Technologies

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 Review: Best Noise Canceling, Bar None

Sony and Bose have been battling it out for noise-canceling supremacy the last few years. Bose has taken the lead once again with its $300 flagship earbuds.

Dec 2022

Bose headphones and earbuds have always skewed toward the more premium end of the price spectrum and the company’s QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are no exception, carrying a hefty list price of $299 ( 279, $AU429), or $20 more than the original QuietComfort Earbuds. While that will put them outside a lot of people’s budget for wireless earbuds, their design and voice-calling performance are significantly improved from the originals, and they deliver excellent sound and outstanding noise canceling — arguably the best out there right now. They’re easily among our top current earbuds, and a CNET Editors’ Choice Award winner.

That award came a few months after the release of the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 after some internal debate — most notably the earbuds’ missing support for the AptX Adaptive audio codec that’s compatible with many Android phones and some other devices. But Bose has since announced that AptX support will be added in the spring of 2023. “The QuietComfort Earbuds 2 will support the AptX Adaptive codec for audio streaming, including Lossless and low-latency capabilities,” Bose told CNET, “and enable more seamless and robust connectivity with premium Android devices.”

I’ll save that value debate for the end of the review after I go through all QuietComfort Earbuds 2’s strengths (or QuietComfort Earbuds II, as Bose calls them), along with a few weaknesses. But if you can afford them, these are certainly strong competitors against Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 and Sony’s WF-1000XM4, the latter of which have been out for a while and are being aggressively discounted at times.

Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2022

8.8

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2

$299 at Bose

$279 at Amazon

$279 at Best Buy

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Like

Excellent sound and best-in-class noise canceling
Significantly smaller than their predecessors
New Fit Kit ear tips and stabilizer system gets you a secure, comfortable fit
Improved voice calling with better noise reduction

Don’t Like

Pricey
No wireless charging
No multipoint Bluetooth pairing
AptX support not coming until spring 2023

Product details

Battery Life Rated Up to 6 Hours
Noise Canceling Yes (ANC)
Multipoint No
Headphone Type Wireless Earbuds
Water-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — Splash-Proof

Initially the buds were only available in black — or “Triple Black,” as Bose calls it, but you can now also get the in the lighter soapstone color (basically off-white) and it’s possible Bose releases other special-edition colors in the future.

More importantly, the earbuds are about 30% smaller than their predecessors. Their case is about 40% smaller and truly pocketable (though it’s still about 25% to 30% bigger than the AirPods Pro 2’s case). The smaller size corrects a big downside of the original QuietComfort Earbuds, which featured excellent noise canceling and very good sound quality, but were pretty hefty and protruded from your ears. The new buds each weigh a little less than 0.25 ounces, or 7 grams, according to Bose — still not svelte but significantly smaller.

The other big change is to the ear tips. Bose has ditched its one-piece StayEar wing tips for a two-piece Fit Kit system that features separate ear tips and “stability bands” in three size options. That’s supposed to give users more flexibility to get a secure fit and tight seal. I liked the StayEar wing tips, but after trying the new two-piece system, I’m sold on it. I ended up going with the large tips and medium stability band, and that really locked the buds in my ears. I can’t tell you that this will fit everyone’s ears equally well, but if you’re someone who can’t get a secure fit with the AirPods Pro 2, which are lighter and quite comfortable to wear, this new two-piece Fit Kit may be a reason to give the Bose a go over the new AirPods Pro.

A handful of new premium earbuds feature a kind of auto custom tune feature that takes into account the shape of your ears — and ear canal. Following that trend, Bose has developed a new CustomTune sound calibration system that aims to optimize noise canceling and sound quality for your particular ears. Every time you place the buds in your ears, a proprietary tone is played and a microphone measures your ear canal’s acoustic response. It takes about half a second or so and you definitely notice that the noise canceling has undergone some optimization.

While the design improvements are a nice step forward, the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 really shine on the noise canceling front. It’s really impressive just how much the sound around you is muffled. Bose says it’s targeted frequencies that were previously difficult to reduce in the mid and high range, like the voices of nearby co-workers, screaming babies and family distractions in your home office. I used the buds in my home next to a relatively loud HVAC unit, and the noise canceling basically silenced it completely.

But I was more impressed with how much sound it reduced when I walked the streets and rode the subway in New York City. You can still hear people’s voices, but they seem to be muffled by about 60% and maybe even slightly more. It’s a little startling when you take the buds out of your ears or put them into transparency mode — Bose calls it Aware mode — and realize how much sound is being filtered out.

And yes, that transparency mode is also improved — it does sound more natural and lifelike. The best transparency modes, like that of the AirPods Pro, make it seem as if you’re not wearing earbuds and can hear the world as it would sound without earbuds in your ears. These do a good job of getting you close to that sensation.

While the drivers appear to be the same or very similar to those found in the original QuietComfort Earbuds, Bose reps told me that thanks to the CustomTune technology, the sound is noticeably improved, with more “nuance, clarity, depth” and better accuracy. And that’s pretty much what you’ll hear if you were to compare these to the originals. Everything is a little more clear and natural sounding. Their predecessors also had relatively big sound — and by that I mean they have a pretty wide soundstage. But the bass has a bit more definition and punch, and there’s a bit more detail and separation between instruments so you can hear them more distinctly. I also thought they had just the right amount of warmth, particularly with both men’s and women’s vocals. Their tonal balance is overall very good.

While software and advanced algorithms play a big part in the QuietComfort Earbuds 2’s performance, they feature four microphones in each bud, two of which are beam-forming microphones to focus on picking up your voice. Voice-calling performance was a weak point in the original QuietComfort Earbuds and Bose has clearly made an effort to improve it with better noise reduction — and voice pickup — during calls. I think it’s significantly better now (you can hear a sample call in my companion video review).

As for battery life, it’s rated at 6 hours with noise canceling on — that’s the same as the new AirPods Pro 2 — and you get about three extra charges from the new trimmed-down charging case, which features USB-C charging but not wireless charging. That latter shortfall is a bit unfortunate since most earbuds in this price range, including the AirPods Pro 2, feature wireless charging.

Like their predecessors, the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are splash-proof with an IPX4 rating. They also have similar touch controls with a swipe gesture for volume control that I like. I thought the touch controls worked well, and they are slightly customizable in the companion app for iOS and Android (you have the option to select certain “shortcuts”).

As for Bluetooth flavors, these are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3. They use the AAC and SBC audio codecs but currently have no support for Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive audio codec or multipoint Bluetooth pairing (I manually switched between an iPhone 13 Pro and a Galaxy Z Flip 4). In theory, you may be able to get slightly better audio quality if you use a device like an Android phone that supports aptX Adaptive and wirelessly stream high-resolution music files using services like Tidal, Amazon Music and Qobuz that deliver high-resolution music.

I was disappointed by that, particularly by the lack of multipoint Bluetooth pairing. But there’s some hope that may change in the future. That’s because a Bose rep told me these earbuds are equipped with a 5 Series Qualcomm chip. That chip supports multipoint Bluetooth pairing and has aptX support, which Bose now says is coming in 2023, so I think there’s a decent chance we’ll see multipoint Bluetooth pairing added in the future and perhaps other features. Bose didn’t mention anything about Bluetooth Audio LE and Auracast, a new Bluetooth audio broadcasting technology that’s coming to earbuds and headphones, but some new earbuds like the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Proare listed as being “ready” for LE Audio.

It’s worth noting that while the noise canceling is of the adaptive variety, you can adjust its levels between three settings. Also, the earbuds have adjustable equalizer settings so you can tweak the sound profile. And finally, you can use a single bud independently and leave the other one in the charging case though certain touch controls are available only on the right bud.

Bose vs. Sony, Beats and AirPods Pro

I’ll finish by saying that I did compare these to some other top earbuds, including Sony’s WF-1000XM4, which were released in June 2021 and list for $20 less. The XM4s are still excellent, but these QuietComfort Earbuds 2 have surpassed the Sony buds not only in terms of sound quality and noise canceling but voice calling and fit as well. The Bose buds are superior.

I also like the Beats Fit Pro ($200) for both everyday use and as sports earbuds (they also stay in my ears very securely). They’re probably the better value, particularly as we’re starting to see regular discounts on them. But the Bose offer better overall performance along with a comfortable, secure fit in comparably sized earbuds.

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, which also earned a CNET Editors’ Choice Award, are lighter and smaller and deliver impressive overall performance in a smaller package (that includes the charging case, which does feature wireless charging). But if you’re someone who can’t get a really secure fit from the AirPods Pro — or are an Android user — these are a compelling alternative. That said, the performance improvements to the AirPods Pro 2 make them a pretty safe and enticing choice for iPhone users for $50 less than the Bose. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 if you’re an iOS user, but the AirPods Pro have their own set of advantages for iOS users, including spatial audio, automatic switching between your Apple devices on your iCloud account and hands-free Siri.

The same can be said for Samsung’s excellent Galaxy Buds 2 Pro buds and Samsung Galaxy device owners. Those buds have certain features that only Galaxy owners can take advantage of, including high-resolution audio over Bluetooth if you have the right setup.

But again, the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 may offer a better fit for you, and I do think they sound a touch better than both the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and Pixel Buds Pro and have better noise canceling. If you can get a tight seal with these buds, the noise canceling is really impressive. As I said, probably the best out there right now. And ultimately, that’s the reason why they may be worth $300 to some people.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 key features, per Bose

30% smaller buds and 40% smaller case [compared to previous model]
New CustomTune technology for optimizing sound and noise canceling
Improved sound, noise canceling and voice-calling performance
Touch controls with swipe gestures for volume control
New two-piece Fit Kit system that features separate ear tips and stability bands in three size options
Four microphones on each earbuds, two of which are beamforming for voice calls
6 hours of battery life with noise cancellation on
Bluetooth 5.3
Support for AAC and SBC audio codecs (aptX support coming in 2023)
Customizable EQ settings
Price: $299 ( 279, AU$429)
Colors: triple black ships first, with soapstone to follow later in the year

Editor’s note: This review was originally published on Sept. 15, 2022 and updated in December to reaffirm our continued positive experience with the headphones and add an Editors’ Choice designation.

Technologies

Trump Maintains US‑Iran Negotiations Continue Amid Tehran’s Denials of Duplicity

President Trump insists that US‑Iran talks are ongoing despite Tehran’s denial of any negotiation plans, while warning that only a deal or total surrender will allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Conflicting statements from both sides have heightened uncertainty as the conflict enters its sixth month.

On Monday, President Donald Trump asserted that negotiations between the United States and Iran are still taking place, even after Tehran stated it has no intention of engaging in direct talks with Washington.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Trump labeled Iran’s leaders “unbelievably duplicitous,” claiming they are lying about ongoing peace talks “whether Iran wants to admit it or not.” He repeated his assertion that the United States completely controls the Strait of Hormuz, despite maritime traffic through the crucial route lingering at only a small fraction of pre‑conflict levels.

He wrote, “Nothing reaches Iran unless we allow it, and nothing will pass unless a deal—or total surrender—is achieved.”

Earlier that day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters there is no imminent plan for U.S.–Iran negotiations, contradicting Trump’s earlier comment that talks would resume Monday afternoon. Baghaei added that Iran’s only current discussions are with Oman concerning the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflicting statements have heightened uncertainty over the peace‑talk process and the broader conflict, now in its sixth month.

Trump’s assertion about new negotiations came a day after he said on Truth Social that he had agreed to cancel a massive strike against Iran “subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL.” He said in the same post that Iran and other Middle Eastern countries had asked him to hold off on that attack because “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

Trump has claimed dozens of times throughout the more‑than‑five‑month‑long war that a deal is at hand. No permanent deal has been signed, and a temporary ceasefire reached in June has fallen apart.

Trump has also repeatedly threatened to launch devastating strikes against Iran before backing off. After the latest example, oil prices on Monday fell and stocks surged.

BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note Monday that a broader diplomatic understanding on reopening the Strait of Hormuz is still achievable this quarter, while raising the probability of its escalation scenario to 35% from 25%, citing mounting military, diplomatic and economic signs of rising U.S.-Iran tensions.

“Diplomatic progress is likely to be punctuated by periodic military flare-ups, while miscalculation by either side could trigger a renewed escalation,” BMI analysts wrote in a note. The firm said the key issue to watch is the future governance of the strait, as the Iran-Oman talks — potentially backed by Gulf states, China and the U.S. — point to efforts to build a post-conflict shipping framework.

Shipping risks persist even as diplomacy appears to be advancing. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said it received a report of an incident 20 nautical miles (23 miles) northeast of Khasab, Oman — at the mouth of the strait — with a tanker’s master reporting an explosion in close proximity to the vessel at about 20:37 UTC Sunday (4:37 pm ET). The vessel and crew were safe and authorities are investigating, UKMTO said, advising ships to transit with caution.

The proposal Trump announced over the weekend calls for the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations and continue ironing out some of the thorny issues that had derailed diplomatic efforts, according to The Associated Press, citing a regional official involved in the mediation efforts.

The official said the proposal also includes a reopening of the Hormuz Strait and halting attacks across the region, including by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq on the Arab Gulf countries and Jordan.

The U.S., for its part, will end its naval blockade on Iran and allow Tehran to export its oil, the official said, adding that no deal has been reached, although the mediation efforts remained underway.

Trump’s weekend reversal has lowered the temperature after days of escalating attacks across the Gulf. Kuwait said Saturday that Iranian forces launched a wave of drones within its airspace, with its military destroying multiple aircraft after Iran targeted critical infrastructure in the country’s north.

A parallel track with Muscat is also advancing. Iranian diplomats said Tehran was close to reaching a new arrangement with Oman to manage shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a deal critical to preventing the war from escalating further, according to the Financial Times.

Iranian officials said negotiations over future management of the Hormuz Strait with Oman, which sits on the opposite shore of the waterway, are in their final stages. The agreed shipping route would be different from those used before, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Baghaei, adding that the new route was separate from the issue of the strait’s reopening or continued closure.

Technologies

Oil Prices Slide as Trump Halts Planned Iran Strike

Oil prices dropped after Trump cancelled a planned strike on Iran, with WTI down about 5% and Brent near 5% lower. He said the move followed requests from Tehran and regional allies for a pause while a deal shaping the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program is negotiated.

Oil prices fell on Monday after President Donald Trump announced he had cancelled a planned strike on Iran. WTI futures dropped roughly 5% to $80.34 a barrel, while Brent slipped about 4.7% to $83.77 a barrel.

Trump said early Sunday he called off the strike after Iran and several Middle Eastern nations asked him to hold off, noting that the outlines of a deal had been agreed upon. He added that the prospective accord would entail the immediate, full opening of the Strait of Hormuz and an end to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, according to his Truth Social post.

The president had been considering another round of strikes as diplomatic hopes waned since the conflict began on February 28. He said the U.S. and Iran would meet for talks on Monday, but Iran denied any scheduled negotiations with Washington, citing PressTV. Iran’s foreign‑ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei clarified that Tehran was only discussing shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. In a follow‑up Truth Social message, Trump insisted that, regardless of Iran’s acknowledgment, the United States is indeed discussing a solution to a long‑standing problem created by Iran.

Technologies

Oil Prices Drop as Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran

Oil prices fell sharply after President Trump announced the cancellation of a planned strike on Iran, citing a new deal that would open the Hormuz Strait and end Iran’s nuclear threat.

Oil prices fell sharply on Monday after President Donald Trump announced that he had called off a planned strike on Iran.

West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, slipped roughly 5% to close at $80.34 per barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, declined 4.7% to settle at $83.77 a barrel.

Trump made the announcement early Sunday, saying he had canceled the strike following requests from Tehran and other Middle Eastern countries.

In a Truth Social post, he wrote: “We have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”

The president indicated that the proposed agreement would include the immediate, complete, and total opening of the Hormuz Strait, as well as an end to Iran’s nuclear threat.

Trump had been weighing additional strikes amid diminishing prospects for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict that began on Feb. 28. He stated that the U.S. and Iran would hold negotiations on Monday.

Tehran denied that talks were planned with Washington, according to state news outlet PressTV.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran was only holding talks with Oman regarding the routes ships can use through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a subsequent Truth Social post, Trump added that whether “Iran wants to admit it or not, we are, in fact, talking of a solution to a problem that they have caused for decades.”