Bose Frames Audio Sunglasses, Alto (S/M), Black

Product Information

When in audio playback mode, the multi-function button allows you to play (single press), pause (single press), skip forwards (double press) and skip backwards (triple press). The Bose Frames are the answer to the question: what if your sunglasses were also a set of smart, hidden headphones with no earbuds or no bone-conduction system, just a set of personal speakers? View image in fullscreen The charging cable clips in place with little effort thanks to some fairly strong magnets.

But the Bose Frames are delightful and leaving your ears free of buds or headphones has a clear and obvious case.After connecting the Frames, announced by a lady robot, and pressing play on my Spotify test playlist to unleash Radiohead’s Burn the Witch, I was completely taken aback by how good it sounded. We're always looking for the best wireless headphones, and we also take comfort, audio quality, and battery life seriously.

Swollen earpieces with slim vents along the bottom and sides betray the gadgetry harbored within, but offer enough camouflage to blend in when worn. StereoNET is a leading publication covering Hi-Fi, Home Theatre, Head-Fi, and consumer audio products with the latest news and reviews. While she's happiest with a camera in her hand, she's also an avid reader and has become a passionate proponent of ereaders, having appeared on Singaporean radio to talk about the convenience of these underrated devices. Right after I’d connected the Frames and began listening, I shared my first impressions with a deskmate whose instant reaction was less optimistic: “Those are cool, but the applications seem pretty limited,” he replied. In reality, the current Bose AR offerings are promising but meagre and don't offer a lot more than some binaural recordings (some of which are admittedly not bad).Unless you're an audiophile who must have the peak possible hi-res sound quality that, with a few exceptions, can only be achieved with a set of wired headphones, then getting yourself a pair of the best wireless headphones is an absolute must.

That would have been a handy addition, but instead the glasses are charged via a proprietary cable that connects to a part inside the right arm of the product. It also doesn’t charge up the product in a similar way to how wireless earbuds like Apple AirPods or Samsung Galaxy Buds work. You get just over three hours of continuous listening out of the Frames before the battery runs dry, which is normally enough. Instead they are a pair of audio sunglasses that also have some limited smart functionality tacked on.The Frames’ slim, rectangular box gives way to an over-sized sunglasses case layered in beaded vinyl with a Bose logo on the front. Photograph: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian View image in fullscreen The Bose Frames look like a regular set of sunglasses, with nylon frames and user-replaceable lenses, but hides sensors and speakers in the arms. My ears basked in lovely tunes, even as the wind whipped by, raising the moment from sweet to sparkling, including a significant moment of reflection at a stoplight listening to Father John Misty’s rendition of Gillian Welch’s Everything is Free.

Pair this with the open and unhindered sensation of not having anything in your ears, and we're off to a promising start. This revolutionary open-ear audio experience leaves you free to do whatever you need, all while discreetly listening to music. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. As for AR applications, I admit I didn’t spend a ton of time with them, namely because my primary phone runs Android (hint). If you wish to connect to another device, even one previously paired, you must power off Bose Frames by flipping them upside down for two seconds.

Taking obvious inspiration from the classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer, the Frames sport a very familiar design that at first glance, won't cause any confusion from anyone passing by. If you adjust the volume to maximum levels, there’s a noticeable compression of the audio material, while the already weak bass vanishes completely. For more information, see Clearing the product memory of paired Bluetooth devices and Connecting a Bluetooth device.