These earbuds are here to succeed the first-gen model which got announced two years ago. These earbuds update not only the design, but the tech on the inside.
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are here with ‘CustomTune’ tech
You’ll immediately notice that these are a lot smaller than the first-gen model. The company claims they are about a third smaller than the previous model. Needless to say, this is great, as the first-gen earbuds were quite large for truly wireless earbuds. Let’s start with the fit changes. Bose mentions something called ‘Fit Kit’. The ear tip now consists out of two pieces, with an oval-shaped tip, and a ‘stability band’. The stability band is supposed to keep your buds secure in your ears. You will find three sizes of each, in the box, so you can mix and match, to find the best fit. This does give you more options than traditional eartips, that’s for sure. Bose’s app will help you with that as well. It will fit test the earbuds with your ears, to find the best seal. Let’s talk about tuning. Bose is using something called ‘CustomTune’ sound calibration. This is not the first time we’re hearing about it, though. This has already been used by the company, on Bose’s SoundControl hearing aids. This tech will measure the acoustic properties of your ear canal. The company claims that this tech tailors both the audio and the active noise cancellation (ANC) especially for you. Well, for each person that uses it.
‘CustomTune’ calibrates the noise reduction signal
The best thing is, that this process takes less than half a second, and the earbuds do it every time you place them in your ears. CustomTune also calibrates the noise reduction signal. ANC is also continuously adapting to any changes, so that it keeps distraction to a minimum. ‘CustomTune’ also helps with ‘Aware Mode’. That is basically Bose’s name for the transparency mode on these earbuds. It helps the earbuds offer an ambient sound that’s “as natural and lifelike as possible”, while ‘ActiveSense’ can pick up any loud noise and apply the appropriate level of cancellation. Yes, you can go running in the rain with these earbuds, as they come with an IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance. The company also improved call quality, as it changed the noise removal algorithm.
You’ll get up to 6 hours of battery life with each earbud
The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II can offer up to 6 hours of battery life, while the charging case provides three full charges. A 20-minute charge will provide you with two hours of use, says Bose. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II will become available on September 15 for $299. Do note that you can already pre-order them, though, if you want. The black color will ship on September 15, while the ‘Soapstone’ variant will ship later on.