Are the Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds the best all-round consumer buds available? You bet.

Two years ago, Bose unveiled top-shelf active noise cancelling (ANC) and audio with the release of its excellent QuietComfort earbuds. For this STACK writer, they quickly became the go-to ear gear for eliminating unwanted passive conversations on the train, and soundtracking the daily walk/jog with the dog. But that was then, and this is now. There’s a new kid in town, a bantam contender that punches even harder.

Real estate is the first thing you’ll notice about the newly released Bose QuietComfort IIs. These are far smaller than the bulky first-generation earbuds, weighing just 6.2 grams each. And it’s not just the buds that are smaller – the size of the charging case has also been reduced, which is particularly convenient if you’re travelling without a bag and need to pop the case into your jeans’ pocket.

Compare the pair: The original Bose QuietComfort Earbuds on the left, and the QuietComfort II Earbuds (black) on the right

Inside the box are a USB-C charging cable, different-sized gel eartips, and stability bands. These gasket-like bands provide a tighter seal for the best in ANC, and the selection of gel tips and bands offer plenty of customisation options to cater for all ears. Connection is via Bluetooth 5.3.

The first new feature of note in the QC IIs is CustomTune, a technology that plays a sound in the ear canal every time the earbuds are fitted. The sound response is collected by a microphone, calibrating the buds to offer customised ANC and audio.

With ANC, earbuds have, by nature of design, always fallen short compared to headphones; ANC in earbuds is adequate, but there are limitations. In the lead-up to their release, the QuietComfort IIs have been touted as offering the best ANC in earbuds to date, and this is no exaggeration. Best in class is an overused term, but highly appropriate here. Nothing we’ve tested in other earbuds comes close.

Two modes are offered out of the box: Quiet and Aware. With ‘quiet’ engaged, I could barely hear the keystrokes when writing this review. Walking past a building site, the only external noise that permeated the earbuds was an excavator’s bucket scraping up against a concrete slab. They are that good.

‘Aware’ mode brings the sound back, allowing an abundance of environmental noise in, which is great for the city jogger concerned about traffic. Through the Bose Music app, there’s an option to customise two further modes by moving a slider to determine the level of ANC required. Touch controls are responsive, and call quality presented no problems inside or when out and about.

Sound-wise, once again these are at the top of the game, delivering superb results across a broad genre of music. Individual instruments and vocals pop with aplomb in a spacious soundstage, and there’s plenty of bass here if, like us, that’s a must. You’ll have a whole new appreciation for the bass drum. An adjustable EQ on the Bose Music app allows tweaking of audio settings, but to be honest, we found the default tuning to be spot on.

The QC II’s hold six hours of charge with a further 18 hours in the case, making them a great option for long-distance travel, and they’re rated IPX4 for splash resistance when working up a sweat at the gym or if you’re caught out in the rain.

To summarise, it’s not always that a product lives up to the marketing hype, but it does here. A versatile pair of earbuds, the QuietComfort II earbuds stand alone with exceptional ANC and audio. Granted, they’re not cheap, but if you want premium earbuds with premium features, our advice is to buy these. You won’t be disappointed.

Buy now at JB Hi-Fi

Posted by Paul Jones | Oct 6, 2022 | LIFE TECH REVIEWS |

Tags: Bose, Bose QuietComfort II Earbuds

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