Bose released its first pair of Sleepbuds in June 2018, and while we were originally enamored with their comfortable design and ability to mask external noise, the product was eventually discontinued the following year due to battery life issues. Now, Bose has released the aptly named Sleepbuds II, which aim to address the key issues of the original buds while also promising a better night's sleep. The new heads will be available in October for €249 / €229 / AU$379.
Sleepbuds?
For those wondering what Sleepbuds are, these are essentially a pair of true wireless earbuds that offer powerful 'noise masking' and targeted audio content focused on relaxation and sleep. Light, compact and convenient packaging. It's important to note that (in Bose's words) these headphones "are not active noise-canceling headphones or in-ear headphones with extra features, and they don't play music or let you take and make calls," so those looking for machines Everyday music players should look elsewhere.Some of the most notable improvements over the original units include a revised ergonomic, acoustic, and electronic design, as well as an expansion of sleep content available in the Bose Sleep app, now including "more than 35 tracks. produced and methodically tested." The aforementioned battery issues are not explicitly mentioned in Bose's release documents, but it is claimed that the units will have a fresh battery capable of 10 hours of runtime on the buttons themselves and an additional 30 hours on those of the charging case.
![Bose Sleepbuds II]()
(Image credit: Bose)
Noise masking
The noise masking technology that Bose uses here is different from the usual noise reduction we see in other mainstream headphones, in that it layers new sounds on top of problematic ambient noise to 'cover and replace' sounds rather than actively canceling them out. Bose partnered with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and UCHealth CARE Innovation Center to conduct a study on the improved version of this technology featured in Sleepbuds II, and found that 86% of participants had discovered that the buds helped them fall asleep and 76% said it helped them stay asleep. It remains to be seen how successful the Bose Sleepbuds II are in their quest, and how worthy of their relatively high price tag, but if the announced enhancements have been implemented, we're cautiously optimistic about their capabilities.