Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Specs: A Deep Dive into Audio Bliss

Ever wonder what’s packed into those tiny Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds? They’re small enough to toss in your pocket but loaded with tech that handles everything from drowning out background noise to delivering crisp tunes. This isn’t about hype, it’s just a straightforward rundown of what they bring to the table, based on the nitty-gritty details. Whether you’re curious about how they fit, what the sound’s like, or how long they last on a charge, this article’s got you covered. Let’s dig into the specs and see what’s what.

What’s Inside the Box and How They’re Built

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds come with everything you need to get started, plus a few extras to tweak the fit. They’re designed to sit snugly in your ears without feeling like a burden, and the materials keep things light and simple. Here’s the breakdown.

What You Get When You Unpack

When you crack open the box, here’s what’s waiting:

1. Two Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (left and right, obviously).

2. Three pairs of silicone eartips in small, medium, and large sizes.

3. Three pairs of stability bands, also in small, medium, and large.

4. A charging case to keep them powered up.

5. A USB-C cable (about 30 cm long) for juicing up the case.

6. A safety sheet with the usual fine print.

The eartips are soft and umbrella-shaped, meant to block out noise while staying comfy. The stability bands wrap around the earbuds to keep them locked in place, especially if you’re moving around. With nine possible combos of tips and bands, you can mix and match to find what works for your ears.

Size and Weight Details

These earbuds aren’t bulky, but they’re not invisible either. Each one measures 1.72 cm high, 3.05 cm wide, and 2.24 cm deep, weighing just 6.24 grams. Light enough that you won’t feel weighed down. The charging case is a bit chunkier at 5.94 cm high, 6.63 cm wide, and 2.67 cm deep, tipping the scales at 59.8 grams. It’s still pocket-friendly, though it’s not the slimmest case out there. The USB-C cable’s short and sweet at 30 cm, long enough to plug in, short enough to not tangle everywhere.

Materials and Design Notes

The earbuds use plastic and silicone, keeping things straightforward. The eartips are soft silicone, while the stability bands add a bit of grip. The case is also plastic, with a matte finish in colors like Black, White Smoke, or Moonstone Blue, depending on what you pick. There’s a metallic accent with the Bose logo on the earbuds themselves, giving them a polished look without overdoing it.

How the Sound Works

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are all about audio, whether that’s blocking out the world or filling your ears with music. They’ve got some clever tech under the hood to handle both, so here’s what’s going on with the sound side of things.

Noise Cancellation Basics

These earbuds use active noise cancellation (ANC) to cut out low rumbles, like a train rolling by or an AC unit humming, and handle mids pretty well too. High-pitched sounds, like chatter or a fork clinking on a plate, get softened but don’t vanish completely. There’s a CustomTune feature that scans your ear canal every time you pop them in, tweaking the noise cancellation to fit your ears specifically. It’s automatic, three quick steps where it analyzes your ear shape, checks for distortion, and adjusts the sound. You can’t turn it off, but it’s there to keep things consistent.

Immersive Audio and 360 Sound

Bose calls it Immersive Audio, and it’s their take on spatial sound. It’s got two modes: Still and Motion. Still mode uses head tracking, so if you turn your head, the sound shifts like it’s coming from a fixed spot, like speakers in front of you. Motion mode skips the tracking, keeping the sound steady no matter how you move. It’s powered by a 9.3mm driver in each earbud and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that helps with the spatial effects. The idea is to make music feel more “there,” like it’s happening around you, though it’s not everyone’s cup of tea for every track.

Audio Quality Snapshot

The earbuds put out a sound that’s clear and balanced. Lows, like bass in a hip-hop beat, come through with depth, while highs, like vocals or cymbals, stay sharp without getting harsh. There’s a three-band EQ in the Bose app - bass, mids, treble, so you can nudge things around if you want more punch or clarity. It’s not super detailed, but it gets the job done for most people.

Battery Life and Charging

Nobody wants earbuds that die mid-song, so let’s talk about how long these last and how they charge up. The numbers shift depending on how you use them, but here’s the scoop straight from the testing data.

How Long They Last

• With Immersive Audio off: Up to 6 hours on a single charge.

• With Immersive Audio on: Drops to about 4 hours.

• Case charges: The case holds enough juice for three full charges, bringing the total to around 24 hours if you’re not using Immersive Audio all the time.

• Quick charge: Plug them into the case for 20 minutes, and you get up to 2 hours of playback (with Immersive Audio off).

Volume levels and settings tweak these numbers a bit. Tests were done at 75 dB with noise cancellation on, so if you crank it louder, expect a little less time.

Charging Setup

The case uses a USB-C port on the bottom, no wireless charging built in, though you can grab a separate silicone cover from Bose for $49 that adds Qi support if you’re into that. Fully charging the earbuds from empty takes about two hours in the case. There’s an LED on the front of the case to show when it’s charging or paired, and another inside to signal pairing mode. A reset button sits on the back if you need to start fresh.

Connectivity and Controls

These earbuds play nice with your devices and let you control them without digging out your phone every five seconds. Here’s how they connect and what you can do with a tap or swipe.

Bluetooth Features

They run on Bluetooth with multipoint connectivity, meaning you can link them to two devices at once, like your phone and laptop, and switch between them without re-pairing. It’s handy for jumping from a call to a playlist. They support AAC, SBC, and AptX Adaptive codecs for decent streaming quality, especially on Android devices with Snapdragon Sound. There’s also Google Fast Pair for quick setup with compatible phones. Range isn’t specified, but it’s standard Bluetooth, think around 10 meters if there’s nothing blocking the signal.

Touch Controls List

The earbuds have capacitive touch panels on the outside. Here’s what you can do:

1. Single tap: Play or pause music, answer a call.

2. Double tap: Skip to the next track, end a call.

3. Triple tap: Go back a track.

4. Swipe up/down: Adjust volume (works better on some days than others).

5. Press and hold: Switch between Quiet (full ANC), Aware (transparency), or Immersion (ANC plus Motion mode).

You can tweak the press-and-hold action in the app, like setting it to trigger a voice assistant instead. Calls sound clear too; the mics pick up your voice naturally, though they’re not the strongest out there compared to some rivals.

The Bose App Experience

The Bose Music app ties everything together, and it’s pretty easy to figure out. It’s not overloaded with options, but it covers the basics for tweaking sound and settings.

What You Can Do in the App

• Modes: Pick from Quiet (max ANC), Aware (lets sound in), or Immersion (ANC with Motion mode). You can add custom modes too, sliding between ANC and transparency levels.

• EQ: Adjust bass, mids, and treble with three sliders, or pick presets like Bass Boost or Treble Reducer.

• Immersive Audio: Toggle it on or off, choose Still or Motion mode, or calibrate it.

• Shortcuts: Set what the press-and-hold does for each earbud.

• Extras: Check battery life (just the earbuds, not the case), update firmware, or adjust how much of your voice you hear on calls.

The app’s home screen shows battery status and a volume slider, with tiles for each feature below. It’s clean and simple, though some settings overlap between sections.

Transparency Mode Notes

Aware mode lets you hear what’s around you, like someone talking, without taking the earbuds out. There’s an ActiveSense option that cuts loud noises in this mode, though it can stumble if things get too chaotic sound-wise.

Fit and Durability

Comfort matters when you’re wearing earbuds for hours, and these are built with that in mind. They’re not invincible, but they can handle a bit of wear and tear.

• How They Fit: The soft eartips and stability bands team up for a secure fit. The tips seal off noise, while the bands hug your ear’s shape. With three sizes each, you’ve got options to get it right. They’re light at 6.24 grams per bud, so they don’t drag your ears down, even after a long listen.

• Durability Rating: They’ve got an IPX4 rating, fine for sweat or a light splash, but don’t dunk them in water or rinse them off. The case isn’t waterproof either, so keep it dry. It’s sturdy enough for daily use, though, with a solid hinge and a reset button if things glitch.

Accessories You Can Add

Bose offers some extras if you want to tweak your setup. Here’s what’s available:

1. Fit Kit: Extra eartips and bands ($15.95).

2. Alternate Size Set: More tip and band options ($10.95).

3. USB-C Cable: Replacement cable ($13.95).

4. Charging Case: Spare case ($99.95).

5. Silicone Case Cover: For the QuietComfort Earbuds II case ($29.95).

6. Wireless Charging Cover: Adds Qi charging to the case ($59.95).

These are sold separately, so you’re not stuck with just what’s in the box.

Conclusion

So, there you have it: the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds in all their tiny, tech-packed glory. They come with noise cancellation that handles the rumble of daily life, sound that’s got some depth, and a design made for comfort even after a couple of hours. With up to 6 hours of battery life (or 4 if you’re into that Immersive Audio mode), a case that keeps them going for a full day, and controls you can tap without thinking twice, they’re a solid pick for anyone who’s always got earbuds in. The app’s there to tweak things, and the extras like multipoint Bluetooth make switching devices a breeze. Sure, the case doesn’t do wireless charging out of the box, and high-pitched noises sneak through the ANC a bit, but for most folks, these specs deliver what they need without much fuss. It’s less about flashy promises and more about getting the job done, whether you’re on a train, at your desk, or just chilling out.

At the end of the day, these earbuds are a practical mix of comfort and tech that fits into real life. They’re not rewriting the rulebook, but they don’t need to. If someone’s looking for a pair that handles noise, sounds decent, and stays put, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds check those boxes with room to spare. It’s all laid out in the details, lightweight build, customizable fit, and sound you can tweak to your liking. For anyone curious about what these little guys can do, the specs tell the story plain and simple.

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