They fold up into a compact format that doesn't take much space in a bag and could even fit into a jacket pocket. Headphones store-bought and tested, supported by you via. The Bose SoundLink On-Ear have a good build quality and are sufficiently sturdy to be to handle a few drops without significant damage. The AE2w is an excellent Bluetooth headphone, but the Bluetooth module does look a little grafted on and doesn't make for the sleekest design. 2022 CNET, a Red Ventures company. They're lightweight, and the ear cups' padding is soft and cushions the ear well without applying too much pressure. The headband is also decently padded and does not feel tight on your head. Still, at 5.4 ounces (153 grams), it's quite light for a Bluetooth headphone and like its wired siblings, quite comfortable to wear, with memory foam earcups that conform comfortably to your ear. The Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless are better headphones than the JBL Everest 310 Wireless. We purchase our own headphones and This tool will clearly show you the differences, Use our data and table to find the best headphones for your needs, Want to see us review a specific headphones? The Bose have a more neutral sounding audio reproduction, the earcups feel more lightweight, and the padding is softer. However, they are not designed for sports and will start to slip off your ears during high-intensity activities like jumping and running. They won't be ideal for traveling and may disturb people around you at higher volumes. As I said, you can listen to the SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear in "wired" mode should the battery run dry. The Bose closed-back design isolates more noise and leaks less, but you wont get the openness of the Grado. While the Solo2 produced more bass, instruments sounded a little more distinct on the Bose and the overall listening experience was more pleasant to our ears. Their sound quality is above-average, and they have an efficient control scheme. The tough fabric of the case will prevent damages from minor falls. It also works well as a headset for phone calls, its buttons are easy to operate by feel, and battery life is good at 15 hours. To be clear, the Beats Solo2 Wireless is a strong Bluetooth headphone -- and its faster sound may suit some listeners musical tastes better -- but we came away liking the sound of the Bose a little more. The Bose SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear is pricey, but it is one of the best -- if not the best -- on-ear wireless headphone. You can also share your music with another Bluetooth headset thanks to their unique music share feature. Unfortunately, due to the headphones compact size, the buttons feel a little cramped on the right ear cup, which is slightly disappointing. They're relatively easy to carry around and have a decent control scheme.
They're not really meant to be used while running, but you can certainly use them at the gym while you're lifting or doing lighter cardiovascular exercise.
The SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear isn't that headphone, but it is the company's first model with Bluetooth truly integrated into it and is one of the top -- if not the top -- on-ear Bluetooth headphone currently available. They're able to maintain their position and fit during casual listening sessions. However, the small ear cups, make a comfortable fit a little harder to achieve. I wouldn't say those earcups are incredibly durable, but the fabric at the center of the pad seems a little thicker than the fabric found on Bose's earlier on-ears. Along with the carrying case, you get a cable for using the headphone in wired mode, plus a Micro-USB charging cable. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. On the other hand, the JBLwill be better suited for bass-heavy music and come with a much nicer hard case. The overall amount of isolation achieved in the mid-range is poor, but these headphones do well in the treble range. The Bose also have a slightly lower latency. They won't block the chatter of a busy office and leak quite a bit at higher volumes. See our recommendations for the best headphones under $200andthe best on-ear wireless headphones. I also had no problem pairing the headphones with both iOS and Android devices and experienced a minimum of wireless hiccups. The overall level of the leakage, however, is moderate and could become noticeable at loud volumes. However, it will not absorb greater impacts like a hard case. Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $200, Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds For Running, Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Under $50, Best Noise Cancelling Headphones Under $100, Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Under $100, Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Review, Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Test Results, Having trouble deciding between two headphones? You get a touch of what we call Bluetooth artifacting, but most people probably won't hear any of that. I wouldn't sweat on them too much, though. However, considering the passive, on-ear design of these headphones the performance is quite decent. A cable is included in case the battery runs dry and wireless streaming shuts down. Mediocre for office use. Poor isolation. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks. The Bose SoundLink On-Ear are decent wireless on-ear headphones.
It's somewhat expensive and the sound in wired mode isn't great. They are one of the most comfortable on-ear headphones weve tested so far and their sound quality is better than the Sonys unless you are looking for a bass-heavy sound profile. Thankfully, the new SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear doesn't have any such Frankenstein qualities. Button layout and functionality is above-average but feels a little cramped. They're lightweight comfortable and not too bulky. Also, the Bosehave bass delivery inconsistencies, especially if you wear glasses, which you shouldnt get with the Grado. We compared it to a couple of Beats Bluetooth models -- the Beats Solo2 Wireless , the Apple-owned brand's $300 on-ear Bluetooth headphone, and the Studio Wireless , Beats' $380 over-the-ear model. Whatever it does, it does well, because I had no problem making calls on the noisy streets of New York. Moving to the Solo2 Wireless, the Bose's most direct competitor, we found the Bose offered more balanced sound with more warmth in the midrange. They are one of the most comfortable on-ears weve tested so far and are well-built as well. Decent performance. They look sleek and stylish and are well-crafted headphones. The significant portion of the leakage happens between 1KHz and 3KHz, resulting in a relatively narrow-band leakage. These headphones are quite stable. Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2 Truly Wireless, Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Truly Wireless, LEARN ABOUT FREQUENCY RESPONSE CONSISTENCY. They're comfortable for long listening sessions and have a decent sound quality. so that you can compare the results easily. Bose's earlier over-ear AE2w -- now called the SoundLink Bluetooth Around-Ear -- simply added a removable Bluetooth component to an existing wired headphone (the AE2, which is now called the SoundTrue Around-Ear ). The Bose SoundLink On-Ear, closely resemble the Bose QuietComfort 25 but in a more compact design. The passive isolation provided by the ear cups starts to kick-in at around 200Hz, which is above average. Sadly, they don't block much noise and leak quite a bit. The larger Studio Wireless gives you better sound isolation, has some active noise-cancellation, and sounds slightly better than the Bose, with richer, more spacious sound. The Beats Solo2 Wireless, however, sounds essentially like the $200 Solo2 when you plug a cable into it (Beats says it designed the headphone to employ minimal amplification). put them under the same test bench, The Soundlink will shut down automatically when inactive but unlike some of the other Bose headphones, they do not have an adjustable timer since they do not have access to the Bose Connect app. The SuondLink OE are good everyday headphones. Their wireless design also helps with stability as there are no cables that can get hooked by the environment and yank the headphones of your head. They are more neutral sounding and dont feel as flimsy as the Grado. They also have a great neutral sound profile that is common to Bose headphones. The headband is relatively thick for an on-ear design, and the ear cups are made of dense plastic. The Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless are better headphones than the Sony WH-XB700. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available. The Bose also have a great 21-hour battery life and can connect to two devices, similar to the AKGs. While its design won't appeal to everyone -- just as Beats' signature design also turns some people off -- this is an excellent on-ear wireless headphone that should appeal to people looking for a less bulky Bluetooth headphone to wear at home, at the office or on the go. Even so, it's pricey: $250 in the US, 220 in the UK and AU$329 in Australia. As for the sound, this is one of the best Bluetooth headphones I've heard and at the moment anyway, it's arguably the best on-ear wireless headphone. However, soundstage is a little limited due to their closed back design. There's a new two-way microphone system and something Bose calls Adaptive Audio Adjustment technology, which automatically changes volume based on speech level and ambient noise. They also have better wireless range and support the aptX codec, which the SoundLink dont. They're sufficiently well designed and have an above average sound quality that will satisfy most casual listeners. If you like on-ear designs but need a bit more isolation for your noisy commutes, then check out the AKG N60NC Wireless, the Marshall MID ANC. The Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless would be better headphones than the AKG N60NC Wireless if you care about comfort and sound quality the most. Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000.
Update: 17-05-2019We've updated the text. But it really doesn't sound all that good. That said, the one area where the Bose falls short of the Beats is wired listening. They have the same fabric-covered padding for the headband and the two-tone black and blue color scheme. But for a Bluetooth headphone it sounds pretty natural, with strong but not overpowering bass and good clarity. Good Bluetooth headphones don't come cheap and the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear is pretty pricey at $250, 220 or AU$329. All rights reserved. I also like its fit better than the Solo2 Wireless, but the caveat to that statement is that I generally prefer over-ear headphones to on-ear models. The Soundlink On-Ear are above-average portable headphones. The good news is that it's not only cheaper than the Beats Solo2 Wireless, but it arguably sounds a little better and is more comfortable to wear. The Bose SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear is compact, comfortable and sounds excellent for a Bluetooth headphone. The Bose SoundLink On-Ear are better headphones than the Grado GW100 Wireless. It's basically the wireless version of Bose's SoundTrue On-Ear wired headphone , but it isn't quite as compact and doesn't fold flat in its carrying case, so the overall package is bigger. They're comfortable and deliver a stable listening experience. They don't block much noise but their comfortable, lightweight and not too cumbersome. Driven by data, run by a passionate team of engineers, testers, technical writers, developers, and more. Sadly, they are not as small as some other on-ear models and will not fit in a pants' pocket or a purse like an in-ear design would. These headphones offer; track-skipping, call/music, and volumes controls and the corresponding buttons deliver good tactile feedback. The headphones fit snugly on your head, but will move around if you shake your head vigorously or jump up and down. Here you can vote for our next review, Compare graphs from our headphones test results in order to make a clearer and more informed decision, Create or edit custom headphones ratings, your custom ratings will be present on the table tool, and other pages. Mediocre for commuting. The isolation reaches its maximum of 42dB of reduction at 20KHz. We also thought it was a more comfortable headphone (it's lighter by about 2.2 ounces or 62 grams). The Gradohave better wireless range and also support aptX-LL for low latency. Comes with a soft case that will protect the headphones from scratches but adds a bit more volume. No cherry-picked units sent by brands. They also have decent control scheme. The SoundLink Over-Ear may be a better choice for some listeners that do not find the on-ear fit as comfortable. Decent as sports headphones. Bose fans have been waiting for the company to release a noise-canceling headphone that also has wireless capabilities. On the other hand, the WH-XB700 have a decent app and support NFC. I can't say it sounds as good as certain wired on-ear headphones in this price class, such as the Beyerdynamic T 51p . The remote control buttons are well placed on the right earcup and to answer calls, you tap the middle control button, which also allows you to skip tracks forward and back when you're playing music. They feel noticeably more durable and their battery performance is better thanks to lower charging time and a useful auto-off timer. The Bose SoundLink Bluetooth On-Ear is pricey, but it's also one of the best -- if not the best -- on-ear wireless headphones to date. The AKG have the edge in the isolation performance and will block more ambient noise, making them a better choice if youre looking for headphones to use while commuting every day. The SoundLink On-Ear are very comfortable headphones, especially for an on-ear design. Their mostly plastic design and multiple hinges are weak points that could get damaged by wear and tear and moderate physical stress. Decent for neutral listening. Battery life is rated at 15 hours, which is good (by comparison, the Beats Solo2 Wireless is rated at 12 hours).