When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds – Overview
The SoundSport Free, Bose’s first truly wireless earbuds, sounded great but struggled with connection issues and audio/video sync problems that Bose never fully fixed.
They also didn’t have ANC (active noise cancellation), which is really the core of what Bose is known for.
That gap gave Apple, Sony, and other manufacturers an opening. Products like the AirPods Pro and WF-1000XM4 quickly took over the ANC earbuds market.
But Bose wasn’t about to sit back and watch. The QuietComfort Earbuds are their answer.
These Earbuds don’t carry the baggage of the SoundSport Free. The design has been completely reworked from the ground up.
They sound great, and yes, they now include active noise cancellation (ANC) technology.
It took Bose a while to get here, but the QuietComfort Earbuds deliver what might be the best ANC you can find in any true wireless earbuds right now.
Controlling The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Left Earbud
- Hold: Check battery life or skip tracks
- Insert/Remove: Play/pause track
- Two taps: Cycle through ANC modes
Right Earbud
- Hold: Launch smart assistant or reject incoming calls
- Insert/Remove: Play/pause track
- Swipe: Volume up/down
- Two taps: Pick/end call or play/pause track
What Is It Like to Use the QuietComfort Earbuds?
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds come in black or white. They look good, though they are on the bulky side. The design follows the same direction as the Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: gentle curves with a low profile.
Our guide on Bose workout headphones goes into more detail if you need it.
Even though Bose trimmed the size down, the QC Earbuds still stick out from your ear a bit more than some competitors.
The earbuds sit inside a hefty charging case with a matte black surface.
Keeping the case clean is easy enough with a quick wipe, but you’ll be doing it often because it picks up fingerprints like crazy.
On the front of the case, four LEDs show you how much battery is left.
Inside the case, there’s a button between the two earbud slots that lets you jump straight into pairing mode.
The earbuds also enter pairing mode automatically the first time you open the case.
If you can, download the Bose Music smartphone app. It’s not required, but it makes the experience noticeably better.
The app lets you change controls, build a custom EQ, adjust ANC levels, or switch between paired devices.
Double-tapping the left earbud lets you toggle between three preset ANC/transparency mode levels. You can customize those presets in the app.
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation)
The ANC on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds is a standout feature, especially for anyone who travels a lot. It does an excellent job reducing steady background noise like the hum of an airplane engine or the rumble of a train.
We also wrote a hands-on guide on Bose speakers that you might find useful.
Set the ANC to 10, and you’ll barely hear anything around you.
There’s a sliding scale that goes from 1 to 10. It adjusts both the noise cancellation and the transparency mode. Lower numbers let more outside sound through, which is handy when you need to hear an announcement or have a quick conversation.
Battery Life
With ANC turned on and volume set to around 75dB, expect about five and a half hours of playback before the battery runs out.
Need a quick boost? Drop them in the case for 15 minutes and you’ll get roughly two hours of listening time.
A full charge of the earbuds takes about two hours. Charging the case completely through USB-C takes three hours.
The case also supports Qi wireless charging, though the charging speed depends on which wireless charger you’re using.
Microphone
The mic setup on these earbuds is decent, but it’s not the best you’ll find in true wireless earbuds. It’ll get you through calls without much trouble.
Speech comes through clearly for the most part. There’s some mild distortion here and there, but nothing that makes calls unusable.
Sound
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
The Bose QC Earbuds sound great. The sound profile is tuned for broad appeal, and most listeners will enjoy what they hear.
Sound quality depends heavily on getting a good fit. That’s true of any in-ear headset.
Bose includes three ear tip sizes in the box (small, medium, and large), which should work for most ear canals. A proper fit matters both for bass performance and for ANC to work at its best.
Final Thought
All things considered, the QC Earbuds are a solid buy if you’re willing to spend around $250.
That’s not cheap, sure. But the versatility makes the price easier to justify. You can use them for travel, conference calls, and even daily workouts.
