SoundSport Free

Like others said they were pioneers in the noise cancelling space but I actually got the bose sport run free (I think that's what they're called and I don't like noise cancelling I prefer to be aware of my surrounds when walking and jogging and even at work I like to keep an ear out). Got them almost purely for their stayhear tips. The tips have a funny wing design that have a good hold for jogging they stay in place really well and i find them really comfy I even wear them for hours at work. Sound quality is mediocre though haha.

I got bose sound sport for this reason keeps me aware out and about and also in the office I can turn in to people's convos still

Runner here. Previously used Bose Sound Sport Free earbuds (now discontinued) for years and loved them. Bought QC Ultra Gen 2 and really disappointed with them. Would not recommend. Very very expensive. When running and noise cancellation is on, you can gear the rubber parts if the ear buds bouncing, awful. You can now turn off noise cancellation thanks to lastest update, this really helped. If I was buying again I would buy the standard Quiet Comfort earbud. Looks like the old Sound Sport earbuds that I had. I tried them in an airport and liked them. Much more cost effective and I suspect better for running. Please report back with what you buy and your experience using them!

Totally agree with your take especially on the earbuds. I’ve had a few Bose products over the years, and through all that, I’ve definitely leaned toward just sticking with their over-ear headphones and older speakers. My first Bose product was the original SoundDock. That little speaker still impresses me to this day amazing sound for its size, and I still use it regularly with my iPods. I also had a pair of QC15s for years before passing them on to my dad, who still uses them today. Rock solid. In 2016, I picked up the Solo 5 soundbar when I upgraded my TV. Back then, TVs were all about thin bezels and looks, completely ignoring sound quality. The Solo 5 worked okay for about 3 years, but then one day it just wouldn’t power on. I followed all the troubleshooting steps from Bose, but it was out of warranty and Bose couldn’t do anything. Total waste of money, honestly. After that, I got a used Sony home theater system that cost less and sounded way better. So I’m with you, Bose soundbars are way overpriced for what they deliver. A few years later, I got back into using iPods daily and wanted a solid portable speaker. I found a Bose SoundDock Portable on eBay, replaced the battery, and man that thing rocks. Easily sounds better than my JBL Charge 5. Even though battery life isn’t amazing by today’s standards, the fact that it’s from 2008 and still holds its own is impressive. The retractable 30-pin dock is also a nice touch, especially when using Bluetooth adapters, it stays out of the way and doesn’t collect dust. As for the SoundLink line, I’ve tried the Color, Revolve, and Mini models. They all sound great for their size, no doubt. But at the price point, I’d probably go with a JBL or Sony instead — similar sound at a lower cost. Now about the earbuds same experience here. I tried the SoundSport Free around 2019 as a replacement for my first-gen AirPods. I had constant connection issues and they weren’t comfortable for my ears at all. Ended up selling them pretty quick and went with AirPods Pro 2, which worked better for me. That said, earlier this year I picked up the Bose QC Ultra headphones after a friend got the QC45s. I hadn’t used Bose over-ears in a while and figured I’d give them another shot. Honestly? I love them. Super comfortable, great sound after tweaking the EQ, and rock-solid connectivity (just make sure to turn off multipoint). I’ve also tested the new Sony XM6, but personally I still think the QC Ultras are the kings of noise cancellation in the over-ear space. Also worth mentioning, I’ve had experience with the Bose CineMate series and the Wave Radios. The CineMate systems sound great and hold up well over time. One of my friends actually inherited a Wave Radio from his grandparents and still uses it daily. It sounds fantastic and still works like a charm. So overall, Bose is a solid brand, especially when it comes to comfort and audio quality. But if someone asked me what to buy from them today, I’d only recommend their over-ear headphones and older speaker systems (used SoundDocks, Wave Radios, etc.). Everything else feels like a gamble or just too overpriced for what you get.

I still use my true wireless Sound sport buds from 2018 lol

Fellow large-ear animal, Larger outer ears, and large ear canal holes (both depth & diameter). Without wings or hooks - the vast majority of earbuds that rely on eartip-friction for retention - fall out of my ears, or don't seal. Even with larger tips. 95% of what you listed in your post is in my Google Docs notes - made me double-take (for same reasons). I've got all size and dimensions of every Spinfit, Sednafit, and a long list of Japanese and Chinese tips all extracted into tables for quick cross-reference for fitting. (sometimes I have to change summer/winter tips due to extreme weather in PNW mountains and using outside much of the time. Extreme cold mountain air, and moisture, changes tip fit and maybe ear canal size just enough to cause fit issues....) Some copypasta from my notes: 1. Sony Linkbuds S - Overall - one of the all time best for fit. Fantastic w/the right tips, but they're also extremely light and "meh" at best for complex music. Best phone call/mic & ANC earbuds I have owned, until Sony fried them w/the infamous firmware update and refused to replace mine. X4s were good and waiting to test 5's cheaply, when the 6's come out next spring. 2. Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pros - all time favorite wireless/BT TWS earbuds, factoring in app w/DSP & ANC tuning. Full IEM profile nozzle so run wide/long Spinfits most of the time. Right on the edge of the Nothing Ear volume-step issue, but thankfully the active DSP/ANC app allows for infinite tuning of DB levels per "step". Mic & call quality mediocre to poor. Have to "jiggle" them a lot to get them in place properly, and repeat on long walks/hikes. 3. Soundcore Sport X20s - hook-retention is great. The X20 tips do work-loose from my ear hole regularly, when moving around. Even just walking the dogs. Constantly push them back in, to restore seal and bass (and listen to the mics squeal). Tricky to find a tip large & deep enough for the tiny TWS-style mount, as you know. If you don't care about bass or ANC - the largest X20 tip is fine, IMHO. Mics and call quality are excellent for the price-point. Audio is okay-ish. Liveable but not desirable (said with older, suboptimal hearing). Doesn't have L3P volume-step issue. 4. Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro/Pro 2s - can make them to fit with the right tips. Buds Pro, w/Comply I could sacrifice a bit of sound quality, and use them all day moving around just fine. Buds 2, much better call quality and ANC (2nd to Sony). But due to extremely short TWS nozzle could only get them to fit with those huge, sticky Sednafit Xclear tips. Great at a desk. If I move around a lot, the Pro 2s will fall out. Even w/large sticky tip: the tip stays in my ear, but the earbud comes off the tip and falls. 5. Bose: had a TWS model with ear hooks and large tips I liked for calls (equal to Sony). Decent for music, better than X20s or Galaxy Buds Pro. Unfortunately they caused me ear pain, and gave me a splitting headache, even after weeks of attempting to get used to them. Had to return them. Only earbud/IEM product I've ever had a physical pain issue with (out of 100s) and I rarely ever get headaches. Also, IMHSO (humble, subjective opinion) using old, suboptimal ears: Bose audio/music quality is just not worth the price - not for what I listen to. 6. I've read the mid-range Meze fits larger ears well, but no option to try them out where I am and well past my "experiment" price. (I like Meze cans.) 7. Wired: If Wired is No-Go for your, skip this section and go down to "No-Gos"

7. Wired IEMs/Earbuds: My favorite in-ear audio products are all wired, w/exception of L3Ps. Obviously the wide range of ear-hook cables, earhooks, and eartips enables mitigation or remediation of most large-ear challenges. My most-used IEM models are from BQEYZ, CCA, Sennheiser, 7hz, Truthear (and cans). Favorites, with random, super-subjective personal takes: Truthear IEMs: overall best bang for the buck. OG Blue/Reds, Hexa, Gates. Most-used for travel. Efficient, easy to drive, no crying if lost. Mainly use their OEM tips. They fit great, feel great, sound great, at budget price. People say mics are good on calls, but rarely use. So not much data. BQEYZ Winter/Winter Ultra: slightly larger than most of my Truthears. Much more expensive. Still efficient. Fit perfectly. Have some kind of magic for certain types of stringed music - any acoustic/classic strings, up to aggressive jazz (John Zorn/Book of Angels - Lucifer) and prog rock. Nice tips - wide range of diameters and thickness - but OEM tips too shallow. I go back and forth between deep Final Audio (best except bass) and Spinfits (bass) for BQEYZ. Not technical (for their price point) but Winter series is one of the most "forgot about everything for 30 minutes while gooving to music" IEMs I've ever owned, esp adding DSP. CCA Hydros - all around current favorite IEM. Great long/deep XL OEM tips. IEM shells are metal, clanky, and not sure how durable, so stay on my desk. CCA C12s lighter, for walking about, but don't come close to Hydros for audio performance. Prefer Truthear models to C12s. But if I could keep "only one IEM/Earbud for everything": CCA Hydros. Ridiculously technical and well-tuned for $120 (avg sale price), great for almost every music genre, Dolby Atmos, games, etc.

2025-12 update to wired list: AFUL Explorers: the largest of the longer, blue inner-nozzle & black outside, OEM tips - fit great. IEMs are very light, efficient, well-rounded. Great daily drivers and might do well with a Mic cable. (I use Truthear Gate for wired calls now but Explorer much better sounding to me). The Explorers remind me a lot of the BQEYZ Winter IEMs, but with additional BA-driver clarity up top. Amazing $90 sale price IEMs. The one risk I see for them w/large ears: the nozzle has no lip so if your ear canal size requires a wide, sticky tip (e.g.-Senafit or foam) which often run shorter - I can totally see these pulling off the nozzle. (vs. IEMs with a large retention lip-ring at the end of the nozzle.) But using their long OEM tips, they are so light - zero issues. My Go-To Dog-Walking/DogJog IEM now.