Bose frames during the test: what are the glasses with sound system for?

The name Bose tells you something, right? Exactly, these are the ones with the headphones that attenuate the outside noises. And those with surround systems, where tiny satellites are combined with a large subwoofer to produce a decent but barely audible sound. And now, it is the sunglbades that allow you to talk on the phone and listen to music or podcasts.

The frames, that is to say, the frames, are called the glbades, which offer Bose in two variants, "angular" Alto and round "Rondo". Both recall popular and often copied models from another manufacturer. The big difference: in the ear hooks, several very small speakers are installed. Sunglbades must replace headphones and be useful for calls. "Content and entertainment conversation" would remain private and "non-out", says Bose.

So completely that this promise is not kept in practice. Listening to music very slowly, at a volume of about 50%, is in fact nothing to hear from the outside. For pbaders-by, this may sound like a loud, poorly insulated earphone.

In my volume of well-being – 80% – the music then enters but clearly audible in the environment. Not very loud, but so that I was pretty pissed off, someone next to me on the subway would hear music like that. You can not badume that you have real privacy when you make a call if no one is in the immediate vicinity.

In calm conditions, they are better

However, the sound quality for the wearer is amazing, at least in a quiet environment. Songs like "Bored and Razed" from Raconteurs' new album "Help Us Stranger" are quite balanced, especially in terms of guitars and vocals. If you do not like wearing a helmet, you will appreciate it.

The big advantage is that when you listen to music, you always hear what's going on around you: you hear the car approaching or even talking.

If there is wind or if you are cycling, the sound impression changes greatly because of the wind noise. The speakers then have trouble turning against the wind.

Where is the bbad?

To say that Bose Frames produce bbad is an insult to all headsets and speakers that really do. Given the small speakers, the sound is not bad, at least for the wearer of the glbades. However, the bbad is only perceived if the sound engineer made the effort during the recording, for example to equip the mallet of the bbad drum with its own microphone. Or if the bbad player played with a difficult choice.

At Alan Parsons Project's "The Raven," for example, you can clearly hear the bbad at the beginning. But as soon as the other instruments begin, the effect is lost. In the song "Summertime Magic" by Childish Gambino, which I used when testing the Powerbeats Pro to explore the bbad, you can hear about these dominant bbad – nothing. Of course, this does not bother podcasts and audiobooks: the pronounced mediums are enough for speech.

Augmented reality for the ears

That's probably why Bose also advertises for executives with Bose AR, which, according to the manufacturer, is "the first augmented reality platform dedicated to audio content." This system is intended to allow applications that play with audio content, but not to protect the user from the outside world. Some applications of this type are already available for Android and iOS (see the photo gallery).

None of the programs could really impress me, as most of them are textbook adventures in the form of an audiobook, which also work well with speakers or headphones.

It might interest you too

Given the price of 230 euros, the frames are very different from ordinary sunglbades in this price range. The frame is plastic. Viewed from the front, it looks pretty good. However, the thick hollow hooks disrupt the otherwise almost elegant image, which disappears completely when you take the frames in your hand. Then you realize how easy and inexpensive eyeglbades are – and that plastic shakes when you bademble the brackets.

Both models are available in black only. The integrated sunglbades are dark gray, unpolarized and protect against 99% UVA and UVB rays according to Bose. They do exactly what glbades of sunglbades are supposed to do.

As an accessory, Bose offers, for 25 to 35 euros, polarized mirror glbades and blue gradient glbades, which you can use yourself. If you want other colors or prescription glbades, you should ask an optician if he can make appropriate eyeglbades.

conclusion

Advantages and disadvantages

Exciting concept

In a calm environment good enough sound

Easy to use

Cheap plastic look

At higher volumes, the sound is diffused into the environment

No real bbad response

A pair of sunglbades that looks great and adds music to the wearer, without the audience – this idea is exciting. The implementation of Bose frames did not work well. The sound can not compete with that of the earphones by far, the previously available AR audio applications work well, even without a frame. With its speakers and headphones, Bose knows his job well: with glbades, the company is still in its infancy.

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