Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) – earbuds you wear like an ear cuff
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I have a problem with earbuds. After an hour my ears feel like they’ve been corked, and with noise cancelling on I walk into people. My colleagues also don’t love waving at me to get my attention.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) are open-ear earbuds that clip around the edge of your ear like a cuff. Nothing goes in your ear canal. The little speaker sits just outside it, the battery tucks behind your ear, and you still hear the world around you.
They look more like jewelry than headphones, which is half the appeal. The other half is that the second version fixes what people said about the first one.
What are the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds?
Bose launched the original Ultra Open Earbuds in February 2024. Android Central called them “something special” and said they look as much like jewelry as consumer tech. Since then Shokz, Sony and Samsung have all released clip-on earbuds of their own, so Bose came back with a second generation at the same 299 bucks.
What’s new in the 2nd Gen, according to Bose:
- Updated drivers for deeper bass and more volume.
- Up to 9 hours of play time (5 with Immersive Audio on), and up to 28 hours in total with the case. Ten minutes of charging gives about 2 hours.
- Wireless charging for the case, which was an extra on the first model.
- A new Cinema Mode for videos, next to the Stereo and Immersive modes.
- Better call quality with what Bose calls SpeechClarity, plus a metallic cap and a sturdier case.
They’re still rated IPX4 for splashes and sweat, and they connect to two devices at once.
How do they work?
You hook the flexible band around the outer edge of your ear. The speaker part sits near your ear canal and aims sound into it, while the open design lets traffic, announcements and colleagues through. Physical buttons handle playback and switching between modes. Immersive Audio adds spatial sound with head tracking, for what Bose calls a 3D listening experience.
The good and the not-so-good
What I like:
- Gizmodo found the 2nd Gen sounds better and gets much louder than the first. They could even follow a podcast on the New York subway, which is hard for open earbuds.
- Gizmodo also found the fit tighter and more stable, and comfortable for long sessions.
- No ear tips to pick, nothing stuck in your ear, and you can still hear your bike bell.
- They look good. Bose sells them in Black, White Smoke and a few limited colors.
What could be better:
- The price. SoundGuys called them the best clip-on earbuds the reviewer wouldn’t buy, because 299 bucks is hard to justify against cheaper clip-ons.
- SoundGuys also said they’re hard to tell apart from the first generation at a glance.
- Gizmodo didn’t see much point in the new Cinema Mode, saying it made podcasts sound a little warped.
- It’s open-ear, so there’s no noise cancelling and less bass than in-ear buds.
Who are the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for?
People who wear earbuds all day at work, runners and cyclists who want to hear traffic, and anyone whose ears hate being plugged. They also make a good gift that looks like a gift, not a gadget.
If you want silence on a plane, get noise cancelling headphones like the Nothing Headphone (1) instead. And if you want regular in-ear buds with noise cancelling, the Beats Studio Buds Plus are worth a look.
Where can I buy the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds?
Amazon sells the 2nd Gen in several colors. The White Smoke version was 299 bucks at the time of writing (October 2026). The first generation is still around and often cheaper, so check which one you’re buying.
Earbuds that let you hear your colleagues. Whether that’s a feature is up to you.