Customer Reviews for Bose - Refurbished Excellent - x Kendra Scott Ultra Open Earbuds - Mother of Pearl
Customer Rating
5
Better than airpods!
on February 27, 2024
Posted by: Boselover
Gender:Female
Length of ownership:1 month
I've been using this product for at least a month now and I love them! The only earbuds I had used before were Apple Airpods, and I rarely used them. I liked being wired because the airpods didn't fit well in my ears, and especially did not fit well when working out--they'd fall out. These earbuds barely moved during an outdoor run, and they sit comfortably in my ears. I love Bose headphones overall, and like the variety of modes with this one, it's like having surround sound when listening to music.
Firstly, this is a great product. I don't like most earbuds because they cause discomfort over time, get earwax on them, etc. The way these sit on your ears is creative and comfortable - I never feel any pain or discomfort at all, no matter how long I wear them, and sometimes I even forget that I AM wearing them! And the unique design doesn't compromise the sound quality (which is excellent).
I like the Immersive Audio setting that these come with - it literally makes it sound like your audio is coming from the real world around you. Sometimes at work I have to check that the audio is coming out of the buds and not directly from my phone! When you turn your head to the side, the audio sounds like it is coming from the direction you were just facing. This is a fun and, well, immersive feature.
The battery life is very good and the charge time is short, so even if I'm listening to music or podcasts all day at work, I can usually get through the day on a single charge or, at most, I'll need to put the buds in their charging case for a few minutes.
They are very reliable - I had a few connection issues early on (like only one earbud would be recognized by my phone) but since then they've been great and I have never gotten frustrated with their connectivity, quality, or performance. One thing to note is that the earbuds don't seem to ever turn 'off' unless they are in their charging case.
A few features are either half-baked or missing. For example, I would really like an audio battery indicator, which my previous pair of Bose earbuds had - I could click a button on one earbud and it would say "Battery 90%" or whatever number. The biggest letdown is that these earbuds have customizable "Modes" and "Shortcuts" that sound amazing but both are actually very limited in how you can use them. From what I can tell, Modes are functionally identical to the Immersive Audio options, literally the only way to customize Modes is choosing which Immersive Audio option you want. Why is this two different settings? Shortcuts had a ton of potential - each earbud has a button and you can customize what they do individually! But there only seem to be four options, which are 1. Cycle Modes, 2. Change Immersive Audio (again, these are functionally the same exact thing since all Modes do is choose which Immersive Audio setting you want), 3. Switch Bluetooth Device, and 4. Access Phone's Voice Assistant. It seems like there were really good ideas here that just weren't developed enough to be super useful compared to earbuds without these features.
One other feature that could be improved is the earbuds' audio control. You can change your volume by tapping then holding either earbud's button, but this makes it difficult to know what volume level you're going to get. How long should I hold it to get the desired volume level? I have no idea, even after a few weeks of using these daily. It would be nice to be able to change the volume in individual increments, which would provide much more control and consistency to the user. I often find it more useful to just pull out my phone and adjust the audio level there.
For people like me who have tinnitus and sleep with earbuds listening to ocean or space or rain soundtracks, be aware that these buds aren't great for side sleepers. The audio only comes through when they're in a very particular position in the ear, which is not a problem whatsoever during normal use but can become an issue when your head is laying on a pillow.
Despite my criticisms, like I said at the start this is a great product. Uniquely comfortable, great sound, great battery life, reliable performance, and easy to get used to - if you're having trouble figuring the best way to get them to sit on your ear, just keep trying and give it a few days! I figured out pretty quickly what works best fornme. Overall I'm happy with the product.
These Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are a great addition to my Bose Earbud collection! I've had a few different sets of earbuds in my time, and I've always come back to my Bose set for the noise cancelling, comfort, range and ease of use, and overall sound depth. Where these new Ultra Open Earbuds add to the market is in the fit, function, and overall music experience. These things are perfect for when you want great sound and still want to hear what's going on around you. In addition, the immersive sound feature is something you have to experience yourself.
Pros: Design: At first glance, I wasn't sure about this design and its ability to stay on your ear, but once I figured out the fit from the instructional videos, I was surprised at how well they stayed attached with the unique fit. I tried everything to get these to fall off. From shaking my head vigorously to jumping up and down. I tried them on my family members too. Once that didn't work, I took them through some group exercise classes and a three mile run. They stayed on perfectly. The different feel does take a little bit of time to get used to as you may feel like they will come off, but they didn't. As an added bonus, I tend to perspire pretty heavily when I work out and the open ear design allowed this to be less of a problem than with the usual closed ear systems (the more you sweat, the more often the earbuds come off; these stayed on the entire time without any adjustments). Immersive Sound: This is where these buds shine. The immersive sound feature turns your listening into a concert like sound experience. When you move, it feels like the sound is following you along. You have to experience it to understand. Uses: Working, exercise, going on a walk, cleaning around the house/yard, you name it, I tried it. They are just a good all around set of earbuds.
Cons: These do have cons, but they are mostly due to things the buds are not designed to do. Noise Cancelling: With the open ear platform, the sound of your environment gets in. These are not designed for noise cancelling, quite the opposite. They are designed for you to hear your environment, and your tunes at the same time. Bass: Again, with the open ear style, you lose some of the driving bass you can expect from a noise cancelling pairing like the Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds. When I want some thump, I turn to my quiet comfort.
All in all, these buds and associated features are an unique set up to enhance a crowded market. The open ear buds are a game changer for letting in the sound, but having the sound travel along with an active user.
Response from bose.comBy Global Customer Service, March 11, 2024
Thank you very much for your review of the Ultra Open Earbuds! I'm delighted that you're happy with the design and sound of the earbuds.
Since you mentioned bass performance, if you're not completely happy with the earbuds' bass response, you can adjust the bass (and the midrange and highs) via the EQ section of the Bose Music app. You can access this from the product control screen.
My new Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are officially my new favorite eay to wirelessly connect to my devices!. They are light as a feather which means I can listen to my devices longer without the ache my other earbuds cause. Listening to music outside and being aware of my surroundings was a balancing act, not anymore. Not only am I able to listen to my play list as I go for my daily run, but the open ear design allows me to still be present and alert to my surroundings. Did I mentioned the amazing sound quality!!! These for me are a win, win!
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are amazing for music lovers like me who want to enjoy rich, immersive sound without blocking out the world (or blocking out their loved ones!). They fit comfortably and securely around your ears (way more comfortable compared to other premium headphones), and have long battery life. These open earbuds are perfect for running, working, or relaxing with your favorite tunes.
Pleased with the quality of the Bose sound from the open ear style. I used them during various lines of work and they were a snug fit, with no trouble of them falling out. I had to get adjusted to the partial noise cancelation as I've always had a pair of Bose QCs. Also the find my buds feature on these would be a plus being I'm always on the go or doing Active work.
I received the Bose open earbuds as a product test and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed them. They are unlike any other earbuds I have ever used, as they do not go inside your ear canal, but rather sit on the outer edge of your ear. This means that they do not block out any ambient noise, which is great for situational awareness and safety, especially when I use them at the gym or go for a run. They also do not fall out of my ears, which is a common problem I have with other earbuds.
The sound quality of the Bose open earbuds is amazing, as expected from Bose. They deliver crisp and clear audio, with balanced bass and treble. The battery life is also impressive, as they last for up to 8 hours on a single charge. The Bluetooth connection is stable and reliable, and the controls are easy to use.
The only downside of the Bose open earbuds is that they take some time to get used to. At first, they felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable on my ears, and I was worried that they would slip off. But after a few days of wearing them, I got used to the fit and feel, and they became very comfortable and secure. I also had to adjust the volume and equalizer settings on my phone to get the best sound experience.
Overall, I would highly recommend the Bose open earbuds to anyone who is looking for a unique and innovative way to listen to music, podcasts, or calls. They are perfect for the gym, as they do not interfere with your workout, and they let you hear your surroundings. They are also great for everyday use, as they are lightweight and durable. They are definitely worth a try!
Why I got these headphones: I work in a lab, occasionally work out and walk outside. I do not like having anything in or completely over my ears for that long Pros: Great balanced audio in immersion, can be worn without blocking out the world. Very comfortable and can be worn for a while Cons: Hard to know how to position them right off the bat but once you find a place that works for you, they are great. My optimal position for audio overlapped with an earring I have but thankfully it is healed enough that it can handle the slight pressure. Great use cases (in my opinion): work tasks, running outside, playing ambient calm sounds for stress, most music Less great use case: Playing (really) loud music or audio for when you need to block out the world or your own thoughts
Response from bose.comBy Jack, Customer Support, February 26, 2024
Hey Nola, We are so glad to hear you are enjoying the great balanced Audio of the Bose Ultra Earbuds! If you are having a hard time finding the right position, here is a quick guide on how to get the best possible fit https://bose.life/49mw34H.
If you run into any issues, please reach out to support and we’ll be happy to help! https://bose.life/globalsupport