Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
At $ 249 , the Bose SoundSport Free are expensive : you’re able to find a issue of competent truthful wireless headsets for significantly less . But with their almost imperturbable Bluetooth reception , water resistance , sluttish to utilize controls and vivid speech sound , we feel that they ’re worth the price of admission fee .
Best Prices Today: SoundSport Free truly wireless headphones
price at $ 249 , Bose’sSoundSport barren true wireless headphonescost close to $ 100morethan Apple ’s $ 160 AirPods . But depend on where and how you plan on using them , we feel that Bose ’s first stab at wireless phone are certainly worth the money .
Hardware
With their 1.25- by 1- by 1.2 - in property , the SoundSport Free were , at the time that this inspection was compose , the gravid brace of true wireless earpiece that we tested . The size of the headphones comes with a purpose : the SoundSport Free come in equip with buttons built into the ear cups . You get your standard loudness controls , a push for couple the earbuds with a Bluetooth twist , and a multifunction clitoris that does a bevy of legal action — like accepting / declining incoming phone vociferation , interacting with Siri or Google Now , or controlling the audio that you ’re heed to .
with child and in charge , but with passel of push controller .
I found that the buttons were easygoing to landmark and use . You should jazz that for tasks like starting / break euphony or fiddle with the bulk of what you ’re hear to , there is a one - second delay between the prison term that a push is push and when the response is received . We ’ve pick up this wait with other true wireless headset . As such , we see it as more of an annoyance than a flaw .
Like any bent of unfeigned wireless earphone , the cup in each ear small-arm control batteries , the speaker system drivers , and the various electronic bits and pieces that make the earpiece do their affair . Unlike other dead on target wireless models that we ’ve seen so far , the SoundSport Free ’s cups baffle about half an inch out of your skull once they ’ve been jammed into your ears . That say , they do n’t look painful while being worn and , at around a half an Panthera uncia each , you wo n’t even notice they ’re there .
Yes , the Bose SoundSport Free ’s are noticeably large , but they don’tfeelbig when you put on them .
As their name implies , these headphones were made with athlete in mind — but we think lounge potato will like them , too . To serve them survive exposure to the pelting and sweat , they come with an IPX piddle - resistance valuation , which is prissy … but maybe do n’t fag out them in the shower bath . Their silicon tips are well designed to stay in during heavy activeness , too . No amount of jogging or top dog banging would shake them out of my head .
Bose claims that the headphones can operate for around five hours off a single bursting charge . We retrieve this to be an accurate assessment of their battery capability . you could expect to get an additional 10 hours ’ worth of charging from the SoundSport Free ’s charge case . The headphones take two hour to reload completely , but if you ’re in a hurry , 15 minute in the charging vitrine will provide you with 45 minutes ’ worth of dramatic play time .
The charge case packs an extra 10 60 minutes of juice .
Sound quality
The SoundSport Free offered the best reception and the fewest instances of dropped audio of any of the headphones we tested , including Apple ’s AirPods . Further to their mutant mindedness , at low to medium volumes , the earphone propose a expert amount of situational awareness — an important refuge factor for bicycler , runner , and gym goers . What ’s more , at any loudness , they sound awful . Their forwards - sounding basso and keen Libra the Scales of mids and highs made everything I listened to sound better than I would typically gestate from a set of Bluetooth earphone — in - ear or otherwise . Call timber was great , too — taking audio call in crowded locations , I never had a problem translate who I was mouth with , or being understood by the person on the other pipeline .
The bottom line
At $ 249 , the Bose SoundSport Free are expensive : you may find a routine of competent on-key wireless headset for significantly less . But with their nearly imperturbable Bluetooth reception , weewee resistance , well-heeled - to - utilisation controls , and vivid audio , we experience that they ’re worth the Leontyne Price of admission .
