Noise-canceling headphones are a lifesaver in sure conditions, however generally, I don’t need to be so disconnected from my surroundings that I can not hear what is going on on. Like once I’m biking and wish to listen to oncoming vehicles, or touring on public transit and need to hold my wits about me, I would like one thing rather less stifling than my over-ear headphones. In these instances, I put on the Bose Extremely Open Ear Headphones ($299), which let in some ambient noise and are comfy sufficient for all-day put on. They’re my go-to for staying conscious of my environment with out sacrificing audio high quality. (They’re Oprah’s go-to, too—she formally named them as one among her Favourite Issues for 2024, so you understand they’re the actual deal.)
Bose, Extremely Open Ear Headphones — $299.00
Colours: White smoke, black
Options: IPX4 water resistance, built-in microphone, immersive audio
Battery Life: 7.5 hours
- All-day consolation
- Clear sound high quality
- Immersive audio mode that strikes with you
- Stays in your ear throughout sport
- Can really feel too quiet when ambient noise will get loud
First impressions
Once I first opened these headphones, I believed they have been going to be much like bone-conduction headphones, which I don’t personally use as a result of they by no means really feel safe. However after I attempted them on, I spotted they have been in a league of their very own. They wrap round your ear with a “curler” made of sentimental, pliable rubber; it seems to be much like an ear cuff however you may barely really feel it. Whenever you’re carrying them, they appear fairly smooth; I’ve gotten just a few feedback that they seem like earrings.
Straight away, the listening expertise was fairly completely different from some other headphones I’ve tried. Once I turned the amount up, it felt like everybody else might hear my music. (They couldn’t). However this was as a result of even once you’re listening at full blast, a few of the noise out of your surroundings makes its method in. It’s not sufficient to distract you, however sufficient to listen to it if somebody tried speaking to you.
Sound high quality and expertise
I’m not a sound high quality professional, however these present a clear, enjoyable listening expertise. The audio efficiency within the Bose Extremely Open Ear Headphones is surprisingly strong for open-ear headphones: The bass is punchy with out being overwhelming, the mids are well-defined, and the highs are crisp. Within the Bose App (which is on the market on the App Retailer and Google Play), you may customise the settings and select from presets like “Bass Increase,” “Treble Increase,” or “Treble Reducer.”
The best function is the Immersive Audio mode that “strikes” with you as you stroll round. As you flip your head, the soundscape shifts barely, as if the music surrounds you. This creates a 3D audio expertise that feels extra pure and dynamic. To be sincere, I didn’t discover this proper off the bat, however once I used the demo to change between modes, I might inform a giant distinction between the immersive and basic audio codecs. It’s notably noticeable when listening to tracks with wealthy instrumental layers and total, it provides depth however is sufficiently subtle that you simply get accustomed to it.
Bose Extremely Open Ear Headphones: closing ideas
Whereas the sound high quality is nice, the explanation I like these headphones a lot as a result of I can put on them for hours on finish with out them hurting my ears like Airpods do. And in comparison with my over-the-ear headphones, I can use these once I run and bike with out getting too sweaty. They’re surprisingly safe in my ear—I’ve tried to toss them round my head to get them to budge however they received’t fly out.
I nonetheless want over-the-ear headphones for journey and deep work periods, however although these don’t have a noise-canceling function, they’ve change into a staple in my day-to-day life for exercises and commutes.
