Bose Soundsport Free Wireless Earbuds Review

Cut the cord.

I've always kind of considered the whole rush for "wireless everything" to be kind of a joke. It's like literally the most half-assed excuse for drastic changes to occur for not much real benefit. Wireless charging? Until I don't have to physically touch my phone to anything to charge it, lame. Wireless headphones? Even more crap to worry about having to charge, lame. Fully wireless earbuds? So not only do I have to charge them now, I'm in even greater risk of losing them, super lame. Yet, here I am typing this review with a pair of fully wireless earbuds stuck in my ears, wondering why I ever thought these were a legitimately dumb idea.

These are the Bose Soundsport Free wireless earbuds, basically a fully wireless version of their standard Soundsport wireless buds with the tether cable between the two earpieces. For reference, my current pair of earbuds are SoundPEATS QY7 wireless tethered earbuds, which I largely suspect are just another kind of cheaply produced Chinese product sold under a million different brands. That being said, they've done a remarkably good job considering I paid virtually nothing for them and have served me for nearly three years of abuse. The Soundsport Free earbuds in comparison, are pretty colossal upgrade considering the bucketload of features and also the fact that they now sit at the most money I've ever spent on a pair of headphones, $200.

If that number is just making your palms sweat, I don't blame you. You're probably sitting there wondering; "what the fuck does $200 in earbuds even look like?" Honestly the extreme price tag on these probably has largely to do with the fact the Soundsport Free buds, like Apple's AirPods are basically the first attempts at true wireless earbuds from a company with actual design know-how meaning that issues like quality, comfort, and ease of use, basically the three things that will make or break a product like this should at the very least be acceptable from a consumer standpoint.

So let's take a look at the whole setup up close and personal. I'm glad Bose decided not to take any risks with the overall design of these buds as they look pretty conservative, especially in black. The almost oval shaped section on the outside of each bud that houses all the electronics is only slightly bigger than a quarter and the buds have hardly any weight to them at all. Playback controls are located on the top of the right bud while the Bluetooth connect button is on the left. I will note that these buttons are little bit of the difficult side to press, but this a fairly minor gripe.

Tips come right off and feel very secure when attached.

Bose clearly geared these buds towards working out as special attention seems to have been taken regarding the fitment and comfort of these things. The earbuds come with a multitude of interchangeable tips for the user to swap out to their liking which is fantastic. At first glance, I figured the fit would be pretty similar to the QY7 earbuds which use a silicone tip with a very similar in ear hook to secure the buds in place but when I first tried the Soundsport Free earbuds on, it's not quite the same. The Bose tips just pop right in, sit nice and snug in your ear yet actually sit less deep than the QY7 tips so when I put them in, I don't feel like I'm jamming a giant Q-tip into my ear drum.

The best part is that I basically could not get these damn things to fall out my head, no matter how much headbanging or running I did. The lack of the tether cable is quite welcome too as it's basically impossible to pull the buds out by snagging a cable, because there's no cables to begin with. The IPX4 rating means these things are basically safe against sweat and rain so even more high marks for ruggedness. That's not to say these buds can't be used comfortably for just kicking back either. I've found it nice just popping them while I kick back on the couch and binge watch TV shows for a while. It's like the perfect cross use of pumping you up to get in shape or enhancing lazy habits.

Juice on the go.

When not in use, the buds are stowed away in this slick matte black charging case that also holds an extra 10 hours of battery like on top of the 5 hours for the earbuds. Giving the front button a light press will show you the current charge level of the case on an LED indicator while the buds will actually audibly tell you the battery percentage when you pop them in. The case quickly juices up your buds too as just 15 minutes in the case will net you around 45 minutes of battery life and when the time come to charge the whole setup, the case plugs into any standard microUSB cable.

Connectivity is probably the most glaring problem with a lot of smaller Bluetooth devices as it's much more difficult to develop reliable hardware for devices significantly smaller than a full sized pair of headphones. Eliminating any sort of tether makes this equation a whole lot more difficult. Amazingly enough though, the Soundsport Free earbuds pack one of the most straightforward and reliable Bluetooth connections I've ever used on wireless audio.

The buds can connect through conventional Bluetooth pairing or the Bose Connect app and automatically reconnect to the device they were last paired to once they're taken out of the case. For those who like leaving their phone out of their pocket while they knock out reps, the range on these buds isn't bad either. I was able to walk about 50 feet away from my phone before experiencing cutouts, though solid obstruction like walls can disrupt the signal too.

One of the biggest fears I have about truly wireless earbuds is the potential to lose them and considering how small these things are, it's totally not an irrational fear. Thankfully Bose included a "Find My Buds" feature through the Bose Connect app that can get the approximate location of where your buds were last seen and then play a sound when your device is in range of them. While I didn't test this feature in full and I hope I'm responsible enough to never have to use it, the sound these things emit is remarkably audible. All in all, just a nice extra layer of security.

So while what I mentioned above this is great and all, it means basically nothing if these things actually sound like crap which from Bose, would be exceptionally disappointing. That of course, is far from the truth as the Soundsport Free earbuds sound absolutely fantastic in typical Bose fashion. The overall sound is very clear and crisp with balanced highs and lows. As a fan of heavier hitting genres of music, I found the bass ample but not overwhelming which I think is perfect as it gives these buds quite a lot of versatility for any kind of listener.

However, there isn't really much in terms of noise isolation and at low to mid volume levels you can pick up on outside noises. This is fine if you're jogging down a quiet trail or sitting in the library but in nosier situations, it might be somewhat of an annoyance depending on what kind of listener you are. To compensate, I feel like these buds get relatively loud at higher volumes but not eardrum shattteringly loud. Basically just enough to drown out any unwanted outside noises.

On the whole, I do have to say despite my long standing doubt that true wireless earbuds were a worthwhile idea, Bose managed to sell me on the idea, big time. These were hardly just the best sounding earbuds I've ever used but some of the most well thought out and convenient to use headphones I've ever used, from a concept I thought was purely inconvenient. They're very intuitive to use, versatile enough for a wide range of users, and they have enough juice to handle a day of use all while maintaining a surprisingly solid connection to your device. I think you get a lot more than just the Bose logo with these earbuds.

So do I think that the Soundsport Free earbuds are worth the $200 premium charged for them?  While I do feel you get a genuinely high quality product that has several advantages over it's less expensive competitors, it's definitely a tough pill to swallow and I think most casual listeners would steer clear in favor of less expensive options as a result. That being said, I don't blame those who remain firmly in the "wireless skeptic" room either. This is one of those products that you really can't get a feel for until you actually try them. Cutting all the cords out of the equation is surprisingly liberating, but how much is that worth over putting up with wires? That's entirely debatable especially at that price, but Bose makes a pretty damn good argument.

Summary

• Easy to setup and very convenient to use.
• 5 hour wireless battery life with a 10 hour reserve is plenty.
• Sits very comfortably in your ears, and they sure as hell stay there.
• The sound quality is sublime in true Bose fashion.
• On-board control buttons are helpful, however a bit difficult to push.
• Connection range is good, but can drop with obstruction.
• Lack of noise isolation is a slight grievance.
• Will send your wallet to the emergency room.

Is It Better Than?

Apple AirPods- Depends, Apple's buds do things a little differently on a number of fronts. Charging case included, the AirPods feel a lot less bulky than Bose's setup but they don't feel anywhere near as secure in the ear. Sound quality isn't as good as the Soundsports and for those outside of Apple's walled garden, they aren't exactly as feature filled either. Did I mention they're kind of goofy looking? They are. That being said, the bigger 24 hour reserve battery in the charging case and the significantly lower price point can make them a winner for anybody just wanting to hop on the true wireless buds train if they don't mind the few shortcomings.

QY7- Yes, overall this is basically a no brainer. The Bose buds, or really even the general concept of true wireless buds blow the budget QY7s out of the water. The fit of the QY7 can be a little too snug and deep sitting for some people. Battery life is roughly the same as the Airpods and Soundsports although they don't have the benefit of a portable charging case for backup juice. That being said, the sound quality isn't bad, actually quite good for buds this cheap and I've put my pair through the wash a couple times after forgetting they were in my pocket so they're surprisingly robust too. Obviously the inclusion of the tether wire is a debatable preference but if you're not looking to break the bank, these are pretty solid buy.

Google Pixel Buds- Yes, the Pixel Buds are first generation product like the Airpods and Soundsports but Google nonetheless managed to make them the most awkward to use of the bunch. The battery life is just as good as the other two and the sound quality is fine but the gesture controls are exceptionally finicky to use and the weird fitment warrants the user having to constantly adjust the fit of the buds. Plus even trying to put them in the charging case is an awkward mess of trying to meticulously wrap the tether cable just right so the buds can even charge. At roughly the same price point the Airpods are a much better buy.