Bose SoundLink On-Ear

Headphones are one of my most important things in my EDC (Every Day Carry). I can leave home without my wallet, I can forget my keys, but I’ll rarely leave without headphones. Since 2005, I’ve been using Apple’s provided earbuds, which evolved themselves into EarPods. They aren’t the highest of quality, but they are a decent build, give a decent sound, and of course, they’re kind of iconic.

But last year I fell in love. The iconic BeyerDynamic DT 770 Pro 250Ohm I used at my job at the our national television broadcaster VRT showed me the way to better quality sound. But as an iPhone user, it was kinda a hassle to use them on-the-go, as they are great studio headphones. But just this month I fell in love all over again. The culprit: Bose SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear Headphones.

The moment you hold them in your hands you’ll find they are light (153 grams), but it still has the heft of a quality product. The leather ear muffs feel soft, with the interior subtly but easily remind you which side is left or right. Adjusting the SoundLink to your head gives a nice soft clickety feeling.

On the side is a big switch, enabling you to turn Bluetooth on and off, with an additional slide up preparing your headset to pair a new device, or switch to another Bluetooth stream. Quite intuitive and effective. On the back are three audio control buttons, acting like the regular iPhone Controls found on EarPods.

The design is inconspicuous, yet it still feels all very functional. Oh, it comes in a Black and a White edition, both with turquoise highlights. The fabric headrest is both soft but comfortable. In fact, it’s made from the same fabric used in luxurious cars. if I could use one word to describe wearing these headphones, it’s comfort! Or as my sister so lovingly put it: “earpillows“.

Sound quality we have found that the speakers give an accurate sound representation, although a bit light on Bass. Then again, there is no need to drown your music with bass, unless you are a 2003 NYC underground producer.

Another bonus is what Bose calls Adaptive Audio Adjustment technology, which work in combination with the embedded microphone, enabling you to make calls and use Siri, easier than ever. It also keeps sounds like wind out, so your phone calls will be clearer than ever.

However, talking with just headphones poses the risk makes you look even crazier than wearing a Bluetooth Earpiece. I guess people just aren’t ready for this.

With the headset battery lasting 15 hours, it’s easy to see why this is a great travel companion. Even when the batteries run out, or if you can’t be bothered to make a wireless connection to a device, a 3.5mm to 2.5mm audio cable is supplied so you can just plug in and listen to your heart’s contempt. Charging happen with a supplied USB-Mini cable.

For those who like to neatly pack items there is an included case, but in my experience, you’ll be too busy actually using this product, rather than have it sit in a bag.

Coming in at 250 euro, these aren’t exactly cheap, but if you listen to a lot of music, be sure to try these in a store near you.