The Sport Earbuds don’t sound as dynamic as the QuietComfort Earbuds, and the bass isn’t as deep, but it’s nicely detailed and balanced with punchy bass; the Sport Earbuds feel a bit brighter, and the QuietComfort Earbuds are a bit more powerful than the QuietComfort Earbuds, but they’re not as loud. (The Bose Music companion app for iOS and Android does not currently have an equalizer.) And while some may think the Sport Earbuds sound better than the QuietComfort Earbuds, I liked the sound of the QuietComfort Earbuds a little better, as everyone’s ears and brain are different. Battery life averages 5 hours per charge, with two more full charges in the carry case for a total of 15 hours. This compares with 6 hours and 2 extra charges from the QuietComfort Earbuds and 8 hours and 2 extra charges from the JBL Reflect Flow Pro. 15-minute quick charge via USB-C should bring battery life from 0 hours to 2 hours Unlike the QuietComfort, there is no wireless charging here. The carrying case for the Bose Sport Earbuds is slightly shallower and narrower than the one included with the QuietComfort Earbuds. However, it is a touch longer because of the way the buds are positioned inside. A bank of five LEDs on the front shows how much battery life is left in the case and an internal pairing button that must be pressed each time you connect the buds to a new source. You can use the Bose Music app to switch between paired devices. Alternatively, you can disable calling and audio streaming using your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings, which is a bit more complicated than the options in the Bose Music app. You can also toggle the Bose voice prompts if you find them redundant. The app also clearly displays battery life and allows you to customize the name of your earbuds. I don’t much care for the latter feature, but Bose does have some creative naming options.
