Bose Ultra Open Wireless Earbuds (2nd Gen) - White

Everyday Earbuds

The Ultra Open Earbuds Gen 2 are an additional addition to the collection of BOSE gadgets. I do prefer the earbuds for working out because they are securely attached to the ears, and you still have the ability to be aware of your surroundings, particularly for public road runners. For those contemplating an investment, the sound quality is consistent with that of any other BOSE device, featuring crystal-clear music and deep bass. While it may be more expensive than certain other earphones available, it is a worthwhile investment.

Juntex

My new favourite headphones!!

Having used a variety of Bose headphones over the years, the sound quality of these earbuds didn’t disappoint. I use my earbuds while travelling on public transport or out walking so the open style was excellent as I felt more aware of my surroundings but didn’t feel they compromised on the quality of sound. You do need to increase the volume a fair bit if traffic is heavy but the control buttons were quite responsive and I never had issues hearing my music. I also wore them at lunch at work and colleagues could not hear anything so the privacy is surprisingly good for the open style. I often struggle with sleep and enjoy a little music to help me relax but as a side sleeper it can be uncomfortable wearing headphones. These earbuds were very comfortable to wear, even while lying down. They’re very light and you hardly notice you’re wearing them but they’re also a close fit so you don’t have to worry about them falling off/out while out and about. I really enjoyed the addition of the Cinematic mode with these 2nd gen earbuds - it adds extra depth and richness to my music and enhances the experience. Call quality for making/receiving calls with the earbuds was improved vs the first gen earbuds too. The battery life is great and I like that the app shows the charge level of the case as well as each earbud. I would prefer if there was a charge indicator for each earbud in the case like the previous generation had but it’s not been an issue in practical terms. My one real chagrin is the slight gap between the two halves of the case - it serves no purpose as the case opens easily and just makes the finish a little less sleek. No impact on the performance of the product but just a personal dislike for me! The case itself is perfectly palm sized and I like that the usb-c connection is now on the side instead of the bottom. The earbuds look sleek and are very soft and flexible ensuring a comfortable fit. Just need a silicone case to be available to prevent scratching as I take my earbuds in my bag every day - hopefully this will be available soon! Overall, an excellent product and I’m delighted with my new earbuds. I would definitely recommend to anyone who uses earbuds on the move on a daily basis but is not looking for a noise cancelling option.

Seahawk14

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds 2nd Gen

As a regulator commuter (train) and someone that enjoys physical exercise I was interested to see how these Earbuds lived up to my expectations and to be fair they were pretty good. The sound, as with all Bose products that I have heard, was almost a given but actually I felt these really excelled. In particular I found the immersive audio setting was ideal for commuting and exercise as the sound seemed to follow you around irrespective of your environment. The sound itself was strong and true and the ability to adjust some of the settings was useful although I would have liked to see more pre-set features depending on the type of music e.g. indie, pop, rock etc. With any headphone that you are going to wear out and about (particularly at this price) you want to be sure they are going to remain in place and not fall off. I had no concerns at all with these. They wrap around your ear in a snug fit without ever feeling pinched or tight (see photo). I found them very comfortable to wear and could easily forget that I had them in place. Being open earbuds they are going to let in outside / external noise, that is arguably the whole point. If you want earphones that are noise cancelling these are not for you. I found I could listen to music on a train without any issues and without having to crank the music up to a ridiculous volume. However, if you are at the platform as the train arrives the noise will drown out the music. As a runner I liked being able to hear what is going on around me, particularly if I am running at night or alone. In that respect these worked really well. I could still hear the music but also external sounds. One feature that might be useful (for the developers) is for an option for the music to automatically turn down if they detect you are in a conversation. Another feature I liked was the button on both Earbuds that allowed you to pause audio, skip to next track etc. The buttons on these are plenty big enough to press easily on the move, with either hand, without having to use incredible levels of dexterity or a specific touch in a tiny area. These were 'big' buttons!. Overall, I thought these were a really good set of earphones. You have the security / certainty of Bose technology and audio with a product that performs really well. If you want noise cancelling these aren't for you, but if you want to listen to music or a podcast while taking in some external noise then these are for you.

Bluenoseknows

A stylish and superior product

What can I say about the Open Ear buds !!! Wow . I have been using them them for the past 2 weeks and I’m literally obsessed. As you would expect Bose have excelled with the 2nd Generation of these ear buds . Straight away the quality of the charging case is far superior than my previous ear buds and although a bit apprehensive on attaching to my ears there was no issues . The sound is brilliant and the different modes is such a great feature. Like my other Bose headphones I enjoy having the immersion mode. It literally feels like someone is sitting on your shoulder singing into your ear. I can’t lie and say I didn’t love the quiet mode either when shopping a pure joy blocking out all the chatter of the shops .. heaven. On unpacking the ear buds there is a handy instruction key of how to use the earbuds . I found this helpful the first couple of times I was out and about to check so I knew what my I was doing . So easy and straight forward and charging is quick. I mainly used mine when I’m out walking with music and take the odd call. Clarity of call was great with no echo and it didn’t seem to pick up to much of the surrounding road noise I was still aware of my surroundings whilst out walking and didn’t at all feel like the earbuds would fall out either. They hug the ear really securely and I have quite a few piercings and at first felt they were hitting some but I just slightly shifted the ear bud down and resolved this minor issue. If I was being critical at all I was a bit self conscious that they stuck out on my ear more than other ear buds but that soon passed when u hear the pure quality of the sound. They look and feel expensive and sound matches this. Can’t recommend enough for music lovers as the sound from such a small device is on par with the over ear Bose headphones.

Shamilla

Great sounding, rich and immersive open earbuds

Confession first, I am a committed 1st Gen Bose Ultra Open Earbuds user, using them literally every day, (dog walks, exercise sessions, gardening etc) so the 2nd Gen faced a tough task to improve on them. I am delighted to say the challenge was accepted and beaten by these 2nd Gen earbuds. They seem to have been improved in areas I never thought needed, but, I am SOOOO glad they did. The fit is notably better and they are easier to put onto your ears. They "announce" they are turned on and connected with a pleasing sound rather than 1st Gen android voiceover. I listen to an eclectic mix of podcasts, audible books, radio and music (classical through to drum and bass) and the sound is EXCEPTIONAL in my view, they have a warmth and depth that is much better than many other in-ear brands, but without the intrusive nature of plugging the ear canal. To add context I have other earbuds from mainstream brands, (including a "fruit" based brand, a Japanese brand beginning with "S" as well as a DJ brand beginning with "B") and in my opinion these knock them all for six, I'm glad that Bose have concentrated on making the audio quality a premium, rather than adding a host of health gimmicks of dubious value. I used the spatial sound feature once but found the standard non spatial stereo setting to be my favourite. There is an easy to use app which allows a measure of customisation, including EQ which can be changed depending on listening tastes and type of music / voice I listen to. The battery life is good enough for me having used them for five hours at normal volume and still had battery left. My only criticism is that the case may well be scratched in time, as it is so small I tend to pop it in the same pocket as my keys, however, I found a good Spigen case for my 1st Gen so that may not be a concern when 3rd parties make a case for the 2nd Gen. The big question I have to address is, are these a real step forward over 1st gen and are they worth the money?? The answer is "yes" to both. My Granny used to say, "buy cheap; buy twice" and I think that applies here.

JY2026

So Close to Being My Everyday Earbuds

I’ve really enjoyed testing these, and there is a lot that I genuinely like about them. They’re comfortable, I really like the open-ear concept, and I particularly enjoyed using them while walking. In that situation, being able to hear what was happening around me felt reassuring rather than distracting. One of the biggest advantages for me is that they don’t sit inside the ear canal. With traditional in-ear earbuds, I find that after wearing them for a few hours my ears can start to become uncomfortable or sore. The ear-cuff design avoids that, which makes these much more appealing for longer periods of wear. I also really liked the open-ear design when exercising alone in the gym. I could listen to music while still being aware of what was happening around me, which I prefer when training by myself. However, the downside became apparent in a busy gym. Dropping weights, noisy equipment or a loud conversation nearby can compete with whatever I’m listening to. This was even more noticeable when commuting to and from work by train. I could hear conversations, engine noise and general train noise alongside what I was listening to, whereas during my commute I often actively want to block those sounds out. For me, the biggest improvement would therefore be greater control over outside noise. Ideally, I’d love to be able to switch between an open or hear-through mode when I want situational awareness — while walking, exercising alone or listening for travel announcements — and much greater noise suppression or isolation when I don’t want to hear my surroundings. I also found myself wishing the fit was slightly more secure or adjustable. They haven’t actually fallen off, but I was sometimes conscious of them when moving around. Even something as simple as brushing my hair away from my face made me worry that my hair could catch around the ear-cuff design and I might accidentally dislodge one. Being able to make them hug my ears a little more snugly would give me more confidence wearing them while on the move. At the moment, my current in-ear earbuds give me the flexibility of noise cancellation/isolation as well as a hear-through mode when I want situational awareness. However, after wearing traditional in-ear earbuds for several hours, I can find having something sitting inside my ear canal uncomfortable. This is where I think the Bose ear-cuff design has a real advantage. If the comfort of this open-ear design could be combined with much greater control over outside noise, I could genuinely see these replacing my current everyday earbuds. My Bose QuietComfort over-ear headphones would probably still remain my preference for long-haul travel, particularly if I’m likely to fall asleep and don’t want to worry about an earbud or ear cuff becoming dislodged. So my conclusion is a slightly reluctant one, because I really do like these. As they currently operate, I’m not sure I could justify adding them to my existing earphone/headphone collection when their main use for me would be situations where I deliberately want to remain aware of my surroundings. Give me greater control over noise isolation while retaining the comfort of the ear-cuff design, plus a slightly more secure or adjustable fit, and these could very easily become my everyday earbuds.

Emmety