Customer reviews from bose.com
Bose - Refurbished Excellent - x Kendra Scott Ultra Open Earbuds - Mother of Pearl
Average customer rating
4.4
(4,210 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 4,210 reviews
5 Stars
2,735
4 Stars
767
3 Stars
378
2 Stars
176
1 Star
154
Customer Reviews for Bose - Refurbished Excellent - x Kendra Scott Ultra Open Earbuds - Mother of Pearl
Customer Rating
5
Surprisingly Great Sound with these Open Earbuds
on February 25, 2024
Posted by: MacOsa
Length of ownership:1 month
I was a bit skeptical when I first opened the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds and examined them. I use Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II everyday, so how would the Ultra Open Earbuds compare? I was surprised what great sound these open earbuds deliver.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME –
I am an IT Consultant and work long days with a lot of video and teleconferencing. I enjoy audio books, jazz and popular music. I am a bike rider and a rower and I enjoy cooking as a hobby.
USE CASE
I have been using the Ultra Open Earbuds for a few weeks now. I really love them, mainly because I can wear them all day without feeling them at all and they deliver high quality sound. In fact, they are so comfortable that I literally forget that I am wearing them. I have worn them while working, cooking, doing chores in and out of the house, relaxing and exercising.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME –
I am an IT Consultant and work long days with a lot of video and teleconferencing. I enjoy audio books, jazz and popular music. I am a bike rider and a rower and I enjoy cooking as a hobby.
USE CASE
I have been using the Ultra Open Earbuds for a few weeks now. I really love them, mainly because I can wear them all day without feeling them at all and they deliver high quality sound. In fact, they are so comfortable that I literally forget that I am wearing them. I have worn them while working, cooking, doing chores in and out of the house, relaxing and exercising.
These will be my go to on a daily basis.
Through all the occasions of use, listening to a podcast or book or taking a phone call in a loud environment (i.e., the mall) proved to be most challenging and required me to turn up the volume beyond the normal level.
PROS/CONS.
Through all the occasions of use, listening to a podcast or book or taking a phone call in a loud environment (i.e., the mall) proved to be most challenging and required me to turn up the volume beyond the normal level.
PROS/CONS.
PROS –
The brand name means quality sound and manufacturing and they live up to their name.
They provide great sound in a quiet or moderately loud environment
There are actual buttons on these earbuds that control volume, pause, skip, answer calls, change modes or, most importantly, switch devices. I’ve never had such a functional pair of earbuds – extremely easy to use. (I haven’t hung up on one person accidentally which I have done with every other pair of earbuds I’ve ever owned).
The brand name means quality sound and manufacturing and they live up to their name.
They provide great sound in a quiet or moderately loud environment
There are actual buttons on these earbuds that control volume, pause, skip, answer calls, change modes or, most importantly, switch devices. I’ve never had such a functional pair of earbuds – extremely easy to use. (I haven’t hung up on one person accidentally which I have done with every other pair of earbuds I’ve ever owned).
They are lightweight and extremely comfortable.
I enjoy using them while still being able to hear what is happening around me.
The new immersion mode is fantastic. It puts the sound in front of you which may seem odd, but really puts you in the middle of the sound. It’s just amazing that this can happen with open earbuds.
CONS –
The unusual design takes some moving around and fiddling to find the best fit for my ear and to achieve the best sound. This process wasn’t truly intuitive.
There are times when I want to be able to hear my surrounds and other times when I want to close out extraneous noise. When my task requires total focus/concentration (i.e. listening to a book, work phone call), I prefer my noise cancelling Quiet Comfort Earbuds II
The unusual design takes some moving around and fiddling to find the best fit for my ear and to achieve the best sound. This process wasn’t truly intuitive.
There are times when I want to be able to hear my surrounds and other times when I want to close out extraneous noise. When my task requires total focus/concentration (i.e. listening to a book, work phone call), I prefer my noise cancelling Quiet Comfort Earbuds II
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
The Space Age Has Really Arrived!
on February 24, 2024
Posted by: S
Gender:Female
Length of ownership:1 month
Wow! 5 star-worth for the unique space age design alone! In fact, that's my nickname for these Bose buds: "Space Age!" The design is truly unique in a world of mainstream earbud styling. While stunning to look at, almost akin to jewelry, it took me a minute to figure out how to wear them! I had to watch tutorials, which Bose helpfully provides. I kept trying to stick them IN my ear canal rather than ON my ear like an ear cuff. I thought they would fall out, but they didn't. In fact, the way they wrap felt as secure if not more secure than the in-ear buds. Important caveat: these are not noise cancelling like quiet comfort and other Bose buds. I always use my Bose noise cancelling buds for traveling. I cannot fly without them! These will not replace those. While they aren't noise cancelling, they do a solid job of immersing the listener in the audio. For reference, they are nowhere near as transparent as the "Aware" mode on the Bose noise cancelling--much more opaque than that setting. In terms of safety, these cannot be more highly recommended. It's just not safe to be completely oblivious to surroundings while walking in traffic or in crowded places. These allow awareness while providing truly amazing Bose immersive sound. The modes are interesting--the still and motion are too cool. The audio stays centered even when moving your head back and forth in "Still" and "Motion" throws the sound out in front! The immersive mode does take some getting used to, but the option for regular (Bose regular, that is) stereo sound is always an option. Overall, for me, other than on an airplane, I will be turning to these beautiful Space Age buds for my daily activities--walking the dog, exercising, listening to audio books, and watching movies on my computer when hubby is sleeping!
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
4
Fun new design for quiet environments
on February 23, 2024
Posted by: Em
Gender:Female
Length of ownership:1 month
These earcuffs are great for office-type use. They have good sound quality in quiet environments and are great if you want to listen to something and also be able to hear people around you. For this reason, they aren't great in very loud environments and some sound bleeds out if you're listening at full volume (don't do that). Just consider how you intend to use them since they don't block out all sound. I just sometimes need something to block sound so I don't get overstimulated. They are comfortable for a good while, but probably not like an entire workday without breaks.
The immersive audio feature is cool, but I'm not sure when I would use that either. If you are into trying new things and features these could be for you! I do like them throughout the work day when people come up to chat every once and a while and I don't have to remove them from my ears. And they look like a cool ear cuff accessory.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
Amazing sound and comfort. Next level earbuds
on February 22, 2024
Posted by: Frank K
Gender:Male
Length of ownership:1 month
I went ALL IN and wore them for days for many hours. I was amazed at the sound quality and ability to hear the world around me. It's tough to explain but they are loud enough to block out sound but not completely noise-canceling. Running/biking but need to hear cars or horns or at home/work when you have to pay attention to phones or a child. The open earbud is perfect for when you still need to pay attention to your surroundings.
2. SOUND: The sound is amazing and the immersion sound (surround sound) is very cool. You can hear background sounds like being in a theater or concert. Perfect clarity and good bass but lacks that in-ear/over-the-ear extreme bass for music.
3. COMFORT: The fit was weird at first because we are all used to the in-ear concept. Once they wrapped around the ear and settled in, I didn’t even know they were in. They are practically weightless and I only took them off to charge. Great battery life.
4: In the Bose App., I loved that I could switch between devices, connectivity was quick and easy. Nice feature.
OVERALL: These new concept earbuds have amazing sound I really like that they aren’t completely noise canceling. Great for interacting with surroundings while also enjoying personal background music You have to give them a chance and you will understand why they were created. Don’t be resistant to trying something new.
2. SOUND: The sound is amazing and the immersion sound (surround sound) is very cool. You can hear background sounds like being in a theater or concert. Perfect clarity and good bass but lacks that in-ear/over-the-ear extreme bass for music.
3. COMFORT: The fit was weird at first because we are all used to the in-ear concept. Once they wrapped around the ear and settled in, I didn’t even know they were in. They are practically weightless and I only took them off to charge. Great battery life.
4: In the Bose App., I loved that I could switch between devices, connectivity was quick and easy. Nice feature.
OVERALL: These new concept earbuds have amazing sound I really like that they aren’t completely noise canceling. Great for interacting with surroundings while also enjoying personal background music You have to give them a chance and you will understand why they were created. Don’t be resistant to trying something new.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
4
Top-End Quality On A Unique Concept
on February 22, 2024
Posted by: BIGGSHAUN
Gender:Male
Length of ownership:1 month
Had an opportunity to use these buds for over a month now. This is a unique concept, in having an earbud that does not fit into the ear but rests outside of the ear canal. This allows for pass-through of natural sound while playing music/taking phone calls. This is the best "open-ear" earbud on the market. The sound quality is what you'd expect from a Bose product. The sound is "loud;" you don't have to position the bud closer to the ear canal to get a good, clean, crisp sound. The physical buttons make operation much easier and eliminates accidental touches. The flexible ear hook allows for easy on-off of the buds, and you don't have to worry about the bud falling off.
The negative: Call quality is not good. Many callers state that it sounds muffled and underwated-like. While I rarely use these for phone calls, I found it difficult to have conversations because of this drawback.
This is the perfect option for someone looking to buy earbuds but hates placing them in the ear. There is nothing else on the market that matches these.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
4
Pleasantly Surprised!
on February 22, 2024
Posted by: LC
Gender:Female
Length of ownership:1 month
This was my first time trying an open earbud device, and truthfully I wasn't sure what to expect or if I'd like them. Historically, I've only used over the ear headphones or more traditional in-earbuds. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed these! I did find many use cases where I preferred the open earbud design vs. traditional in earbud. However, I also did find multiple occasions where I wished these had a noise cancelling feature (i.e. environments with loud external auditory competition). I'll share some pros & cons below, but overall I'm really happy with these buds. For the price, I know it's not practical for everyone to have multiple pairs of expensive earbuds, but if feasible I think these are a great second pair. Without noise cancelling functionality, I don't think I could commit to these as my sole, primary earbuds.
Pros:
- You can't tell I'm wearing them (context: I have long, curly hair)
- The audio is great even with the open ear concept
- I LOVE that you can control the volume from the earbud
- They are very comfortable to wear for a prolonged period (if not, you may have to adjust them; slight repositioning is the difference between my ears aching or not during prolonged wear)
- These are GREAT for sports (I used them while skiing / running and loved how secure they were & I could still hear the environment)
- You can't tell I'm wearing them (context: I have long, curly hair)
- The audio is great even with the open ear concept
- I LOVE that you can control the volume from the earbud
- They are very comfortable to wear for a prolonged period (if not, you may have to adjust them; slight repositioning is the difference between my ears aching or not during prolonged wear)
- These are GREAT for sports (I used them while skiing / running and loved how secure they were & I could still hear the environment)
Cons:
- They often get caught in my hair (while down) and/or get knocked off when I put my hair behind my ears
- They aren't as easy to put in your ear one handed and take some adjusting to get the perfect fit
- People standing next to you CAN hear your audio
- Immersive audio sometimes has an echo when I'm listening to podcasts or talking on the phone
- The open ear concept can get frustrating when you're often in environments with loud external audio competition (wish there was a way to block out noise if needed)
- They often get caught in my hair (while down) and/or get knocked off when I put my hair behind my ears
- They aren't as easy to put in your ear one handed and take some adjusting to get the perfect fit
- People standing next to you CAN hear your audio
- Immersive audio sometimes has an echo when I'm listening to podcasts or talking on the phone
- The open ear concept can get frustrating when you're often in environments with loud external audio competition (wish there was a way to block out noise if needed)
All in all, no product is perfect and I would definitely recommend these to others.
Response from bose.comBy Matt, February 23, 2024
Hello, it's great to hear you have really enjoyed these earbuds. I am pleased you find them comfortable, and that they have great audio. For the noise-cancelling to work, the earbuds would need to make a seal, as these do not, adding noise-cancelling would not work. You can find guidance here to ensure you get the best audio from these earbuds https://support.bose.com/s/how-to-page?prodId=01t8c00000OlcI5AAJ&type=Troubleshooting&language=en_US&category=sound&index=0
These are designed to be comfortable to wear. You can follow the steps here
https://support.bose.com/s/product/bose-ultra-open-earbuds/01t8c00000OlcI5AAJ?language=en_US to ensure the best fit.
Thank you for your feedback on the earbuds.
Matt - Bose Customer Support
These are designed to be comfortable to wear. You can follow the steps here
https://support.bose.com/s/product/bose-ultra-open-earbuds/01t8c00000OlcI5AAJ?language=en_US to ensure the best fit.
Thank you for your feedback on the earbuds.
Matt - Bose Customer Support
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Bose Sound Quality, Long Battery Life
on February 22, 2024
Posted by: Jacob B
Gender:Male
Length of ownership:1 month
I have been using the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds exclusively for around a month now and my first impression was that the sound quality that Bose products are known for is there as always. This is the first time I've seen earbuds like these, where they somehow magically work by utilizing the ear pinna in contrast to being inserted into the ear canal. I suspect this will actually help protect hearing, while still being able to achieve great audio quality. I'm very familiar with Bose products, having used their noise-cancelling headsets (both wireless and wired) as well as their awesome aviation headset. Prior to getting the Ultra Open earbuds, I mostly use a competitors product named after a fruit...;) In any case, I actually think that the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds can fit a separate role outside of noise cancelling style of earbuds. First, if you are wanting to listen to music, podcast or whatever yet still want to actually hear what is going on around you, this is where these shine. It's not like wearing a cheap pair of earbuds that you by default can't hear your music when there is too much external noise though. These you can somehow hear important things (like the wife or kid talking to you), while still hearing your audio with perfect quality. Now while I would not recommend wearing earbuds/headphones while driving, these would be the only ones I'd feel comfortable wearing because I can still hear what's going on in the world outside. I also utilized the earbuds while exercising and doing farm work outside. They didn't fall out/off, though I did have to adjust them from time to time to keep it on the sweet spot of my ear for best audio quality. I would say that they stay on the ear better than the competitor product (named after a fruit). Now if you are trying to actually cancel out external sounds AND hear audio in your earbuds, these aren't really meant for that. I tried using them while working on my tractor and the tractor was simply too loud to hear my audio. Not a big deal though because like I said, these earbuds fulfill more of a role when listening to audio when you NEED to hear things externally. Battery life is seemingly infinite (I realize it's not really but it seems like it) when compared to the competitor product I mentioned. I haven't been able to actually deplete the batteries and have used them non-stop for 4 hours or so. I believe there is a battery saving feature of these earbuds where they seem to "turn on" only when audio is detected vs on at all times. It probably helps the battery too that there isn't any noise-cancelling. This battery saving feature did have one downside in limited circumstances though. When listening to something where audio is also intermittent (ie. Instagram Reels, language learning apps like Duolingo) you will sometimes have a slight delay when the earbuds will sense the audio then "turn on". To get around that you just have to replay whatever audio you are trying to listen to once you can tell the earbuds turned on (you will hear them turn on, though I don't know how to describe it). I kind of suspect that Bose may be able to do some software update to turn that feature off in the future (with the downside of reducing battery life?) but I have no idea if that is something that is possible. All in all, I would recommend the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds over any other competitor of a like product if you don't need the noise cancelling features.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com
Customer Rating
5
An Immersive Experience
on February 22, 2024
Posted by: AnnaCM
Gender:Female
Length of ownership:1 month
I recently had the pleasure of testing out the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, and I must say, they exceeded my expectations in every aspect- nothing less can be expected from Bose. I am a single mom in my 40s who works from home. These earbuds helped me with my daily tasks. From taking work meetings to running around doing house chores, not to mention going for walks to get my steps in. From the moment I put in my earbuds, I was immersed in a world of rich, crisp audio that brought my music to life like never before.
The sound is clear and well-defined, allowing vocals and instruments to shine through with incredible detail. The immersive sound feature is an experience. The sound follows your head movements. I was able to pick up on instruments and vocals I had not heard from my favorite songs. My one wish with this feature is for the bass to be more prominent.
The earphones are comfortable to wear for long periods, thanks to their open design. They fit snugly in my ears and stayed in place even during vigorous activity, making them ideal for workouts or any physical activity.
In addition to their impressive sound quality and comfort, the Ultra Open Earbuds are also built to last, with durable construction and reliable connectivity. I used my earbuds for a week without the need to charge them, they definitely have an amazing battery life. Whether I was listening to music at home or on the go, I never experienced any dropouts or interference, ensuring a seamless listening experience every time.
Overall, I highly recommend the Ultra Open Earbuds to anyone in search of premium sound quality. With their exceptional audio performance, comfortable fit, and open design, they are truly a standout choice in the crowded world of earphones.
Response from bose.comBy Customer Support, February 23, 2024
Hello Anna,
It's wonderful to see that you've been enjoying the earbuds in your day to day life, and that the audio experience has been immersive for you. We aimed to make sure that the often unheard details of music aren't lost when using the earbuds, and I'm really happy that you've picked up on that.
If you go into the Bose Music app, select the earbuds, and then select 'Audio' on the main screen for the earbuds. This is where you can adjust the EQ of the earbuds, and you can increase the bass from the earbuds here. Of course if you'd like help with this then we'd love to help and you can reach out to us https://bose.life/contact for support.
Nic - Customer Support.
It's wonderful to see that you've been enjoying the earbuds in your day to day life, and that the audio experience has been immersive for you. We aimed to make sure that the often unheard details of music aren't lost when using the earbuds, and I'm really happy that you've picked up on that.
If you go into the Bose Music app, select the earbuds, and then select 'Audio' on the main screen for the earbuds. This is where you can adjust the EQ of the earbuds, and you can increase the bass from the earbuds here. Of course if you'd like help with this then we'd love to help and you can reach out to us https://bose.life/contact for support.
Nic - Customer Support.
Written by a customer while visiting bose.com