Historically, if you were searching for a set of **earbuds** with effective noise cancellation, well-rounded sound, satisfactory battery performance, and smooth device transitions, you would typically have to pay $200 or more. However, things are evolving. In September, Apple launched its first non-Pro noise-cancelling earbuds, the **AirPods 4**, available at $179.99. Now, Bose has entered the fray with their **Bose QuietComfort earbuds** retailing for $179, making them $120 less expensive than the **Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds**.
### Sound Quality and Battery Life: An Impressive Duo
From the start, I was impressed by the sound quality of these earbuds. Although I wouldn’t label myself an audiophile, I found the lows, mids, and highs to be well-balanced and articulate, with only minor muddling at high volumes. They excelled across various genres, from **The Marías Tiny Desk performance** to **Chappell Roan’s Austin City Limits set**. For someone who enjoys live performances but prefers not to attend concerts, these earbuds were a delightful discovery.
The accompanying app features an equalizer with five presets along with the ability to save personalized settings. Despite this, the earbuds deliver great sound right out of the box, and I had difficulty noticing significant differences when changing the equalizer settings. If you’re particularly sensitive to sound, you might perceive more, but tweaking the equalizer is straightforward if necessary.
Regarding battery life, I have absolutely no complaints. I’ve been accustomed to **first-generation AirPods Pro** for years, where I typically get about four hours of playtime before needing to recharge. However, during my three weeks of testing the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, I didn’t run out of battery even with frequent use. I often paired them with two devices, left them out of the case when not in use, and kept noise cancellation activated. Even after five hours of active usage in a day, I still had battery to spare.
### Comfort: Mostly Upholding the QuietComfort Reputation
All-day battery life is fantastic, but it’s of little worth if the earbuds aren’t comfy for lengthy wear. Thankfully, Bose came through in this regard, though it took me a few attempts to discover the optimal combination of ear tips and stability bands. I generally prefer small ear tips, which worked well here, but the medium stability band offered a better fit. Once I found the right combination, the earbuds stayed securely in place, even during extended wear.
That said, earbud fit can vary among users. While I found them comfortable, **Mashable Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino** experienced issues with the stability band loosening, feeling that the **QuietComfort Ultra earbuds** were more secure and comfortable. This underscores the necessity of trying on earbuds and making use of return policies.
### Noise Cancellation: Adequate, Yet Not Exceptional
The active noise cancellation (ANC) on these earbuds is respectable, particularly for the price range, but it doesn’t compete with Bose’s premium models. Nevertheless, considering that the next most affordable QuietComfort headphones or earbuds are priced $120 higher, the ANC is satisfactory for the cost. I could still hear my boyfriend’s voice from the next room with ANC on, but it was barely perceptible while listening to music. In contrast, the **Bose QuietComfort Ultra over-ear headphones** nearly eliminated his voice entirely with just noise cancellation.
### Touch Controls: Too Sensitive for Comfort
Touch controls are a feature I desire to be user-friendly but not overly sensitive. Unfortunately, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds are too responsive. These earbuds reacted not just to the lightest touch from my fingers but also to strands of hair brushing against them. During my initial walk with these earbuds, my music kept pausing, and it took some time to realize that my hair was activating the touch controls.
Although the app allows for customization of touch controls, there’s no option to fully deactivate them. Given the high sensitivity of these earbuds, I would have preferred the capability to completely turn off touch controls to prevent unintentional pauses.
### Bluetooth Connectivity: A Recurring Challenge
One reason I ceased using my **Bose QC II headphones** was their inconsistent Bluetooth connectivity, particularly when switching between devices. Unfortunately, this concern continues with the QuietComfort earbuds. Throughout my three weeks of testing, I frequently had to disconnect and reconnect the earbuds to my devices. This is frustrating, especially since Bose promotes multi-point pairing. Priced at $179, I expect better performance, and I’ve tried cheaper earbuds that manage Bluetooth transitions more smoothly.
The earbuds also had difficulty with single-earbud usage, likely due to the auto-pause feature. While this may not be a concern for most users, it’s something to consider if you often use just one earbud.
### The App: Overly Complicated