Bose has a new pair of wireless earbuds in the market and it’s not the usual in-ear type found in its other models, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds. As the name suggests, it uses an open-ear design and attaches around your ear like a cuff instead of being plugged in. It’s a refreshing take on the usual earbuds design and depending on your preference, it could be your next favorite type of earbuds.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds come in two colors: Black and White Smoke. At first glance, it looks like your usual expensive earbuds (non-in-ear) but instead of a stem or a bulky body, it uses a slim and flexible silicone joint that is also attached to a cylindrical component where the control button and charging contacts are found. When you wear it, the buds sit on that space in front of the ear canal while the rest wraps around the helix of the ear.
Surprisingly, the design provides a very secure fit (more secure and comfortable than in-ear types. in my opinion) as it’s clipped to the ear rather than just being shoved in inside the ear canal. That’s why most in-ear earbuds come with different-sized tips in the package. In the case of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, it doesn’t need those.
This is where the listening experience becomes interesting. Since the ear canal is not exactly sealed, the earbuds spatialize the audio to create the impression that the music you hear is being played in the room around you instead of through the earbuds you’re wearing. The result is that you hear the music and a bit of environmental noise, keeping you aware of your surroundings. This is good for runners, bikers, or commuters, but not if you want to block external noise or want noise cancellation. If you take this with you on a flight, this won’t block the humming inside the plane’s cabin. But guess what, there’s no sound leak so other people won’t hear what you’re listening to unless they place their ear next to yours.
When it comes to audio quality, we’re a bit skeptical at first because we’re used to having music blasted straight to our eardrums. But no, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds can still deliver high-quality audio with crisp vocals and rumbling bass. We prefer activating ‘Immersion’ mode in the Bose Music app for a more spatial experience. However, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially to those who want to block out external noise. I’m actually inside a busy cafe while writing this article and while I have no problems getting immersed in the music, sharp noises like people laughing or talking loudly, or the clinking of plates and cutlery are immediately heard. You’ll also be able to hear the mumbling of people talking but not enough to be a distraction unless you’re paying attention.
As for other features, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have IPX4 water resistance so you don’t have to worry about sweat or getting caught in the rain, uses Bluetooth 5.3, has built-in microphones, and an impressive battery life of up to 7.5 hours (up to 4.5 hours with Immersive Audio) or up to 48 hours of standby, and up to an extra 19.5 hours of battery life in the charging case.
To conclude, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are an exciting type of earbuds for users who want to enjoy their music while being aware of their surroundings at the same time. It also offers a different level of comfort as it is not jammed in the ears. We’re using this more now than our Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. That said, if we want noise cancellation there are other Bose earbuds available, but for now, we’re enjoying the open experience.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are priced at PHP 18,500 (see listing here) and are available at official Bose stores (by Eleksis Marketing Corporation) nationwide.
