The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Are $100 Off Right Now

Bose Ultra Open Headphones turn sharply away from the brand's usual dominance in noise cancellation. Instead of isolating you from the world, they sit outside your ears, letting in ambient sound while maintaining rich, detailed sound. At $199 (down from the original $299), this is their lowest price to date (according to price trackers), and they are designed for people who prefer mindfulness to isolation. Think, cyclists, runnersor anyone who doesn't want to miss the car horn while listening to music.

It takes a minute to figure out what fits. The silicone strap provides just enough tension to keep them in place, but how you fasten them changes the sound more than you'd expect. Too high and it becomes tinny; too low and you'll lose stereo balance. However, once you find the alignment, they stay in place during walks or light workouts and handle sweat or rain without fuss thanks to their IPX4 rating.

When it comes to sound, Bose basically achieves what's hard to achieve in open sound: clarity. Ultra opens Avoid the hollow sound associated with similar models by keeping vocals clear and highs bright. The low mids have a pleasant warmth, although the deep bass isn't particularly powerful. You'll notice this most in electronic dance music or hip-hop, where the beat feels subdued. However, for everyday listening, podcasts and calls, the balanced setting works. Additionally, they use Bluetooth 5.3 and support AAC, AptX Adaptive and SBC. codecswhich means Android users get slightly better audio quality than iPhone users.

Volume remains stable even outdoors, and distortion at full power is minimal. PCMag ReviewThe headphones sound best at around 70 percent volume, delivering a full, detailed mix while keeping you aware of what's going on around you. If you prefer a lower volume level, adjustable equalizer in the Bose app allows you to customize your sound. Battery life is also good: about 7.5 hours on a single charge and about 27 hours with the case. However, there's no wireless charging built-in, although there's a separate case for that if you prefer it over a USB-C setup.