Hardware

Published on March 12th, 2024 | by Andrew Paul

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Review (Australia 2024)

Welcome to the future of open earbuds…

Bose are definitely a leader in innovative audio design and their new “earbuds”, the (Bose) Ultra Open Earbuds are no exception to this rule. Unlike traditional earbuds that snugly fit into your ears, these clip around your ear and the speakers direct audio directly into your ear canal. At first I was apprehensive with the design, however they are not only comfortable but produce exceptional audio quality as expected from Bose.

The only thing lacking from these open earbuds is active noise cancellation – however that’s not the purpose of these earbuds because they have been designed for you to hear the sound around you (environment awareness), including that from your Bluetooth device. So it’s actually a moot point because these earbuds use OpenAudio technology which is almost as good. The recommended retail price of the Bose Ultra Earbuds is $449AUD (March 2024) that may make it out of the price range for some but read on…

The overall design of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds is quite revolutionary and as mentioned (and surprisingly), they are super comfortable to wear and more importantly securely stay in your ears. I’m even sure that if P!nk was using them during her amazing acrobatic performance in the Summer Carnival Tour, they would stay in as well. But in all seriousness, they are very very nice to wear and stay put with an IPX4 rating that does make them perfect for exercising.

Unboxing

Well made from Bose, the Ultra Open Earbuds look like normal earbuds but with a twist. The twist is (and literally) the bendable band that allows you to attach them to your ears. The earbuds which are available in either white or black (reviewed) feel very solid and I love how Bose have included in fine print which ear they should go in.

While they do channel a futuristic vibe, they don’t look as “geeky” as something out of Star Trek but its aesthetics are quite stylish and more importantly you don’t even feel like you are wearing them, even for long periods of time. Setting up the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds couldn’t be simpler on an Android smartphone… you simply open up the charging case near your phone and it will commence the pairing process. The Bose music app also gives you a tutorial on how to wear them, including setting up your favourite streaming services.

Controls are via the multifunction button that gives you access to the basics that include play/pause, answer/end call, skip tracks (backward / forward), immersive audio (on/off) and volume. Immersion audio delivers a richer audio experience that is perfect if you want to chill out to music or watching films.

While the controls are not as intuitive as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra as it’s a mixture of different presses and lengths but after a week, you should be very familiar with how to navigate your audio. Charging is also very simple as the earbuds are drawn into the charging case thanks to magnets giving you around 7.5 hours without Immersive Audio. If you enable Immersive Audio, the play time drops to 4.5 hours which is still impressive and the case gives you an additional 19.5 hours of battery life in the charging case.

Again the audio quality is great and whether this was music, listening to podcasts, watching video streaming services or chatting (phone, Microsoft Teams), the Ultra Open could not be faulted. It’s also great that you can still have a conversation (if you choose to… HA) with another person. Given that, levels are excellent and the sound quality is very smooth, even with a decent amount of bass for certain tracks. Call quality, via over the mobile network or via the net again produced clear audio that makes it ideal for taking calls and engaging in meetings.

Final Thoughts?

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds have become my new favourite earbuds due to the overall comfort factor and rich immersive audio. Although there is no ANC, the earbuds do a decent job of blocking background sound when the volume is increased but more importantly, you can enjoy the Bluetooth audio and a conversation without the need of taking them off. Further supporting the design is the impressive aesthetics that really makes them stand out from its competitors and in a good way. Add in an excellent battery life and besides the price which we feel is justified, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are indeed the audio buds that you’re looking for, especially from an open ear perspective for situational awareness.

Specifications

• Water resistance: sweat resistant (IPX4)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 (SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive)
• Battery life: up to 7.5h (27h with case)
• Earbud weight: 6.4g each
• Earbud dimensions: 19 x 17 x 27mm
• Charging case weight: 44g
• Charging case dimensions: 42 x 65 x 26mm
• Case charging: USB-C

About the Author

Andrew Paul

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