Bose Sleepbuds 2 Review: Your Sleep’s New Best Friend?

Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling, wishing the world would just hush up so you could sleep? Maybe it’s a snoring dog, a loud radiator, or that one car alarm that won’t quit. The Bose Sleepbuds 2 step into this chaos with a simple mission: quiet things down and help you drift off. They’re not your typical earbuds, no music or podcasts here, just a small pair designed with sleep in mind. At $249 (or $250 depending on where you look), they’re not cheap, so what’s the deal? This review breaks it all down, from how they feel in your ears to what they’re like to use night after night.

Getting Started with the Bose Sleepbuds 2

What’s in the Box?

When the Bose Sleepbuds 2 arrive, you get a sleek little package. Inside, there’s a round charging case about the size of a hockey puck, with a sliding lid that feels satisfying to open and close. The buds themselves sit in labeled slots for left and right, though the tiny “L” and “R” markings get covered by the tips, so you’ll figure it out by feel. You also get three sizes of silicone tips (small, medium, large), a USB-C cable for charging, and that’s it. Simple, no frills.

Setting Them Up

Setup is pretty straightforward. You download the Bose Sleep app, pop the buds out of their case, and connect them to your phone via Bluetooth. The app walks you through it with pictures showing how they should sit in your ears, which is handy if you’ve never worn something like this before. One catch: they need a full six-hour charge out of the box before you can use them. If you’re eager to test them the night they arrive, you might be stuck waiting until tomorrow. Once charged, you pick your sounds from the app’s library and load them onto the buds. It’s not instant, taking 10-20 minutes depending on the file, so it’s best to sort this out before you’re half-asleep.

A Word on Bluetooth

Here’s where things get quirky. These aren’t streaming earbuds. The Bluetooth is low-energy, just for transferring sounds from your phone to the buds. Once loaded, the audio lives on the Sleepbuds themselves. That means no live podcasts or Spotify, just Bose’s pre-set options. It’s a trade-off for their small size and battery life, but it’s worth knowing upfront.

How They Feel in Your Ears

Comfort for All-Night Wear

The Bose Sleepbuds 2 are tiny, way smaller than your average wireless earbuds, and they’re designed to sit flush against your ear. They’ve got a soft-touch plastic finish and come with those silicone tips in three sizes to help them stay put. For some, the medium tips work right away, but others might need to swap to small or large to avoid discomfort. Side sleepers might notice them pressing into the ear a bit if the pillow’s not positioned just right, and tossing and turning can nudge them loose. Most nights, they stay in, but it’s not unheard of to wake up with one lost in the sheets.

Blocking Out the World

These buds don’t have active noise cancellation like some Bose headphones, but their snug fit acts like earplugs, muffling outside sounds. Traffic noise, a creaky heater, or even a partner’s snoring get dulled pretty well. They won’t erase everything, louder stuff like a smoke alarm still cuts through, but they create a quieter bubble. Add in the sounds they play, and it’s like the outside world takes a step back.

A Few Fit Quirks

Not everyone’s ears are the same, so comfort varies. Some find them cozy all night, while others feel a little soreness by morning. If you shower late and your ears are still damp, they might trap water, which isn’t ideal. It’s a small thing, but something to keep in mind if your routine involves a nighttime rinse.

The Sound Experience

What You Can Listen To

The Sleepbuds 2 stick to a library of 50 sounds split into three categories:

1. Noise Masking: Think steady hums or wave-like loops to drown out snoring or street noise.

2. Naturescapes: Rain, rustling leaves, or a campfire crackle for a natural vibe.

3. Tranquilities: Softer, musical tones meant to calm you down.

You pick what you want through the app and load it onto the buds. Some folks love the crashing waves of “Swell” or the drone of “Wanderlust,” while others find the nature sounds too looped or the tranquil tunes too new-agey. It’s a mixed bag, and since you can’t add your own audio, you’re stuck with what Bose offers.

How It Sounds in Practice

The audio loops are seamless enough that you won’t notice where they start or stop, which is key for not jarring you awake. You can set them to play all night or shut off after a set time, like an hour or two. For light sleepers, the combo of the fit and sound can hush a noisy radiator or a crying baby next door. Heavier sleepers might not notice as much difference, but it still adds a layer of calm. If you need to hear softer alerts, like a baby monitor, they might block too much, so it’s worth testing how much gets through.

Limits of the Library

With only 10 or so sounds fitting on the buds at once, you’ll need to swap them out if you get bored. The app doesn’t let you preview sounds through the buds (it plays on your phone instead), so you might wake your partner if you’re fiddling with it in bed. And if you’re craving a specific meditation or thunderstorm recording, you’re out of luck, these are Bose’s picks only.

Battery Life and Charging

How Long They Last

The Sleepbuds 2 run for about 10 hours on a single charge, which covers a full night for most people. The case holds three extra charges, giving you around 40 hours total before you need to plug it in. That’s roughly five nights if you’re using them daily, or a short trip without needing a cable. The case uses USB-C, which is nice since it’s common enough you probably won’t need an extra cord lying around.

Charging in Action

Pop the buds in the case, close the lid, and they power up. Small LEDs on the case show its battery level, while lights by the buds pulse as they charge. If you use them for six or seven hours a night, they drop to about 40-45% by morning, so a daytime charge keeps them ready. Forgetting to charge isn’t a huge deal with the case’s backup, but it’s something to track if you’re on the road.

A Step Back from Version One

The first Sleepbuds used a different battery type that promised 16 hours but had issues like random shutdowns. The Sleepbuds 2 switched to nickel-metal hydride batteries for reliability, cutting the life to 10 hours. It’s a fair trade for consistency, and most users won’t notice the difference unless they’re sleeping marathon stretches.

A quick heads-up: the Bose Sleepbuds 2 were phased out by Bose in late 2022, wrapping up their sleep-focused experiment. Don’t worry, though, the concept lives on. Some of the engineers behind them jumped ship to create Ozlo Sleepbuds, building on the same idea with a few new twists.

Using Them Night After Night

The Routine

Once you’ve got your sounds loaded, using the Sleepbuds 2 is easy. Take them out of the case, pop them in your ears, and they start playing. There’s a “phone-free mode” that skips the app and just plays your chosen sound, which is great if you don’t want your phone nearby. You can also set an alarm through the app, nothing too loud, just a gentle nudge to wake up. It won’t blast your partner out of bed, but it might not rouse a deep sleeper either.

What Works Well

For folks bothered by random noises, these buds can soften the edges of a loud environment. A siren might still peek through, but it’s less likely to yank you out of sleep. The fit and sound combo feels like a little cocoon, especially if you’re into rain or static hums. They’re also solid for naps on a plane or train, where background rumble is a constant.

Where They Fall Short

They’re not perfect for everyone. If you rely on hearing a kid or a pet, the noise blocking might be too much. The alarm’s subtle, so if you need a loud wake-up call, you might miss it. And losing a bud in bed? It happens, and finding it half-asleep is a hassle. Bose says they’ll offer a discounted replacement if you lose one, but it’s still a pain.

The Price Tag and Final Thoughts

What $250 Gets You

At $249 (or $250 depending on the retailer), the Sleepbuds 2 are a big ask for something that only does sleep. They’re well-made, with a solid case and a thoughtful design, but they’re not versatile like regular earbuds. Bose offers a 90-day trial period, so you can return them if they don’t click, which softens the sting. Still, it’s a lot to drop on a single-use gadget.

Who They’re For

These buds suit people who struggle with noise at night, think city dwellers or anyone with a loud bedmate. If silence keeps you awake or you just need something to dull the chaos, they’re worth a look. But if you’re after flexibility or already sleep fine, they might not justify the cost.

Comparing to Alternatives

Ozlo Sleepbuds®

An amazingly restful and peaceful sleep every night, free from distractions and noise, is the greatest gift you can give!

What are Ozlo Sleepbuds?

Ozlo is a science-driven, one-stop-shop for the best sleep of your life. Unlike other headphones and earbuds, our tiny Sleepbuds® are engineered to be super comfy, even for side sleepers, while blocking out sleep-disrupting sounds.
Sleepbuds® play audio for up to ten hours, letting you enjoy our noise-masking tracks or stream anything you like, including audiobooks, podcasts, white noise, and YouTube.

The Ozlo Difference

At Ozlo, we're dedicated to helping you achieve the best sleep possible through innovative audio solutions. Our company, founded by three former Bose engineers, focuses on creating products that not only help you fall asleep, but stay asleep throughout the night.

Ozlo Sleepbuds® simply don’t feel like other earbuds. Sleepbuds stay in place even when you toss and turn. The tiny earbuds, with their comfortable silicone tips and anchor-in-place wings, are designed for all-night comfort, no matter your sleeping position. Sleep on your back, side, or whatever works for you, and Ozlo Sleepbuds® will remain in place throughout the night.

Key Highlights

• Founded by three former Bose engineers with extensive experience in audio tech
• Sleepbuds® actively mask unwanted sounds like snoring, traffic, and environmental noises with calming, science-backed audio.
• Ultra-soft silicone tips designed to support every sleeping position, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit.
• Up to 10 hours of continuous use with extra charges from the Smart Case.
• Built-in biometric and environmental sensors offering personalized sleep reports
• Personal alarm gently wakes you without disturbing your partner

Learn More

Conclusion

So, what’s the final word on the Bose Sleepbuds 2? They’re a quirky little gadget that zeroes in on one thing: making your nights quieter. For folks bothered by a noisy neighbor or a partner who snores like a freight train, these tiny buds can quiet things down and add a layer of soothing sounds from their library. They’re comfy for most, last through the night, and come with a solid case that’s easy to charge. But at $249 or $250, depending on where you shop, they’re a bit of a splurge for something that only works when you’re hitting the pillow. The 90-day trial period is a nice safety net, letting you test them out without being locked in. In the end, whether they’re worth it depends on how much you crave that quieter bubble, and if Bose’s sound options click for you. They won’t work the same for everyone, but they’re handy at muffling noise in a loud world.

Compared to something like the Ozlo Sleepbuds, which let you stream whatever you want and toss in extra features like sensors, the Bose version keeps it simpler and sticks to its own playbook. It’s a personal call: some might miss the flexibility, while others are fine with the focused approach. Either way, the Sleepbuds 2 are a solid option for anyone looking to hush things up at bedtime, as long as the price doesn’t make them pause.

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