Bose's In-Ear Headphones, aka the "TriPorts," may not earn a plaque in the consumer audio product Hall of Fame right next to the Quiet Comfort 3—without a doubt the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. Even so, the amount of low end these earphones produce is admirable, given their cost.
The TriPorts have had an interesting history. After their initial launch a few months back, customers complained about insecure fit, to the point where Bose actually had to redesign the product and relaunch it. It would seem that the company has resolved these ergonomic issues, as my TriPorts are firmly in place as I type. But something is still missing here: treble.
Although these earphones pump out plenty of low end, that should be balanced by high frequencies—which aren't there. You might not notice this at first, but if you compare them with a comparably priced pair of headphones from Shure or Ultimate Ears, you'll hear all the crispness you were missing.
The redesigned earphones have a black-and-white cable in place of the previous model's black one. If you already own the older model, write Bose and ask for all the free accessories you're entitled to—the company says it'll be happy to send you the new improved ear covers. The new TriPorts look cool, with the semitransparent gel-like cover resting securely in the ear, almost hovering outside it, yet staying firmly in place. There's a nice black leather carrying case with a magnetic clip as well. One thing is for sure—Bose has never had a problem with making its products look cool and seem luxurious.
As I said earlier, if you listen to these earphones without comparing them to other similarly priced high-quality models, you might not hear the lack of treble. The first time I checked these out, I had been listening to the Shure SE210 earphones for an hour or so before. The Shures cost $50 more, so this is not necessarily a fair comparison—but the Shures made a mockery of the TriPorts. Starting fresh with the Bose pair the next day, I noticed the lack of high-end frequencies less, until I compared them with other in-ear models. But when I returned to them, I yet again felt that I was listening to my music through a filter that swept away the treble.
The bass response on these earphones is certainly impressive, and if that's all you are looking for, I can recommend them—but with some hesitation. The phenomenon of good bass, after all, requires mid-high and high-frequency presence to balance it out, sculpt its edges, and give it form. Without high frequencies, you get an undefined sound that most people refer to as "muddy." Personally, I will sacrifice booming bass for crisp vocals and tight snare drums. But why sacrifice when it is possible to have a nice balance of both?
Bose offers a one-year limited warranty, and online product support. Owners of the initial version of the TriPort (look for the black cable) can order the new earplugs from the Bose Web site for free. A lanyard and cable clip will be available this summer, also free of charge.
Bose makes very useful products, such as the Quiet Comforts, which I use almost every day at my desk when I write. But without a special feature such as noise cancellation, the company's products often fall a bit flat. I'm afraid that the TriPort in-ears miss the mark for everyone except the bass fiend who doesn't need high-frequency definition. Check out the Shure E2c ($109 list) and the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio ($99 direct) as similarly priced, more balanced alternatives.[source]
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