Bose Ultra Open Earbuds: Innovative design redefines audio experience
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds which feature immersive audio, and all day wearing comfort. Pictures: Bose.
Open earbuds provide several advantages over traditional in-ear headphones, including helping you remain aware of your surroundings while listening to music. I’ve been testing the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, which introduce an innovative cup-like design that delivers exceptional audio quality for an open design while allowing you to remain connected to the world around you.
The Ultra Open earbuds feature an eye-catching design that differentiates them from traditional earbuds. Their barrel-like structure contributes to their unique appearance and serves a functional purpose by allowing you to hear ambient sounds while enjoying your music. The soft edges and brushed metallic finishes add a touch of elegance, making them a stylish accessory for any occasion.
The earbuds feel solid and well-constructed, with no flimsy components or loose parts. The flex band, coated in super-soft silicone, enhances comfort without compromising on stability, ensuring that the earbuds stay securely in place throughout the day. They passed my headshake test, but I had an issue wearing an oversized coat with a big fluffy hood. The inside of the hood rubbed off the buds and caused them to fall out. Apart from this one scenario, I had no problems wearing hats, jogging or cycling with them on.
The charging case is surprisingly small, much smaller than I expected for open-style earbuds. The case is similar in size to the Bose QC Ultra earbuds, so they’re very pocketable.
The buds provide IPX4 water resistance, enough for sweat and light rain. The case doesn’t offer any IP rating. Disappointingly, they don’t support wireless charging, which is surprising considering their premium price tag.
One of the standout features of the Ultra Open earbuds is their exceptional comfort and fit. Thanks to the Flex band and customisable design, they’re suitable for extended wear, making them excellent for long commutes, workouts, outdoor activities and even office use. The soft silicone material gently conforms to the contours of the ears, providing a snug yet comfortable fit that minimises fatigue and discomfort.
The Ultra Open earbuds deliver a truly immersive listening experience thanks to their open design. Powered by Bose's open audio technology, they provide rich, detailed sound with impressive clarity and depth. Whether listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks or watching movies, you can enjoy crisp highs, balanced mids, and decent bass.
The audio performance varied depending on how close the buds were to my ear opening. You can adjust the angle to get the optimum sound, but this makes me wonder if the experience will be different for those with smaller and larger ear sizes. The closer you can get the speaker to your ear canal, the better and louder the sound is, so if you have large ears, the speaker will be further away from the opening.
Bose says the precise positioning of the transducers and the controlled acoustic structure ensure that sound leakage is kept to a minimum. In an office setting, I found the sound leakage was minimal, and those within a couple of metres of me never complained that they could hear what I was listening to.
The immersive audio feature creates a spacious soundstage that enhances the listening experience, making users feel surrounded by sound. I prefer stereo to 3D or spatial sound for music, but your mileage may vary. Bose's implementation is one of the best I’ve used for correctly engineered multi-channel audio. It works with any device, unlike closed systems from Apple or Sony.
Where immersive audio starts to make sense is while watching movies. Again, it’s trial and error and depends on the movie you’re watching.
I found that while cycling, wind noise was noticeable above 25kph, but it isn’t a dealbreaker.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have smart features and intuitive controls that enhance usability and convenience. The physical control button on the battery barrel allows you to adjust volume, play/pause music, skip tracks, answer/end phone calls, and quickly cycle through audio modes. The controls are easy to use, no faffing around with touch gestures, and you can take the buds off without worries about accidental touches.
The auto volume adjustment feature intelligently adjusts the volume based on the surrounding environment, ensuring you can hear their music clearly without manually altering it.
Regarding battery life, the Ultra Open earbuds offer up to 7.5 hours of active playtime on a single charge, with an additional 48 hours of standby time.
Using immersive mode will reduce battery life due to the increased processing power. However, aside from this potential drawback, the overall battery life is excellent.
The earbuds feature Google Fast Pair and Snapdragon Sound technology, ensuring fast and reliable connectivity with compatible devices. I used them on Android and iOS and had no issues with connectivity on either.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are not for everybody, and while the sound quality is exceptional for open buds, they’re not comparable to traditional earbuds that produce much more bass and also offer ANC. Their innovative design, exceptional comfort, and stellar battery performance offer a truly immersive listening experience that seamlessly integrates into daily life. Whether commuting, working out, or simply relaxing at home, you can enjoy your audio while being aware of your surroundings.
€350 Bose
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
