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Bose Review

Depends

Should I use Bose?

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

· 1 month ago

Buy if you want best-in-class noise cancelling and comfort and can stomach premium prices. Skip if you're value-hunting or might need responsive post-sale support.

Confidence

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

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

Not disclosed

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed

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

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Buy-direct returns and warranty service draw repeated complaints on Trustpilot and BBB

medium

SoundTouch speakers carry 2017-2018 CVEs and that ecosystem was later sunset

medium

Airoha chip vulnerabilities affected Bose earbuds — apply firmware updates promptly

low

2021 ransomware breach disclosed; consumer impact appears limited but attack surface is real

Pros and cons

Pros

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

Cons

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

Sources & method

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

official x1review x10security x3
  • CVE-2018-12638 — Bose SoundTouch vulnerability, Disclosed issue in Bose SoundTouch devices, catalogued by NIST.
  • CVE-2017-6520 — mDNS issue, Multicast DNS vulnerability affecting Bose SoundTouch devices.
  • CVE-2017-17751 — SoundTouch devices, Additional SoundTouch vulnerability listed on OpenCVE.
  • 2021 ransomware attack and data breach, Bose disclosed a breach after refusing a ransom demand.
  • Airoha chip vulnerabilities, Chip-level flaws put Bose (and Sony) earbuds and headphones at risk.

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

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
Full analysis

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

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

Methodology

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

Read how a report is made.

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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