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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose 700 offers a more comfortable fit and superior noise cancellation, which is great for air travel and use in noisy environments, plus they have a microphone for calls. However, they are bulkier, pricier, and have higher latency, which may not be ideal for gaming or syncing audio with video. In contrast, the Etymotic ER2SE provides exceptional sound quality and a more compact form factor at a lower price, but with less comfort and without active noise cancellation or a built-in microphone, making them less versatile for calls and everyday convenience. Choose the Bose 700 for comfort and multipurpose use, or the Etymotic ER2SE for high-quality audio and value. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Bose 700
- Very good for phone calls
- Best in class for air travel
Advantages of the Etymotic ER2SE
- Very good for music
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.5
8.8
The Etymotic ER2SE is very good for music, while the Bose 700 is good.
Gaming
5.3
6.2
The Etymotic ER2SE is only fair for gaming, while the Bose 700 is poor.
Phone Calls
8.3
4.9
The Bose 700 is very good for phone calls, while the Etymotic ER2SE is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
7.8
The Etymotic ER2SE is good for TV and video, while the Bose 700 is poor.
Battery
20.0 Hours
N/A
The Bose 700 has 20 hours of battery life. The Etymotic ER2SE does not have a battery.
Cost
$299
$100
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose 700 has a price of $299 and the Etymotic ER2SE costs $100.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8
7.6
The Bose 700 and Etymotic ER2SE are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.
Noise Reduction
9.1
9.1
The Bose 700 and Etymotic ER2SE are both excellent for noise reduction.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Bose 700 and Etymotic ER2SE both have excellent build quality.
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How the Bose 700 and the Etymotic ER2SE compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose 700 | Etymotic ER2SE |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$299 | $100 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Etymotic | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2019 | February 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.5/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 8.3/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 5.5/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 20 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2.5 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 263 Grams | 4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Bose 700
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Adam Molina | June 2023
"Bose took active noise canceling and made it mainstream but eventually, the market caught up. Well, it seems like Bose was listening, because the Noise Canceling Headphones 700 is a complete redesign of its iconic product. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have a new design, improved sound quality, a touch-sensitive gesture pad for playback controls, and even USB-C charging."
Etymotic ER2SE
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | April 2022
"Etymotic isn’t playing around: it takes audio seriously and has mastered the art of the noise-isolation earphone. Sure, the fit of the earbuds looks silly but it’s a signature Etymotic thing and could be considered charming by some. If you’re looking for best-in-class audio for a realistic price, the ER2SE is it."
Get a great deal on the Bose 700 or the Etymotic ER2SE
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
About Etymotic
Etymotic Research is an American based research, development and manufacturing company founded in 1983. They invented the first insert earphones that were used for the diagnosis and research of hearing loss and other auditory disorders. They went on to pioneer the market of high fidelity, isolating, in-ear earphones.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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