The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds don’t block out the world—they sit just outside your ears and let everything in. Traffic noise, conversations, the doorbell—all of it stays audible while your music plays alongside it. That makes these earbuds a better match for people who move around outdoors or just don’t like feeling sealed off. Right now, a certified refurbished pair in White Smoke is $125.99 on Woot. That’s a noticeable drop from the roughly $179 (refurbished) price on Amazon, where a brand-new pair still lists for $299. Bose handles the refurbishment directly, includes all original accessories, and backs the earbuds with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. Shipping is free for Prime members, with a $6 fee for everyone else, and the deal runs for nine days or until it sells out.
Each earbud clips onto your ear using a flexible silicone band instead of resting inside your ear canal. Once you find the right fit (which may take a few tries), you should find them surprisingly stable. Runners and walkers will appreciate that they stay put without squeezing or irritating the ears, and with IPX4 water resistance, they can handle sweat and light rain, which is enough for most daily use. The earbuds support Bluetooth 5.3 with AptX Adaptive, so Android users get a small audio edge over iPhone users, but connection quality is solid across the board. Battery life averages about 7.5 hours per charge and stretches to roughly 27 hours with the case.
What do you think so far?
Sound quality is better than most open-style earbuds manage. Vocals come through cleanly, highs stay sharp, and the midrange has enough body to keep music from sounding hollow. Deep bass is where you feel the compromise. It’s there, but it doesn’t hit hard, which is most noticeable with bass-heavy genres. For podcasts, calls, and casual listening, though, the tuning feels balanced and easygoing. According to this PCMag review, the earbuds sound best around 70 percent volume, where detail stays intact without distortion. If you want high-quality, open-ear audio and don’t mind a little trial-and-error with the fit, this is one of the better ways to try Bose’s latest without paying full price.
Originally published at Lifehacker
