So far, Bose has introduced two versions of its “regular” QuietComfort earbuds: one in 2020 and another in 2022. The company followed that up with the QuietComfort Ultra earbuds last year, which introduced its own take on spatial audio that doesn’t rely on carefully recorded content.
Now, Bose is returning to that “regular” model with a new version of the QuietComfort earbuds. While this is actually the company’s fourth set of noise-cancelling wireless buds, the new QC earbuds will provide an entry-level option that’s much more affordable than the premium Ultra.
As for the new QuietComfort earbuds, Bose says the design is meant for “everyday use.” There’s a collection of ear tips and stability bands to help you find the perfect fit, and the IPX4 rating should be good enough to withstand sweaty workouts. The shape of the outer panel has been refined, looking more like older Bose earbud models than recent efforts.
The company says you can expect its “best-in-class” active noise cancellation (ANC) as well as “satisfyingly rich” sound here. Each earbud is equipped with three microphones for both ANC and voice pickup, so the latest QuietComfort model should be a good choice for calls. Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint connectivity is also on the spec sheet, where Bose is promising a wireless range of up to 30 feet.
Bose has increased the battery life of the QC Earbuds II from six to eight and a half hours on this new version. Plus, the case holds two and a half hours more charge. You can get three hours of use in 20 minutes and a full charge takes 90 minutes.
The QuietComfort earbuds will work with the Bose QC Earbuds app for features and customisation. Here, you can reconfigure the onboard tap controls on each earbud, with the ability to switch the ANC setting between Quiet, Aware (transparency mode), and Off on the buds themselves.
The Voice ID tool can fine-tune the QC earbuds for “performance and accuracy,” while a five-band adjustable EQ offers some flexibility with tuning. Bose has also included a remote selfie feature that allows you to use the earbuds as a remote camera trigger. Additionally, there’s a low-latency audio mode for gaming, and a battery prediction tool for tracking power consumption.
The new QuietComfort earbuds are available today in black, white, and purple color options for $179. That’s $100 less than the previous two QC earbuds models, and $120 less than the QC Ultra earbuds. This new model isn’t exactly a budget option, but it’s priced far more attractively than the company’s current $299 flagship set.
But the iFixit teardown actually tells a more complicated story about replacing those batteries, describing the process of opening the case as “a very difficult and laborious task… even for a trained technician.” And inside, the battery is attached to other components in a way that requires heat to remove it, which in itself would not comply with the EU’s upcoming regulations.
Given all the work involved, the earbuds scored a very poor 1/10 on iFixit’s repairability scorecard. Bang & Olufsen said the earbuds’ design “allows for battery replacement by service,” which, as iFixit notes, suggests this isn’t a repair you can do yourself at home.
It was eventually possible to take apart one of the earbuds without damaging any of the electronics inside, but the laborious teardown raises questions about how feasible and durable replacing the battery would be, even if done at a B&O service center. After opening the case and finding “a plastic weld mark preventing access to the battery,” iFixit’s Shahram Mokhtari noted in the video that, “at the very least, any battery replacement service must dispose of the plastic casing completely.”
“I’d love to see B&O’s process for replacing these batteries,” Mokhtari wrote in the blog post. “I’m willing to bet it’s neither cheap nor wasteful, but I’d love to be proven wrong.” The teardown also revealed that the Beoplay Eleven is a “carbon copy” of the 2022 Beoplay EX internally. “Even the peel-off film on the back of each earbud says ‘Beoplay EX’ — not ‘Beoplay Eleven,'” Mokhtari wrote. Yikes.