Bose's wired ANC earbuds: what The Verge's review found

Bose has returned to wired earbuds after more than a decade, and The Verge has reviewed the result. The outlet's verdict, which is its own and not ours, is that the $99 Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds are "unquestionably the best affordable wired option out there," even though the reviewer says they are not ready to give up wireless.

Why wired, and why now

According to The Verge, wired earbuds are enjoying a small comeback, with sales rising this year after five years of decline. The review ties part of that to younger listeners, citing the revival of tape decks and vinyl. Bose's own announcement, dated September 28th, makes a similar point about wired listening gaining popularity, and says the earbuds began shipping on October 15th.

The earbuds connect by USB-C, so no dongle is needed with current phones. That connection is also what makes noise cancelling possible: The Verge explains that the older 3.5mm and 4.4mm analog connectors do not supply enough power for active noise cancelling, so most wired earbuds rely on passive isolation alone. Bose says the new pair draws power from the connected device, so there is no battery to charge.

What the reviewer liked

The Verge praises the simplicity: no pairing, no charging and no app. On sound, the reviewer calls vocals clear and bright and the bass punchy without swamping other instruments. The earbuds support high-resolution audio at 24-bit/48kHz, and the reviewer found streams of that quality slightly more open and spacious than CD quality, though not by a huge margin. Wired connections also keep latency low, so audio and video stay in sync.

Fit gets good marks too. The in-line remote has three buttons for volume, playback and noise-cancelling mode, and the pair ships with three ear tip sizes and two sets of stability wings. The reviewer found a comfortable, secure combination and says they stayed put for hours. They carry an IPX4 water-resistance rating.

The drawbacks

The Verge's list of complaints is real. Noise cancelling is solid for the price but does not match Bose's Bluetooth QuietComfort Earbuds; the wired pair has two microphones per side against three. It handles low rumbles such as air conditioners well, but struggles to mute conversation, and there is a slight high-frequency hiss when cancelling is on and nothing is playing.

Then there is the cable. The reviewer says the 4.2-foot lead snagged on a kitchen drawer handle, a keyboard, a sweatshirt zipper and even a stranger's hand. Cable noise, wind noise and middling call quality, because the microphone sits on the in-line remote, round out the criticisms. There is no app, so there are no EQ controls either.

Who it suits

The Verge's conclusion is a qualified one. For most situations, the reviewer still prefers wireless earbuds. But for anyone who wants an inexpensive, lag-free, plug-and-play pair with noise cancelling, the reviewer argues the Bose is the strongest choice currently available. Savvy VibeZ has not tested the earbuds ourselves, so the verdict and impressions above belong to The Verge.