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Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Here are the 3 settings you should change for every pair of Bose headphones
Your Amazon parcel has arrived — it's your brand new pair of Bose headphones! Congratulations, you're now the proud owner of some of the best wireless headphones available today. That could be a pair of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones or earbuds, some QuietComfort headphones, or even some QuietComfort Earbuds. Either way, there are some settings in the Bose app that you're going to want to adjust to make sure that you get the best experience possible. From some slight sound changes to making sure that your controls are all in order, here are the settings that you need to change to get the best performance possible out of your Bose headphones and earbuds. Before you go any further, make sure that you've got the Bose app installed on your device. Without it, you'll be using the headphones as they come out of the box with no customizations at all! The Bose QuietComfort Headphones sit at the top of our list of the best noise-canceling headphones thanks to their excellent ANC. There is good sound to be found inside as well, and they're some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever had perched atop my head. First off, Bose has a habit of over-egging the low end in its over-ear headphones. Both the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the QuietComfort Headphones have bass-heavy sound profiles that have a habit of drowning out the highs. To compensate, we can use the EQ settings in the Bose app to further enhance the sound quality. Find the 'EQ' menu in the Bose app, and from there, we can dial in the perfect sound for your lovely new ANC headphones. Here you'll find the 3-band EQ that you can manipulate. To deal with the all-encompassing bass, we're going to crank it down a couple of notches. -2 will do. If you prefer a bassier sound, bring it down to -1. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. We're going to leave the mids as they are, but we want to dial in some more high-range frequencies to make sure you can hear more detail in your music. My preference is +3, although some might prefer +2 if the sound becomes a little too piercing. With those settings adjusted in the Bose over-ears, you're going to get a more well-rounded sound signature with less pervasive bass and more detailed highs. For in-ears, things are more refined already. There's still lots of bass, but you don't need to adjust it anywhere near as much as with the over-ear options. Here, the bass can remain the same, but for some more vocal body, we want to bring the mids up a notch. Then, for some more detail and high-range response, we can raise the treble by +2 to make those cymbals and highs sing. And there we go! Bose headphones and earbuds dialled in for sound. Out of the box, your Bose earbuds and headphones are going to feature some epic noise canceling. After all, Bose makes the best noise-canceling earbuds and the best noise-canceling headphones at the moment — it might even be why you bought them. However, did you know that there are certain settings in the Bose app that you should check to ensure everything is functioning properly?Hop into the 'Modes' tab of the Bose app to find the noise-canceling and transparency settings. Here you'll find the standard noise-canceling modes, with Quiet, Aware, and Immersion. The latter features immersive sound with noise cancellation, in case you were wondering. You'll also notice a little 'plus' button at the bottom of the list — this is what we're looking at. Tap that, and you can create a new noise-canceling mode for a different use case, like working out, working, or any other activity you can think of. Choose one of the options, and from there you can set the noise canceling level depending on where you'll be (less noise canceling, more battery), and whether you want the Immersive sound mode to turn on. If the three main modes aren't quite enough customization for you, this is one setting you have to change. On the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, there are two controls that cannot be changed — the power/Bluetooth button and the multi-function playback button. You can, however, change the function of what Bose calls the 'shortcut'. If you tap and hold the touch-sensitive volume slider, the headphones will tell you how much battery you've got left, and you can change what the gesture does. In the 'shortcut' menu in the Bose app, you can change the function of the touch gesture between volume level, Spotify tap, and more. Choose the best option for you, and you're good to go. There are also touch shortcuts on Bose's earbuds, and you can change what they do depending on the left and right earbuds. You could set the left to change between your noise canceling modes, and then the right to change between your connected devices. The shortcut settings are a valuable way to customize your headphones and earbuds, making them easier to use in the long run.
Buzz Feed
5 days ago
- Buzz Feed
I Travel 100+ Days A Year. Here's What I Pack.
As a travel journalist, long flights and lack of personal space in economy is just part of the job. At 33, I've traveled to all seven continents from visiting penguin colonies in Antarctica to scuba diving in Fiji. Once I land, I need to hit the ground running, so I do everything I can to make the journey as smooth as possible. That means prepping for the chaos, controlling what I can, and packing smart. Here are the flight essentials I never travel without. Bose QuietComfort Headphones These Bose QuietComfort headphones might just be your lifesaver for your next 10 hour flight. The noise cancellation is top-tier (seriously, it's like flipping a switch on the outside world), and the plush earcups make them wearable from gate to gate without any pressure or pinching. Bonus: they last a full 24 hours on a charge and come with an old-school cord for when Bluetooth isn't an them from Amazon for $249 (available in eight colors). MZOO sleep eye mask This isn't your average flimsy airline freebie — it's an eye mask that actually works. Made with breathable memory foam and a contoured design, it gives your eyes space to blink and blocks out all the light without squishing your face. It stays put, doesn't pull your hair, and somehow feels like a tiny pillow for your face. Whether I'm trying to nap on a plane or reset after a weird hotel check-in time, this mask is a it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in eight styles). The Brevitē backpack Meet a lightweight, carry-on approved travel backpack that fits perfectly under the seat or over your suitcase handle. This isn't your average laptop bag — it holds up to a 16-inch MacBook Pro, has a passport pocket, and is extra spacious for my most precious cargo: camera gear. An added perk: It comes with a lifetime warranty!Get it from Amazon for $129.99 (available in eight colors). Crocs Once you fly in Crocs, there's no going back. These are my go-to shoes for long travel days: they're lightweight, breathable, ridiculously comfy, and slip off in a second at security. Bonus: they rinse off easily if you spill your coffee mid-flight. When I'm running late I convert them to 'sport mode,' utilizing the strap on the back to keep the shoes in place. Get them from Amazon for $37.94+ (available in women's sizes 4–19, men's sizes 2–17, and tons of colors). Hypervolt Go 2 massage device After long flights or cramped car rides, I use this compact massage gun on every trip. The Hypervolt Go 2 may be travel-sized (it weighs only 1.5 pounds), but it packs a serious punch when it comes to loosening tight shoulders, calves, or that weird spot in your back from sleeping uncomfortably on a plane. It's lightweight, portable and easy to pack into a backpack. Get it from Amazon for $139 (available in two colors). An 8-pack of Purell hand sanitizer Some bulk hand sanitizer might seem like an obvious choice for this list, but it absolutely cannot be skipped. I fly with a few — tucked into my pocket, backpack, and fanny pack. Purell's formula kills 99.99% of germs without wrecking your hands (it's free of harsh, drying ingredients like parabens and triclosan), and the adorably named 'jelly wrap' holder makes it easy to clip onto a bag for quick cleanups. Get an 8-pack from Amazon for $14.99. Cotopaxi's Bataan fanny pack This fanny pack is definitely an original – each one is handmade in the Philippines from repurposed materials, so no two are alike. I don't trust my loose pockets on a plane, so all of my valuables (wallet, passport) will be kept safely in my fanny pack. I wear mine crossbody for easy access in the airport and always get compliments. Get it from Amazon for $27. A YETI Rambler water bottle This is the water bottle that's survived every trip, tumble, and TSA bin I've put it through. The YETI bottle keeps water ice-cold for hours, and it's totally leakproof — so I never have to worry about it soaking the rest of my bag. It's hefty but easy to carry, and the wide mouth works great for easy refills. Hydration station, it from YETI for $32+ (available in three sizes and 148 colors). Ostrichpillow Go travel neck pillow I've tested more travel pillows than I care to admit, and the Ostrichpillow Go is the one I actually use. The high-density memory foam molds to your neck like it was custom-made, and the 360-degree ergonomic design means no more awkwa6rd head bobs or waking up with a crick in your neck. I used it on a 14-hour flight to South Africa and I slept eight hours. It compresses down small enough to stash in your bag, but still offers full it from Amazon for $63.64 (available in three colors). Away's 'bigger' carry-on This is the suitcase I take when I want to pack a little extra without checking a bag. This popular suitcase from Away fits in most US airlines' overhead bins, but gives you more space thanks to its interior compression system. It's sleek, durable, and glides through airports smoothly. I've brought mine to more than 10 different countries and it still feels brand new. Get it from Away Travel for $295 (available in 10 colors). An Apple iPad Sadly, more and more new aircrafts are dropping their built-in televisions, so my iPad has become my in-flight entertainment center. Before the flight, I download all of my movies and shows so I have hours worth of mindless content to consume from 35,000 feet in the air. It's lightweight but powerful, with enough battery to last from wheels up to touchdown and then some. Get it from Amazon for $299+ (available in two three storage sizes and four colors). TheraFace depuffing wand This little wand has become my secret weapon for looking decent after a red-eye. The device chills in seconds to zap under-eye puffiness, then switches to heat to boost circulation. I use it mid-flight, post-flight, or even just when I'm feeling a little dull — it's like giving your face a reset button. I always have it in my fanny pack onboard and it instantly makes me feel fresh again after sitting in my seat for hours. Get it from Amazon for $169.99 (available in two colors).
Tom's Guide
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I just tested these $99 noise canceling earbuds with Bose tech — and they're shockingly good
I was 12 when I tried my first pair of Skullcandy earbuds. It was on the bus, and I'd been handed the left bud so that a friend and I could both listen to System of a Down. It was a short experience, but one that left me with a pair of profound realizations — first, that Prison Song is sick. Second, that Skullcandy wasn't very good. So imagine my shock when it was announced that Skullcandy was working with Bose, of all companies, to launch a new pair of earbuds. Imagine further my continued shock and sudden elation when I discovered that the Method 360 ANC are actually really, really good. Like, best cheap wireless earbuds good. The Skullcandy Method 360 ANC are a collaboration with Bose and Skullcandy. That means excellent sound quality, great noise canceling, and a very comfortable fit. All for under $100 at the moment — not bad at all. When I first pulled the Method 360 from their enormous charging case, I was immediately taken. They look like an edgier version of Bose's QuietComfort line of earbuds, all the way down to the silicone wings that help keep them firmly in your ears. Slipping them into my earholes, I found a particularly comfortable fit, as I often have with the similarly shaped Bose options. The fitting options are plenty, and the shape is ergonomic. Lovely. A far cry from the traditional cheap, slightly uncomfortable Skullcandy fare that I've sampled before. Bose's fingerprints are all over the buds and the software experience. The touch controls mirror the QuietComfort line, and even the new 'Skull IQ' app looks an awful lot like the Bose app that controls its headphones and speakers. This is Skullcandy, the funky little logo on the side of the case makes sure we're aware — but not as we know it. I am resigned to the fact that headphone and earbud apps are now a necessity in our modern, smart device culture. I ask only three things: That these apps be powerful, easy to use, and not a big waste of megabytes on my phone's storage. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The Skull-iQ app is pretty much all these things. It's very simply laid out, with all the options available on the front page. There are no silly names for things like the EQ or multipoint pairing, although I do wish that 'Hearing Modes' was called noise canceling. There are plenty of features in the app, too, although some might lament a lack of spatial audio. I do not — they're $129 ($99 on sale), and when given the choice between ANC and spatial audio, I'll always choose the former. The EQ is one of the best features inside the app. Some cheaper buds don't have the same feature in their own apps, and it's nice to be able to dial in the sound beyond 'would you like some more bass, ma'am?' Sony's WF-C710N buds have noise canceling, and they're very good at it. They cost $120. 1More buds have good noise canceling, and they cost around $80. My Final ZE3000 SV have good noise canceling, and they cost just $69. None of them can hold a candle to the Bose-tuned ANC of the Method 360. I can't tell you it's as good as the QuietComfort Ultra, or the WF-1000XM5. It's not. But, for $129, you aren't going to find any better. It blocks out any environmental noise with relative ease, silencing bus and train journeys so that you can enjoy your music without being interrupted by the soccer fans that you're sharing a coach with. Transparency mode is similarly solid, letting everything in that you want to hear without making it sound like the auditory version of the uncanny valley. Despite their annoying 'Hearing mode' moniker, the ANC and transparency modes are best in class. For the rest of the package, it means a Bose-like shape and app — for the sound things get more involved. Apparently, the Method 360 ANC use Bose's drivers for the sound, which are then molded by both Skullcandy and Bose for a heavier, jaw-shaking Skullcandy signature tone. The result is loads and loads of fun. There's plenty of the low stuff, as you'd imagine. But Skullcandy hasn't just taken the Bose drivers, worked out how much bass they can produce, made them do it, and then called it a day. There's more control than I was expecting, and even some restraint when it comes to bass that is uncharacteristic of the brand. Look, they're still bassy. The kick drums of Bloodbath's Zombie Inferno hit like a rotting freight train, and the sub-bass of K Motionz' Silver Bullet shakes the back of your skull. This is still Skullcandy, and the buds make sure you know it. But there's more detail than most offerings at this price, producing a fairly well-balanced sound signature that even more expensive buds might glance at and realize they're not as safe as they thought they were. Hi-hats and cymbals have plenty of crash, with lots of resolution to be found. Are they HiFi? No, very few things that are wireless at this price are. But they very quickly made me forget that they were under $150, and they even managed to make me forget that they were a Skullcandy product. The charging case is too big. I think it's supposed to be attached to your bag with the lanyard keychain strap thing, but then someone is just going to steal them while you walk around. It's too big for most pockets thanks to its weird design, and the opening mechanism doesn't feel like it's going to last all that long. Thankfully, Skullcandy fixed the deafening announcement voice, who damn near made me drop my phone the first time I connected them. All in all, though? That's pretty much it, which is remarkable for a pair of buds that cost as little as the Method 360 ANC.
Android Authority
12-06-2025
- Android Authority
Bose's latest Ultra earbuds have some AI-powered tricks for navigating your noisy world
Bose TL;DR Bose has announced the successor to its premium QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. The second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer enhanced ANC, improved voice pickup, and wireless charging support. The earbuds are priced at $299 and will be available in Black, White Smoke, and Deep Plum colorways. Bose expanded its premium headphone and earbud lineup with the launch of new Ultra models back in 2023. Its original QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are still among the best wireless earbuds on the market, but the company has now announced an upgraded model that brings some noteworthy improvements to the table. The new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) may not look much different, but they promise better adaptive noise cancelation and voice pickup than the older model. The earbuds utilize an updated AI algorithm layered on top of Bose's proprietary CustomTune sound calibration technology to improve the ActiveSense experience in Aware Mode, offer a smoother transition between noise cancelation levels, and prevent audio content from being drowned out by environmental noises. Bose has also equipped the second-gen earbuds with a new AI-powered noise suppression system to improve voice pickup with the eight built-in microphones. In addition, the earbuds leverage Bose's audio augmentation technology to further reduce background noise. Unlike the previous model, the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) support wireless charging out of the box. However, Bose hasn't upgraded the battery. The earbuds are still rated for up to 6 hours of playback on a single charge without ANC and 4 hours with ANC enabled. The charging case offers up to three additional charges, with Bose claiming it provides up to 2 hours of playback with a 20-minute charge. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) will be available later this summer for $299 in three colorways: black, White Smoke, and a limited-edition Deep Plum. Along with the flagship earbuds, Bose has announced two Bluetooth speakers: the SoundLink Plus Portable speaker and the SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker (2nd Gen). The SoundLink Plus is priced at $269 and will be available in Black, Blue Dusk, and Citrus Yellow colorways starting June 26. The SoundLink Micro (2nd Gen) will be available in Black and Blue Dusk for $129 later this summer. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Bloomberg
12-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Bose Launches New QuietComfort Earbuds with Wireless Charging
Audio hardware brand Bose Corp. unveiled three new products, including noise-canceling earbuds and two different portable Bluetooth speakers. The $299 second-generation QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds will be released this summer along with the second-generation SoundLink Micro Speaker for $129, the company said in a statement Thursday.
