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Bose Releases Fantastic Earbuds That Don’t Play Music
Soothing sounds to block out noise
By Sascha Brodsky Sascha Brodsky Senior Tech Reporter Macalester College Columbia University Sascha Brodsky is a freelance journalist based in New York City. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, the Guardian, the Los Angeles Times and many other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 2, 2021 02:09PM EST Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Smart & Connected Life Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming Key Takeaways
The new Bose Sleepbuds II only play a limited selection of relaxing noises. The Sleepbuds are like tiny MP3 players, letting you can download a certain number of sounds and control them through an app on your smartphone. The Sleepbuds have become my new favorite way to get a good night’s sleep. monkeybusinessimages / Getty Images My new favorite earbuds don’t play music. Even worse, these earbuds cost $249 and come from Bose, one of the most respected audio brands. How are they planning to get away with this? It turns out that by taking away music, you can make earbuds more liberating if all you’re planning to do is use them to get to sleep. The Sleepbuds II might be some of the quirkiest earbuds that ever have been released. They do one thing and one thing only—play a limited selection of relaxing noises. After using the Sleepbuds II, I’ve affirmed my conviction that the best gadgets are often those that have a single purpose. Of course, there are a million ways to get sounds into your ears, and I’ve tried many. “Who wants to be fiddling with music and iTunes when all you want to do is try to get a good night’s rest?” Sweet Dreams If You Can Get Some
I’m such a light sleeper that a butterfly batting its wings a football field away can have me bolt upright in seconds. I’ve tried pills, foam ear protectors, and stuffing a pillow over my head to no avail. My current solution is to listen to white noise played through my wired Apple earbuds. My approach has its disadvantages. First of all, after a couple of near misses, I’m convinced that I’ll end my days with the cord wrapped around my neck like an anaconda. It’s also distracting to have your phone a few inches from your head 24 hours a day. I don’t believe that cell phone radiation causes health problems, but I’m unsure enough about this hypothesis that I turn my phone to airplane mode every night. The Sleepbuds are my salvation. These are no normal earbuds, which are often cumbersome and bulky. The Sleepbuds are tiny, so tiny in fact that I’d be worried about them getting lost in my ears, except for the fact that they have small handles probably designed for that very problem. Sascha Brodsky / Lifewire They are incredibly light and comfortable, made out of a squishy plastic material. The small size of the Sleepbuds is the key to why they are so limited in their ability to play sounds. There was seemingly no room to fit in a battery that could handle streaming inside the earbuds. Instead, the Sleepbuds are like tiny MP3 players that let you download a certain number of sounds and control them through an app on your smartphone. Come On Feel the Noise
There are three kinds of sounds that you can listen to on the Sleepbuds. The Noise Masking sounds are intended to block out noise. Naturescapes offer natural sounds, such as rain or leaves rustling. Tranquilities, which consist of “relaxing” music, drove me bonkers, so I stuck with the first two categories. Some of the sounds come downloaded onto the earbuds, while others can be downloaded with Bose’s Sleep app. The sound quality is excellent for sleep. I’m not sure that the earbuds would meet audiophile standards, but they sounded clear and crisp enough for me to relax and enjoy the sounds they produced. Sascha Brodsky / Lifewire The battery life was good enough to get me through a night’s sleep, plus a nap (not that I take naps). However, after a good eight hours, the charge was down to 30%, so count on putting these back in their charging case every night. The Sleepbuds come in a nifty charging case that looks like a futuristic, rounded mints tin. It’s a little awkward to figure out how the earbuds fit into the case at first, but the motion becomes natural with practice. There are glowing bars on the inside of the case to show that the buds are charging. Some might call $249.95 for a pair of earbuds that don’t play any tunes too expensive. I say you can’t put a price on a good night’s sleep. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Bose Sleepbuds II: Unique Earbuds Reduce Distractions and Improve Sleep Quality 9 Ways to Fix It When AirPods Are Too Quiet The 5 Best Headphones for Sleeping in 2022 The 6 Best Budget Earbuds of 2022 The 8 Best Wireless Earbuds of 2022 Jabra Elite 75t Review: Among the Best True Wireless Earbuds The 9 Best Wired Earbuds of 2022 The 10 Best Earbuds of 2022 Plantronics Backbeat Pro 5100 Review: Truly Wireless Earbuds Perfect for Phone Calls Jaybird Vista Review: Durable Earbuds For a Rugged Lifestyle Jabra Elite 85t Review: Solid Earbuds with Tons of Features Sony WF-1000XM3 Review: Almost Perfect True Wireless Earbuds Bose SoundSport Free Review: Excellent And Simple True Wireless Earbuds Beats Powerbeats Pro Review: Even More Power and Utility Sennheiser CX 400BT Review: Simple Earbuds With Impressive Sound Quality Apple AirPods 3 Review: An Audible Evolution Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies