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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds provide a rich and immersive sound quality with excellent noise isolation, which is ideal for music lovers and frequent flyers looking for peace during air travel. They're also great for exercise due to their sweatproof design and stability bands. Despite the premium price, they offer advanced features like active noise cancelling, wireless convenience with a decent battery life, and compatibility with various Bluetooth codecs including AAC and AptX Adaptive, which can enhance the listening experience. On the other hand, the Rode NTH-100, while more affordable, are wired over-ear headphones that offer a good sound quality, but lack the active noise cancelling and wireless function of the Bose. They're also not as portable, less suited for exercise, and do not have a microphone for calls, which might be an important consideration if you plan on using them for communication as well. 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 Rode NTH-100
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
8.8
6.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the Rode NTH-100 is only fair.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
7.6
The Rode NTH-100 is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is only fair.
Noise Reduction
8.9
5.3
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for noise reduction, while the Rode NTH-100 is poor.
Battery
6.5 Hours
N/A
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The Rode NTH-100 does not have a battery.
Cost
$249
$149
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the Rode NTH-100 costs $149.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the Rode NTH-100 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.6
8.2
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Rode NTH-100 are both very good for music.
Phone Calls
5.1
4.8
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and Rode NTH-100 are both poor for phone calls.
TV and Video
8.1
7.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds to be very good for TV and video, while the Rode NTH-100 is good.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the Rode NTH-100 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | Rode NTH-100 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$249 | $149 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | Rode | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | March 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.7/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 4.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 6.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 7.8/10 | |
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 | 5.3/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.7 Grams | 349.2 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."
Rode NTH-100
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Gamer
Kizito Katawonga | March 2023
"The NTH-100M is a closed-back headset aimed at professional audiophiles—streamers, podcasters and content creators included—looking for masterful audio and a detachable 'broadcast-grade' microphone."
Get a great deal on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the Rode NTH-100
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 Rode
Rode is an Australian audio equipment manufacturer. Rode was founded in 1967 as Freedman Electronics, transitioning into its modern brand in 1990, and it’s mainly known for their high-end microphones and audio production equipment. In 2022 they entered into the headphone market with their NTH-100 closed back headphone which was received with very good reviews from the community.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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