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Should I Use Bose?

bose.com·Analyzed 4 days ago··Based on 14 sources

Experience the latest in sound innovation. Shop Bose headphones, speakers, soundbars, and more, supported by premium customer service. Sound is Power.

Verdict

Depends

Buy if you want best-in-class noise cancelling and comfort and can stomach premium prices.

Confidence: Medium

Skip if you're value-hunting or might need responsive post-sale support.

Best-in-class noise cancelling at a premium price; great hardware, weak support. Compare Sony before paying the Bose tax.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 2/5

    Rating

  • Not disclosed

    Starting price

  • 14

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 2/5. Reviewers call the brand premium overpriced
  • Ease of use: 4/5. Comfort and quick charging praised
  • Feature depth: 4/5. ANC and immersive audio lead the field
  • Support quality: 2/5. Support slammed on Reddit, Trustpilot, BBB
  • Security posture: 2/5. Past CVEs, 2021 breach, chip vulnerabilities
  • 1964 Founded By MIT's Amar Bose
  • 1,021+ Trustpilot reviewers (UK store) bose.co.uk customer reviews
  • 3 Known CVEs SoundTouch speakers, 2017-2018
  • 10+ Independent QC Ultra reviews Rtings, CNET, Reddit, YouTube

Pricing

Not disclosed

Best for and not for

Best for

  • Frequent flyers and commuters
  • Open-office focus listening
  • First-time premium ANC buyers
  • Home theater upgrades

Not for

  • Value shoppers — the brand premium is real
  • Audiophiles chasing best sound per dollar
  • Anyone who may need warranty or support help
  • Smart-home buyers wanting long-lived connected platforms

Biggest gotcha

  • highBuy-direct returns and warranty service draw repeated complaints on Trustpilot and BBB⁶
  • mediumSoundTouch speakers carry 2017-2018 CVEs and that ecosystem was later sunset
  • mediumAiroha chip vulnerabilities affected Bose earbuds — apply firmware updates promptly11
  • low2021 ransomware breach disclosed; consumer impact appears limited but attack surface is real10

Pros

  • Noise cancelling consistently ranked among the best
  • Comfort repeatedly praised across reviews⁴
  • QC Ultra Gen 2 outperforms expectations in long-term testing
  • Also appears in CNET's 2026 best noise-cancelling roundup²

Cons

  • Repeatedly criticized as overpriced for the sound delivered
  • Customer support widely panned by buyers⁵
  • Some reviewers say earbuds sound no better than cheaper rivals⁸
  • Active BBB complaints on record⁷
  • SoundTouch Wi-Fi platform abandoned, stranding earlier owners13

Security

Consumer hardware: SoundTouch CVEs (2017-2018), a 2021 ransomware breach, and 2025 Airoha chip flaws; Bose does run a vulnerability response program.

  • CVE-2018-12638 — Bose SoundTouch vulnerabilityDisclosed issue in Bose SoundTouch devices, catalogued by NIST.⁹
  • CVE-2017-6520 — mDNS issueMulticast DNS vulnerability affecting Bose SoundTouch devices.
  • CVE-2017-17751 — SoundTouch devicesAdditional SoundTouch vulnerability listed on OpenCVE.
  • 2021 ransomware attack and data breachBose disclosed a breach after refusing a ransom demand.10
  • Airoha chip vulnerabilitiesChip-level flaws put Bose (and Sony) earbuds and headphones at risk.11

What users say

Reviewers love the noise cancelling and comfort but consistently flag high prices, mixed sound-per-dollar, and weak customer support.

“The Ultras feel premium”
Reddit, r/headphones
“Bose Customer Support is Horrible”
Reddit, r/bose
“Bose's Speakers Are Overpriced, These Are the Worst”
YouTube review

Alternatives

Compare Bose with each alternative.

  • Sony WH-1000XM6

    Lab-ranked top wireless headphones; Bose's main rival.

    Bose vs Sony WH-1000XM6

  • Sony, JBL ANC headphones

    Roundups list three headphones to buy instead of Bose.

  • Sennheiser Momentum line

    Guess: audiophile-leaning alternative with stronger sound value.

  • Budget ANC (e.g., Anker Soundcore)

    Guess: delivers decent noise cancelling at a fraction of Bose pricing.

Companies that use it

  • Rezz Hotel

Methodology

Based on ~40 public sources; no hard pricing or aggregate rating numbers were available in the evidence.

Sources

  1. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) Reviewrtings.com
    review
  2. Best Noise Cancelling Headphones of 2026cnet.com
    review
  3. Best Wireless Headphones | Lab Tested & Rankedtechgearlab.com
    review
  4. Bose QuietComfort Review (My Favourite) - Redditreddit.com
    review
  5. Bose Customer Support is Horrible - Redditreddit.com
    review
  6. Bose Reviews - Trustpilot (UK store)trustpilot.com
    review
  7. Bose Corporation | BBB Complaintsbbb.org
    review
  8. Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Reviewheadphones.com
    review
  9. CVE-2018-12638 Detailnvd.nist.gov
    security
  10. Audio maker Bose discloses data breach after ransomware attackbleepingcomputer.com
    security
  11. Airoha Chip Vulns Put Earbuds & Headphones at Riskdarkreading.com
    security
  12. Commitment to product security - Bosebose.com
    official
  13. Bose soundtouch system abandoned by companyfacebook.com
    review
  14. Bose user shares frustration with SoundTouch complaintsfacebook.com
    review

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