My first impression of these Ultra open earbuds was that their design is different from any other earbuds I've ever used. There is a bit of a learning curve if you are used to plugging up your ear canal with more traditional noise cancelling earbuds as well as the unique cuff design, but once you get used to the feel and fit of how these should be worn, it's a game changer. Even with hours of use, they are so lightweight and comfortable, you'll forget you are wearing them. Battery life seems to be good, and you get a couple/few charges from the case as well. I use headphones or earbuds primarily for listening to music. I don't usually use them for calls, nor do I exercise with them on, although these feel stable enough on your ear that I think they would handle activity well without falling off. As with my Bose QC 35 II over-ear headphones, I would have liked a bit more volume, but the richness and clarity of the sound more than makes up for this. I will opt for sound quality over volume, and I find that I tend not to max out the volume on these anyway to have the best and most enjoyable listening experience. The open ear design and immersive sound makes you feel like the music surrounds you, which you will never have experienced in any other earbuds you have ever used.
While absence of these features is not a deal breaker for me personally, it is worth mentioning that these are not noise cancelling, nor is there a rubber ear piece adapter option to make them fit into your ear canal to make them noise cancelling (which would be contradictory to their open ear design), the case does not have wireless/Qi charging, and the call quality according to the party on the other end was not clear/loud enough. (On my end the call sounded fine). I actually prefer being able to hear what's going on around me and to engage in a conversation if I need to while wearing these earbuds. The only other thing I would like to see improved might be the modes in the Bose Music App settings. I have not really been able to notice any discernible difference between most of the modes offered, but again this is hardly a deal breaker as there is an equalizer and some other settings you can adjust and most music apps also have their own equalizers for additional fine tuning to your listening preferences. I will be interested to see what additional features and/or improvements future updates may bring to these earbuds.
These Ultra Open earbuds have quickly become my favorites in the short time I have been using them, and I know they will be my go-to because nothing compares to the quality you expect from a Bose product, the immersive sound these offer, and the ability to wear them for long periods of time without any discomfort or having to recharge them often. I'd have given these a solid 4.5, but 1/2 stars weren't an option, nothing is perfect and there is always room for improvement. I definitely would recommend to go buy yourself a pair – you won't be disappointed!
