Choosing headphones is never easy. Perception of sound quality is different from one person to another, thus reading a lot of reviews will not always end up leading us to a product that suits our particular taste. I had this experience again in the search of the most comfortable headphones for long duration wear (more than 4 hours).
After going to many stores and listening to some demo units, combined with tons of readings from blogs and YouTube reviews, I decided to get this Bose SoundTrue On-ear audio headphones. This model is relatively new, and basically a refresh to the popular model of Bose OE2 (on-ear) series. Bose OE2 was a super comfortable headphones. Bose OE2i adds remote unit to play/pause music in our smartphones and volume buttons to adjust volume in iPhone or iPad. The new SoundTrue On-Ear model has the same sound quality with the OE2 model, with some differences in new color options, the addition of built-in microphone in the remote unit and new material used for the ear cushion (better durability against sweat).
As I mentioned earlier, Bose SoundTrue On-Ear is very comfortable to wear. According to Bose website, the total weight (including cable) is just 140 g. Using my own digital scale, the total weight of SoundTrue On-Ear is just 111 g with cable, and 99 g without cable.
I have tried wearing this headphones for a long duration. I can firmly say I can wear this for more than 4 hours without any problem as long as I set the music volume in a reasonable level.
Compared to my Sony MDR-10RBT, Bose SoundTrue delivers a little bit more punch to the sound, making music more enjoyable. Sony MDR-10RBT has Bluetooth capability, but I test it in wired mode for fair comparison. MDR-10RBT still wins a little bit in delivering the sound detail (especially some high frequencies) and sounds a little bit more natural. I would choose Sony MDR-10RBT for listening to movie as it gives more natural impression when we hear conversations and sound effects. I would choose Bose SoundTrue On-Ear for listening to music because it makes music more enjoyable.
Fans of loud-and-unnatural bass will probably feel disappointed with this headphones. The bass is there, and it’s solid enough, but it’s nowhere near the bass level of some models advertised for bass-lovers. Purist audiophile will also notice that the sound detail of SoundTrue On-Ear is not super natural. However, most ordinary people looking to enjoy some good music, I believe SoundTrue On-Ear will not disappoint.
The included carrying case is a good bonus. It helps us to carry SoundTrue On-Ear practically everywhere. The headphones’ design allow it to be folded flat and flipped inside. Very compact to be carried even in a small bag.
Listening to music at home has been a delightful experience with Bose SoundTrue On-Ear. The problem arises when I use it outdoor (in public transport) and at work (indoor but with other people around). The sound leakage is loud enough for other people to hear what I’m listening to. Even at 50%-60% volume. This is my biggest let-down so far. I’m seriously considering to return this headphones and getting the Around-Ear model instead.
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