When I first tried the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds in 2024, it was a minor revelation. Clip-style open earbuds were just coming onto the scene in the U.S., and this was the first pair I had ever wrapped around my ears. They were a strange form factor but comfortable, surprisingly nice to listen to, and, thanks to the ability to hear my surroundings, I didn’t feel like I was totally rolling the dice wearing them on bike rides.

Bose didn’t invent clip-style wireless earbuds (that distinction goes to Huawei), but it was the first to set the standard for how they should feel and sound for me, personally.

That was two years ago, though, and things change quickly in consumer tech. Since the Ultra Open Earbuds arrived, there have been tons of new clip-style earbuds from the likes of Shokz, Sony, CMF, and even Samsung. With those entrants, there’s been some strong competition—strong enough to knock Bose’s clip-ons off the top of my open-earbud pedestal.

The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) sound better than the original and have higher volume. The refined fit also feels more stable.

What I like most about the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) is that Bose seems to have identified what people really wanted in a second generation, and then it just gave them that. The first thing that struck me was the sound.

While the first generation of Ultra Open Earbuds sounded pretty good, the second generation sounds legitimately great.

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