The most important thing in a tool for listening to music is sound quality.
...I'd like to say that, but in Ore-shiki terms, “not getting tired after wearing it a long time” matters just as much.
On that count, this BOSE SoundLink AE2 Wireless is truly excellent.
Lightness is justice.
It's just light.
It feels less like “I'm wearing headphones” and more like “am I wearing a hat?”
Before I know it, hours have passed.
Before I know it, an album has gone around.
Before I know it, work is over.
No, I should do the work properly.
Not a thump, but just right.
With BOSE, some people may imagine thumping bass.
But the AE2 Wireless isn't that, surprisingly.
Of course the bass comes out.
But rather than “thump! thump!”, the mids and highs are very easy to listen to.
Vocals.
Guitar.
Piano.
Those come naturally into the ears.
I'm not exactly an audio maniac.
It's not a world of collecting hundreds of thousands of yen of high-end audio.
But I've always been the type who wants to enjoy slightly better sound within an affordable range.
This BOSE hits exactly that spot.
Physical buttons, after all.
Recently touch-controlled headphones have increased.
A swipe with the finger. Tap tap.
...It's probably convenient.
But I want to press buttons.
The AE2 Wireless has physical buttons.
Just by fingertip, I know “this is volume” and “this is play.”
I can operate it without looking at my phone.
No hesitation in dark places.
Feel around and click.
I love this reassurance no matter how many years I use it.
Summer. Let's keep some distance.
But this headphone has a weakness too.
Summer.
Hot. Just hot.
The ears get stuffy.
Before I know it, the ear pads are in a “wait, did it rain?” state.
The culprit is, of course, me. Sweat.
The ear pads seem to be saying “please, not today.”
So in summer I boldly seal it away and quietly move to earphones.
A seasonal notice of being cut from the roster.
Winter. Welcome back.
Winter, on the other hand, is the best.
Warm ears.
Whether it saves on heating, I don't know, but it feels quite comfortable.
Putting it on on a cold day, I feel like saying “Looking forward to this year, too.”
Every year it returns to the starting lineup.
No noise cancelling isn't bad either.
Noise cancelling has become standard these days.
Of course I find it convenient.
But I also like that the AE2 Wireless doesn't have noise cancelling.
When walking outside.
The sound of an approaching bicycle.
The presence of people.
Station announcements.
They come properly into my ears.
While enjoying music, I can tell what's going on around me.
For me, this level is just right.
Summary
New headphones go on sale one after another.
Performance keeps evolving.
But a tool where “this is good enough, right?” is surprisingly hard to let go.
This BOSE is one of them.
Summer on holiday in the closet.
Winter as the ace.
Repeating this rotation every year, it's active again today.
BOSE is great, right?
BOSEいいよね
KAZUKIN Rating
- 🪶 Lightness (hat level) — ★★★★★
- 🎧 Listenability of mids and highs — ★★★★★
- 🔘 Reassurance of physical buttons — ★★★★★
- ☀️ Summer stuffiness problem — ★★☆☆☆
- 💰 Good sound within an affordable range — ★★★★★
This article is a personal opinion and record of use. KAZUKIN LAB has no relationship with BOSE. I'm just a BOSE-loving customer. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.
The illustration is an image based on KAZUKIN's experience. It may differ from real stores and products. It is not an official manufacturer image.