The gen 2 Bose Ultra Earbuds' ANC is top-notch, but their chunky design is anything but

"Bose has built its modern reputation on noise-canceling performance, offering the best in class for a good two decades, since the launch of the QuietComfort headphones in 2000. But Sony and Apple caught up in 2023 and the race has gone back and forth since. The $299 Bose QuietComfort Ultra second-gen earbuds aim to top the competition again, and this time with improvements to sound and call quality, both of which have been issues for the QC earbuds in the past."

"While the gap between "great" and "the best" noise canceling has been narrowing with each new earbuds iteration, Bose has somehow continued to improve. The noise canceling of the second-gen Ultra Earbuds is phenomenal. Its attenuation of low-frequency sounds in particular virtually eliminates the distraction of airplane engines, especially with the addition of music or dialogue from a movie. The noise canceling also takes the edge off of loud conversations in a cafe or on the street."

"If the highest level of noise canceling feels like too much, the Bose app allows for adjustment to the intensity - a control absent from AirPods - with 11 steps, including full on and full off. You'll need to create a custom listening mode to have adjustable ANC, as the included presets (Quiet, Aware, Immersion, and Cinema) have that option locked, but once you do you can adjust to taste."

Bose leverages decades of noise-canceling expertise with the QuietComfort Ultra second-gen earbuds priced at $299. The earbuds target better sound and call quality while preserving and enhancing ANC performance. Low-frequency attenuation significantly reduces airplane engine noise and improves on-screen dialogue clarity. ANC also reduces loud conversations and street noise without the high-end hiss present in some competitors, though the isolation can feel intense. The Bose app offers an 11-step ANC intensity control, but adjustable cancellation requires creating a custom listening mode because the default presets lock ANC settings.

Read at The Verge