Bose® In-Ear Headphones
| Overall rating: |
|
Big on sound, big on comfort. Your new pair of Bose® In-Ear headphones feature the ultimate in sound production from an earbud and in comfort in from an in-ear headphone piece. Bose®’s TriPort® technology produces a full range of sound, including lower notes, in a compact, in-ear design. Bringing you the apex of comfort, these Bose® In-Ear headphones come with three sizes of soft silicone earpiece tips. You’ll be able to customize your headphones to your ear.
Features
- 1 pair of in-ear headphones with 49 audio cable, 1 pair each of small, medium and large silicone tips, 1 lanyard, 1 clothing clip and Carrying case
- High quality, earbud-style headphones with soft silicone tips that rest gently in your ears
- Proprietary Bose technology produces a full range of sound, including lower notes, in a compact in-ear design
- Color-coded tips in three sizes for a more personal, comfortable fit
- Angled plug fits directly into most MP3 players, including iPod and iPhone models, as well as laptops and portable CD and DVD players
- Dimensions (W x H x L): 14 x 9 x 12 inches
- Weight: 0 pounds
Son, I am disappoint
I got these about a month ago. I was very excited for them because I have been tired of using cheap earbuds with bad sound and poor build quality.
Unlike other earbuds, these earbuds don’t actually go in your ear canal. Instead, they rest on the cavity inside your ear, and project sound into your ear canal. At first this was a comfort shock to me and felt awkward, but since then I have gotten used to them. I believe this approach is more comfortable over longer stretches of time than the mainstream earbud build, but this design also comes with a couple of major problems.
First, there is NO OUTSIDE NOISE REDUCTION. Even cheap traditional earbuds provide minimal sound reduction by the mere design of sealing the ear canal. Some earbuds do this better than others, but when you remove the headphone speaker from the ear canal as BOSE has done, then everything around you is now competing with your music. This is a serious design flaw.
The second problem may or may not be related to the design: the low range sounds on these earbuds are muddled, washed out and sound like they are underwater. It is terrible listening to music on these players that have a quality of harmonics. The high and mid range harmonics are great, but I can’t help but wonder if the low ranges are ruined because of the design of the earbud. Traditional earbuds mimic low frequencies by creating physical vibration in the ear canal, simulating the physical presence of powerful low tones/harmonics. BOSE earbuds do not have this advantage.
You would think that a company like BOSE would lend their name to a design which utilizes research — “research” is in their logo, after all. But these earbuds are pitiful. I only hope that they last longer than other earbuds I have used, so I can get some of my money’s worth out of them.
Great sound, but flawed – rubber tips keep falling off
I don’t often write bad reviews as most products I try always seem to shine in one area. But these Bose triport headphones really are just driving me crazy to the point I’m done with them…
Let me start by saying they sounds tremendous. Bose did a great job getting the sound that they produce just right.
So where did Bose fail? They use rubber tips that you put on the end of the headphone, you can NOT use these without these rubber tips as 1. the headphone won’t stay in your ear without it and 2. it’s very uncomfortable to try to use them without the rubber tips.
The problem is this, the rubber tip stays on when you wear the headphones, but I constantly have the rubber tips falling off when I just have them laying on a table and I go to pick them up. Lately I’ve tried using these at my desk and I leave the headphones plugged into my computer, I have a clip that I drape the wire over so the headphones just sort of hang on the wall out of the way when I don’t want to use them. One out of 5 times when I go to pick the headphones up and put them in my ear I have to search around the floor for the rubber tip.
These are a terrible design, they work well in terms of sound and if you can keep up with the rubber tips I recommend them, but because headphones to me are meant to be used on the go, I would be scared to death to take these on an airplane or something and lose the tips in the airport and be stuck with no headphones. I much rather use a $10 pair of ear buds because I can at least rely on those always working without having to search around for the rubber tips.
And I have used these for over a year and constantly have the same issue. I tried different tips and the problem still exists. So perhaps the initial review people have is positive, but I wanted to write from a year+ later perspective. I will not buy these again.
I did however find on CNET’s site that Bose actually redesigned these headphones because of this issue I am writing about. The new model has black and white stripped cable near the top and comes with redesigned rubber tips, a lanyard and a clip to help keep they headphones from falling out or earbuds falling off. I just submitted my request to receive the kit from Bose, but since it was offered in 2008 and it’s now 2010 I’m not sure they still will ship one of those to me. If they do I’ll revisit this review with the enhanced kit. If not this review stays where it is with a Don’t buy recommendation from me.
And my comments are echoed by CNET when they reviewed these, here are the comments from the CNET review:
The good: The Bose TriPort In-Ear headphones have strong bass and good overall detail, and they’re not intrusive in your ear canal.
The bad: The Bose TriPort In-Ear headphones don’t block out any noise, and the fit doesn’t feel quite as secure as advertised. The silicone tips come off very easily, and pick up tons of dirt.
buyer beware
i’ve gone through 2 pair of ‘in-ear bose headphones’ in less then one year. both pair broke due to some internal wire problem. sadly, i’m unable to return the products for credit/exchange. with the headphones costing a significant amt of money, i’d advise people to think hard before investing in this product. i don’t think i’ll be purchasing these again.
Lost sound in a few months
I bought these and the gel earbuds constantly come out and without them these are uncomfortable. Then within a few months I lost connection in one side and eventually the other one went too. The sound was good, just wish the product held up, total waist. Will never buy boss again.
HD digital stereo quality
Bose is unbeatable!! No equals for Bose headphones. Every whistle and breeze flows and is not missed.
TERRIBLE FITMENT – Worst fitting in-ear headset EVER.
What does it matter how great they sound if you can’t get them to stay in your ears? These are absolutely the worst fitting ear buds I have ever tried in my life. They were expensive, but I don’t mind paying for a good solid set of ear buds with an inline mic. My V-Moda Vibe Duo ear buds from Costco were $99 and fit wonderfully. The V-modas sound amazing as well – but when I misplaced them, I bought this Bose headset. What an epic mistake! I wish I could take them back.
They come with a wonderful pleather zipper case that is ginormous, and a small ziplock baggy containing an extra clip and 3 sizes of tips (S, M and L) so you can find the “perfect” size for your ear (like pretty much every in-ear buds out there, even the $10 ones). The problem is, nobody has ears shaped like these ridiculous tips. The supplied tips are a weird shape, not the typical root-beer barrel shape you find on most in-ear buds. And they’re not ear specific. They’re interchangeable. Anyone who has looked at an ear before knows that both ears are differently shaped. A barrel shaped ear bud makes sense if you’re going to make them interchangeable, because it fits into your ear canal. But these Bose buds… man oh man what were they smoking when they came up with this design? Someone at Bose should be fired to spare further Bose fan lemmings from wasting their hard-earned, under-valued dollars on these veritable pieces of trash.
I even contacted a local hearing aid shop in my area that will make custom-fit hearing aids for people to see if they can create a pair of custom-fitting tips for my ears that will attach to these Bose ear buds. They can! . . . for several hundred dollars.
I’m telling you, anyone who rated these as 4-5 stars either (1) has never put them in their ears, (2) is lying, (3) is in denial that they spent $120 on a Bose product and it really *isn’t* the best and they can’t admit it because they are a Bose fanboy, or (4) has some kind of alien or prosthetic ears that just happen to be a perfect fit for these bizarre Bose buds.
I’m a Bose fan too – but I’m not afraid to admit that these are a colossal waste of money and poorly designed fit. 3 of my friends have them, and they ALL HAVE THE SAME fitment problems. At best they “hang” onto your ear like a climber dangling from a dangerous precipice, only to fall out to your utter disappointment and frustration.
I thought to myself, “I’m being difficult. Let me try another size.” I shoved a smaller size into my ear – and pushed super hard to lodge it in there. It stayed! And it hurt. And after a minute, it popped out. Garbage.
Luckily, during the time since I’ve owned these expensive Bose earbud paperweights, I’ve managed to locate my V-modas. Do yourself a favor – buy the V-modas. They’ll fit ANY ear, no matter how alien or prosthetic, and you’ll love the sound and function, not to mention the extra dollars you’ll have left over.
The Bose headset also comes with this bizarre, cool-idea-but-poorly-implemented fabric cord that clips to both right and left wires so you can “dangle” the ear buds around your neck without them falling down. But this weird innovation adds to the tangle of the rat’s nest every time you try to take the buds out of their case, and you’ll waste a couple precious minutes of your life untangling them every single time you want to use them – while you try to convince yourself that they were worth the money…
Sorry Bose, but maybe there’s a reason that every other in-ear bud manufacturer is making their in-ear gel buds shaped like a soft barrel and not a smashed assymetrical uvula. Kudos for trying to be innovative – but you failed in a big way when you didn’t actually try them on before you approved their manufacture.
I’d rate these 0 stars if I could.
My V-Mode Vibe Duo headset available here: V-MODA Vibe Duo Earbuds/Headset (iPhone Compatible) – Black
In Bose, the B stands for Bass!
These earbuds are serious about bass. They reproduce a large number of other sounds, from crisp highs to buttery mids, but the lows are where these earbuds stand out. When properly seated in one’s ear, it sounds like a subwoofer is in your head. A number of you may be thinking, “hey I don’t want that much bass!” By subwoofer in your head, I mean they sound wonderful and real. The bass has the punchy, quick response that those who listen to rock or jazz may want, but those of you that love hip-hop and rap will love what these earbuds are capable of.
I have the older ones, which means the silicon ear tips fall off if you look at them wrong and the headphone jack connector is black, bulky, and the cable has broken so that now they don’t even work. 4 years is a long time for a pair of earbuds to survive, especially in a laptop bag next to a mouse and other devices. If you are going to get a pair of these, make sure they are the newer ones that have the elbow jack, not the older black rectangle jack.
I would highly recommend this product to any friend looking for a pair of earbuds that want great bass and a great fit for casual listening and mobile gaming. I would not, however, recommend them for jogging or any seriously mobile activity. They fell out of my ears after about four steps. But for sitting still, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better set of in ear monitors.
Bose Ear Buds
Bose makes great products, don’t get me wrong, and these work just fine. i just can’t stand wearing them in public because of the way these go into your ear (upside down with the cord sticking out) – i end up walking around looking like a space alien or something.
Best “EARBUDS” you will probably find on the market
Ok so ive been having lots of headphones over the years and I really never got an ear bud type headphone. If you are unaware of what I mean by earbud type headphone I am referring to the crappy and awful apple headphones for example that come with the Ipod. Ive always got in ear headphones. However every time I was walking or in the library I couldnt hear anything other than music. Which granted was awesome but can cause for many problems. I was unable to hear anyone talk to me or unaware of cars that was passing by. So throughout my headphone experience I got the Klipsch S4 which i recommend to anyone but for me after a while the silicon kept getting stuck in your ear. And the bass and some sound quality started to diminish, not alot and barely noticeable but still. I owned the phillips in ear which is a pretty good pair for a cheap price under 20. I owned the skullcandy INKD which are always reliable but i dont like the sound when the cord hits your chest while you walk. I owned titans from skullcandy but never satisfied. I read about these and since Best buy had the 30 day return policy i was like hell mind as well try it. So i got these and they are not In ear as lots of the review states. However even though they are a mix of “in ear” and “earbuds” i will say they are pretty much an earbud type of headphones. However despite that, it will probably be the best kinds you will find. At first too much bass its awesome for hiphop but it will be good after a while. I can listen to jack johnson and it sounds amazing. Clear a bell. Even though I can hear me typing currently, i dont mind because i can feel the music with these bose. I am unaware of the lifespan, durability, but these do not slip out of your ear and still have amazing soung. The clarity and overall balance is amazing. So in my opinion… if you want good headphones under 100….if u want to not be disturbed and want to block out everytthing all noise get the Klipsch S4 for 79.99 probably the best one you’ll find. IF you want to get the best earbuds under 100 get these. AMAZING!!
Just up and died on me
I agree with all of the one star reviews of this product, due mostly to the lack of durability you get for the price! The sound quality truly is amazing for a set of in-ear headphones, and that is probably the only reason why I can’t give these 1 star. I’ve gone through ear buds like Jolly Ranchers in the past and really thought the Bose earbuds would be different. And for about a year they were! First the right bud would go in and out with the slightest touch. Then all of a sudden the sound was COMPLETELY gone! I expected so much more from these. I am not Bose hater, in fact I own a pair of over-the-ear Quietcomfort 15 headphones and those are amazing!! I just wish they would have put a little more care into the construction of their earbuds! They used to be my prized possession – now they are destined for the trash-heap! Will not be buying these again!
bose in ear bud
poor fit poor sound quality very poor noise reduction i have all bose equipment and didnt hesitate to order i was wrong, poor bass reproduction use to mow lawns and run, bad choise
Great experience with Bose Corporation regarding wear issue
I originally rated these earphones very low due to issues I had with the wires fraying where they entered the jack which caused intermittent sound out of the speakers. Bose corporation proactively contacted me (via Amazon) regarding this issue and send me replacement earphones. It appears that the jack on the replacement earphone has been redesigned.
As I stated in my original post, I really liked the sound and comfort of the earphones, so I hope this new plug design solves the wire durability issue. I’m raising my rating to a 4 and will update my rating (raise/lower) in the future (~ 1yr) based on my experience with the new earphones…
Great sound! Horrible at everything else!
Still have the falling out problem. Does not reduce outside noise. Not for an active life style. Bose should start from scratch but maintain sound quality.
Bose is Amazing; In-Ear Headphones Are Not Their Specialty, However
These headphones are the first Bose product I have ever obtained. Naturally, I was very excited to use them. For a relatively long time (around half-a-year) they remained intact and continued to perform very well. However, stick with your standard headphones that came with your player or computer (if they did come along with the product) because they are most likely made so that they will stay in your ears for when you want to exercise. However, if you do not exercise (most notably running or jogging), these headphones are perfect; otherwise they fall out after every five steps.
Recently the wiring right below the auxiliary component has been worn down and one of the earpieces refuses to work now, no matter how much I tinker with the exposed wire. I have not sent in the headphones in for repair yet (mostly out of severe procrastination), even though I was told by a friend with the same product that Bose would replace them for free (hard to believe, though).
These headphones sound great, but natural and continuous use of them will eventually ware them down like any other product. Price is still a bit steep considering how long the product has been on the market.
Your Ears Deserve to Hear Sounds this Clear
I will start off with a true story:
I was at my sisters house and had forgotten my Bose in ears headphones. I asked my sister if she had some other headphones lying around. I knew that whatever she gave me would have some quality issues, but I figured they would be at least usable. The first pair she gave me were typical Apple headphones I tried these and told here that there must be something wrong with these. She then let me try her cheap Skull Candy set. They sounded so bad I figued they had gotten wet or something!! I asked her to listen to them and she said they sounded fine to her! I finally decided that the problem was my ears were just spoiled by the excellent quailty of the Bose in ear headphones. I ended up just using the second pair.
DO yourself a favor and buy these right now don’t wait, or worry about the money.
Pros:
* wonderful sound
* completely comforable
* not too expensiv
Cons:
* coule be a little louder
* would like a little more noise cancelation
Great sound with back material and design
Bose does make great headphone, sound quality if fantastic. However the new design with black and white cord twisted is a very bad idea. With this design, it makes the cord kept getting tangle-up and knotted. The material for the cord itself isn’t strong neither. After six months of using on the commute, I’ve notice tiny rips and tears through out the cord. I wouldn’t buy them again until they redesign the cord and change the material for the cord.
Overpriced, poor performing status symbol.
These are obviously overpriced status symbols, b/c they don’t sound any better than $15 headphones, they provide NO OUTSIDE NOISE BLOCKING AT ALL.
They hang loosely in your ear, and so any and all outside noise gets in with your music.
They are worthless for exercise as they fall out all the time (I went to the store and tried all 3 sizes).
Thankfully, I a friend gave me these (he bought some cheapies to replace them). Had I wasted $99 on these, I would have been hacked!
Check out these: much, much better and check out the price!Koss KE29E Isolating Earbud (Ebony)
Bose Earbuds
If you’ve got the money, get these little guys, their like eating your favorite food for the first time, only with fireworks, and extra flowers. Your paying for the technology, not the brand name mostly when you buy Bose anyway.
Great Headphones for General Purpose
As almost all the reviewers have said, these headphones are great. Bose has some of the best sound quality devices ever engineered and these headphones are right up there. The comfort, quality, and durability are all great. The onl qualms i have with the product is that the rubber pieces fall off pretty easily. If you get hit even lightly or tug on them the wrong way the rubber parts will fall off and are easily lost. Just keep that in mind. But that pales in comparison to how great these are for general usage. Music sounds phenomenal and even computer games sound great with them. Buy these, you wont regret it.
Comfortable ear piece!
The quality of sound is great! I really like the adjustable ear pieces. Especially I have very small ears and usually feel uncomfortable to use earphones which hurt the inner parts of my ear quite a bit after using it a while. But this product is great! They do not hurt my ear, and I can enjoy music, radio shows, movies, etc. for a long time.