Bose brings noise cancelling to its new wired USB-C earbuds

By Tom MarshallSeptember 29, 202610 mins read

Bose returns to wired listening with new Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds, combining USB-C, active noise cancellation and lossless audio without the need for a battery.

Wired earbuds are making a comeback, and Bose is the latest major audio brand to join the trend. The company has introduced its first wired earbuds since 2015, bringing active noise cancellation, USB-C connectivity and modern audio processing to a familiar format.

The Bose Noise Cancelling Wired Earbuds cost $99 and are designed to offer the simplicity of plugging in without giving up features that have become common on modern wireless earbuds.

A familiar design with a modern twist

The earbuds use a 4.2-foot (128cm) cable, giving users enough length to move around without being tied too closely to their phone, tablet or computer. The cable terminates in USB-C rather than the 3.5mm headphone connector that would traditionally be associated with wired earbuds.

The earbuds are available in Black, White Smoke and limited-edition Dewdrop Mint, with contrasting colour accents on the Black and White Smoke versions. Bose describes the mint finish as having a 90s-inspired aesthetic.

Fit is adjustable too. Each earbud comes with small, medium and large silicone eartips, alongside medium and large stability wings. This gives users a few combinations to try depending on whether they prioritise comfort or a more secure fit.

The earbuds are also rated IPX4, meaning they can handle sweat, rain and splashes, although they aren’t designed to be submerged. A zippered carrying case is included for storage.

Bose brings ANC to a wired connection

The standout feature is arguably the one that makes these more than a simple return to old-school wired listening: active noise cancellation.

Bose’s QuietControl technology uses four microphones, with two positioned on each earbud, to monitor surrounding sound and reduce unwanted noise. There are three listening modes to choose from: Quiet Mode, Aware Mode and ANC Off Mode.

Quiet Mode is intended for blocking out distractions, while Aware Mode allows more of the surrounding environment through. ANC can also be switched off completely when you simply want the earbuds to function as a conventional wired pair. That makes the earbuds useful across a variety of different environments.

Bose says the direct USB-C connection also enables low-latency playback, which can help keep audio and video synchronised when creating content, gaming or watching video.

USB-C, lossless audio and physical controls

The move to USB-C makes the earbuds better suited to modern phones, tablets and computers than a traditional 3.5mm model would be.

Bose says the earbuds use its proprietary SoundDesign digital signal processing and support lossless audio listening. They use the USB Audio Class 2 protocol and can accept source input at any sample and bit rate, with playback output fixed at 24-bit/48kHz.

There is no companion app, so controls are built into the cable instead. The inline remote has physical buttons for volume, playback, calls and switching between the three noise cancellation modes. A separate microphone on the remote is designed to pick up the user’s voice while reducing unwanted noise from the cable rubbing against clothing.

That physical approach is a notable contrast to wireless earbuds, where many controls are handled through touch gestures or a smartphone app.

No battery means no battery life to worry about

It can be easy to overlook, but one of the biggest differences from wireless earbuds is that there is no battery inside the wired earbuds.

There’s no Bluetooth pairing and no internal battery to charge. Instead, the earbuds draw their power from the connected USB-C device, including when ANC is being used. That means there’s no charging case, no battery percentage to monitor and no risk of arriving at a journey or work session only to find the earbuds are empty.

The trade-off is that the earbuds need to remain physically connected to the source. That’s less convenient than Bluetooth for some situations, but it also means the listening experience isn’t dependent on maintaining a wireless connection or keeping another battery charged.