The Bose Sport Earbuds are great truly wireless earbuds for sports enthusiasts. They are characterized by an ergonomic design that makes them very stable in the ear even during the workout, as well as comfortable to use for prolonged listening sessions. The sound quality is high, in line with the standards of this price range.
The Sport Earbuds are true wireless Bluetooth headphones designed by Bose for athletes. They are placed in the medium-high range of this manufacturer’s range. Above, we have the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, the brand’s top-of-the-range product, and below, the older Bose SoundSport Free, of which the Sport Earbuds represent the evolution.
Several upgrades and improvements have been implemented in this model: connectivity has been updated to Bluetooth 5.1, to ensure less energy consumption and a more stable connection with the source device.
The weight and size of the earbuds have also dropped: the Bose Sport Earbuds are more compact and lighter than the Bose Soundsport. Taking into account the use for which they are designed, that in the sports field, this improvement certainly helps to guarantee a more comfortable experience.
Other important features for those who will use the headphones while running or while in the gym are the IPX4 certification, which indicates good resistance to sweat and any light rains but above all excellent stability once worn.
All these details only confirm that Bose has succeeded in creating a perfect headset for those who play sports. Even those who appreciate listening to music while walking or cycling, without sacrificing either excellent sound quality or the convenience and small footprint of true wireless will find an excellent solution in the Sport Earbuds.
Now let’s see in detail all the features, strengths, and weaknesses of these in-ear headphones in our review of the Bose Sport Earbuds.
- Rich and balanced sound
- Stability and comfort
- Fast charging functionality
Cons:
- No noise canceling functionality is missing
- They stick out a little from the ears
- Average autonomy
Design
In appearance, the Bose Sport Earbuds differ very little from the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, the flagship model of the brand’s range of in-ear headphones. The design is simple, clean and modern ; there are no physical buttons (the controls are fully touch). The earphones are made of high quality, opaque plastic, with the Bose logo printed, and are available in 3 different colors: Baltic Blue, Glacier White and Triple Black.
The headphones are quite light (6.75 grams) and small in size. Like most products of this type, once worn they protrude a little from the ear ; they are certainly not discreet, but they are small and elegant enough not to be overly flashy.
As for the case necessary for transport and charging, we find a case with a color matched to that of the headphones , on average compact (8.9 x 5.1 x 3.2 cm, 61 grams of weight) and equipped with 5 LEDs that indicate its state of charge. There is also an internal button for manual pairing of the headphones. The case is equipped with a button opening mechanism, perhaps less immediate, but safer than magnetic closures, which are more likely to open in a bag or backpack.
Checks
As already mentioned, the Bose Sport Earbuds feature full touch controls . Compared to the physical keys, they are much more comfortable and immediate to use while on the move.
The pair of earbuds works like a touchpad. The right is the main one : two taps start or pause music playback, answer and end a call. A long press allows you to reject it, or even to recall the smart assistant. The volume can be adjusted by swiping up or down.
The right earphone is also equipped with a special sensor that is able to understand if the headset is worn or not . Thanks to the latter, if the earbuds are removed, playback will be interrupted, to restart automatically when worn again.
The left earphone, on the other hand, allows you to skip to the next song (two taps), but it is possible to reprogram this function with one at the user’s discretion, through the appropriate headset management app (Bose Music App).
The only physical button is found, as already mentioned, inside the case of the headphones and it is necessary to manually associate the new devices.
Comfort and wearability
Comfort and stability are among the greatest advantages of these in-ear headphones. Inside the Bose Sport Earbuds package we find three different silicone rubber pads (sizes S, M and L), very easy to apply and remove. Finding the right size and fit with your ear is quite easy , thanks also to the mobile and elongated portion of the rubber, which rests on the outer part of the ear, soft and easily moldable.
The shape of these earphones guarantees an excellent seal, without the need to push the rubber too much inside the ear . This guarantees a high level of comfort, even during prolonged listening sessions. Obviously this is a fairly subjective factor: depending on your physical conformation, some people may still find the headphones uncomfortable, especially if they are worn for a long time.
Once worn, the Sport Earbuds stay securely in place , even when the wearer is on the move. This is the feature that perhaps more than any other makes it the perfect pair of earphones for use by those who run or jog, train in the gym or in general engage in some sporting activity.
The IPX4 certification makes the earphones resistant to any splashes of water: therefore no problem if a light rain or sweat due to physical activity surprises you while running. But be careful: the earbuds are not waterproof and getting them too wet, even just to rinse them, risks compromising their functioning. The best choice for cleaning sweat and other residues is to use a damp cloth.
Features and Connectivity
These true wireless headphones feature Bluetooth 5.1 , which ensures an optimal connection with smartphones or other devices (up to 30 feet away), as well as low power consumption.
Connection stability is good, both with Apple and Android devices. Some connectivity issues have been resolved by Bose with a firmware update . If you encounter any difficulties in this regard, then, the advice is to check that the earphones have been updated with the latest version available.
The Sport Earbuds can be connected to two devices at the same time . To switch from one source to another, the simplest solution is to use the appropriate Bose Music App. The latter also allows you to change the controls of the left earpiece, monitor the battery level more precisely and manage firmware updates.
There are no features within the proprietary app that allow you to create new equalizer profiles. On the other hand, thanks to Active EQ technology , the software will automatically set a listening profile suitable for the genre of music being played. However, those who want to manage this type of customization in person, may find this solution limiting.
A pity also the absence of the “find my earbuds” function, which would allow you to search for earphones using Bluetooth technology. We hope Bose decides to implement it in a later update.
Audio quality
As for the audio quality when listening to music, the Bose Sport Earbuds do not disappoint. The earphones are characterized by a rich and balanced sound : the bass is not overly intrusive, the mids and highs are clear and detailed.
Those expecting the very pronounced bass that characterize most Bose products may not be completely convinced by the sonic experience, which will otherwise be satisfying for most users.
As for the call sector, on the other hand, there will be no problems in using the Sport Earbuds also as a headset for making phone calls . The microphone (which actually consists of an array of 4 microphones) is located on the right earpiece, which therefore can also be used alone.
Obviously the best performances can be obtained in silent environments: in these situations, the voice is clearly perceived by the interlocutor. Things get worse with outdoor use, especially if it’s windy (or if you’re running), but communications always remain understandable.
Soundproofing
Due to the absence of an active noise canceling feature , the only type of noise isolation given by the Bose Sport Earbuds is the passive type. The performances are not exciting. We have chosen to favor comfort and stability: once worn these in-ear headphones do not go very deep into the ear, therefore the level of isolation physically given by the rubber pads in contact with the skin is relatively low.
However, the headphones perform well during playback and the listening experience is not marred by external noises , which remain partially audible in the background. On the one hand, this can be an advantage for those who do not wish to completely isolate themselves from what is happening in the surrounding environment, for example in the gym or if you run in the street.
A note for those who ride a bicycle , especially if they use a racing model that reaches decent speeds: through the ventilation holes on the headphones, which moreover protrude out of the ear, the wind easily enters, whose noise is clearly perceptible and risks disturbing the listening.
Autonomy
From the point of view of battery life, the Bose Sport Earbuds are placed in the average, with an autonomy of around 5 hours of listening , a performance that neither disappoints nor particularly excites. Given the price range of the earbuds, perhaps it could have been done slightly better.
The case, equipped with a 290 mAh battery, guarantees two further recharges, for a total listening time of 15 hours . The case takes about 3 hours to fully recharge, using the supplied USB-C cable; the possibility of wireless charging would have been an interesting additional feature.
The earphones, on the other hand, take 2 hours to recharge. However, we would like to point out the presence of an interesting fast recharge function that allows, with a short charge of only 15 minutes, to obtain 2 hours of autonomy. This is a very useful possibility for a product of this type: even if you have forgotten to recharge the headphones, it will still be possible in a short time to obtain the necessary charge so as not to be without your music during a workout in the gym or a session. quickly.
Bose Sport Earbuds: Opinions and Final Verdict
The Bose Sport Earbuds are among the best true wireless earbuds for sports enthusiasts. Compared to the previous model, the Bose SoundSport Free, represent a great upgrade. They are certainly not a cheap product, but their cost, even at full price, is justified by the excellent materials and other features included. In any case, to get an idea of the alternatives, even in different price ranges, you can consult our guide to the best sport headphones.
The main strength of these earphones is the exceptional stability once worn , a fundamental feature if we take into account the specific user segment for which they are intended, that of sportsmen. While running, in the gym in the engine room or during other workouts, the headphones remain well anchored to the ear, even in the event of sudden movements. In addition, the Sport Earbuds are very comfortable thanks to the soft rubber pads that adapt to the shape of the ear.
Are these headphones also recommended for those who do not do sports, but are simply looking for a good true wireless device? For us the answer remains yes, but we must consider that, by widening the search field to models for more general use, we also find many other valid competitors , such as the Jabra Elite, the Jaybird Vista, the Sony WF-SP800N or the Air pods Pro. from Apple.
The audio quality of the Sport Earbuds is what Bose has accustomed us to; the sound is defined, bright and balanced . Those looking for particularly pumped bass may be dissatisfied, but the rest of users will easily find themselves at ease with the listening experience, thanks in part to the improvements made by Active EQ technology.
Good call quality, although it could be affected by the noise of the environment in which you are located, or by the wind, if you are outdoors. A negative note of this model of earbuds is the absence of the noise canceling function ; the insulation guaranteed by the headphones is passive and only partial, which makes them not really suitable for those who want to immerse themselves completely in music, or for those who will frequently use them on the subway or on other means of transport. In this case, we recommend choosing wireless in-ear headphones with active noise cancellation.
The level of battery life isn’t great, but we really appreciated being able to get an additional 2 hours of listening with a quick charge of just 15 minutes.
Photo: amazon.com
