A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds excel in wireless convenience, effective noise cancellation, and are sweatproof, suited for exercise and air travel with a well-rounded sound quality, making them great for music, gaming, and TV. The Etymotic ER2SE, being less expensive, offers excellent sound isolation and accuracy but lacks a microphone, active noise cancellation, and wireless capabilities, so they're less convenient but good for focused listening. The Bose provides a more versatile, high-quality experience suitable for various contexts, but with a higher price tag, while the Etymotic provides wired reliability and top-tier sound isolation for discerning listeners on a budget. 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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Etymotic ER2SE
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
8.8
6.2
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Etymotic ER2SE is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
7.6
The Etymotic ER2SE is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
Battery
6.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Etymotic ER2SE does not have a battery.
Cost
$249
$100
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the Etymotic ER2SE costs $100.
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Key similarities
Music
8.6
8.8
The Etymotic ER2SE and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are both very good for music.
Phone Calls
5.1
4.9
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Etymotic ER2SE are both poor for phone calls.
TV and Video
8.1
7.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds to be very good for TV and video, while the Etymotic ER2SE is good.
Noise Reduction
8.9
9.1
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Etymotic ER2SE to be excellent for noise reduction, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Etymotic ER2SE both have excellent build quality.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the Etymotic ER2SE compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | Etymotic ER2SE |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$249 | $100 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Etymotic | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | February 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 6.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6.5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.2/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.7 Grams | 4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 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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Why trust us
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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