QuietComfort Earbuds II (Previous Gen)

>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

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

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.

For my gym needs for many years I've been using Bose Quietcomfort earbuds - first the original Quietcomforts with the StayHear earbud tips back in 2020, then I upgraded to the newer designed Bose Quietcomfort2, now I rock the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra earbuds (the first gen, the new second gen was released this year). You can likely find the Bose quietcomfort Ultra earbuds new-old-stock in your budget (just double-check the return policy as there are lots of knockoffs floating around, the only way to confirm yours are legit is to check if they connect to the Bose smartphone app, knockoffs won't). I like them because they have the extra wingtips that lock into your ears (takes a week or two to find the right pairing of inner eartips to outer wingtips), but the outer wingtips really help seal off the ear from external noise which really helps the sound quality (and noise cancelling capabilities). Only two complaints about the Bose QC Ultra earbuds - call quality is lackluster (functional, but not top tier for the MSRP price in my opinion), and some people complain about connectivity. The antenna seems a bit weaker than other brands - so if you're in a downtown area with lots of bluetooth signals, you may find the earbuds hopping signals often. I'm nowhere near a big city so that's not an issue for me - and I really only notice it 'hopping' to another frequency a few times when traveling through a busy airport, so it's not a big issue for me.

>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)

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.

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).

Bose is the original inventors of noise cancelling earbuds back in the 80's (different technology back then, it was not the same ANC we know today - instead it produced a pink noise that helped disrupt the sound of motors/engines). Bose makes headsets for pilots so they have been working on this commercially for years. The Bose Quietcomfort earbuds have two levels of noise cancelling - passive and active. First they use wingtips to block out the exterior sound entering the ear (note, it takes several weeks fiddling with the different wingtips to find the proper fit for your ear shape), then it has active noise cancelling to cancel out the noise. It's this two part system that makes them more effective than many other earbuds on the market. It also makes them more comfortable once you find the proper fit since they kinda 'lock' into your ears. The problem is you often read lots of negative reviews from people who had a bad experience - this is often due to people saving money buying the earbuds at discount from unauthorized retailers. There are a LOT of knockoffs on the market that look identical (same earbud, same packaging), but they're an inferior product. The only way to ensure they are authentic is to run the official Bose app and confirm the earbuds appear in the software (knockoffs act as standard bluetooth earbuds and do not show up in the list on the Bose app)

As mentioned, I have had three different pairs over the past six years. I personally have never experienced that issue. But it is true I have heard others mention issues with the microphone and the ANC system. Sucks you've had problems. I have not

>I only tried Bose and ANC is truly great BUT there's buzzing in the left earbud which is clearly audible in more or less quiet environments. That sounds like a defective microphone used for noise cancelling, because I've had three different Bose Quietcomfort earbuds and all of them were silent. Question - where did you buy your bose earbuds? Did you try connecting them to the Bose app on your phone to verify they were authentic? I ask because there are LOTS of clones of bose earbuds on the market that look 100% legit (aside from performance). The only way to tell if they're legit is to confirm they show up when running the Bose app on your phone

I only carry one set with me most of the time. But when flying, two to three pairs - an open ear (or two) for the airport, and my bose noise cancelling for the flight itself to block out ALL noise.