Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds' New Immersive Audio Feature: A Game-Changer Or A Gimmick?

Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are the latest and greatest in the company’s line of noise-canceling earbuds. They feature a number of improvements over the previous generation, including a new Immersive Audio feature.

Immersive Audio is Bose’s take on spatial audio, a technology that aims to create a more immersive listening experience by making it sound like the sound is coming from all around you, rather than just from inside your head.

There are two modes of Immersive Audio: Still and Motion. Still mode is designed for when you’re stationary, while Motion mode tracks your head movements and adjusts the audio accordingly.

In our testing, we found that Immersive Audio can work well, but it’s not without its flaws. When it works well, the sound does appear to raise itself out of your head, creating a more spacious and immersive listening experience. However, with some tracks, we noticed a delay and phase issues, especially in Motion mode. Even the slightest head movement could cause a noticeable shift in the imaging, which we found distracting.

Overall, Immersive Audio is an interesting new feature, but it’s not perfect. It’s unclear how much use most people will get out of it, but it’s definitely worth trying out if you’re curious.

Here are some additional thoughts on Bose’s Immersive Audio feature:

It’s still early days for spatial audio, and Bose is one of the first companies to implement it in a pair of earbuds. It’s likely that the technology will improve over time, and Bose’s Immersive Audio feature could eventually become a must-have for audiophiles.
Immersive Audio is most effective with certain types of music, such as classical and jazz. It can also be effective with movies and TV shows, as it can create a more cinematic listening experience.
Immersive Audio is less effective with other genres of music, such as pop and rock. This is because these genres often rely on strong stereo imaging, which can be affected by Immersive Audio’s head tracking feature.

Overall, Bose’s Immersive Audio feature is a promising new technology with the potential to revolutionize the way we listen to music. However, it’s still early days for the technology, and it’s not without its flaws. If you’re considering buying the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, I recommend trying out Immersive Audio to see if you like it.