Bose Ultra Open Earbuds review: Clip them on for great sound, then forget ’em
Content is created by CNN Underscored’s team of editors who work independently from the CNN newsroom. When you buy through links on our site, CNN and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Learn more
Are your earbuds a constant companion? You’re not alone. Unlike the days of headphone yore, which had us specifically donning them to listen to personal audio, many of us now regularly wear our buds for all kinds of additional daily tasks like conducting video meetings, taking phone calls or exercising. That’s why Bose has released its new Ultra Open Earbuds, a beefed-up, super-sleek version of the open-ear technology that allows you to hear everything around you while you listen to immersive, high-end audio.
But alas, great audio comes at a great expense, and the Ultra Open Earbuds will cost you $299, which is more expensive than competitors like 1More’s S50 and S30. But are they worth the hefty price tag? Here’s what you need to know before you drop nearly $300 on the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds
These clip-on earbuds marry sleek design with high-quality audio, allowing you to comfortably wear the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds all day long if you so desire. You'll be able to hear everything around you with the open-ear technology, and the advanced audio is immersive enough to make you forget these buds aren't nestled in your eardrum.
What we liked about them
Simple, singular design
The first thing you’ll notice about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds is that they clip on the outside of your ear rather than use the ear hook design that’s popular with many open-ear headphones on the market. This latter style can be uncomfortable when worn for long periods of time, and it’s not generally conducive to high-end audio. In fact, open-ear technology quickly became popular with athletes, allowing them to better hear their surroundings while dealing with things like traffic or folks at the gym. Nobody seemed ready to wear these for all-day listening, which is why Bose’s own Sport Open Earbuds, which garnered positive coverage for some of the best sound in its class but lost points for comfort, were canceled in 2022.
The new Ultra Open Earbuds buck this trend in every way. Instead of the hook to keep the earbuds on your ears (or the even more uncomfortable neckband), Bose has introduced a cuff design, mimicking the look of jewelry rather than tech. I’ll be honest: I wasn’t sure what to think when I first saw them. These are not small earbuds, and they are not subtle. Wearing these is a statement you better be willing to own.
Thankfully, they’re easy to commandeer. Just pluck a bud out of the squat charging case, open the hinge and clip it onto your earlobe. It’s literally that simple. Each flex arm is coated in silicone, so they’re soft and smooth (an R and L are stamped on each in case you get them mixed up), and the speaker rests close to your ear while the battery barrel clips around it. They come in two colors, and I chose the white with a silver band rather than the plain black. I even showed up at a New York Fashion Week event with them clipped on. I can’t be sure they were completely overlooked, but I didn’t get any weird stares.
Comfortable for all-day wear
Like most people, I wear wireless earbuds for specific scenarios. My Beats Fit Pro are for the gym, while I save my Bose QuietComfort EarBuds 2 for commutes, travel, grocery shopping and long walks on my own. Both do the opposite of these earbuds and help me block outside sound while I enjoy my personal cocoon of audio. I would never consider putting either of these on in the morning and leaving them on all day, which is why I was so eager to see how these new Bose cans stacked up.
Thankfully, I was not disappointed. Once clipped onto the side of my ears at just 0.22 ounces each, there were plenty of times throughout the day when I forgot them completely. So much so that I would find myself touching them just to make sure they were still there. And they’re designed to stay out of your way. For instance, I could wear my glasses and a hat without discomfort — not easily done with ear hooks.
Great audio quality
The Ultra Open Earbuds’ audio quality is top notch. Just as important, these buds use the company’s proprietary technology to make sure all that sound is delivered directly into your ear, not into the ether. In fact, there were times when I was listening to music or a podcast in a public place, such as the elevator or a coffee shop, and was worried the audio was leaking out. But after asking neighboring folks, I was told no, they couldn’t hear a thing (and also: “Those are headphones you’re wearing?”).
The sound not only stays in your ear but also sounds unbelievably good for this type of headphone, as it ought to be for $299. The Bose Immersive Audio technology is a 3D sound platform, also found in the best Bose headphones, which uses a Still and Motion mode to present your music differently depending on what you’re doing. The idea is to always offer a listening sweet spot, whether you’re sitting on the couch or taking a run in the park. And if you want even more customized sound, you can also choose from the two preconfigured listening modes — Stereo and Immersion — though Bose does offer a list of eight custom modes you can turn on in the Bose Music app. I added Workout and Work to mine. All these modes, as well as general settings like media playback, volume and phone calls, can be controlled by assigning shortcuts to the earbud buttons, which are easily accessed on the top of the barrel on each earbud.
Other audio features I noted and appreciated included Auto Volume, which adjusts your volume depending on your surroundings, and the fact that the earbuds are IPX4 water-resistant, which means I can take them on vacation with me or wear them out in inclement weather. I was also duly impressed with the audio when I took and made calls, though if the buds aren’t angled at approximately 45 degrees on your ears, the microphone won’t pick up the sound as well.
Long battery life
Bose claims you can get seven and a half hours of battery life on the Ultra Open Ear Earbuds without Immersive Audio (up to four and a half hours when it’s on), which is more than the six hours on both the company’s QuietComfort 2 and the QuietComfort Ultra or the seven hours on the open-ear JVC Nearphones. The wired charging case offers up to an extra 19.5 hours, and you can fully charge the buds in the case in just one hour (10 minutes will get you two hours of charge). I will say that the times I wore these throughout the day, I never did run out of battery, though I did take them off a few times, so I can’t be exactly sure how long they stayed out of the charging case.
What we didn’t like about them
Not sure about the look
As mentioned, these earbuds are no wallflowers, and on the first day I wore them, putting them on in the morning and wearing them all day, I did feel self-conscious. Nobody looked at me funny or pointed and laughed, but they are big enough to be present and I’m still not sure how I feel about how they look. It did not help that my son asked if I started wearing hearing aids. Thanks, dude. Leave it to the teenager to bring you down.
Bose did do a limited-edition collaboration with Kith on a branded pair of Ultra Open Earbuds that sold out in a matter of hours, so I think there’s potential for these to go viral. A Bose spokesperson also told me to expect different colors and collabs in the future. If I had my druthers, I’d go for a creamy nude shade (if you’re listening, Bose).
The price
There’s no denying that these earbuds are expensive. At $299, they look to be the only open-ear headphones over $200 (other than these Oladance buds clocking in at $229). But if you’re a fan of this type of total audio awareness and hate the ear hook or neckband designs, you’re going to love this super-comfy, great-sounding alternative. And they’re made by Bose, so you know they’re gonna sound good.
Bottom line
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds do not come cheap. But for anyone who dislikes the feel of buds inside their ears or is tired of constantly plucking them out to listen to what’s around them, this super-comfy clip-on design is groundbreaking.
They’re not only simple to take on and off but also easy to forget that you’re wearing, which is a huge coup for folks who need to use them for work or in the office, as well as athletes or business travelers. And though I’m still not convinced about the style, I’m also not put off by it.
Ultimately, if you’re willing to pay for a revolutionary headphone design by a well-respected audio brand that will keep you entertained, let you take phone calls and help you conduct business — all while staying completely aware of the world around you — the Ultra Open Earbuds are well worth it.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
