro 2 arrive at the same time, we face a titan clash of noise-canceling earbuds.