All the fancy ANC tech in our current crop of earbuds are nice and all, but many of us just don’t want to be oblivious to the world even when we’re enjoying our favorite playlists, podcasts, or audiobook. That’s one of the main reasons why we continue to see open earbud designs that allow you to enjoy aural delights while still being able to hear your surroundings. The Kith for Bose Ultra Open Earbuds is a new entry to the category and we’re absolutely stoked with its rather unusual design.
A collaboration between the fashion lifestyle brand and the audio outfit, the earbuds are designed to clip to the edge of the ears, much like oversized clip-on earrings. So long as it isn’t too heavy, this looks like an ideal position for open earbuds, as the device is able to direct sound straight to the ears while looking like a stylish fashion accessory.
The Kith for Bose Ultra Open Earbuds mount to the side of the ears, while speakers at the end are faced inwards towards the ear canal (made possible by the device’s cuff shape), ensuring the sound goes straight to the listener, instead of being dispersed throughout your surroundings. The outfit, in fact, claims that it enables private listening, while still allowing you to fully hear what’s going on in the vicinity. There are no details on what speaker drivers it’s using, but they do say it employs Bose’s OpenAudio technology (which, we’re guessing, is the same one used by their Bose Frames eyewear), as well as Bose Immersive Audio for producing spatial sound.
How comfortable are these? According to Bose, it uses a flexible joint that makes putting on and taking off a hassle-free affair, while the lightweight build and relaxed hold ensures all-day comfort. Of course, we’re not sure how secure these are, but you probably don’t want to run, jump, or get any more active than casual walks, since it really looks like it’s just clipped into place (and not too tightly, since that will be painful). Heck, they even call it a “light as air grip,” so it’s probably not the most secure mount.
The Kith for Bose Ultra Open Earbuds has an onboard battery rated at 7.5 hours of runtime, although that cuts down to 4.5 hours if you enable to Bose Immersive Audio feature. The included charging case is good for another 12 hours, by the way, giving you a full 19.5 hours of listening time without having to plug in to any power outlet. We love the branding on these earbuds, by the way, which, basically, puts Kith’s name using Bose’s signature font, complete with the same accents on the front and back. The branding can be found on both the earbuds and the charging case
Controls are available directly on the earbuds, by the way, with actual buttons available on each unit for various functions. It’s also IPX4 water resistant, so you can wear it outdoors without much worries (other than having it fall out, of course).
The Kith for Bose Ultra Open Earbuds is available now, priced at $300.