Snug and loud, made for working out

The fit of the Bose Soundsport makes it difficult to accidentally dislodge the earphones, except in the most vigorous of activities.
The fit of the Bose Soundsport makes it difficult to accidentally dislodge the earphones, except in the most vigorous of activities. PHOTO: BOSE

Sporty fans of Bose's audio wear finally have a wireless in-ear option for their music needs while working out.

The SoundSport wireless earphones were designed specifically for physical activity, and they fit very snugly in my ears with the help of fins that lodge themselves in the ears. This fit makes it difficult to accidentally dislodge them except in the most vigorous of activities.

And with their great sound quality, the pair has become my go-to earphones for working out.

  • TECH SPECS

    PRICE: $239

    WEIGHT: 25g

  • RATING

    FEATURES: 4/5

    DESIGN: 3/5

    PERFORMANCE: 4/5

    VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5

    OVERALL: 4/5

I love how bass tones are emphasised, with a significantly warmer feel to songs that's a perfect fit for workout music.

The low-end prowess shines on rock or dance tracks, like those from Scottish synth band Chvrches. Yet, the mids and trebles still come through clearly and crisply.

The open in-ear design does let in ambient noise. But this design is useful for outdoor runs, as it lets me keep an ear out for cars or bikes. The SoundSport can go very loud if you crank up the volume though, so you can easily drown out gym music that doesn't appeal to you.

Like most wireless earphones, the SoundSport comes with inline control for volume control and playback. What stands out here is how firm the buttons are, which takes a bit of extra force to push them in, and which can be distracting in the midst of an intense workout.

Their design certainly stands out, with a slightly chunky earpiece that sticks out from your ears. In spite of that, the SoundSport is light and small, making it easy to throw into a pouch or a gym bag.

It comes in either a safe black colour or a more eye-catching bright aqua blue, with a citron yellow due to arrive here in September.

As with most Bose products, these earphones command a premium, and blowing $239 on a pair of headphones specifically for exercise use may not be an option for most.

The battery tops off at 6hr, which means you'll be doing a lot of charging if you use it regularly.

However, it does take about 2hr for a full charge and is unusable while charging.

Lester Hio

• Verdict: Great sound performance and a snug, comfortable fit make the SoundSport one of the most promising sports earphones this year.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on August 03, 2016, with the headline Snug and loud, made for working out. Subscribe