Bose just lately launched the QuietComfort Earbuds 2, the long-awaited sequel to their defining noise-cancelling QC Earbuds. This model welcomes a number of upgrades, together with Bluetooth 5.3, richer sound, smarter energetic noise cancellation (ANC), and a sleeker redesign. Efficiency is what you’d count on from a Bose product, particularly on the noise-cancelling entrance, the place these buds crush the competitors.
Nevertheless, it’s dealing with the present true wi-fi king: the Sony WF-1000XM4. This is among the few merchandise that Laptop computer Journal has awarded an ideal rating (5 stars) and it sits atop our finest noise-cancelling earbuds checklist. Outstanding sound powered by many Sony proprietary applied sciences (e.g., 360 Actuality Audio, DSEE, LDAC), together with stellar ANC and a terrific ergonomic match, have earned this mannequin common acclaim.
You’re two tiny noise-cancellers that ship a incredible listening expertise – with or with out worldly distractions. Which is the higher total funding? Our evaluation of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 and Sony WF-1000XM4 will decide that reply.Â
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Worth
Bose selected to extend the value of their flagship buds, itemizing the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 at $299, which is $20 greater than the unique. The Sony WF-1000XM4 launched for barely much less at $279, and it’s incessantly on sale (we’ve seen it go for as little as $228).
Sony wins this spherical primarily based on having the extra comparatively reasonably priced choice.
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Winner: Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Specs in contrast
| Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 | Sony WF-1000XM4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Worth | $299.99 | $279.99 |
| Wi-fi charging | No | Sure |
| Battery life | 6 hours; 24 hours (charging case) | 8 hours (ANC on); 12 hours (ANC off); 24 hours (with charging case); 36 hours (with charging case and ANC off) |
| Processor | Not said | Sony V1 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| IPX score | IPX4 | IPX4 |
| Measurement and weight (buds) | 1.2 x 0.68 x 0.88 inches (per bud); 0.21 ounces (per bud) | 1 x 0.8 x 0.8 inches; 0.2 ounces |
| Measurement and weight (charging case) | 2.61 x 2.34 x 1.05 inches (charging case); 2.1 ounces (charging case) | 2.4 x 1.5 x 1.1 inches; 2.0 ounces |
| Particular options | Adaptive energetic noise cancellation, ambient listening mode, ActiveSense, customizable EQ, CustomTune expertise, digital assistant help, Eartip Match Check, fast charging, Self Voice | Energetic noise cancellation, transparency mode, Communicate-to-Chat, Fast Consideration, customizable EQ, 360 Actuality Audio, DSEE Excessive upscaling, Google Quick Pair, LDAC, digital assistant help, Optimum Earbuds Ideas, fast charging |
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Design
Each pairs of buds are equally sturdy and have each exhausting plastic and IPX4 sweat/water resistance. Nonetheless, the WF-1000XM4 is extra engaging and suits higher. Sony’s oval design, together with putting particulars just like the protruding contact panel and gold ANC mic housings, offers these buds a complicated presence. The charging case is lighter and smaller in comparison with the earlier model. We additionally take pleasure in carrying the buds for fairly lengthy stretches (3 hours straight) earlier than fatigue units in. Reminiscence foam suggestions mildew to your ears and create a decent seal for correct on-ear stability. Sony’s Optimum Earbud Ideas check can present constructive suggestions for optimum match.Â
The QuietComfort Earbuds 2 has been given a major facelift. It’s 30 % smaller than the unique, extra sensible for put on, and really trendy. The combo shiny and matte end is a pleasant contact. Supplies are strong to make sure the outside doesn’t crack when dropped on exhausting surfaces. These buds received’t occupy all of your ear actual property both, just like the last-gen QC Earbuds. Discover the charging case can be slimmer, smaller, and extra pocket pleasant this time round. Bose’s new ear tip package and EarTip Match Check assist obtain a dependable match. Sadly, consolation stays a weak spot for the sequence and the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 progressively applies strain to the concha.
Winner: Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Controls
These are two high-functioning fashions that come programmed with quite a few media controls. Nevertheless, Sony geared up the WF-1000XM4 with extra intelligible options that simplify operation. Communicate-to-Chat makes use of mics and superior sign processing to acknowledge your voice and mechanically pause music. Fast Consideration will decrease quantity to 10% if you communicate, so you may interact in clear-sounding conversations. Google Assistant and Alexa integration allow you to hearth up both AI bot by talking their respective wake-word phrase (“Alexa,” “Hey Google”). Siri and Google Assistant are additionally suitable and work properly, although they should be activated manually. Put on detection is spot-on to auto-pause content material when eradicating the buds. Let’s not overlook the responsive contact controls that settle for single and multi-tap gestures.
The QuietComfort Earbuds 2 demonstrates very good speech recognition when utilizing the digital assistant (e.g., Google Assistant, Siri). Sadly, Bose selected to not add Alexa/Google Assistant voice activation. Put on detection has some latency, enabling auto-pause/play after a 2-second delay. As well as, faucet response is barely off, with the sensors typically struggling to register single and multi-tap gestures. No less than the slide gestures work flawlessly to lift/decrease quantity. Â Â
Have in mind the WF-1000XM4 enables you to customise its whole management scheme, whereas the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 solely permits for one management to be swapped out: the Shortcut operate (lengthy press).
Winner:Â Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Energetic noise cancellation
The WF-1000XM4 transforms commuting disruptions like passing trains, loud conversations, and building work into mere whispers, and that’s with out even taking part in music. Urgent play in your favourite jams will fully block these noises out. Wind resistance is elevated when toggling the Wind Discount function within the app. Additionally, the 20-level ambient sound mode is wonderful for holding tabs in your environment, choosing up the slightest noises when set to max stage. As nice as Sony’s noise cancellation performs, Bose’s expertise is extra highly effective.
The QuietComfort Earbuds 2 does almost every thing its rival does and provides a extra personalised ANC expertise. Bose’s 4-mic array blocks out blaring noises throughout the frequency spectrum, in addition to wind. Quiet Mode (acoustic noise cancellation) performs as much as model requirements, whereas additionally sustaining readability when listening to music. Bose enables you to set ANC (as much as 10 ranges) to your choice by customizing any of the ten out there consumer modes; that is the simpler noise-neutralizing answer. Conscious Mode is simply as spectacular, balancing sound so you may hear incidental noises distinctively with out compromising audio high quality. Turning on the ActiveSense function mechanically adjusts transparency to listen to music and ambient noise equally properly.
Winner: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Audio High quality
Solely a handful of wi-fi earbuds come near the WF-1000XM4’s sonic prowess. The QuietComfort Earbuds 2 isn’t considered one of them, however it’s a well-engineered product that calibrates the sound frequency profile to the distinctive properties of your ear through CustomTune expertise. A guide three-band EQ and 4 bass/treble presets are accessible within the app. Bose’s soundstage balances frequencies extraordinarily properly, providing you with a pleasant mix of lows, mids, and highs with emphasised bass. Sadly, these buds lack 3D sound (spatial audio), in addition to fidelity-boosting options to stream music wirelessly on the highest stage.
As for the WF-1000XM4, you get vibrant, sturdy sound that enhances all music genres, together with 360 Actuality Audio help for convincing 3D results on supported tracks. Sony’s soundstage presents distinctive stereo imaging to listen to devices precisely and it pumps out sturdy bass that’s just a little tamer than what you’ve heard on the earlier model, however nonetheless impactful. DSEE boosts constancy on lo-fi recordings. Lastly, LDAC codec help grants lossless streaming on suitable music providers (e.g., Tidal, Deezer).
Winner:Â Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: App and particular options
Sony geared up the WF-1000XM4 with a plethora of particular options, a lot of which we’ve already mentioned. These embody 360 Actuality Audio, ANC/Ambient Sound, DSEE, Equalizer, LDAC, Optimum Earbuds Ideas, Fast Consideration, and Communicate-to-Chat. Every thing is accessible within the Sony Headphones Join app, which has different cool options value testing (we suggest Bluetooth Connection High quality to prioritize sound high quality or connectivity). Bluetooth 5.2 maintains steady connections with acknowledged units. One-tap Google Quick Pair permits for seamless pairing with Android smartphones.
Bose reserved a lot of the QuietComfort Earbuds 2’s prolonged performance for noise cancellation. Once more, with the ability to modify and save totally different ANC profiles and have adaptive ambient listening are superior. Different notables embody Eartip Match Check, EQ, and Self Voice (extra on this later). Sadly, that’s the place the checklist of massive software program options ends. This is among the newer fashions working on Bluetooth 5.3, and it delivers strong wi-fi efficiency. If solely this efficiency carried over to the Bose Music app, which is buggy and suffers from wonky connectivity.Â
Neither set of buds include Bluetooth multipoint (to pair to 2 units concurrently).
Winner: Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM45: Battery life
Longer playtimes and higher charging options go to the WF-1000XM4. Sony charges battery life at 8 to 12 hours, relying how you utilize the buds. The charging case holds between 24 to 36 hours, offers highly effective fast charging (5 minutes = 1 hour of listening time), and helps wi-fi charging.
It frustrates us enormously that Bose didn’t improve the playtimes on their buds. Solely 6 hours on a full cost, with out the choice of disabling ANC, shouldn’t be cool. The charging case provides the trade commonplace: 24 hours. Fast charging is a number of the weakest within the class (20 minutes = 2 hours) and wi-fi charging is unavailable.
Winner: Sony WF-1000XM4
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 vs. Sony WF-1000XM4: Name high quality
The QC Earbuds had been thought-about the perfect wi-fi earbuds for voice and video calls, and its successor follows swimsuit. Bose’s mic array captures voices loud and clear, whereas additionally making speech distinguished over background interference. Sturdy noise cancellation retains incidental noises to a minimal. Self Voice turns out to be useful for listening to your self louder throughout conversations when caught in rowdy settings.
Whereas enhancements had been made to Sony’s name high quality, the WF-1000XM4 nonetheless doesn’t stay as much as its potential. Muffle and poor wind resistance proceed to hinder efficiency.
Winner:Â Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2
Winner:Â Sony WF-1000XM4
It’s all the time enjoyable evaluating new wi-fi earbuds to our favourite releases, particularly once they bear Bose branding. Nevertheless, we nonetheless rank the WF-1000XM4 because the market’s finest providing, primarily based on its expansive function set, beautiful craftsmanship, superior sound, and terrific ANC. The general worth you’re getting justifies the excessive MSRP.
| Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 | Sony WF-1000XM4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Worth (5) | 3 | 4 |
| Design (15) | 12 | 13 |
| Controls (10) | 8 | 10 |
| Energetic noise cancellation (20) | 20 | 19 |
| Audio high quality (15) | 13 | 15 |
| App and particular options (15) | 11 | 13 |
| Battery Life (10) | 7 | 9 |
| Name high quality (10) | 10 | 5 |
| Complete Rating (100) | 84 | 88 |
Bose continues to enhance on perfection, no less than when it comes to noise cancellation. The QuietComfort Earbuds 2 offers you unbeatable ANC and a few nice customization instruments to personalize the buds to your liking. Revamping the design was a sensible transfer. We’re keen on the newly tweaked soundstage as properly, because it offers music a livelier presence. The place the QuietComfort Earbuds 2 loses that is battle is in battery life, controls, and options – three areas the WF-1000XM4 has locked down.
