Exactly two years ago, Bose launched the Sleepbuds earplugs. They did not play music, but instead nature sounds and various noise sounds, to mask over annoying noises from the surroundings. A snoring partner, for example. These were noise-masking , and not noise-canceling earplugs. They had no built-in noise cancellation.
I got to try them, and even though they were not something for me personally (silicone that clogs the ears makes you hear your own breathing and swallowing sounds from inside your head), I can definitely imagine why some fell for them . At least they were vanishingly small, and you hardly noticed that you had them in your ears. Except that they are clogged.
The reason why they were withdrawn from the market the following year had nothing to do with poor sales or little faith in the concept. It was the built-in batteries that held for poor quality, so that some products were never fully charged, or suddenly shut down. Or both.
New Sleepbuds II
Well, now the problem has obviously been figured out, since Bose is now launching Sleepbuds II. Even better noise masking is claimed, and the plugs also have a new acoustic and electronic design. The new housing weighs even less, and the ear pads are probably even softer.
It now comes with 35 different soundtracks, so you have even more choices in the search for the sound that gives you the best sleep.
The new battery lasts for 10 hours, down from its predecessor’s 16 hours. Maybe necessary to prevent degradation from such a small battery?
Availability and price
Bose Sleepbuds II will be released on October 13th. The price is not meager this time either, 299. For a pair of earbuds that do not play music or can be used for conversations. But then there was this with putting a price tag on quality sleep, then…
