Product Review: Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones
The headphone market is definitely a crowded space. From wired to wireless, on-ear to in-ear to earbuds, the offerings seem endless. I was in the market for new wireless headphones recently and was excited to see that Bose was coming out with a new truly wireless version.
I ordered the Bose SoundSport Free wireless headphones and received them two weeks ago. After testing them in a variety of situations I feel like I have enough experience with them to offer a solid opinion.
What’s In The Box
The setup is pretty simple (I had to go online to find a full manual for a question I had). The box contains the headphones, different sizes of ear tips and a charging case with cable.
How Long Do The Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones Last On A Charge?
The manual states that you should get 5 hours of battery life between charges. True to form, these lasted just over 5 hours every time I tracked it. I never got less than 5 hours, nor did I get much more. There was one annoying bit. When the battery starts to die, the headphones start broadcasting a message every 30 seconds or so letting you know to charge them. They’re essentially useless at that point. It would be much more helpful to have a warning 30 minutes prior to them dying so you had some warning. The charging case will recharge the headphones twice and charges itself with a micro-USB cable.
How’s The Sound Quality And Feel?
There are two things you can count on from a Bose product. Great sound quality and great service (more on that later). I’ve been using a wired version of Bose earbuds, the QC20i for about 4 years now. They are, by far, my favorite wired headphone. The noise-cancelling is great and the battery life is phenomenal.
The SoundSport Free doesn’t disappoint. The sound quality is excellent. Exactly what I’d expect from a Bose product. Both the high-end and low-end sound great. They’re plenty loud if you want that. But, you can also hear all the nuances in songs you’d expect to hear from a high-end set of headphones.
The in-ear feel is great as well. I really do love their rubber tips. They slot perfectly into my ear. It’s one of the primary reasons I’d choose the Bose SoundsSport Free over Apple Air Pods. When I briefly tested a pair of Air Pods, I couldn’t get them to stay in my ear. Not a big surprise, since I think my ears have been incompatible with pretty much all the Apple earbuds over the years. In contrast, I couldn’t get the SoundSport Free headphones to fall out, no matter how much I jumped around.
In case you’re wondering how you’ll look in the SoundSport Free, I had Michelle snap a pic of one in my ear.
And, a look at them sitting in my hand.
Bose suggests downloading their app, Bose Connect to configure the headphones. You can also change what language the headphones use for voice prompts. While I did fiddle around with the app, the headphones synced to my phone just fine without the app.
Using The Bose SoundSport Free For Phone Calls
While they function great for listening to music, they can also be used for making and receiving phone calls. There’s a multifunction button that you can use to answer, hang up, place calls on hold, etc. I’ve never really found one of those that I really like. This one is no exception. It’s fine, but too small for me to really rely on.
Also, I was kind of hoping that both earpieces would work for phone calls. That way, I could get double the battery life by leaving one charging if I was using them exclusively for phone calls. Unfortunately, only the right earbud functions for phone calls.
The Final Two Pennies
I told you I’d get back to Bose service. Bose has replaced a number of products that I’ve broken over the years, including a set of headphones that was over 15 years old. They even replaced my headset after I washed it! I can’t say enough about the level of commitment Bose has towards customer service. Between warranties and reduced prices for replacement units, part of your purchase price is peace of mind.
Priced at $249, these headphones are decidedly not “entry-level” when it comes to price. They’re even a chunk more than Apple’s Air Pods. But, if you’re a Bose fan or looking for a high-quality product that will last for years, I think they’re worth the investment. As I mentioned, I’ve had my current wired version for 4 years and they’re still going strong.
Amazon has the SoundSport Free headphones in stock for the same price as the Bose website and will deliver them same-day for free if you’re a Prime member in certain areas. You can also earn miles through some of the shopping portals if you buy directly from Bose (don’t forget about the 12,000 miles worth of holiday shopping bonuses).
The post Product Review: Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones was published first on Pizza in Motion
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Too risky to lose. I like the Bose that are wired to the necklace thing. But I agree, on long flights over 8 hours I need a recharge. That can be annoying.
Nathan, they do have GPS, which *might* help locate them in some situations.
Regardless of the brand, wireless ear buds are going to look odd when worn. Apple’s product is the silliest looking. The Bose buds aren’t that bad but they still look like you’re trying on your Mother’s (or wife’s) “clip ons.”
JetAway, chuckle. Good reference. 🙂
I got over looking stupid in earbuds a long time ago.
Please advise if there is any sound lag/latency when watching video, this is often overlooked with BT headset reviews and for me is really important. Also given this is a “sport” branded headset, does it hold up to sweat? I have killed every other Bose headset so far with sweat. Customer support at Bose have been great and replaced one headset 4 times, but there comes a point when you give in. Jabra Elite Port is the only BT headset I have used that is still running well almost a year later.
Wayne, I tested the headphones with both YouTube and ESPN. I didn’t notice any lag, but that’s on a pretty small sample size. Equally so on the sweat issue, I’ve only had the headphones for a few weeks. I have worked out a few times with them and had zero issues. But, it sounds like your issue took a while for the headset to wear out?