Bose, the brand that invented noise-cancelling headphones, is aiming to advance the technology again with the launch of its new true wireless model, the QuietComfort Earbuds II.
The QuietComfort Earbuds II, which will be initially available in a triple black finish with an alternative soapstone colour variant to follow, mark the debut of a new Bose technology that intends to calibrate both sound and noise-cancellation to the unique shape of every individual ear.
CustomTune sound calibration is activated every time the earbuds are removed from their charging case and placed in the wearer’s ears. A proprietary tone is played, and a microphone inside the earbud measures the ear canal’s acoustic response. The result is used to tailor both sound and noise-cancellation performance in less than half a second.
As far as sound is concerned, CustomTune optimises frequency response to the distinctive properties of every ear. And for noise-cancellation, CustomTune targets those frequencies that have previously proved most resistant to noise-cancelling technologies – and continuously analyses the wearer’s environment, adapting to changes in order to maintain optimum performance.
One internal and three external microphones per earbud identify and measure external sounds, which are met by an equal and opposite signal in a fraction of a millisecond. It’s an arrangement that is exclusive to Bose.
The responsive nature of CustomTune even extends to the earbuds’ transparency mode. It’s now dubbed Aware Mode with ActiveSense – which basically means it responds instantaneously to loud and/or sudden external sounds by switching on noise-cancellation for as long as it might be required.
Bose has reduced the size of the QuietComfort Earbuds II by about a third over the model they replace, and at 6g each they’re lighter too. Wearer comfort is further facilitated by the Bose FitKit, which comprises three sizes of ear-tips and three sizes of stability bands – so there are a total of nine options for each earbud, which ought to be plenty.
The QuietComfort Earbuds II use Bluetooth 5.3 for wireless connectivity, and are compatible with SBC and AAC codecs (still no room for aptX or anything higher). They’re IPX4-rated for moisture-resistance, and hold six hours of battery life – the charging case contains another three full charges, and a 20 minute charge provides another couple of hours of playback.
Control is available via capacitive touch-controls on each earbud, and are compatible with any source player’s voice assistant. In addition, the Bose Music app provides EQ adjustment, access to noise-cancellation modes and other customisation niceties.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are on sale from September 29th, and are priced at $299 / £280. Pre-orders begin September 8th.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
