Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear II Headphones Review

The Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear II share the familiar Bose esthetic of the SoundLink Around-Ear II and Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25. They have a simple design, a relatively slim headband, and large oval ear cups. They're mostly made of plastic, so they don't look as premium as some other over-ear headphones around the same price point. However, the understated look will work for some, and they're well crafted enough to be eye-catching in public.

They deliver a comfortable listening experience. They're lightweight, the headband isn't too tight, and the padding on the ear cups is impressively soft. This makes the headphones very comfortable to wear for hours without pain or discomfort.

The controls consist of an inline remote with functions for answering calls, controlling audio playback, and adjusting the volume. Unfortunately, the inline remote is small, and the tactile feedback isn't as good as the Bose QuietComfort 20/QC20's control scheme.

They trap some heat against your ears, like most over-ear headphones. It's not much of an issue if you're just sitting and gaming, but they can make your ears feel warm if you're exercising.

They aren't very portable, like most over-ear headphones. They do not fold into a more compact format like the Bose QuietComfort 25, but the earcups lay flat to take up less space. They're not too heavy or cumbersome but are still a bit too much of a hassle to carry comfortably without a bag.

They come with a soft but sturdy-feeling pouch that zips closed. It will prevent them from getting scratched or damaged while carrying them in your bag. However, it's still a soft case and won't offer much protection against hard falls.

They have a decent build quality. These headphones have a good lightweight design and are made of plastic dense enough not to break from an accidental drop. However, they don't feel as well-built as the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless. They're also mostly plastic, which isn't as durable as metal.

These over-ears are stable enough for casual use and won't fall off your head while sitting at a desk or on the couch. However, the lack of tension in the headband makes these headphones very comfortable, but it also means the ear cups will sway and potentially slip off your head if you move it around, like during a workout. Luckily, the cable is detachable and will disconnect if the cable gets hooked on something.

• Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear II headphones
• Audio cable
• Carrying case

They have a neutral sound profile, with a rumbly, punchy bass response and clear, detailed instruments and lead vocals. There's some overemphasis in the bass range that adds extra warmth to your audio, but overall, it's well-suited for a variety of genres. However, they lack an app and don't come with sound customization features. Their audio delivery also depends on the headphones' fit, seal, and positioning on your head.

They have disappointing frequency response consistency. As opposed to the Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018, which uses its noise cancelling system to calibrate the bass response, the Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear II don't have an ANC system, and have inconsistent audio delivery across the range, depending on the headphones' fit, seal, and positioning on your head.

They have fantastic bass accuracy. They accurately reproduce the rumble and punch in your audio. The high-bass is overemphasized, which lends extra warmth but can make mixes sound a little boomy.

They have excellent mid accuracy. Instruments and vocals are present, clear, and have a bit of extra intensity because of the overemphasized high-mid.

They have very good treble accuracy. Instruments and vocals are detailed and articulated. Sibilants like S and T sounds are slightly dull, however.

They control their sound profile well. There are some peaks and dips across the range, but most are fairly minor. There's a peak in the high-bass that adds boom to your audio, followed by a dip between the low-mid and mid-mid that nudges instruments and vocals to the back of the mix. Peaks in the high-mid and low-treble add harshness and intensity to those elements. There's a deeper dip and a peak in the mid-treble, so sibilants are alternately piercing and dull.

They have an impressive imaging performance, which is on par for Bose products and indicates the brand's ergonomics and quality control. The group delay falls below the audibility threshold across the entire range, resulting in tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. Our unit's left and right drivers are well-matched in terms of amplitude and phase response, although a slight frequency mismatch can create holes in the stereo image. However, keep in mind that imaging varies from unit to unit.

The soundstage seems large but closed-off and unnatural. Also, like most closed-back headphones, sound seems to come from inside your head instead of speakers in the room around you.

They have a very good weighted harmonic distortion performance. Distortion falls within good limits across the range, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction.

They have disappointing noise isolation. Unlike the more recent Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless, these headphones don't have an ANC feature. As a result, they provide no isolation in the bass range, where you commonly hear sounds like engine rumble. They also do a mediocre job of blocking out frequencies in the mid-range, meaning background conversations are still fairly audible. However, they're much better at reducing noises in higher frequency ranges, like AC and fridge hum.

These over-ears have a decent leakage performance, comparable to other closed-back over-ear headphones like the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. As the leakage isn't particularly loud and concentrated mainly in the lower mid-range, you can listen to audio at high volumes in the office without worrying about bothering anyone around you.

The integrated microphone has satisfactory recording quality. While it might lack some body, speech sounds natural and easily understandable thanks to a detailed treble response.

The Bose SoundTrue Around-Ear II's integrated mic has passable noise handling. It does a decent job of separating your voice from quieter environments. However, using the mic in louder locations like subway stations will mean it struggles to pick up speech.

They come with a 1/8" TRRS detachable cable that you can use for audio and mic support via analog with compatible devices. However, the mic doesn't work with consoles or PCs.

You can receive audio from PC and PS4 by plugging the headphones into an audio jack or controller, but you can't use the mic.

You can plug the headphones into a controller to receive audio from Xbox One, but you won't be able to use the mic.