The start of the 2022 school year marks the big return of Bose to the world of headphones true wireless. A return that the American manufacturer wants to be as thunderous as possible with its best model to date: the QC Earbuds II.
Is the second version of the QC Earbuds the consecration for Bose? Unfortunately no. Although they are a good pair of headphones as they stand. true wireless, even very good on certain points, the QC Earbuds II leave us wanting more. They are indeed very satisfactory in terms of sound reproduction, handling or raw sound insulation, but they miss the mark on many small points to claim to compete with the bigger ones. This taste of unfinished business will clearly weigh on the balance for the most demanding users when it comes time to checkout, especially since with the price claims of the QC Earbuds II, there is no shortage of excellent alternatives…
Strong points
- Rich, punchy, well-defined and balanced sound reproduction (after adjustments).
- Bass still incredibly deep.
- Very convincing level of sound precision.
- Improved and very good comfort, excellent support.
- Comprehensive controls, ease of use.
- Excellent performance of active noise reduction and “Aware” mode.
Weak points
- Integrated microphones too sensitive to certain external disturbances.
- Slight lack of homogeneity in the treble.
- Some practical features are missing (quick pairing, wireless charging, multipoint, etc.).
- Call quality significantly reduced compared to the previous generation.
- Finishes that leave a little to be desired.
NB: The reported price drop is calculated by comparing the lowest price of the day with the average of the lowest prices charged by all merchants for the product last month, with security rules to exclude the prices of stores whose the VAT policy is not clear (so-called “gray” stores, typically in the case of imports from China).
Alternatively
With the Momentum True Wireless 3, Sennheiser rewards its flagships with many small welcome improvements, undoubtedly ensuring their position in the leading group of headphones true wireless with active noise reduction. The fact remains that, when it comes to selecting THE most talented model in its category, this model proves to be a little less attractive than its great rival, the WF-1000XM4.