I bought Bose earbuds in 2023, and after just 1.5 years, they stopped working. The problem? They wouldn’t connect and kept flashing red and white. I tried everything—resetting them, updating the firmware—but nothing worked.

When I contacted Bose customer support, they admitted it was a technical issue but said they couldn’t help because the earbuds were over a year old. To make it worse, their solution was for me to “upgrade” by paying another $240.

For a $250 product, I expected much better. Earbuds like this should last longer, and the lack of accountability from Bose is really disappointing. Don’t waste your money. Their products are unreliable, and their customer service doesn’t care about their customers. Save yourself the frustration.

Hi guys,

I am coming to you today because I meet an annoying issue. For 1 week now, when I say «  Ok Google, play some music », my SoundBar 900 answers « Ok, I am playing music on Apple Music » but no music starts. I have a Google Nest from which everything is fine. And when I ask to play music from it, I can see my SoundBar in the group of speakers available and can choose to play music on it. When I set, I can ask to Google to play the following song (from my SoundBar) and it works.

Do you guys know where the issue come from ? Maybe a software update ? When I did set and associate Back my accounts (Bose, Google, and Apple Music) and chose a defaut music streaming app, I read a message telling me that Bose is not compatible with Apple Music. Which is quite surprising because I used this for several month now and everything worked fine before.

Many thanks for your help !

I know there are variations of this out there, but looking for some feedback. I've had a boatload of earbuds/headphones over the years. I have some WH-1000XM5s that get use for long-haul 4+hr flights. However, I'm trying to find what is going to find good options for the shorter flights that doesn't take up a ton of space.

I still have some old Bose QC20 corded earbuds that were great, just tired of cords, but I generally felt they did a good job at ANC.

I've got some Samsung Buds 2 Pros that are 'ok', but only do an 'ok' job for ANC.

I've started using Shokz OpenFits as my daily's and workout buds and they have excellent Mics, stable for workouts etc, but obviously don't do anything for ANC on a plane etc.

So that leaves me with trying to find something that is small/portable with excellent ANC and at least passable Mics if I need to take a call here and there.

I picked up both the QC Ultra Earbuds and the WF-1000XM5 earbuds over BF to test them both out, but wanted to get feedback from you all. At first blush, the QC seem really comfortable, but I'm getting scared off by all the mic/BT connection issue concerns. Conversely, the sony's check a ton of boxes, but getting them to fit right seems to be its own issue and at least the included tips are painful to say the least.

As far as 'others' go ...

Airpods Pro etc - I daily an S23U, but also carry an iPhone for work, so that feels like it rules out the Airpods, if I was strictly iOS it'd be different.

Samsung Buds 3 Pro - Seen too many initial issues with them, might consider them later when quality is sorted out

So what are your thoughts? Any other buds I should be looking at that are great for comfort and ANC, and at least passable for mic? Am I going to be hating life with the QC Ultras? Are the XM5s worth fiddling with the tips on?

I bought these earbuds 2.5years ago, barely used them and have been sitting in a drawer for a year.

When I went to get them this week they were flashing red and white.

Reached out to Bose customer support and they told me I had to pay 195€ for a replacement pair because they are outside of warranty.

Is this for real? Is this how Bose handles it?

Based on numerous claims, this is clearly a design or quality issue.

Sorry for the rant but I can’t believe Bose is expecting consumers to accept this a disposable product with a life span of 30months.

i was trying to listen to music on my bose quiet comforts when they kept connecting to my laptop.

i heard white noise, and i went into the app to disconnect them. when i did it said called ended.

is this something to be concerned about?? orrrr is there another explanation…?

Hi,

I am posting this message because it is my very first ANC headphone and I admit that I am a little perplexed.

I bought the QC ultra because I found it more comfortable on my small head compared to the Sony XM5 which did not fit tightly enough. However, in store, I did not have the same sensations in terms of sound and today I received my Bose QC ultra, I notice a strong white noise and I have never been confronted with this. Is this normal? It is even worse in awarness mode, white noise is like a storm at the seaside and all the sounds echo in the headphones. I would have preferred not to have this mode and cut the ANC entirely instead, but I feel like we can't?!

I'm very happy with the silent mode with music, as you can barely hear the white noise, but I was also planning on using the headphones without music and it's really annoying. I also feel like my tinnitus is temporarily amplified when I take off the headphones, even though I turn the volume down. Is this normal too?

I'm hesitant to return it or try to get used to it if all this is normal... I'm not sure it's better on other models, what's more I understood that on Sony the white noise was closer to a hiss (which is even worse than a hiss like the Bose in my opinion).

I bought a used Bose Soundlink Color 2 speaker about 2 years ago. The speaker sounds great; the only issue is that I can't connect my phone to it—it doesn't even show up in the Bluetooth list.

I tried everything: upgrading it, downgrading it, resetting it, etc. But nothing worked, so I decided to replace the Bluetooth module. Unfortunately, I messed it up and broke the entire board.

So, I bought a new board from AliExpress, and it worked fine (audio, battery), but it had the same Bluetooth issue. It only shows "LE-Bose Soundlink Color 2," but I have no idea where I’m supposed to connect to. Obviously, it also doesn't work with the app. I’ve tried with several phones, both Android and iPhone, and the same error persists. I just can try to pair it with NFC, but I doesnt work.

I’ve done extensive research and haven’t found any solutions anywhere, just a few people with the same unresolved issue, and honestly, I’m sick of It.

The strangest part is that it DOES connect with my PC and Smart TV.

Has anyone experienced the same problem?
Do you think it could be the battery or the button board?

Hi everyone,

As per the title, do replacement ear cushions for the QC35 headphones fit the new quiet comfort headphones?

Thanks everyone, C.

Hey! Could you guys please suggest me some ear pad replacements for my NC 700s. It’s so fragile, the peeling started coming off within a year. :(

Just bought Bose quite comfort headphones sometimes feels like left ear cup sound is sharper is their any app to check both sides have equal volume and I am not loosing my mind?

What the title says. Brand new QC wireless* earbuds (the cheaper ones, not ultra) have this ticking sound (a cross between a cricket and a timer running down) in the left ear only. It’s always there, even when I have ANC turned off. It’s subtle but noticeable if I don’t have music playing or if the music is soft enough that I can hear it underneath. It’s been a while since I’ve had expensive earbuds so I’m new to the whole ANC technology etc. I’m wondering if this is likely a flaw of my pair specifically or if it’s a known issue with the product. Any input would be appreciated.

I love being able to stream TV audio or music to my two Portable Smart Speakers. I recently bought a Solo Soundbar Series II thinking I would be able to manage it via the Bose Music app and make it part of the streaming "family." I'd settle for being able to connect my phone to it to stream via Bluetooth--but the unit came without much in the way of directions or a manual, possibly because it was refurbished. Am I missing something or should I be able to connect the Solo to my other products and/or Bluetooth?

I bought a pair of Bose QC ultra earbuds, and after a few weeks they would crap out and disconnect. Ironically if you removed the Bose app from my phone it was fine with no issues. I ended up returning them thinking they were just a bad brand and not worth the hassle. But Costco had them for 75 dollars less 220 dollars. So figured I would try them again because the noise cancelling was epic. That was a few weeks ago zero issues. I use the bose app no issues. On another note I own the original pixel buds and got the new pixel buds pro 2 for free with the Pixel 9 pro fold. I just tried all 3 and holy crap the Bose QC ultra earbuds are on another level at the same price! The noise cancelling the fit and the sound are mesmerizing. By comparison even the buds pro 2 are hollow and noise cancelling is a joke and they still feel like they are falling out of my ears even with the largest tips.

So if you are having issues with them cutting out after 5 mins on your phone it seems they have some sort of quality control problem so ask for a replacement they shouldn't do that.

I have one Bose QC35 II LE for more than 5 years already which was amazing when I only needed to connect simultaneously with my phone and desktop PC. Now I have two personal laptops and one corporate in addition to the phone. It is annoying that I have to disconnect from corporate after a meeting just to reconnect my primary laptop or my phone.

Is there now a Bose product that specifically mentions they support at least 3 devices for "multipoint" connectivity? QC45 Ultra unfortunately mentions they are manufacturing limited to "seamlessly connect to two devices simultaneously via Bluetooth". I did some checking and I can't verify if any can support at least 3 devices for multipoint connectivity. Generally available bluetooth technology already has virtually no limitation in terms of multipoint devices so this (two device limit) is a manufacturing limitation.

N.B.: I also have four QC Earbuds and old QC15 so I tried to assign each, but in practice the transition of removing one and using another can get unwindy when you have all these QCs on your table.

TIA for any idea if there is actually one (headphone or in-ear doesn't matter but prefer headphone) that specifically confirms it can support at least 3 devices for "multipoint" connectivity. I really don't want to replace my existing Bose devices and they are still working great after more than 4 years, unless 3 devices for "multipoint" connectivity becomes available. Also, any info if Bose will soon offer this?

Hi there! I purchased QC on Black Friday and am really loving it so far. I just wanted to check though, is everyone else’s inside acoustic driver cover fabric kinda lumpy and flush to the internal driver instead of flat & even? Making sure this isn’t a defect of some sort! Thanks :)

I'm getting qc earbuds for a very sportsy person so they need the earbuds to be stable, I wanted to get some stayhear max tips for them but it would be kind of a hassle if you have to take the tips off just to put them away. Is this the case? Or will they fit in the case anyway? Thank you!

I recently bought a pair of soundcore Q30s because I wanted more noise cancelling than my very old powerbeats. I was pleasantly impressed with the sound and comfort considering the price of them.

As someone who loves music and wants it injected directly into my brain, I thought "if this is what 'cheap' headphones sound like, surely it can get even better'. I ordered a pair of Quiet Comforts.

Am I missing something with these because I'm thoroughly disappointed. The QC have less padding for the ears and sound distant. In terms of bass, which I was most excited for, I actually prefer the Q30s. I'm not seeing any reason for these to be the price they are or why I should keep them. They also feel flimsy. I think the only major difference I've found so far is the QC can go louder.

I'm very confused and I'm either not seeing features I should or these are just simply disappointing.

Opinions? Advice?

Edit: the anc is considerably better in the QC. However, I'm not sure if that makes them worth it when I personally think the sound in the soundcores is better.

Kinda difficult to get a replacement for these in my country but is this manageable for now?

I saw someone selling their Quietcomfort Ultra which has this issue. They're selling it for $90 which is ridiculously cheap lol it's just the unit tho. I don't think it's a scam either since the seller is open to meeting up or picking it up at their house. Do fakes of these even exist?

Is there a way to control the bose quietcomfort headphones settings on mac? What i been doing so far, is connect it to my phone and the mac, and then set up the eq/mode on my phone while they play on my mac.

Last night my headphones randomly disconnected from my phone (even tho i didn't turn them off) and when I tried to turn them back on it said "bluetooth off" and know they won't connect to my phone, does anyone know what the issue is? This has already happened to me before, and that time it seemed like it randomly disappeared and my headphones went back to normal after a few days, but I don't want to wait another few days just to listen to music does anyone know how to fix this issue?

I had a Sony XM5 for a few years which broke recently and I thought I'd give the Bose QC Ultra a try since it got so rave reviews. With the stock settings, I noticed that the sound is a bit "thin" and not as full-bodied as the XM5. I also notice that the the noise cancellation is not as good as the XM5. With the XM5, when I sit in my living room, I can't hear any other family member doing anything but with the Ultra, I totally can hear them. Am I missing something obvious here? Thanks.

My QC earbuds (from 2022) left bud just stopped working.

I've had QC 25/35 and currently with Ultra headphone, and numberous speakers. This is the first time having earbuds from them and they failed my expectation. I am also reading many connection issues with Bose earbuds in general.

Called Bose tech support and now being offered the Ultra for $110 after discount, is it worth it?

Also, I asked about current gen QC earbuds for replacement, they said they don't make these anymore and can only offer Ultra for discounted price.

I recently bought the Bose QuietComfort headphones in Europe. When I turned them on and played some bass-heavy music, I noticed a brief delay of two or three seconds before any sound came through. Additionally, there’s some crackling noise during playback. I’ve checked the firmware in the app, and it’s up to date, and I even tried deleting and reinstalling the app, but it didn’t seem to help. I was trying to listen to the music on my Android phone.

Is there a solution to this issue, or should I consider returning the product?

Is there any boom mic that you could connect just to the side of the headphone, need it for calls but still want to be wireless.

Hello! I was gifted this bose speaker and was told it wouldn’t connect to their phone anymore.

I have tried resetting it by pressing 1 and volume (-) buttons, but nothing happens. I also tried to connect by holding down bluetooth and nothing happens. The only light that is steady and consistent is this blue bluetooth light which has not blinked, turned off, or anything else.

I was not given a remote for this device, or any cables besides the power source cable which is attached.

Does anyone know how to get this working?

Hi all, I broke the swivel on my QC35, and in the UK the cheapest replacement I have found is £13-14, which seems excessive for a tiny piece of plastic. Any ideas where I can get one for a more affordable price? PS I tried Temu, but delivery takes at least 2 weeks. I need one sooner than that. Thanks

I left my soundbar unused for a few months due to moving to another place and renovations. Before that I could use the soundbar and remote control with no issue, mostly playing music or podcasts from my phone, and sometimes using the bar for tv sound. After starting to use the device again I noticed that the remote control was simply dead. I replaced the batteries twice, checked polarity every time, googled the issue with no result. I can still connect my phone, but not the tv. And no other phone can be connected to the soundbar. Is there anything I can try besides buttons combinations and restarting the device? Obviously they don't work.

I just got this QC Ultra headphones from Best Buy and the LT ear cuff have wrinkles like this. Should I worried about this and replace it? The look bothers me a bit tbh but I dont know if they would take this back and replace it if I ask for one.

I was streaming shows on the Roku Channel but had to stop because of their screaming commercial meant to force us to buy new upgraded TV's. I read somewhere that Bose had a product to 'fix' this problem. I am mildly hearing impaired and depend on closed captions to understand speech on the tv. Any recommendations?