Bose - QuietComfort Earbuds II

It's strange how underrated these buds are. I have been eyeing them for months after borrowing from a friend - they really are so well-rounded. Will be grabbing a pair on the next sale.

I have the Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 and I would happily recommend them. Great sound, strong anc, good mic and call quality, and has long battery life. They’re also not that pricey only costs around 180 USD I think.

I like bose qc earbuds wayyy better in terms of sound. Especially the sound

I jus order em, should I go with samsung buds 3 pro? I didn't like the buds 3 pro sound tbh. Felt very stale after hearing our bose qc 2nd gen

Should I still stick with qc ? I'll be using em mostly for commute and gym not for sleeping

Should I still stick with qc ? I'll be using em mostly for commute and gym not for sleeping

I tried Bose QC 2nd gens and gave up after 24 hours because they had so many connectivity and touch control issues. So disappointing.

That's a loaded question. Cost focused options (no order)  1. Earfun Air pro 4 ( 50 hours total in battery with over 8 per listening charge, very rich sound, comfort is just like all airpods like shaped earphone, good ANC, good phone call quality and under $100. 2. Bose 2nd Gen QC with over 10 per charge, greatest ANC, amazing hear thru, good phone call quality, and good sound, good fit under $180 3. Denon perl pro.. Will get you at least 5 hours of battery life, decent ANC, decent phone call quality, but the best sound quality under $250, could argue higher. Under $180 If you don't care about prices.  1. Az100 easily!  Beast battery life, good comfort, nice ANC, good hear thru, one of very best timbre, mid range, and bass quality out there. A very nice phone quality with the best ANC phone call noise block ever seen in the world. 3 device connection,. Amazing app and pen point touch control that can customized.. $299 one of the world's greatest dependable, zero problem devices in Bluetooth.  2. Noble Rex5... One of the best complete range audio experience you can get. Comfort a little on the chucky side but still nice for me, ANC is OK, hear thru is OK, but the phone call quality is one of the very best. ...can be a little tricky to get the perfect sound for some people due to the 3 level EQ system. You have to know what you are doing to get the best. But once you do... Its hard to beat it's sound $449  Honorable mention:  3. PI8'S.. They are Kryptonite and the sun at the same time. I would suggest this hands down as the best period in sound and comfort. But because they have horrible ANC and bad phone call quality I don't think this fits your list. But if just sound and comfort.. They are "inevitable"! Oh.. They have a battery drainage issue if you don't used them regularly they drain every day of none use. But omg, I can't stop picking them up to listen to my music. 

Sent the Bose QC2 back after couple of days, no app connectivity and constant dropouts. Shame, sound was good and fit perfect. Very happy now with Technics AZ100 🙏

Lol. The app is absolute garbage—almost zero functionality.

+1 vote for the bose qc45's. I have used the qc25, 35, and 45vs and they are great for long term use and the battery life is great. Also used the qc20 inear cabled headphones and qc wireless earbuds (2022) all, really comfortable and replacement silicon parts really easy to get cheaply.

Compared AZ80, Samsung Buds 3 Pro, WF1000XM5, Bose QC2 (the newer buds are a slight improvement) and AKG N5 recently, one of the things I did was sit in a cafe with music paused to test ANC, I found the Bose were the best, not my favourite musically, but for ANC they are king. Voices are unpredictable so you want more isolation than ANC although ANC if done well will try to help, it deals more with predictable constant sounds like air conditioning or engines, Bose have a decent seal on the ear, the Sony WF1000XM5 come quite close with foam tips. As a fellow ADHDer, also autistic, plain earplugs or music ones like Loops for example are also decent. You will never get full silence unless you go industrial over ear level protection, but all the above will take a bit off the top of the volume.

I cycle daily outdoors for cardio and hit the gym 3x per week. I use Bose Quietcomfor2 earbuds (same exact design as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds). They've been used and abused daily for two years without issues - I've even biked through rainstorms without killing them!

There is a spec called "Sound pressure level" which rates the efficiency of the driver in the earbud. This describes the decibel volume per milliwatt of power provided. Not all drivers are created equal - some are more "efficient" than others. Some earbuds do sound more quiet than other earbuds. Coming from my Bose Quietcomfort2 earbuds, I bought a set of Sennheiser Momentum Sport earbuds and found the same as you - my Momentum sport earbuds were a few notches lower in max volume than my Quietcomfort earbuds. I'd say the sennheiser sport earbuds were about "4 notches" lower on my phone's volume control compared to my Bose Quietcomfort2 earbuds. Now that's not to say my Sennheiser Momentum sport earbuds were terrible - nah they actually did sound pretty good, albeit a bit more quiet. However as others mentioned - MAX volume is actually not always good for your hearing. Last year I stopped wearing earbuds for three months (health reasons) and was surprised how loud my Bose earbuds were - I had to turn down the volume because they were hurting my ears at the time. My point is - even though they may be a smidge lower max volume, that's not necessarily a bad thing and your ears would adapt over time to those earbuds. That said, to answer your question, no not all wireless earbuds are disappointing. I've handled several wireless earbuds and never felt really disappointed - although I do prefer some earbuds over others from a high fidelity standpoint

They are not the best sound quality, but certainly good sound quality (better than most budget grade earbuds), and the ANC is best in class - Bose QC Ultra. But the ultra might be slightly out of your budget, in that case I'd be looking at the Bose QC Earbuds II (also called the QC2) - they are essentially identical to the Bose QC-Ultra. Now discontinued by Bose, you can still find them on eBay for around $150 new in box. Been using them for about four years working out in my gym, and cycling daily (45+ minutes on a bicycle outdoors). Only time I really worry about them falling out is if a dribble of sweat happens to work it's way into my ear - then the rubber gets slippery on the earbud. But it's simple to fix - dry everything off including earbud and ear, and it rarely happens (maybe once or twice a year I need to remove the earbud and dry it off)

Lol yeah for years I wore the Bose Quietcomfort earbuds for my gym and cardio needs (hour on a bicycle daily outdoors for cardio and hour in the gym every other day) because they lock into the ear quite comfortably and have amazing ANC. But then I discovered open ear earclip style earbuds and they've changed how I use earbuds (wearing them literally all day long now lol). But yeah aside from comfort, they have never once fallen out of my ears regardless of how rigorous or sweaty I get haha.

>get a cheaper set (of ideally open-ear style buds) for the gym and another set for everything else. Sweat-congealed earwax is the biggest killer for TWS Funny, I cycle daily and lift in the gym every other day - so my earbuds get at least 10 hours weekly of use/abuse while sweating like crazy and my Bose QC earbuds have been going strong for years. Wax has never been an issue for me. From what I've seen this varies greatly from person to person - not all eardrums are shaped the same way and trap wax the same way. For some people they have massive ear wax issues for TWS earbuds regardless what they do (exercising or not) and others like myself have minimal issues (in fact the worst issue I have is oils from my skin building up on the rubber earbud tips and wingtips - it's as simple as dropping in my ultrasonic jewelry cleaner every few months to keep them clean so they stay put in my ears better)

I use Bose QC2 earbuds daily and when traveling. They are amazing. However I personally find it too unnerving when the ANC is set to max quiet without music playing because then I can hear my neck snap/crackle/pop (old injury) which bugs the heck out of me - I either need some music playing at low volume, or enable transparency mode so I don't hear those sounds haha. The ANC in Bose is one of the best because they have been perfecting noise cancelling for decades for their aviation headsets used by pilots around the world.

> They will probably break in 1 or 2 years. I've had my Bose QC2 earbuds for over two years now, used daily (at least 1-2 hours daily), cycled through rainstorms, constant exposure to sweat and they are still chugging along. Also Bose does have a pretty reasonable warranty that will replace defective earbuds within the first one or two years.

>premium earbuds >sub 300 dollar pair of earbuds Lol, oh. I think you're going to get a ton of different answers. My definition of Premium earbuds these days for top sound quality and noise cancelling would go to earbuds above the $300 mark. But I also consume 7-8 hours of music daily so I spend a lot more money on speakers/headphones/earbuds than I do on televisions haha (I still have an old samsung 1080p TV - haven't even upgraded to a 4k yet!) I was going to suggest something like the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Ex earbuds which you can currently buy for about HALF the original MSRP. They have some top-rated sound quality, but the biggest issue about them was always the noise cancelling. If someone is paying $500 for earbuds, they expect good ANC in addition to good sound quality, and they were mediocre. B&O's new Eleven earbuds fix that complaint, but those are crazy expensive. So the Beoplay EX at $250 is a great deal if you only prioritize sound quality. But given that you want both, I still think my personal suggestion would be to get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (or save money and buy the Bose Quietcomfort 2 earbuds new in box on ebay - they're basically the same thing minus AptX-Adaptive and immersion modes)

I'd be looking at the Bose Quietcomfort earbuds or Bose Ultra Open-Ear earbuds. Both have unique designs for fitting into the ears. I use the quietcomfort2 earbuds for cycling and working out - the rubber wingtips can be customized to fit your ears so they lock in to place. They even sell extra small / extra large wingtips/earbud tips if your ears are too far out of normal spec. The Ultra open earbuds have a unique clip that hooks onto the earlobe

I have spoken to someone who has a LOT of earbuds including the QC2 and QC-Ultra and said they prefer the QC2 - to the point where they were planning to sell their QC-Ultra. As far as ANC goes, you can't get any better. The hardest part is experimenting with different wingtips to find the right size for your ears. After two years I actually just swapped out my medium size wingtips for large and found they fit better than expected (sealing off more of the outside noise to make an even better noise cancelling effect). Since I wear my earbuds for cardio and exercise, I won't buy any earbuds that don't have wingtips to help lock into the ears

Lol, well I don't know of any earbuds that waterproof. But I have certainly biked through some nasty rainstorms where my Bose QC-Ultra earbuds and myself got drenched without any issues, but I would be concerned about dropping them in a toilet (for many reasons) My vote would still be the bose QC2 for $148 on eBay - the wingtips help lock the earbuds into the eardrums Also, keep in mind that you can often find aftermarket earbud tips with the 'wingtips' attachment that helps lock into the ears (similar to the original bose StayHear earbud tips from their old original Bose quietcomfort earbuds from four years ago) Otherwise I have yet to find a comfortable earbud that looks as good as the Quietcomfort earbuds and has wingtips to lock into my ears which also comes from a reputable company. Depending on sound quality, have you ever considered the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra Open earbuds? These clip onto your ears in a very unique way, they have ANC and good enough sound quality, but you would still hear the world around you as you're working. That might be a better option - they aren't as popular as the standard bose quietcomfort earbuds so they are often sold at discount online.

In reality if you want the best for flying, you probably want over the ear headphones as opposed to earbuds so you can fully isolate the ears from the noise - paired with good ANC and you're golden. Plus you'd get better sound quality in the process compared to small earbud drivers. I think that's the route I'd go if I traveled frequently (instead my earbuds are mainly for gym & cardio with the occasional travel needs) That said, crazy to hear you didn't like the QC2. I had them and the QC-Ultra and rarely ever have any connectivity issues (using two different Samsung Galaxy class phones). I know that Sony's ANC is pretty decent, but battery life lags behind Bose from what I understand. Still the XM5 might be what you're looking for

I have used the QC II and the QC-Ultra for about 18 months each (maybe a bit less for the QC-Ultra, I think I got them about a year ago and still using them daily). >The predecessor QC II also seems to have just as good ANC? The QC II is almost essentially the exact same earbud as the Bose QC-Ultra with a few minor changes: * AptX-Adaptive protocols - fun to have, but only if your phone is compatible. I discovered that Samsung will likely never support this protocol so that's useless to me * Immersion mode - the earbuds use motion-tracking to enhance to create something like spacial audio (but not exactly, I'm not a fan of immersion mode so I don't use it often lol) * Slightly improved styling - a plastic back has been replaced with a glossy metal piece that looks snazzier haha. * Tiny (0.5mm) notch added to the wingtip-band channel to keep the band from rotating as easily when trying to adjust earbuds in your ears (it's a very minor issue with the bose QC II - easily fixed by removing the earbud from your ear, and adjusting the wingtip band until you feel it "click" into place) So, essentially the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra earbuds are basically the Bose QC v2.5 >The Method 360 seem to be technically identical to the QC II? It will not match the Bose Quietcomfort's ANC system. Bose was one of the first companies to sell noise-cancelling headphones decades ago (simple static generator noise cancelling at the time, not active noise cancelling). They sell higher end headphones to aviation pilots for small craft airplanes and such. So they have been perfecting ANC longer than most other brands have been in business. >very other feature can pretty much be ignored, I just need the best ANC possible in an earbud. Real talk, I feel like higher end ANC headphones might be better for flying because they have the ability to better isolate the ears for passive noise cancelling before you even enable the ANC system. The Bose Quietcomfort Ultra (and QC2) earbuds have amazing ANC systems (best I have personally ever experienced) - but a key factor is the wingtip part of the earbud which helps block sound from entering the ears. It will take you weeks fiddling with the different sizes of rubber earbud tips and wingtips to find which sizes isolate ALL sound from the outside so the ANC system can work better. However, from a convenience standpoint, the Bose QC earbuds are amazing. They fit into your pocket when needed, and on a plane they're one of the best you can get in the industry. I have flown several times since I got these earbuds and they've been a godsend - flying is way more enjoyable now with ANC earbuds compared to my older non-ANC earbuds that I used to wear for flying. And true to their name, they are very comfortable. I have worn mine for over four hours straight without any ear discomfort Personally, if ANC was a concern and I wanted premium sound quality there are a few other options like the B&W Pi8 and B&O Eleven, but those earbuds are focused on higher fidelity sound - the ANC is more of an add-on feature and not the main focus of the show. I know I often recommend them, but I really think Bose is your answer here. The Quietcomfort Ultra are your best bet, and if you're on a budget hunt around for the Quietcomfort Earbuds II - but those are old stock by this point so they may have a shorter battery lifespan.

>Don’t get the Bose QC Ultra If sound quality is the biggest reason, sure I'll agree >and they have severe connectivity issues Having handled the Bose QC original, QC2, and new QC-ultra. The connectivity issues only happen in congested areas (lots of people) - in suburbs or rural settings there is essentially never any connectivity issues. I only encounter issues a fraction of the time when I'm traveling through downtown or in an airport (and even then, the signal hops to another channel and the music continues). >and bugs such as? Because I can't think of one that I'd complain about having handled the Bose QC2 / QC-ultra earbuds for three years now. Not trying to dispel your opinions on the other earbuds, just trying to add some clarification because it bugs me when people flat out make the claim that bose have connectivity issues when it heavily depends on where the person is using the earbuds. For me, I have essentially zero connectivity issues unless I'm in heavily congested areas with lots of bluetooth noise. Just my $0.02

Bang & Olufsen Eleven would be high on my list >and Bose's have connectivity issues (more WTF) Bose's antenna is not the strongest. As such it tends to get more signal interference. In my rural area I notice a signal hopping issue rarely when a bus drives past full of people or when I ride past an apartment. But otherwise I use mine daily and encounter a connectivity issue where the music lags or pauses for a second maybe once or twice a year. I've been using Bose Quietcomfort earbuds and never had a major issue with connectivity on android phones - I suspect most complaints come from people in congested areas like cities where are countless bluetooth signals and other radio interference nearby. And of course, you'll get complaints from people who are running the AptX-adaptive codec, not understanding that the only way to get highest fidelity is very close line of sight transmission (IE 3 feet away on a desk nearby with direct line of sight to your earbuds)

I have the Bose QC-Ultra, before this I had the Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds ii (QC2, the QC-Ultra is basically QC2.5). So I've been using them as my daily earbuds for about three years now. I'll give you my opinions based on your critera: >Great sound (deep bass but still clear) Bose products have a 'signature sound' - some people like it, others don't. There is good bass, but it's not over-powering. There are better earbuds for MAX BASS so to speak. I'd personally score the sound quality as a 8 out of 10. With 10 being premium stuff like Bang & Olufsen grade stuff. Having handled budget grade earbuds (like soundcore) and then comparing them next to the Bose, there is no comparison, Bose is a nice upgrade in sound quality. >Comfortable for long wear (I’ve got big ears) It'll take about two weeks messing with the earbuds to find the right fit of rubber ear-tips, and wing tips that match your ears. Don't be afraid to mess around with other sizes until you find that perfect fit. You said you have big ears. Bose actually sells an accessory pack which contains X-large and X-small earbuds and wingtips, so if things don't fit - know that you can always order the XL size if needed. To me, it doesn't get anymore comfortable. Bose has been making comfortable earbuds for over twenty years (originally with the stay-hear wingtip earbud design, and now these new quietcomfort earbuds). I can wear them for hours when traveling and have no complaints. I'd actually love to splurge on other premium sound quality earbuds (better than Bose), but I wear my earbuds for working out and cardio (cycling outdoors daily) so I need wingtips that lock into the ears for that added security >Solid battery life (5+ hours minimum) Honestly, I have never fully drained the batteries on any bose quietcomfort earbud - they have long enough battery life to the extent that before the batteries run down to zero, I've already tossed them back in the case while doing something else. They gain an extra hour or two within a 10 minute charge so that usually gets me through the days when I'm traveling and wearing them for hours at a time. >ANC that actually works well Bose has been building noise cancelling headphones for decades (first for aviation pilots, then for consumer products). It's a big part of their brand. Their ANC doesn't just work well, it also does a good job not distorting or altering the sound quality of the music playing (scores very highly on bench tests). My ONLY complaint with the ANC system is the fact that I can't boost the transparency mode (to act as a hearing aid) - sometimes I'd like to be able to hear more of the world around me when I got the music pumped up. Still I have no problem carrying on a conversation when the music is turned way down. Plus it has a nifty feature where if you take off one earbud, it pauses the music and activates full transparency mode regardless what ANC mode you were on. >Good mic quality for calls I rarely use earbuds for making calls (I need to get in the habit of it). I just did a test since since I've never done it and the sound quality sitting at my desk with my earbuds on was actually better than expected (sounded better than my samsung galaxy on speakerphone). I'd say they aren't bad - certainly not the worst in the industry Overall the Bose QC2 and now the QC-Ultra (since the black friday sale) have been a solid investment - I wear them reliably every day. Of course as an audiophile with style, I long for some other premium earbuds that don't look like ugly lug-nuts on the side of the ear haha. I'm seriously interested in the Bang & Olufsen Eleven (which is basically the Beoplay EX with better ANC), but they lack wingtips and I really need comfortable secure earbuds to ensure they don't fall out when I'm doing 30kph on my bike

For my gym and cycling needs, I found the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra fit great and were very comfortable. Some people complain about connectivity issues - and it seems like that happens if you're in a crowded area (downtown areas for example) or using an iPhone. I don't have those issues with connectivity and have used them (and the older QC2 earbuds) for the past few years without any issues.

> I'm surprised by how buggy they are though. I thought a Bose product would more user friendly. The connectivity issues are due to the antenna design used by Bose - their bluetooth antenna sensitivity gain is lower than lots of other earbuds - so they tend to get more buggy in congested areas. In my experience out in a rural countryside, my Bose QC2 and QC Ultra earbuds have been rock solid with no connectivity issues. Only time I really see any problems is when I'm going through a busy airport. Then I notice connectivity issues sometimes. Sucks too because both the QC2 and QC Ultra suffer from the same issue. It doesn't affect me but I see a ton of complaints about it

Started with the QC2 about three years ago. The QC-Ultra is basically QC2.5 (minor changes over the QC2). Upgraded to QC-Ultra on Black Friday. I use mine daily in the gym and outdoors when cycling (so I wear mine for a total of 1-2 hours per day). Plus when flying. I find them to be extremely comfortable and can wear them for hours at a time without any issues or discomfort. Sound quality is good enough - not best in the industry, but good enough at this price point (better than many budget grade earbuds). ANC is pretty impressive for the form factor involved. Biggest issue you'll have is finding the perfect fit of earbuds and wingtips to block out all sound (passive noise cancelling) so the ANC system can work best People do complain about connectivity issues - I suspect this is due to a smaller antenna or a reduced antenna sensitivity. In a 'crowded' noisy environment with lots of radio and bluetooth signals (such as downtown in a large city) you might find issues with connectivity and the signal hopping occasionally to find a good signal. For me out in the 'burbs, my signal rarely hops (maybe once or twice a year when cycling past a bus full of people on the road I'll hear a hiccup as the earbuds from the signal interference) So for me it's not an issue, but I can understand why some people complain about connectivity depending on where they live. >I'm hearing the earbuds squelch (I don't know how to discribe it sometimes when I turn my head. Sometimes the earbuds can squeal when pinching some microphones (causing a signal interference with the ANC system), but you shouldn't be hearing that simply by turning your head. That sounds like they could be defective and need to be replaced.

So it depends on your needs - for many years I wanted nothing but pure ANC and good sound quality. For flying and when I want to 'turn off' the world, my Bose Quietcomfort earbuds have been solid. But Bose has a signature sound that some people don't like - however Bose is more focused on ANC over sound quality (and call quality in my opinion lol). For overall performers, I'd say you can scoop up a set of Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 for a fair price these days if ANC and Sound quality are important on a budget. But lately I find myself reaching for open-ear earclip style earbuds for my everyday consumption needs. I can turn the music down to moderate levels and go about my work day while still hearing and interacting with the world. Transparency mode on ANC earbuds is nice, but not something I liked using for everyday wear. With my ANC earbuds, they get hot and sweaty after 4-5 hours of wearing. But with open-ear clip style earbuds, I can go 7+ hours every day without any discomfort (the only annoyance is when the battery runs out after 6-7 hours lol)

I have a set of Bose Quietcomforts I bought direct from Bose in 2020. They were the first TWS earbuds on the market from Bose, and they still hold a solid charge lasting several hours (just tested them extensively before selling them on ebay recently to confirm they were fully functional). The reality is that cheaper earbuds use cheaper components. Those lower grade batteries are the issue, not the form factor. Plus it also depends on how you use the earbuds. Someone who uses them a few times a week is going to have a different experience from someone who leaves them in a drawer for months at a time because the earbuds are in standby mode waiting to turn back on - this slowly drains the batteries, eventually deep-cycling them (which does major damage to the battery).

I’ve lifted with both (and still do from time to time). It depends on the headphones and earbuds. Headphones I’ve had success with using Bose over ear headphones because they are lighter and don’t slide around. My AirPod max are terrible because they are so heavy and slide when my head is horizontal to the ground. Earbud wise: Regular AirPods fall out of my ears, AirPod pros are my bread and butter, Bose QC2 earbuds will stay in place but protrude a bit more than AirPods, and Beats Pros were my favorite (best fit and comfort) but they crapped out just after my apple care on them expired so I refused to buy another pair.

The anc, its the thing that makes them worth buying but you can't turn it off, so when you're in a quiet room w no or low audio playing you're getting white noise that drives you fucking insane. I've been without earbuds for like 5 months now after losing one of my qc2 buds and was about to get another pair before I remembered how frustrating it was.

I was going to suggest the Bose qc ultra, but since you have them... I personally don't think earbuds are the best choice for exercise/running. But you have some that don't do a bad job. The three main types of sports earbuds- In-ear sports headphones with concealed rubber ‘wings’ . Ear-hook models. In-ear sports headphones with a neckband. Overall some good sports earbuds- Bose qc earbuds 2 LG Tone free fit utf8

My choice of the best earbuds for gaming include the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless Pro, which offers low latency and customizable RGB lighting, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, known for its outstanding sound quality and comfort, and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, praised for their exceptional noise cancellation and sound clarity. Additionally, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is noted for its impressive audio performance and adaptive sound controls, making it a great choice for immersive gaming experiences.

1. Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation): • Excellent active noise cancellation (ANC). • Great sound quality with spatial audio support. • Comfortable fit and good battery life. 2. Sony WF-1000XM4: • Industry-leading noise cancellation. • Superb sound quality with customizable EQ. • Long battery life and quick charging capabilities. 3. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: • Exceptional noise cancellation and sound quality. • Comfortable design with a secure fit. • Great for long listening sessions. 4. Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro: • Rich sound quality with 24-bit audio support. • Effective ANC and ambient sound modes. • Good integration with Samsung devices. 5. Jabra Elite 7 Pro: • Strong call quality and customizable sound profiles. • Good ANC and comfortable fit. • Solid battery life and multipoint connectivity. 6. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: • High-quality sound with a balanced profile. • Good ANC and transparency mode. • Stylish design and comfortable fit. 7. Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro: • Excellent value for the price with good sound quality. • Customizable ANC and transparency modes. • Long battery life and comfortable wear. 8. Google Pixel Buds Pro: • Seamless integration with Google Assistant. • Good sound quality and ANC. • Comfortable fit and decent battery life.

Nice review. I've tried most earbuds (including these) and I think (at the end of the day) fit is going to be the deciding factor. They can be the best on the market at this or that, but if they don't fit well, it's a moot point. Example. The AZ-100's are very good, yes... but the fit was terrible for me (so I returned them). I've always had issues, though, with getting something to fit right (AirPods Pro, Sony's, etc.). For some reason... Bose fits me perfectly (I returned the QC Ultra's, however, since my QC 2's were as good; the immersion thing didn't impress me and Apple's spatial is better)... even though the sound quality is a bit lackluster. Like someone else mentioned, the Pi8's are fantastic (and if you use their case trick, it skyrockets to #1 as far as great audio). I'm heavily wedded to Apple's ecosystem, so I use AirPods Pro for most things... but if I'm trying to block out noise (which I'm sensitive to)... Bose all the way. Always. Every time. I haven't tried the super pricey ones (Devialet Gemini, B&O Beoplay, etc.), but I'm not spending $500+ on earbuds. While I know everyone hates them, the AirPod Pro's do the trick most of the time (for me).

Ive only used the bose qc2, not these. But the boss app and connection was an absolute nightmare. Would constantly lose the Bluetooth connection and be a total shit show to reconnect. I currently use the xm5 and issues aside (which there definitely are) they are fantastic. Id go Sony but I'd definitely get a warranty just encase you get battery issues

Hell yeah I liked them otherwise but that was a deal breaker

The ANC on the Buds Pro 3 from Samsung is good. The Bose QC2 have good anc. The only downside is their big (so if you have small ears they may be irritating and phone calls are a bit mediocre with loud background noise but very good if area is quiet). Re Bose, Costco USA still has the 130 price that is really good.

The Bose 2 QC are technically outstanding, v quiet. but could have been designed by a frog. They are big and have Connectivity issues. Bought a sillicone case for them but still dropped them and the hinge broke so wouldnt charge properly. then the Bud tip which protrudes into the ear just broke off while wearing. They are now in the bin and i will never but another Bose product.

I think Skullcandy developed Bose’s app for their standard QC earbuds and this started the collab. I also think Skullcandy is using leftover QC earbuds II drivers and casings. I just hope Skullcandy fixed the buggy Bluetooth and firmware of Bose’s QC earbuds lineup. I’m not surprised the ANC is measurably lower than the QC Ultra earbuds. Bose wouldn’t want a $100 pair of earbuds outshining theirs. Either way, I wouldn’t go with Bose but would rather roll the dice with Skullcandy. It just depends on the firmware, app, and if they’ve fixed things. They already fixed the below average battery life. Maybe they could fix the buggy experience.

Your current earbuds have the best ANC on the market. They’re buggy as all hell, but you aren’t going to find earbuds with better ANC. The AirPods Pro 2, Sony WF-10005, and JBL Tour Pro 3 all have competitive ANC with Bose, but Bose still has the best. The AirPods Pro 2 will provide a more solid experience if you’re using an iPhone. The Sony will have ANC a notch below Bose. But they do get a couple extra hours of use, their charging case is small and supports Qi charging, and I think their sound quality is better than Bose. I have the JBL Tour Pro 3. When music is playing, I can’t hear anything. Better audio quality than Bose and longer battery life (the same as Sony). Their charging case is large, but at least it has Qi charging and can act as an audio source for the earbuds. The touchscreen seems like a gimmick, but I actually use it from time to time instead of relying on the JBL app (which is a little slow but worlds better than Bose’s buggy app). I will never buy Bose earbuds again. I went through 5-6 pairs of QC earbuds 1, the same number of QC earbuds 2, and 4 pairs of QC Ultra. I just kept exchanging them for connectivity issues (Android and iOS), buzzing in the left ear on the Ultras, needing to factory reset the 2 and Ultras (which means plugging them into a USB power source), and overall just terrible experiences. I had the Sony WF-1000XM5, but their hybrid foam/rubber ear tips weren’t my favorite. Then I received a pair of JBL Tour Pro 3 and kept them because of their sound quality (I can get booming bass without distortion, unlike with Bose), competitive ANC, and having damn near every feature under the sun. The only thing you can’t do is control audio playback and adjust volume directly with the earbuds. But their case, my Apple Watch, or my iPhone can handle that.

The Sony have 2 extra hours over the Bose QC Earbuds 2 and Ultra. Sony also doesn’t charge $50 for Qi charging.

The Method 360 have less ANC than the QC Ultra. I wouldn’t get the QC earbuds II, they were far too buggy to purchase and Bose has been swapping them out with QC Ultras for customers. If ANC is your top focus, it’s going to be the QC Ultra earbuds or the JBL Tour Pro 3, they both have the top ANC on the market with the Pro 3 coming in second to Bose. The QC Ultra earbuds are buggy, but they’re have the best ANC.

The bugs with the QC earbuds II or the Ultra? The bugs are so bad with the earbuds II, they should never be purchased. Random disconnects, audio changing to mono mode for each earbud, only one earbud connecting, a strange voice bug where the left dominates at less than 50% and the right dominates at more than 50% (with the right turnoff completely at 25% volume and same with the left at 75% volume), weird ANC moments that produce a high pitched ringing because they tried to compensate for outside noise too which, and I’m sure there’s more. The “solution” to all of these is to factory reset the earbuds, which requires plugging them into a power source, until they happen again. The QC Ultra earbuds have some connectivity bugs and older units produce a mosquito buzzing in the left ear. I haven’t had nearly the save amount of bugs with my QC Ultra earbuds and lost resolve around the YouTube app being open in the background. If I close that, they tend to be fine.

Numbers 2 and 3 are too buggy and I don’t recommend buying them. Number 2 is also too old to buy into now. Number 1 was released late last year and will have about the same ANC as number 3, which has the best but they’re too buggy to use and are otherwise terrible earbuds because of those bugs and other issues they’re known for.

They need media playing. Find a 10 hour silent video on YouTube and play that. The regular QC earbuds have hardware from Bose but firmware and software from Skullcandy. Their app is 100% a rebrand of Skullcandy’s IQ app. I’m not sure why Bose went this route. Probably because they have issues developing their own app and firmware. Skullcandy releasing the Method 360 ANC was probably part of the agreement, those are essentially re-skinned QC earbuds II with a 30% reduction in ANC.

That’s idiotic, especially since they don’t have head tracking Spatial Audio. Return them and get a different pair from potentially a different brand. The QC earbuds aren’t the best anyway, even for their lower price.

Hey all, looking for some recommendations for noise canceling buds that are good for traveling on planes and public transport (mainly air travel). I have a pair of Bose QC2 but are not very impressed with the noise cancelling and constant Bluetooth issues

Ive tried 10 different earbuds over the past 2 weeks. I am returning the bose qc 2 among 8 others. I settled on the nothing (a). The anc for is better than the bose qc and the sound quality is fantastic. I think the bass is perfect because its strong but not too strong. You can turn it up though. The volume is also pretty loud.

I only use anc for cutting grass. With the bose i could still hear a weird noise when the blades were engaged. With the nothing (a) i didnt hear that noise and the overall engine noise was less.

They are really good. i have the qc 2 and it has increased anc. But one thing to be aware of is that earwax can get clogged up in the anc holes. This can result in audio in one ear being less than the other ear. So I recommend cleaning it once or twice every 2 weeks if you have a lot of ear wax.

I been using the Bose QC 2 and the last few months they been a bit twitchy, random disconnects and audio hiccups, they aren’t old but ready to try something else

I hope the ultra are less buggy then the QC2 earbuds, I’m ready for something new. That’s how frustrating they have gotten

I have the QC2 earbuds and yeah the AnC is great, but I still find them frustrating buggy, and have my share of issues that when wearing for a while …. they just so annoying

It felt like once the Ultra were announced that Bose stopped updating QC2…. Which makes me question Bose when other companies like Sony have stilled updated XM4s. Which kind of wants me to avoid Bose

They got to be better then the QC2 that I have, which are garbage

I'd really recommend the QC2's, they don't come out of your ear unless you're trying to deliberately remove them. They'll stay in regardless of if you're doing running or decline presses. I lost mine last week and im mulling over buying a new set.

Yeah they suck and I’ve used AirPods, Marley’s, Sony, these are the wort wireless earbuds I’ve ever used. Drop out every 10-15 minuets, drop out when bending of turning my head even though my phone is beside me or on my person, which when you have sweat, or cleaning products, or general cooking mess on your hands is very tedious. Would highly NOT recommend spending money on these.

This persons experience may be different. I’ve had them for a month or two. Mine regularly drop out, once during a workout disconnected for no reasons and would reconnect until I got home and put them in case (still had charge, put them straight from case back into me ears had well above 50%) When I wear them to clean/cook/workout, phone no more than a metre from me or in pocket, they drop connection every 5-10minutes for no reason. Press them how you’d stop music/pick up end call etc and it reconnects, occasionally have to touch phone to have them reconnect. This of course is very tedious when hands are covered in meat juice or similar, sweaty from working out, or covered in dust/cleaning products. Wish I just went with the AirPods again, these ear buds are trash when paired with iPhone. Sure maybe iPhones/Apples fault, I’m no loyalist, I’ve also paired Marley’s, and Sony ear buds with this phone no issue, it’s only the Bose Quiet Comfort that do this.

Bose have the best ANC hands down. No one is better for ANC. Now sound is good comfort is great call quality sucks.

Bose quite comfort 2 earbuds, but I don't really like the UI

My most important need is for people to hear me clearly when I'm calling from a noisy place, like on the street or in a coffee shop. When I use my Bose QC II, I can hear well, but the person I'm calling can't hear me well. Any suggestions for good background noise cancelling mic?

So I went ahead and bought the QC Earbuds II. To add to what I said: 1. Yes, the earbuds ANC it is REALLY effective. I overall like headphones, just easier to wear and feels a bit better, marginally better sound, much better battery life, but they are not as practical when out, when wearing glasses, in summer, or when trying to sleep, as the vibration (when leaning on the train/plane wall) will resonate against the whole headset. Also, they're big to carry in a bag. 2. The sound quality is really impressive on the earbuds too. There's the same issue as the headset, where I like to use the "bass reducer" EQ, but that's probably just the Bose signature, as both sound similar at similar EQ settings. Mics are also quite the upgrade, when on a call. 3. If sleeping with them is a criteria, you probably want to take something else. I managed to sleep with them (in the train, in a plane), but when sleeping the whole night with them in a bed, I felt that the battery would probably just not be enough, and if you're a side sleeper, there's a good chance that it'll make your ear sore. Still it's a lot better than the headphones obviously, just not good for daily use while sleeping. This is the good one to pick if you want the absolute best ANC, and at this I'm happy because I wanted an upgrade which was well worth it. 4. The transparency mode (without ActiveSense) works well, it really feels like you don't wear them. However, then things are really loud. I wished there was a way to attenuate the noise while keeping the speech clear, for instance in the plane or at the bar. Any level of ANC will make speech slightly less clear to me, and I already struggle to understand people in noisy contexts. I think Sony had an option for that (but the transparency mode on the WF-1000XM4 wasn't worth much). Overall, yes, it holds its promises. If you, like me, like the Bose QC Ultra headphones, and feel that you'd like something on the go, then these QC Earbuds II are really a crazy deal, and for half the price. The earbuds are really up there with the dedicated headphones, which was just a dream to me only a few years ago. Loving that silence 🥰

Re: I did some more tests and I would say the QC Earbuds II are indeed in the same ballpark as the QC Ultra Headphones when it comes to noise cancelation, if not (ever so) slightly better. However the "transparency mode" (aware) just isn't very useful on the earbuds, OK for walking outside but it's not really possible to have a conversation, unless I use smaller tips, but then isolation is a bit worse than the headphones. So transparency mode, mic quality and noise cancelation in really loud environments, and also very slightly better sound quality, better controls (very hard to adjust the fit of the earbuds without triggering a play/pause touch), battery life for very long sessions, less hiss in more silent environments, are reasons to stick with the headphones. Practicality, noise cancelation of some frequencies, especially in quieter environments like home, shops or the train, are reasons for the earbuds. If I could get only one, I'd probably go with the earbuds for my usage.

I’ve only ever owned their earbuds and PC speakers so don’t have much experience with anything else. I liked the PC speakers, but didn’t love them. They had a great sound and imaged well, but I felt that the crossover between the sub and the satellites was a bit too high of a frequency — which made music sound odd in certain rooms. Especially rooms with carpet. Agree with the earbuds assessment. I purchased the QC II earbuds almost exactly a year ago. The ANC is fantastic! When they work they do sound fantastic! However, I’ve had sync issues. They don’t seem to connect consistently. I’ve had to re-pair them once every couple of months. Final straw was on a trip last week where they would only stay connected for about 10-15 seconds. So no music for a long flight. Even re-pairing wouldn’t fix the issue. When I got to my destination, I did some research and found that I had to remove them from the app, un-pair them and perform a reset. That fixed the issue but was a reasonable inconvenience. I just can’t count on them being reliable. Bought something else.

I have the Bose quietcomfort ii earphones going to be honest they are very good with audio, overtime the fittings get stretched out and the phone calls are not great. I have yet to find a way to "fix" this option but I only use these for working out so it's all I need

i will say i’ve had 0 issues with bose’s new qc (the $180 pair) connectivity wise, at least with the Qc 2’s i had they had sooo many issues, so newer bose has those issues mostly ironed out, that being said i would expect little issues with the method 360 connection wise!

I'd go for the Bose QC II earbuds over any of those.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are also a great choice if you really need top-tier noise cancelling. They’re a little more comfortable for long periods, but in terms of pure ANC power, Sony edges them out slightly. Both will do an awesome job on those low-pitch sounds that most earplugs can’t touch.

Unfortunately nothing in the $100 range is going to be in the "best ANC" category. The best ANC is made by Bose, but their flagship earbuds (QuietComfort Ultra) are around $300. Their predecessor, the Bose QuietComfort II, have ANC that's just as good or at least very close. You might be able to find a used or refurbished pair on eBay or Amazon for $120-150. Similarly, Bose's new model (just called QuietComfort without the ultra or a number or anything) has very good Bose ANC and sells new for $179, so you might find a used/refurbished pair in the $120-150 range. Probably not as low as $100 though. If your priority is the best ANC possible, all of these will be *significantly* better for ANC than anything in the $100 range, so you might find it worthwhile to stretch your budget if you're able. You can probably get closer to the $100 range with a used/refurbished pair of Sony LinkBuds S or Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro. They won't be Bose level ANC but they're probably the best ANC you can get around $100. If you don't want to go the used/refurbished route, the Soundcore and Earfun options that others have mentioned have pretty good ANC, especially for the price. They won't be nearly as good as the Bose ANC. I think the ANC will be a bit less effective than the used Linkbuds S and Galaxy buds I mentioned, but I don't own those anymore so I can't compare them directly.

Unfortunately nothing in the $100 range is going to be in the "best ANC" category. The best ANC is made by Bose, but their flagship earbuds (QuietComfort Ultra) are around $300. Their predecessor, the Bose QuietComfort II, have ANC that's just as good or at least very close. You might be able to find a used or refurbished pair on eBay or Amazon for $120-150. Similarly, Bose's new model (just called QuietComfort without the ultra or a number or anything) has very good Bose ANC and sells new for $179, so you might find a used/refurbished pair in the $120-150 range. Probably not as low as $100 though. If your priority is the best ANC possible, all of these will be *significantly* better for ANC than anything in the $100 range, so you might find it worthwhile to stretch your budget if you're able. You can probably get closer to the $100 range with a used/refurbished pair of Sony LinkBuds S or Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro. They won't be Bose level ANC but they're probably the best ANC you can get around $100. If you don't want to go the used/refurbished route, the Soundcore and Earfun options that others have mentioned have pretty good ANC, especially for the price. They won't be nearly as good as the Bose ANC. I think the ANC will be a bit less effective than the used Linkbuds S and Galaxy buds I mentioned, but I don't own those anymore so I can't compare them directly.

Bose Quiet Comfort II Earbuds have absolutely superior active noise, cancellation in comparison to my AirPods Pro. it's not even a contest it's just in a different league. It does cost more and it does have superior audio, resolution, and reduced distortion at higher volumes.

i agree. Obviously, the connectivity of the AirPods Pro Trump's the Bose earpieces. I am fully in on the app with ecosystem with watch tablet, computer and phone so the AirPods are like magic when I need to literally get on my headphones in one second and the Bose, quiet comfort I used to listen to music and to because I live in a very urban area so there are a lot of cars passing by and the Bose earpieces are literally a lifesaver

I've been using Bose QC II's for about a year.

I second this. Had both iterations and the 2’s are riddled with connection issues. Im actually on my third set now (i bought from John Lewis and theyve been really good at replacing them when they stop working properly). My partner also has these, she is now experiencing the same connection issues. Its disappointing for such a high end brand to produce a product that has such consistent issues. They have lost me as a future customer for earbuds.

I used to have the Bose QC II and i love the way it fits my ears. Are these the same as those?

You can absolutely use anc earbuds without using anc. They all have aware mode... As fsr as which one, there is no singular best. But I recommend buds like oneplus bud 3, bkse qc 2...

No they don't

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have really good noise cancellation and sound quality + solid mic performance for calls. Could also look at Sony WF-1000XM5 as they have similar features.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are your best bet. Top-tier noise cancellation, wind reduction, and the call quality is great.

I have the Bose Quiet Comfort II Earbuds and they're great. Under £200 now I think too

Go on Facebook marketplace. I got a pair of Bose QCII earbuds for $65,

I bought a pair of used Bose QCii from FBMP and they last 6-7 hours. I paid $65 for them and love them.

Bose QC II , You will not regret 👍

I'm using the Bose QCUE. I bought the Quiet Comfort II Earbuds shortly after they were released, on EBAY, but I started having issues with charging them. Instead of fixing them, BOSE sent me a FREE, upgraded pair of the Bose Ultra Quiet Comfort Earbuds. They are SO much better than the QC II. Every time I get a product, I just take the time to register them, and now the replacements are still covered under a new warranty. 10/10 Customer Service. They recalled some of their Acoustimass Subwoofers, which are not expensive used at Goodwill, or local online. I've been debating buying one in the bag serial number range because I hear they'll send out Smart Soundbars instead.

Everyone loves shokz but personally my favorite are Bose quiet comfort II. I always end up going back to Bose… the quality is just top notch and they are always the most comfortable and reliable (ie they never fall out) in my experience ETA before this I used the Bose sound sports (wire together but Bluetooth - which I loved and still use as a backup sometimes) and the Bose sport buds or whatever the successor to the sound sports were (not wire together), but I lost one and they don’t sell them anymore, hence the upgrade. They’ve all been the best of the best imo, Bose never disappoints.

Bose quietcomfort II are the most comfortable and best quality that I’ve tried

The quiet comfort ii’s are the best earbuds I’ve ever used! They stay in so well, quality is top tier, and the battery lasts sooo long. Before these I had the sound sports and loved them too, I’ve tried a handful of non-Bose earbuds and none of them come close imo, I always end up splurging on them because it’s honestly just worth it

love the noise canceling on my qc II and bose has great product support. anything happens first year with product they take it back and send a new one.

This is the answer. Their noise cancellation tech is unrivalled.

If you're looking for the absolute best ANC earbuds, then it Bose II or the Bose Ultra — hands down. Nothing else is better than these right now. Something may come along, but as of today, as of this moment, they are my go-to earbuds when I need the best ANC. If there is something better out there, I would have them.

The IIs are slightly less effective than the Ultras, which are hardly noticeable in my experience, but both are amazing. As far as ear pressure goes, I can't speak to that because I don't feel it.

I experienced the same issues with my Bose II, but they appear to have resolved over the past six months.

The Bose QC earbuds sound better than the QC Ultra to me. Especially when it comes to bass, the earbuds are the clear winner. For ANC though, it’s not even close. The QC II earbuds have the best ANC among earbuds, but not comparable to the headphone. The headphones are on another level.

The Bose QC earbuds sound better than the QC Ultra to me. Especially when it comes to bass, the earbuds are the clear winner. For ANC though, it’s not even close. The QC II earbuds have the best ANC among earbuds, but not comparable to the headphone. The headphones are on another level.

Same. Those WERE my second fave after the Bowers PI7... Then came the 8's, which were good but not like the Sennheiser MTW3. Currently using my tried and true Bose QC II and the Technics AZ80's. This is my second pair of the Bose. I sold the first ones and picked up another after about a year of missing them and toying with other brands along the way. Still want to grab a set of Beoplay EX just out of curiosity. I've had the EQ's but i still want to see what it's all about with the stem form.

**TL;DR:** Bose earbuds have great sound and noise cancellation, but in my experience, they consistently fail within a year. Despite excellent customer service, the hardware reliability makes them not worth buying. I would avoid Bose earbuds at all costs if you can. It’s very tempting to go for them due to the impressive sound quality and noise cancellation — especially in the first six months. However, I’ve never had a pair last beyond a year. I received a refurbished pair of QuietComfort Earbuds II for my birthday, and they started having Bluetooth connectivity issues after six months. Bose customer service was great and sent me a brand-new replacement pair. About eight months later, those had charging issues and eventually lost sound in one earbud. I went through the process again, and once more, Bose generously upgraded me to the new Ultra model. (I can’t fault the customer service.) But again, after another eight months, I started losing sound in the left earbud — right before a three-week trip involving long-haul flights. I tried to get ahead of it by submitting a repair request before my holiday. The earbuds arrived at Ingram Services, and I received an email informing me that since the product was out of warranty, I needed to pay €250 to repair them. The alternatives were to either pay €40 to have my faulty earbuds returned or choose to have them destroyed free of charge. **Long story short:** They’re excellent while they work — but they just don’t last long enough to justify the price, in my opinion.

Bose QC2.0. Never have a problem with them keeping a connection and the noise canceling is great.

This is a bit late, but for the benefit of other users connectivity is not Terrible, in my experience they disconnect if macbook goes to sleep, just back into the case and back on. I use them for calls about 6/7 hours a day, 4 to 5 days a week  The benefit of being able to work in noisy environments has totally been worth the midld annoyance.  My right bud recently died on my qc II, so I'll try the ultras soon

I had a similar problem - you can't try on anywhere. My last pair of earbuds were damn uncomfortable. I ended up buying Bose as they have a 90 day trial period if purchased direct from their website so you can return them if you don't like the fit. I got the QC II model which fits well for me so far.

I have all three. Xm5s are good for me. Nice fit. The app for the bose quietcomfort 2 is a lot better now. Galaxy buds pro 3 seem to have theirs mostly sorted now with the new batch they selling. I have had one random issue with my buds pro 3 though and that's the left earbud randomly disconnecting then reconnecting. Other than that hiccup, all 3 pairs have been really good for me.

Use my Bose QC II the most, never been an issue for me. AirPod Pro buds work fine for me too.

For excellent noise-canceling earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are top contenders. Both are praised for their ability to significantly reduce outside noise, even in noisy environments, while still delivering great sound quality. If you prioritize top-notch ANC performance, these are solid choices to explore.

So I personally just upgraded from my Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds as well. I did a bunch of research & narrowed down my search to these earbuds: -Sony WF-1000XM5 -Bose QC Ultra Earbuds (& QC II) -Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 -Technics EAH-AZ100 -Denon Perl Pro -Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 (& Buds Pro) I tried the XM5, which had a slightly nicer sound quality & bass extension, slightly nicer ANC/transparency/call quality, & overall nice design & connectivity. My issue with these is twofold: one, I want to get away from foam tips because I'm tired of replacing them & they hurt a little after some hours; two, the tips of the buds aren't as long as the XM4, so I just couldn't get them to fit my ears. Returned but otherwise would've kept them. The Bose I didn't try, but I did try the QC II earbuds, which are virtually identical in real world use. I returned my QC II because the noise cancelling on the high frequency range was just bad compared to my XM4. At the time, I got Sony to give me an out-of-warranty replacement on the buds since the battery life was crapping out after an update. The Pi8 were the most comfortable earbuds I've ever tried, the sound quality was top-notch (even with the AAC codec), the case retransmission feature made them sound even better, & they look super nice. I had major issues with them unfortunately. ANC/transparency/call quality was unacceptable for $400 earbuds, as were the constant connectivity issues I experienced. The buds would randomly not turn on when taken out of the case, or just one wouldn't turn on, or they wouldn't connect, or sometimes the buds would randomly disconnect/reconnect, or sometimes the buds would disconnect from each other. I really wanted to keep them but they were borderline unusable, even after an update. Returned. I've tried the Pixel Buds Pro twice, & I tried the Pixel Buds Pro 2 once recently. I had high hopes for them since I have a Pixel phone & since I really enjoyed the Pixel Buds 2 that I had before my XM4. Both of the Pros had sound quality that wasn't as good as my XM4, as was the ANC/transparency. They'd be decent for the right person, but not for me. Returned. I was going to try the Denon Perl Pro earbuds until I tried the Technics AZ100. The Technics have virtually everything I was looking for & then some: LDAC codec support for high quality listening; ANC/transparency/call quality that is as good (if not better) than my XM4 (the ANC doesn't block as much high frequency sounds due to silicone tips instead of foam, but it's close enough for me); super comfortable & I don't have to jam the earbuds into my ear canal; very customizable touch controls for each ear bud; great battery life; slim case; solid connectivity with no drop outs so far; low latency for video; and they look great! TL;DR: I bought the XM5, AZ100, Pixel Buds Pro 2, QC II Earbuds, & Pi8 to replace my XM4. XM5 didn't fit right, Pixel Buds weren't great, QC II/Ultra were a wash, & Pi8 had way too many issues for the price. AZ100 are such solid all-rounders that they're worth the price. If the XM5 fit your ears, they're also really good. Pi8 are phenomenal if listening quality is your top priority. Bose are decent as well. I picked AZ100!

It depends entirely on your circumstances.  If you have 'kind of a lot of money, spending $300 vs $30 isn't going to mean making any sort of real sacrifice to afford it. If you really really love music, you might enjoy it that much more with better audio quality.  If you work on the phone all the time, everyone else will appreciate how much better your mix is. If you live/work/travel in a loud place(s) and the ANC helps you do your job/study/relax better/with less annoyance... You might be much happier. I wear my earbuds for many hours each day, and I've never had any hardware issues. Easily 4 hours per day. My Bose QC II are like three years old, roughly. 50 weeks per year, that's 150 weeks at 20 hours per week - that's 3,000 hours. It cost me about $300. And they still work like brand new. I use them at work, I use them when I travel, I use them when I cut the grass... I suck at math but isn't that like ten cents per hour?  For a lot of people, it's worth it. For $100 I feel like you can get _almost_ the same thing. And yeah, for $30 you can still get something that works. It's not on the top of my list of things I need to be happy, but it's totally worth it to me.

I gave the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II a try after my experience with Beats left me wanting more durability and sound quality for intense workouts.

I have the Bose QCII in-ear buds the connectivity is so bad and frustrating, I switched to AirPods Pro 2 no going back. Not to mention Bose’s latest earbuds do not offer this kind of automatic voice-detection feature. Unlike AirPods Pro 2, which automatically lower volume and enhance voices when you start speaking. The Bose Soundbar 900 is an entirely different beast altogether. I purchased both the rears and two subs it was worth every penny, the sound is simply superb imo. I am however trying to figure out why I’m unable to get Dolby Atmos when playing a spatial audio from a disk. I believe it’s the tv with ARC. I may need to upgrade to eARC.

Consider Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II — excellent ANC like Sony, but generally better build and battery consistency.

Yeah, noise canecllation is must, especially on the train. For small ears and best noise canceling AirPods Pro (2nd gen) or Bose QC Earbuds II are best. U havn't mentioned if u r on a budget, the Soundcore Life Dot 3i is quite decent. I [had saved this thread](https://linktr.ee/thebestearbuds) from when I was shopping, may help u as well.

I have 4 QC II earbuds. I don't have many issues with them. The fit is excellent. I have tried Sony and Technics earbuds and returned them because I didn't like the fit. I am using the earbuds for many hours every day. I returned the Ultra earbuds twice because the left earbud had noise in them.

great choice for earbuds would be the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. Bose is known for its excellent noise cancellation, and these earbuds are no different. They're super effective at canceling out a wide range of sounds, particularly low-frequency noises, like the hum of a plane or a busy street.

With in the ear buds (as opposed to over the ear headphones), I have found it is all about the personal fit. For me, the highly rated Sonys don't work at all even with third party tips and AirPods Pros are only marginally better, again even with third party trips. Bose work the best for me, though I have to buy their accessory tip kit and use the extra large tips (with the medium stability bands). This configuration gives me excellent passive noise cancellation (i.e., with the earbuds off), and superb active noise cancelation, which was excellent with the QuietComfort II buds and even better with the ultras. This is obviously a personal matter of fit. I have not found them to be buggy at all. With the latest firmware, they have multi-point connectivity so I can easily connect them to two Apple devices simultaneously and cycle to other ones. Not quite as easy as the AirPods Pro, but for me the trade off is very much worth it. With earbuds, a trial period is essential because of the variability of ear shapes. If you don't get good passive isolation with a particular brand, you won't get good active cancellation. The appeal of the over the ears is that fit is less of an issue (though comfort it). All of this to say, for my ears the Bose QC Ultra buds are superb and for my purposes a much better solution than over the ear. Obviously, YMWV.

As someone who liked the original Bose earbuds, love all their over-ear headphones, but absolutely HATE the QCIIs with a passion, are these any better?

I have Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, and the connection, pairing, etc., are a disaster. I don’t know about the Ultra ones, but for mine, it’s starting to get really annoying. Sometimes only one of the two connects, sometimes it just doesn’t work at all, etc.

But for everything else : comfort, battery life, sound, ANC, etc. they’re top-notch, which makes it really unfortunate. After all, they’re still usable. You just have to avoid taking one earbud out, then putting it back, taking the right one out, putting it away, then picking it up again, etc...

For comfort and noise cancellation, Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are hard to beat

Currently using (and loving) Pixel Buds Pro 2. Been through all the Pixel buds and these are the best (no surprise). Around the house I'm usually using in Transparent mode (wife likes me to be able to hear her for some reason). I also have a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 2 buds that work a little better for me on buses and airplanes. Shape of the ear, I guess, that these give me a better seal. But I prefer the lighter touch (and couple extra features with my P9PF) with the Pixel Buds.

I have the QC Buds 2 and to be honest they're amazing but I have had issues with connectivity. Sometime they'll decide to just not connect at all. I have unpair and repair them. Also the QC Buds 2 dont have wireless charging. Only the Ultra's do. And lastly the rubber wing moves out of place sometimes.

Bose Quiet comfort Earbuds or even better NC choose the QC2s. I have them and you can get them (1st vers) from $99-$129) Chk ebay and QVC for pay in 4-6 MO plans!

I have tried the latest AirPods Pro 2, the Bose QuietComfort 2, and the Sony WF-1000XM4, and now I have just bought the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. I have an Android phone and move a lot when listening, like cycling and working physically. The Sony headphones did not fit properly, and I lost one pair, so I bought a new one. They have good sound, but the noise cancelling is not overwhelming. However, what bothered me the most were the buds, which disintegrated, were difficult to clean, and did not fit very well in my ear. Maybe the ..5 are better? The Airpods fit very well in my ear. I like the desing and the way they glide into the case which is nice and smal. The noise canceling is as good as the from the Bose quietcomfort 2. Sound is good but still I like the sound of the Bose better. I liked my Bose 2 but the microfone stopped to work after 2 years of almost daily use in all weather. The only draw back was the quality during calls with noise around. Finally the Bose ultra. Which I think are amazing right now. They fit very well in my ears. I read a lot of reviews on them and I was not sure if they would fill my needs sound wise. On the other hand most of them were are year old. I updated the Bose earbuds at once. The sound is like always Bose, which I like best. The noise canceling is very, very good for being earbuds. Of course not yet as good as the Bose headphones but quite close. There was a lot of critic around the immersive sound. I listen a lot to audiobooks and it makes a big difference. I love the way they become more kind of a tale told in a room. Also for music it gives a feeling of space. I have tested the voice quality during calls, which is good, including moderate noise that worked very well. However, I have not tested it with heavy machine noise yet. So for me the Bose quietcomfort ultra were a good choice without major drawbacks beside the price.

PRO 3s are good. I also have the Bose Quite Comfort 2 and they both hold up. There is a really good deal on the Pro 3 on the samsung site I got mine for $100 with a trade in on my old buds live

I just replaced the batteries on my WF-1000XM4 and can't say enough good things about them. Comfortable, reliable, quiet and last year I used them a ton on my flight to and vacation in New Zealand. Thought about upgrading to the XM5's but figured I could do that if I failed to replace the batteries LOL. Thankfully battery replacement went great. I have an older set of the BOSE QuietComfort 2 ear buds as well that I need to replace batteries on. While they're not quite as good as the Sony buds I find them to be better gym earbuds because of sweat. The sound quality isn't even close though. Can't speak to the newest ones but they are good earbuds.

I use my Bose quiet comfort 2 earbuds. Put them on transparent mode and you can hear your surroundings just as well as bone condition but with great audio quality. Battery life isn’t long enough for ultras though, maybe get 4 hours out of them

I think Bose quiet comfort ultra are not great. I have those, Bose quiet comfort 1 Bose quiet comfort 2 Bose quiet comfort ultra AirPod pro 2 Sony wf1000xm5 Sennheiser momentum 4 buds If it’s the original Bose quiet comfort 1 I think they are great. Gen 1 had wireless charging, great noise cancelling, definitely the best iteration, I have had to replace all the parts on the ultra and gen 2. I use my AirPod pro 2 often cause they connect quick and work with the apple interface so well. My current favorite are the sennheiser right now

Everyones ears are shaped differently so I don't think there is an objective answer to this question, but I can give recommendations on what works for me. A lot of people like apple airpods but they hurt my ears within 10 minutes of wearing them, personally. I liked Bose earbuds for a long time but they have gotten more expensive, for a worse product in recent years. If you can find a second generation of their Quiet Comfort earbuds, they're pretty great, but still gonna be pretty pricey. The third generation cost about $300 and the quality is worse than the second gen. More recently I've found that I really love Altec Lansing Nanobuds. They're the same shape and level of comfort as the Bose earbuds, but they stay in my ear even better and they're waaaay cheaper. They're not quite as user friendly as the Bose are, as far as touch controls on the headphones themselves, but thats a small inconvenience for me. They also have a better battery life and cost about $60 as opposed to $150-$250 for the second gen Bose. Hope this helps. Good luck on your search for the perfect earbuds OP.

I had these before my Bose qc 2s. The Bose are better in sound and noise cancellation, but bulkier and have more pieces that can fail. After losing one of the rubber guards it took about two weeks for the plastic casing to separate. I missed having my galaxy buds, their fit was great for me but I lost them and replaced them with far less comfortable galaxy pro 2s My biggest issue with the Bose was size as I fall asleep with earbuds in frequently. Pixel buds pro 2 while having slightly less noise cancellation are great for that with their extremely small size.

I didn’t like the galaxy buds pro, they were uncomfortable. I’m happy with the pixels and keeping my Bose as a backup.

Yeah same. Total hit or miss with connectivity after app updates but it's flawless normally as long as they don't fuck with the app

I have the Bose QuietComfort, sound quality is good (what is to be expected from Bose) though, while they do stay in my ears well, they are a bit uncomfortable. Connectivity is also a little shotty (they'll go in and out every once in a while). UPDATE: I purchased these on August 7th and as of today (the 18th) the right earbud is not connecting to the charging case. I'm going to see if I can swap them out for the QC IIs instead.

I’m having similar issues with the QC I buds. I have issues with connectivity as well (both with Bluetooth and with the charging case).

I have Pixel buds pro 2 and they have a bit of white noise in transparency but very little in ANC on and none when you turn off both modes (like non ANC buds). The white noise in transparency is quite high. It's a consequence of using microphones but Bose is not good with mic quality so I suspect it's because of the low quality mics. It was so high it was bothersome to me. I returned them. You can also hear it when ANC is on. With the QC buds, it's either transparency or ANC on there is no off mode. There is no setting to turn off the idle off time. I didn't have that do it, but some wanted to use for sleep and claimed it was an hour or 2 and they turned off.

The jbl definitely hits hard ( tp2). Haven't tried the 3, but early reviews seems like they're great sounding. Jabra doesn't hit hard, but they're still have good sound that people would enjoy.  Xm5 has the extra bass boost. I'd also say the bose qce have hard hitting bass. These aren't exactly feature packed though, as they don't have auracast, nor Bluetooth transmitters. (Or even wireless charging for the bose lol) All of these have excellent wear sensors.  I think we both have different definition of'best', which is fine. I think gemini ii is great, but the sennies, meh. I reckon the buds fe is the best valued. Excellent anc, transparency, mic, fit. You can also use a3rd party equaliser and make them sound better out of the box (not saying they beat other tws in this regard, but considering sound is subjective, you can tweak them to what you'd like). And for what was on sale at 99aud, that's value. 

I finally decided to get a pair of Bose quiet comfort earbuds. They initially worked for like 30 minutes and then stopped working. I’ve sent them back today. People may not like to hear this but if you have an iPhone, the best earbuds are the AirPods second generation.

I have buds 2 pro, airpod pro, and bose quiet comfort buds. Galaxy buds are good, not great. Anc is acceptable, transparency is a little tinny/echoey. My biggest complaint is that you can't use transparency with only one buds in which is my most common use since I wear them at work. Air pod pros were great. I used to have an iPhone so that's why I automatically went with them a couple years ago. Anc is great, transparency is very clear and can be used with just one bud. My complaint here was that they just didn't play well with my flip 6. I had weird times where the volume would spike or drop and I could never remember the stem controls for changing the modes. Bose quiet comfort buds (not the ultras) are my winner. No stem, though they do stick out a bit from the ear. Excellent anc and transparency that work with just one bud in. They stay in my ears better and have a really good app. The bass is just incredible compared to the others. It really blew me away at first. I also can't remember the last time I charged them. For them all being about the same price I'd go Bose 100%

Bose quietcomfort earbuds when the kids are around (nice ANC) and my ARTTI T10 when alone.

Under $100, the Liberty 4 NC is best choice. Btw, the best ANC are the Bose QuietComfort earbuds (not Ultra) and Sony XM5. Don't go for the Ultra model , save money.

messed up trying to edit… continuing.. friend’s b&wpi6 and bose quiet comfort buds. given the soundcore custom eq ability, the lib 3 pros were equally as good as the technics, momentums and sony. the b&w might have been slightly better but i was not able to test them as rigorously. I have not had a chance to get the soundcore liberty 4 pros, but from reviews and my experience thus far, i would strongly consider them. the fit will be better than lib 3pros and the anc is stated to be better.

I have had a pair of these for about 4 months and they are having issues staying connected to Bluetooth... i was just thinking yesterday about sending them back

Is this why I hate the Bose QCs😭😂 I just don’t like how they sound. Feels muddy to me in every way possible, and the things I want to hear I can’t. Even the Sony cm4s but they are at least better than the bose. My search for better wired earbuds led me here 😂

If your priority is noise cancelling, get the Bose quitecomfort buds

> Great noise cancellation that's good cuz the max volume is a joke on those

I've used both and I can't say either are great. \-The ANC of the Bose are way above the Sony. I can work in a woodshop with the bose as hearing protection, but need additional over ear muffs with the Sony. \-The connectivity of the Sony is better, it pairs to two devices and is more consistent. The older the Bose gets, the worse the connectivity. It manifests itself as taking longer to pair or having to reset the bluetooth connection. It gets really annoying. \-I'm no audiophile but enjoy good sound and enjoy listening to both \-Bose stays in my ears MUCH better than sony. I even tried Spinfits and the Comply tips.

ANC is good, but QC buds break too easily. Switched to Sony XM5 much better.

I cannot stress this enough, do not get the Bose QC earbuds. They are notorious for not connecting, not syncing, and stopping working altogether. Do a simple search for troubleshooting on this reddit and you’ll see hundreds of people with the same issues regarding buds not syncing, not connecting, stopping working after only a few weeks. Trust me on this.

In terms of sound and ANC they are fantastic. But for running I prefer the QCE

I think they use the same fin structure. I have the opposite issue, the L is not big enough, so I bought the alternate sizing kit for the Ultra, which comes with XS and XL (XS might help you) and they fit not only the ultra but also the new 2024 (and cheaper) QCE

Bose quiet comfort Ultra or non Ultra either is good on long haul flights

Bose quiet comfort!  I hate headphones because they all hurt my ears, but these are so comfy and have great noise canceling. I also have the quiet comfort bose earbuds, and they're amazing too, just with the occasional connectivity issue. I can't wear the over the head ones at the office, and its uncomfortable to lay on my side while wearing them at home, and so that's where my earbuds come in

Noise canceling and sound quality are your priorities? Bose no question.

Bose QC are not for those who sweat a lot by the way. They’ll fall out of your ear and the modes will switch and songs get skipped.

Hey so just so you know if you sweat a lot these aren’t the earbuds to buy. Sweat will change the settings and skip songs and switch modes, and they will fall out of your ears.

Enjoy your Bose quiet comforts. I'm about q month into mine and don't use my Sennheiser 2s at all anymore

I've had my bose QC for...6 years now. Still perfect

ANC is amazing on the Bose. I have them

Hi I’m considering buying someone new headphones. After the issue i am having with my current Bose quiet comforts. That I’ve had less than a year. I got them back in October. My issue is that whenever im outside the audio cuts out or glitches. Most of the time this is on the aware mode. But i realized the other day that it happens on noise cancellation aswell. Less often but still happens. It’ll cut out with the slightest noise ( like the wind is barely blowing or a car drive by) I’m not even in that noisy of an environment. For example a single car will go by like every 10 minutes or so. They seem to work mostly fine indoors though. Just getting fed up with the audio cutting out for a second or 2. I’ve had some Sony link buds s before that did pretty much the same thing. So please what are some of your recommendations? They would need to at least be able to play a podcast or music for 4hours without a break.

I've been using Bose QuietComfort earbuds for a few years now. No complaints. Punchy base, solid sound cancellation, comfortable enough for extended use (I use these on intercontinental flights), audio quality is good enough for gaming. Mic is apparently a bit tinny according to my friendsbut honestly, that's the only issue I've seen so far.

I returned them because the ANC/transparency can not be turned off. Battery life is lacking and no wireless charging I opted for the cheaper quiet comfort earbuds and they do everything I can ask for including just using them as headphones without any other processing of outside noise for over 100$ cheaper.

I literally just returned a pair of Bose QCEs and am keeping a pair of Tozo NC9s. The Bose has really good noise cancelling but a sensor that put them to sleep if you stop moving….. so if you fell asleep in them, they wake you up. The Tozos have good ANC but not Bose good. They’re half the size though. They last a full night on low volume and aren’t dead but are getting low. The Bose lasted PROBABLY 12 hours, so a bit more but not worth getting woken up when I passed out. As for sound quality, I can tell big jumps between garbage and great but I have loud noise hearing damage and was never an audiophile. The Tozos are good for me and they have an eq in the app. They have a PILE of Amazon reviews and a good app, they have to be doing something sketchy to be so good AND cheap.

When I want to be left truly alone but can change the settings to hear around me - Bose quiet comfort ear buds. But otherwise, shokz for long runs and races. It's really incredible how common Shokz have become and the sound quality on the new ones is insane. KEEP IN MIND there are TWO head sizes. If you have a smaller head like me - get the mini. There's an option on the page for which one and it shows the length so you can see the difference

For Bose, Your *hair* can cause these issues. Their customer service well actually ask you if your hair was near your ears! I wish I was joking... And then the ANC will start toggling itself between,   *Quiet,Aware,Immersion* repeatedly, the stupid voice saying it over, and over again until you put then back into the case to reset them. If you're home that's fine, but if you're in the middle of a 2-hour workout and nowhere near the case you're done. So you have to take them off, stick them in your pocket until you can get back to the car.  They and their customer service are freaking useless.

Not Bose. Will have connectivity issues and you will be trouble shooting them more and more often with time.  Customer service non existent.  

Bose, all the way. Nothing is aesthetically good, but some report (including myself and one of my nephew) complaining about build quality, the glue on the buds just giving up and it opens

I love mine, I've got a set of Bose quite comfort...

Bose quietcomfort ear buds & I rate them hard!!!

I gave the QC Bose a try recently, and they've held up well during my gym sessions. The sound quality and secure fit really made a difference compared to my previous pair that started crackling.

I am also in the current predicament as well. When I had an iPhone 13, I had the air pod pro (gen 2) and honestly, I miss them after everything I've dealt with. Before I switched to Android I got the Bose Comfort Quite ear buds and loved them, but not even into a full year of owning them did they start to mess up. I sent them in and got replacements thinking I wouldn't have the same issue again, but here I am THREE MONTHS later and the issue is starting a new. I got the Galaxy Buds Pro 3 to test them out and honestly I'm not the biggest fan, to me they seem like a cheaper version of the air pods and I'd rather have the air pods. The fit is terrible and as a music lover, the sound quality is subpar, especially compared to my bose. So, I will be retuning them and I'm looking into getting a pair of the Jabra Elite 10, hopefully I get the gen 2 but there isn't much to diverse which posting is for which on Amazon. Most of what was listed off on this post has some sort of return warning on Amazon, the only ones that didn't were the Jabra Elite 10 (gen 2) and the Linkbuds S.

Ive always used bose sport or the quiet comforts because of how they fit. My old pair of sports are going on about 6-7 years but barely hold a charge. They are my backups, while one of my 3 year old quiet comforts just stopped working completely. I bought the Jlab ANC sport earbuds and they have been excellent. 1/3rd the price of Bose and honestly sound better IMO. the jlab app is nice and the be aware mode is great for running or activities when you're around others.

Bose quiet comfort. Whether it’s the over the ear or the ear buds, they are worth the price. Superior in both sound quality and noise cancellation. Though I would say no headphone will be BIFL, but Bose makes a high quality product. One more thing, the lower/middle tier ANC ear buds are great, no need to get the most expensive ones.

Not long ago, my Bose QuietComfort earbuds finally gave out, and it was a real disappointment. They had been my go-to for everything—commutes, work, and even just relaxing walks. With medical and other expenses piling up, replacing them with something high-end just isn’t in the cards right now. So, I started looking for something more affordable to get me through, and I found two solid options. EarFun Air Pro 4 turned out to be a real relief. As soon as I put them in, I could feel that little bit of peace come back. The sound is clear, the noise canceling is surprisingly good, and they’re really comfortable. They’re not Bose, but they come pretty close. Then there are the TOZO NC2—simple, reliable, and straightforward. They don’t have the same high-end feel, but they get the job done. The noise canceling isn’t perfect, but it’s enough to help block out the distractions. Neither one is a permanent replacement for my old earbuds, but for now, they’re definitely helping me get by.

I use EarFun Free Pro 3 (UK £57) for various workouts, including running, indoor cycling, and bench workouts. They have the essential ear hooks, if you're not used to them it will take a couple of weeks to get accustomed to them but once you have done so you will see they stay in the ears. I cannot use TWS without ear hooks for workouts, they will just eventually slip out. If you do anything that involves moving your head through an angle, such as sit-ups and pres-ups, the in-ear canal will change shape as you move through the motions which will loosen the earphones so ear hooks are essential. Sweating certainly doesn't help, you will need ear hooks, if I haven't made that clear :) EarFun Free Pro 3 has great dynamic sound, and importantly good thumping bass which you will need for motivation during your exercise routines. Noise cancelling is excellent and so is hear-through. Microphone is fine for use. I also use them for podcasts and audiobooks, they are very clear sounding. For reference I also own these (for reasons that do not involve exercising), Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless, Technics EAH-AZ80, none of these will work for me for exercising. I also own several TRN BT20 Pro which I absolutely love for laid back music listening. IEMs are TRUTHEAR x Crinacle Zero Blue, OG Dusk, Chopin, Blessing 3, Dusk 2 Hope this helps.

Yes exactly, you really do need something like that, you have to remember that the earphones are fighting against gravity, sweat, inertial motion, ear canal shape changes, the odds are against us but find something that will lodge firmly into the ear but also provide nice lush sound to keep us going when our body is screaming for us to stop, then you've got it, that for me is the EarFun Free Pro 3. I know some people find the "stick" shaped earphones with ear hooks that may work for them but for me, you need most of the mass to be inside the ear or the weight outside will force it to slip out with motion. My Bose QuietComfort Earbuds have them and they are secure for general use but not for the types of workouts that involve moving the head out of alignment.

Bose QuietComfort Great noise cancellation, and super comfortable for long sessions

I had the same problem and returned them. Then I got the Pixel Buds Pro 2 and they fit my ears a lot better.

Honestly it was back in December that I tried the Bose QC buds. They were actually my first ever earbuds. I thought they sounded really good. I'm very happy with the Pixel Buds Pro 2. They are slightly more expensive (on sale right now though). They are less bassy than Bose QC buds. They do have an EQ in app of course. Pixel buds don't have some of the higher bit rate codecs if that matters to you. Bose noise cancelling is better but the Pixel Buds have pretty good noise cancelling too. You could also look into the Jabra elite 8 and Jabra Elite 10. They seem to be on sale frequently, putting them in a similar price range and are highly rated. I'm not sure what other good buds are in that range. I would definitely recommend buying them from somewhere you can return them since earbuds fit everyone differently.

Bose quietcomforts are gas, not thr most stable but I could run wit them no problem

I wear Bose QuietComfort earbuds and while they’re not completely silent (there’s like a very low grade noise like pink noise, but I like pink noise), when I put them on in my work environment I immediately relax because it takes out the frequency of everything else around me at the highest noise-cancelling setting. The feeling of hearing all the noise of the room be sucked out is ✨sublime✨. That said sometimes that “pink noise” creates a pressure in my head so I can’t wear them long, I dunno why.

I upgraded to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds after my experience with the Beats Studio Buds left me disappointed. During my workouts, they’ve stayed secure and delivered clear sound with excellent noise cancellation, which helps me focus at the gym. The battery life has held up well too, making them a solid option for someone who values quality.

I use Bose quiet comfort, they have aware and quiet modes which help with hearing surroundings. They were also a gift so I can’t complain about them lol.

I also started using the quiet comfort after years of AirPods. QC are much much better.

I use them in the gym 2.5 hours a day-5 days a week. I charge the buds/case every 10-12 days. The Bose app has as estimated time left feature.

Go with Bose for sure.

I’ve quiet comfort ear buds for gym and headphone for daily use

Usually the latest Bose quiet comfort pods.

Bose quiet comfort. Ditched my AirPods Pro bc they weren’t really noise canceling and these ones also sound phenomenal

OnePlus Buds 4 or Bose QCE. And this is coming from someone who has tried earbuds $300+

The new Bose QC earbuds; the ones that came out this year. The battery life is long enough to surpass an 8-hour workday, and you don't need to mask with sound to block unwanted noise. The Ultras are awesome, but their battery doesn't last as long and it has a lot of premium stuff that I just don't find myself using much for office work. The misses actually gets a little annoyed sometimes because she's trying to get my attention and I can't hear her. That's because I didn't realize I still had the buds on even though I finished work! I have to warn you though that the shape is different from most Bose units in the past. It's a bit top-heavy like the newer Sony's, so there will be more contact on the upper part of your ear to keep the buds stable. This can be problematic depending on the shape of your ear. Personally, I get a bit of irritation putting them on at first, but after a while, it goes away.

This year's version has a more rounded-looking shape. The case looks more like the clamshell from the original QC earbuds instead of the AirPod-looking ones on the Ultra. The label just says "Quiet Comfort Earbuds" and they cost $179. You could knock it down to $170 if you have an account with Bose and they give you a 10% code.

Bose qc for sure. I have the nothings and while they are good, the ANC is just average.

This.

Pretty much any premium choice, like sony, Bose, Samsung, etc. if you want something lightweight, the new Sony link buds are great. Bose has great sound in their quietcomfort earbuds, but call volume is a bit lower than the competition. Galaxy buds are great all around. I have owned a few pairs.

Personally I enjoy the overall quality of the quiet comfort buds, but the earfun free pro 3s have been amazing for the price and have been using them more

Bose Quiet Comfort (not the 300.00 ultra). Absolutely outstanding earbuds for 150-175 pretty regularly through Best Buy.

+1 for Bose QuietComfort. Have had a pair for a few years that have been used in a variety of rough environments. Still work flawlessly and sound great. Noise cancelling modes also work amazingly well.

Yeah, I've had this issue since day one unfortunately! Both with the ultras and the regular ones that I used to have before. It happens when I hit bumps on my road bike too. No clue as to how to get it to go away.

I personally hated the pixel bud pro 2. I got them from work for free as part of a contest. Used them for 6 months then not the white comforts because I’d bought them for my wife a year ago and she loved them. Night and day difference. The Bose ones are superior in every. Single. Way. If they fall out of your ears, just change the ear piece. You don’t stick them in your ear, you twist them in. Took me a while to figure that out.

Bose QuietComfort buds the best you can buy

Check this website, brother. I got my Bose QuietComfort from there. There are several reviews for each model to help you decide: [https://techboltreviews.blogspot.com/2024/10/no-wires-no-worries-best-wireless.html](https://techboltreviews.blogspot.com/2024/10/no-wires-no-worries-best-wireless.html)

If you have the Bose app on your phone, delete it. For some reason the app has a history of negatively impacting the Bluetooth connection between the earbuds and your phone but most people (myself included) have better luck after ditching the app and connecting directly without the weird in between

I have both the Bose QC and Apple AirPods and I find Bose to be better with noise cancelling. Literally blocks out the noise whereas with Apple, I can still hear street noise even with noise reduction at the highest level

I just got some. The old ones were better. Their sw that controls when they stop start is messed up

I've owned a ton of headphones and the ones I have kept the longest and am still using after 9 years are the Bose QuietComfort wired earbuds. They don't make them anymore, but if you can find any, even used, they are awesome. And work amazingly on airplanes too. But I have the over-ear Bose QuietComfort (actually gave the to my husband because I can't tolerate the bar on top of my head--it's a me problem). I also own the Bose QuietComfort I earbuds. I have also owned noise cancelling headphones from JLab, House of Marley, and others. The Bose ones by far have the best noise cancelling. But they are also by far the most comfortable. I can wear them for hours. The only complaint I have with the old wired ones is that the microphone is not sound isolating, and other people tell me all the time they can hear every scrap of background noise. So they aren't good for talking, but they are absolutely epic for noise cancellation and hours of wear. So are all the newer ones, but I love the old ones the best. I feel like all sound goes away when I turn them on. I am always surprised by how noisy it is when I turn them off.

Bose! I use them between apple and my android devices. Mac as well and works well.

The Bose QuietComfort Buds. They can pair simultaneously with my Mac and my phones so I can switch between them. I use my QuietComfort Ultra Headset the most though since I’m always on a plane for the superior ANC.

My Bose QCs have great sound but the mic is terrible. I will be returning them

What’s crazy is I’ve been using Bose soundsports for 4 years straight at the gym and have no issues lol. My QCs, both in and over ear, same, no issues. The only reason I’m moving away from them is their lack of aptx lossless. Otherwise I haven’t experienced those issues. I used to work for the company and when they shut our store down, we knew the quality was dropping. It’s not the same Bose as it was 20 years ago

Person who actually listens to music here, and cares about headphones. Technics AZ100s are absolutely stellar - get them. Oppo Enco X3s (when you are able to buy them in the UK) are cheaper, but absolutely superb. The X2s are some of my favourite ever earbuds. Sennheiser momentums are also very good. Bose quiet comforts are decent but quality wise don't keep up with the above three. Airpods are overpriced and are whitegirl apple product bait. The Sony earbuds noise cancelling is weak and the case battery fails after 12 months for a lot of people.

Not sure if you decided on a solution, but I strongly second the recommendation of the AirPods 4 with ANC for what you seek. The Adaptive mode is magic. I have Bose QC earbuds as well, they're great for the airplane, not for what you're looking for here. See my comment above. ETA: I also find the AirPods Pro 2 (with silicone eartips) less comfortable than the AirPods 4. But the AirPods Pro 2 have a killer feature - they can be used as hearing aids, and in fact gained FDA approval for this. If that might help your mom, definitely look into it.

I love my Bose over-ear headphones but I thought the earbuds were awful. Theyre comfortable but the sound was not good at all. Probably not the popular opinion but I'd rather have my Nothings than the Bose by far.

Between my wife and I, we have Airpods Pro, Perl Pros, Status Audio, Bose QuietComfort, and Sony XM4 earbuds. All of them are good at SOMETHING it just depends on what priorities are. My favorite ones for travel are the Sony (Bose for my wife) -- their ANC seems to work the best. Airpod Pro are great for general usage, features, usability, but ANC isn't as good IMO. My daily drivers are the Denon Perl Pro which I got for half price as a trade show special. Incredible sound quality, decent ANC (But worse passthrough than others).

Well good lord, I tried most Android earbuds--hit or miss. Bose Quiet Comfort---died one month out of warranty--never will buy anything Bose again. Anker still working but phone quality was lame. Sennheiser had some microphone problem. I would have gotten Sony but I did go Apple which work as directed in almost all situations---with android, with the TV, laptop (non apple--Microsoft)........but yes I have an Iphone Pro Max 15--I do digital video--so it was a necessity. I must say, with all my resistance with apple, they have been my best earbuds.

Bose quietcomfort is life tho

Dayum thats nice ive had mine for only 2 months! Love them tho, wear them for 8h+ everyday no sweat.

The charging case on mine died in 2 years. My friend ordered them with me and they don't stay in his ears. I'm going to look for a longer lasting brand.

I just bought the Bose Quiet Comfort after using AirPod Pros for many years. The sound quality is fantastic

I had them for a week and returned them cause they were really uncomfortable. I switched to the Bose QCEs and it made me realize how flat sounding AirPods really are. The customizable EQ on other Earbuds helps so much. Only good thing about AirPods is that they are very easy to use on iPhone whereas with other earbuds you’ll need an app to function certain things. But that’s a trade off I’m happy to make for better sound quality.

If you are thinking about using them without playing music just for mere noice isolation keep in mind that most anc earbuds produce more or less slight white noice. I use anc earbuds for meditation as a dad of toddlers and that white noice is a dealbreaker for me. Bose qc earbuds II/ultra have the most of this white noise I ever experienced, while having undeniably the most effective anc on the market these days. I can recommend the Sony linkbuds s for the best balance between effective noice isolation and the least white noice from it. The xm5 also don’t have a lot of white noice, but the foam tips are pretty uncomfortable to wear. If that doesn’t bother you, I’d recommend these too.

That’s very subjective, but I always end up with my AirPods Pro 2, the whole package is just too compelling at least when you are in the apple eco system. They are like amongst the top three best anc earbuds and everything else is so fluid and reliable while the sound is solid but nothing special. My second most used earbuds are the Sony linkbuds s, which I prefer over the xm5 due to the better comfort, at least in my ears. The Bose qc (II,ultra, gen 2) are supposed to have market leading anc, but as far as I tested them, the connection wasn’t reliable enough and there was too much white noise for my taste. And the cases are too bulky for me to carry them always in my pocket - I don’t use what I don’t have at hand anytime. I wish there was something more exciting than the AirPods, but nothing could beat them for me for longer than a week so far. I don’t have tested many over ears, I own the xm4 and the Bose quiet comfort 45. Both are supposed to be great last generation anc headphones but I don’t get more anc out of them than with my AirPods. Since these are way more convenient, I usually don’t come up using overears. When I sit down in order to listen to music concentrated I use my sennheisers or betweens and so on, but that happens very rarely. 99% of the time I use my AirPods especially while commuting, when reliability is key and I want to make sure that a during a long day out of the house my earbuds won’t let me down.

Budget line, samsung buds+/FE. Best anc/ambient, bose ultra/quietcomfort gen2 earbuds.

I use Bose Quiet Comfort ear buds. They have noise canceling and seem to work well. Battery life can be a concern. Mine are good for about 6 to 8 hours of use before needing recharge. The case also includes a battery so they will charge in the case without plugging in.

Bose for the ANC. Might want to try the B&O EX, they sound amazing!

Bose ANC is top notch. A must go to if you care about Noise canceling the most.

Bose Amazing ANC. They will probably break in 1 or 2 years. But those 1-2 years you'll have the best ANC, hands down. Better than with over-ear headphones.

Bose QC earbuds are really good, blocks out all the noise from the outside. I power wash/ use an impact/ saw/ vacumn and I hear zero noise.

JBL Tour, Bose QC, Sony XM4 and XM5, Liberty NC4... They all sound better but like I said, AirPods Pro 2 truly shine with their seamless integration into the Apple Ecosystem, transparent mode, ANC and call quality. You can basically put them on and forget they're there

I’d go with the [Bose quietcomfort earbuds](https://productbible.com/product/bose-quietcomfort-bluetooth-earbuds). theyre durable, good battery life, and can take a bit of a beating. I’ve dropped mine plenty of times and they’re still doing fine. Plus, the noise canceling is great. Way better than Raycons.

Bose QC is a good option since it has amazing sound quality and noise cancellation but I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who wants to wear them to the gym because they are a bit on the larger side as compared to other sports focused earbuds. Since you are looking for earbuds specifically for the gym, you should not compromise on these features: - Secure fit: Earbuds with adjustable ear tips so that they stay in place when you’re working out - Water resistance: Sweat and moisture resistance is very important. Look for smth w IPX4 rating or higher - Battery Life: Should be at least 6-8 hours for long gym sessions - Light weight: You don't want them to make you uncomfortable during intense physical activity. Many brands are now making earbuds specifically for gym purposes....just google a bit you’ll find really cool options like [these by blackview](https://dbestlists.com/dp-B0CL2DQWSW).

I feel like the ultra quietcomfort earbuds are barely an improvement over the $150 quietcomforts except in terms of their aesthetics. Maybe they fit better. Galaxy buds 3 pro are around 180 and I think they are as good if not better than the ultra earbuds.

I’ve purchased almost everything at this point. I’ve compared them all back to back and side by side. The best ANC TWS you can get while actually having a working app is the new Bose Quietcomfort that just came out. Second is going to be Jabra Elite 8 second edition tied with AirPod Pro 2 with excellent fitting tips. After that, when you get into budget buds it’s a tough go. The Soundcore Space is OK, the Tozo NC9 is OK but definitely less than the above listed buds. If you’re using them for sleep at all, the Jabra and Bose fit me a lot better than AirPod Pro 2 but if you can use the stick style there are a lot more options out there for you.

I recently posted a thread ranking all the earbuds I purchased with ANC being my only priority. The new Bose QC is King. If you want to see my post from earlier today, check the comments. I ranked all that I purchased based only on ANC, only on comfort, and only on Sound. I’m sure you’ll find something on my list that works for you. Also important to measure the Hz in your environment. All ANC is not equal. Some work best only at the low end and only a handful come close to doing anything in the higher frequencies such as high pitched fan blades. I’m happy to give you info on anything I’ve purchased.

Agreed. I use mine for working. There was a building site next door to me, plus noisy neighbours on the other side, and these are the only thing that have ensured peace and quiet and sanity. I've tried a few ear buds models and nothing compares with the Bose for noise cancelling

For sleep, I use the Ozlo Sleepbuds. They are expensive but worth it. They are small so you can roll on your side and it’s fine. Otherwise I like the Bose noise cancelling earbuds. Also expensive, but are chunky - so if i roll over on my side while I sleep they wake me up and/or fall out.

You want best noise cancelling? Bose QC. You want the best Value noise cancelling? Liberty 4NC. You want A.S.S.? Audiofile Secret Stash (Crinicle thought of that, I didn't lol) AKG N5 Hybrid on Harmon Kardon website for $80 when you check out.

Bose QC/Ultra. Best ANC in the biz

QC earbuds meant to have a software update to improve call quality. Bose sent an email yesterday. Unclear how to update though as app saying no updates available.

Best noise canceling is BOSE. Their sound quality (to me) isn't the best compared to others, and I also hate their minimalistic app. But BOSE is king when it comes to pure ANC. If all you truly care about is blocking out soudn go with BOSE.

Bose QC (not ultra) are fabulous. Try them out. Way better than everything you tried (except Sony xm5 which I didn’t try myself, so can’t compare ).

I don't know what your budget is, but the more expensive ones tend to be the better noise blockers. I have Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds that I use for gaming/listening to music while working to help block out when there's construction/tons of trains going by outside, and I recently bought Airpods Pro 2 that I use specifically for the gym, since the gym tends to play overhead music SUPER loudly to where my Bose ones were having a hard time cancelling it out. The airpods do a fantastic job of cancelling out 90% of the gym background noise, and once I turn on music, I pretty much hear no background noise. Both earbuds are excellent. But they are pricey, but it's seriously worth it.

You must be mad to not include Bose QC there...

A&K makes some great wireless iems, not as good sound as my ikko oh10, but very good .also the bose qc are very nice and most comfortable for sure

I'm a side sleeper who is desperate for quiet. My QC earbuds generally work well but are touchy and the slightest movement on the pillow changes the setting from quiet to aware. How does one sleep with bulky head phones on?

I was shocked when I got these and I needed the QCE app.  I thought with the Ultra lineup, they were finally standardizing their line to all using the same app and same chipset.  Then they make these and blow that up all the way.  It made no sense. Luckily my QC Buds stopped working and I just returned them to Costco.

The buds themselves aren't bad, they are just cut down from the Ultras.  It also doesn't make sense that they made a new app for them when everything else Bose is under one app. I also found out that Skillcandy Method 360 ANC are buds they worked with Bose on that can be found for under $100.  They look just like the Ultras and the reviews are pretty good.  This must have been the other end of Skullcandy making the app for the QC Buds.

Bose has the best NC. But have other issues. Sony XM5 is probably #2, especially since the foam tips help. But they wear out also. AZ100 isn’t far below Sony. Their ANC deals very well with lows, but poorly with highs. So it depends what kind of sounds you want to eliminate. You might want to look at headphones if it’s office environments you’re dealing with.

I have them (Sony WF-1000XM5) - and would not recommend. Whilst the audio quality is great, the noise cancelling is abysmal. I previously had the Bose QC Earbuds which had amazing noise cancelling, but buggy software.

There are several very good to excellent buds that work well with the iPhone. Ive been using iPhones since the beginning and Ive currently have like 9 pairs of tws paired to it. I also use android based daps. The Liberty 4 Pros are very similar to the AirPods Pro 2, except the Ankers battery lasts a little longer and the case provides more info. Sound wise there are many other better alternatives, all depends on your budget. Sub $100, the Aviot Q3 or Space Travel, sub $200 Technics AZ80 or Bose QC, sub $300 AZ100 or Pi8, sub $500 Gemini 2 or Rex5. I have all of these, but tested several others to get here.

If you sweat, the Bose earpads probably won’t hold up very long. If you like the Bose sound profile, I’d recommend trying the QC earbuds. They have great ANC and really good sound performance and are currently on sale for $149…assuming you’re in the US.

Do not buy the bose. I bought mine a month ago and I'm stuck with them. Yes they are great sound, yes they have superior ANC but they are completely ruined by the over sensitive touch that will stop and start your music when you don't want it to and you cannot turn off.

The best for my daily activity has been Airpods Pro 2. Bose QC comes in 2nd because they have mic issues and limited touch gesture support. Check out youtube for comparision.

I have the Bose QC from a few years ago, worked well until they didnt, bought the Sony XM5's and have been using them for awhile now, happy for the most part, until my gym started playing music on the overhead system at a silly high volume... not sure why as most people in the gym have some sort of earbud/headphone on but whatever. I bought the AZ100's after reviews here but returned them after a week, NC was ok, about on par as the XM5's but since they were not better, returned. I then took a chance on the Bose QC ultra's.... fully knowing that they could be craptastic or great, after one week of use, absolutely no issues and the NC blocks out all the crap at the gym, our dogs barking and demanding their food as well as our cats mewling for no friggin reason. May not be a popular choice and i may regret it in a month or so but Bose QC ultra are top notch

The regular qc. The ultras have a bunch of issues

I have both and late to this. Got Bose as a Christmas present from parents. I’ve had AirPods forever. The Bose actually sound a lot better on a call. People have trouble hearing me on work calls using AirPods. I also have a Dell laptop. Hoping these help. Likely use Bose for the gym, work calls and traveling. Walking around likely AirPods. The sound quality with music is far superior imo. I plan to keep them because it was a gift and I’m a 42 year old man who can buy what he wants. If I was younger and had to pick as an iPhone owner, get the AirPods.

Thanks for posting these tests. I got the QC Earbuds (not ultra) a few weeks ago and wanted to know whether I should have waited for the new QC Ultra Earbuds. After hearing this test, I'm sticking with the QCs for their longer battery life and will likely move back to Apple once they announce the AirPods Pro 3. The call quality is far from sufficient to make the QC Ultra earbuds useful for professional use in noisy environments. The QC Bluetooth connection issues I've been experiencing since the first day, combined with the fact that Apple continues to release valuable firmware updates for AirPod Pro after many years, make it difficult for me to stick with Bose in the long run.

I tried a few and Bose has been my favorite. I use the over the ear ones (700 mode) for at home or when I fly, and when I’m out and about I use the Bose QC earbuds. I also started using Loop earplugs for some situations as they are cheaper and much easier to carry.

Going on year 5+ of Bose noise cancelling, they work very well. I've replaced the pads twice and they look and perform like new.

Hi, I review tech stuff for work and I recently tested both the QC Ultra Earbuds and the QC Earbuds. The non-Ultra version is way better. IMHO, there are literally no reason to buy the Ultra version. I tested the Ultra only a few months ago (way later then most of the reviewers online) and I was frankly shocked how bad connection and microphones are in the Ultra. I had TONS of connectivity issues and static noises on the left earbud. On the other hand, the QC Earbuds are way more stable and reliable. I experienced some little connettivity quirks, but overall they are so much better than the QC Ultra. Moreover, they are cheaper and supports wireless charging. And the differences in audio quality and ANC are neglectable. Compared to AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-100XM5: I would say ANC a little bit better than AirPods (also because of the rubberish eaband), about the same level to WF-1000XM5. About the sound, I prefer the Sony equalization (the most neutral one) and the Apple one, but if you're a fan of punching basses you'll love the Bose sound.

The Bose sound amazing. But I have found no way with their QCE app to disable their auto shutoff. So listening to soothing meditative music or binaural tones keeps cutting off with no movement of the head. The soundcore A40 have decent ANC ,sound good for cheap earbuds and last 7 hours. Not Bose but ….no shutoff timer.

If anc is a big priority then definitely Bose, the anc is way better. There are videos on YouTube and articles that compare anc, sound quality, and test things like bass and treble. I recommend looking into those if you can’t choose

Nothing $50 or under will be good tbh. Do yourself a favour and invest in good earbuds. The Sony 1000XM5 are amazing. Bose QC are good too.

i like the product nothing comes close for quality and handling bose qc u and sony xm5 and sennheiser m4 are toys comparedto it but i cannot even walk in them i hear my own footsteps bumping back when perdorming calls and going around yes-with transp mode anyone else experiencing the same? with re pro2 vs max anc for cutting out voices is weak on the pro vs the max or for ex compared to bose qc u earbud but-you can still have a call with airpodspro with anc on and your voice comes in well with the max you nees to go transparency but than office talks and kids while at home offices is not reduced with anc on the max i cannot bear talking

Best in ANC would have to be Bose, not even a debate really as thats the feature Bose built its rep on. Calls ie.mics would have to arguably be Huawei Freebuds 4 pro. You're on your own for SQ as thats totally subjective

Ngl I love my buds 3 pros. For reference I've used bose qc and qc pro earbuds. The expensive sony buds. Nothing ear buds (most recent). Bose nc700 and sony xm4 over ears. Buds 3 pro take the cake wirh comfort, fit, accessibility, settings, and sound profile. Dual drivers with more codecs were big upgrades.

You won't get a big different with tws, the bigger difference is in wired products. The boseqc and m4 are similar products, so that's why you don't hear a difference. I'm sure there are $600 tws that would blow the competition away from like noble or campfire.

I had qc earbuds that I returned after 3 exchanges bc they stopped working, great sound, terrible engineering. Got buds 3 pros, noise canceling is better, except for high pitched sounds which leak through a little.

i think the bose qc earbuds are the best

I have Bose ear buds that are noise cancelling and the case acts as a charger. Love them to death and would highly recommend them!

I owned the Bose QC, had connectivity issues and after 2 years the left earbud just completely stopped connecting so I tossed them. This time around I decided on the AirPod Pro 2s, the sound is slightly better than the Bose imo and the anc about 90% as good as the Bose. If they end up being more reliable I would say they’re better than the Bose QC overall.

Noise cancelling is superior, but sound is just okaish for me.

It does, the ANC is as good as my AirPod pros were. The ANC in the Bose QCs is even better than both if you’re ONLY concerned with sound and ANC, but the call quality is so shitty I couldn’t even use them for phone calls, which is probably 50% of the reason I have earbuds

There should be one thread for this and pinned at the top since this is seemingly asked every other day 😂 Anyway the answer is always Bose QC.

Bose Quietcomfort earphones since 2021. I've used them consistently from Monday to Friday on zoom meetings and for listening to music outside. Still rocking and will change them when they no longer work

I've been a Bose QC Earbud fan since I got my first gen Bose QC Earbuds. Their ANC may be the best. But their product quality is either real bad or I'm an idiot. I've had 3 break in a year's time. 3. Though to be fair the first time was my fault 😅. And what broke was in order, Audio, ANC and Audio. Audio was because I made an attempt to clean the speaker with a q-tip as suggested but apparently was too rough with it or something. The second time I stupidly tried to clean the microphone, again in the way they recommend. Which broke the ANC completely. The third time the left earbud randomly started playing Audio at extremely low volume. I had not touched anything important. Didn't even switch the rubber set or plug. This was in the same month I got them. Now to be fair the Bose customer support was great. If you use their chat function. Because it auto translates. If you call them they apparently don't have many actual English speaking workers 😅. Anyway, first time I got a replacement without any hassle. Within 2 weeks they claimned to not have found a problem so they sent a replacement. The second time, same thing. The third time was a bit problematic but that was because someone over there wrote my address down wrong and then UPS did UPS things,so I had to wait months before it got here. But it got here eventually hehe. After that I was no longer allowed a replacement under warranty. Understandable. But still, it's been a few months since then and the ANC is starting to fail again and I have no idea why. Now you may agree that all the times they broke are my own doing and to no fault of Bose. You may be somewhat correct. I still am frustrated though at how easy they break. If they didn't have this "Immersive Audio" Software that I deeply love I would've dropped them some time ago. Sorry for this random rant on what's supposed to be a positive post.