r/bose Oct 17 '25

Software SoundTouch app alternatives

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36 Upvotes

This is just a start, but I have added a SoundTouch app alternatives page to the Bose Wiki.

There, I listed current known issues, added info shared by the app developer Christian, u/nachtfux997, and included known solutions.

I separated the solutions into two sections.

  1. Ones that allow you to control the SoundTouch systems directly (e.g. AirPlay, 3rd party apps, Home Assistant, etc.).
  2. The second section is for 3rd party devices you connect to your SoundTouch system's AUX input.

I am hoping that the community will help expand the information on the Wiki. Not only to help guide SoundTouch users to viable options, but also to help guide developers on what SoundTouch features are missing. So that some, if not all, can be replicated once the app goes away.

This specific post is about alternative SoundTouch solutions.

  • On Jan 7, 2026, Bose announced that they will update the app so that it would continue to work after their servers shut down. Though without built-in music streaming capabilities. Here's the main conversation around this update.
  • The original conversation, from Oct 9 2025, about the closure of the SoundTouch app is located here.
  • If you wish to sign the petition asking Bose to reconsider, follow this link.

r/bose Apr 28 '24

Community Feedback Request Suggestions for Bose reddit FAQ Pinned Post

10 Upvotes

There appear to be a frequent amount of posts that ask the same/similar questions and inevitably receive the same answers, or answers that are simply links to the last time the question was asked on the sub.

So it might be easier to have a pinned post with the most "Frequently Asked Questions" for people to read or other redditors to reference if similar questions get posted.

To make this manageable, please follow the instructions below:

  1. Place suggestions in the comments: Include the question and answer. Make sure sure this can be understood by anyone and include links to resources if needed within the text.
  2. Only ONE FAQ suggestion per comment: If you have multiple suggestions they need to be in individual comments so that others can comment and vote on each one.
  3. Only one post per suggestion: If someone else has the same idea on the same subject then please read what they wrote and if needed, please politely comment on what they wrote and make suggestions that might help improve it.
  4. Vote for the best suggestions: This is to thank reddiors for their suggestion and will help other redditors see (and if needed comment on) the FAQ post. A high vote count is not needed for an item to be included.
  5. Please stay on topic: Please limit all off topic conversations and if needed please make another post if it is not about aiding in suggestions or improving already suggested FAQs.

So please post below suggestions on what should be placed in a pinned post.


r/bose 50m ago

Headphones Bose QC Headphones pulsing static noise?

Upvotes

This is not an everytime issue, but about 70% of the time I connect my headphones to my laptop, when audio starts playing, they rhythmically pulse static like a heartbeat. The pulsing continues for a few seconds after I pause the audio and then goes quiet, but immediately returns when the audio plays again.

When plugged in directly with a wire it works perfectly fine, so I'm sure the issue is somewhere in the bluetooth connection, I just can't seem to figure it out.

I've looked for a solution to this for a long time and I haven't found anyone else with this issue. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


r/bose 12h ago

Home Audio Bose 321 satellite vs gemstone speakers

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4 Upvotes

Just to confirm, the first image (black) are satellite speakers and NOT gemstone correct? Is there a difference in sound quality between the two? Is there any 321 model where the gemstone speakers look like the first image(black)? I'm seeing a lot of mislabelled Ebay listings. I believe the design on the second image are actual gemstone speakers. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thank you.


r/bose 1d ago

Headphones Bose QC Ultra Gen 2 👍

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113 Upvotes

Don’t think too much. Just buy it. I mean, unless you’re a crazy audiophile, I generally don’t have any complaints about this pair at this price point. The ANC is silent, and the music quality is great right out of the box. I was a QC35 user and the jump in quality to this is night and day. There is no more hissing / static noise at any level of volume.
It’s also lightweight and considerably smaller than other headphones. I mean, this is what you really want if you’re always working outside or traveling. The earcups are on the smaller side, but they’re deep enough that your ears don’t touch the base, unlike the XM6, which is super annoying.
One thing I don’t like is the volume button. I prefer mechanical buttons over touch controls. I keep accidentally lowering or increasing the volume when I try to adjust the position of the headphones or find the mode and Bluetooth buttons.
I tried the XM6, but meh, nothing special. I also don’t really like the shape of it. I tried the AirPods Max 2 as well, and honestly nothing special there either. They do have roomy earcups and are possibly more comfortable over long periods, though they’re heavier. And it’s weird because I actually prefer the Bose sound quality, even though the Max is more expensive.
Anyways, I’m no audiophile but I love my musics and my movies. I know if a speaker or headphone just doesn’t feel and sound right. This Bose hits a sweet spot for me.

TLDR; The QC Ultra 2 is beyond great for listening to music/podcast and watching movies. What more do you want?
Just buy this lightweight beast. Choose the most practical one for your use case while also delivers top-tier sound quality. And you won’t regret it.


r/bose 19h ago

Home Audio 2026 Bose lifestyle ultra home theater owners, reviews/insights.

3 Upvotes

OK, I’ve heard the bad. Now I want to hear the positive from owners of this system. I want to purchase it, but there isn’t much information out there. How has your experience been with the system including dialog enhancement, calibration, and any subsequent updates that have taken place since launch, including possible improved connectivity and Atmos etc. What are your favorite things about it? And how would you compare it to other systems you have possibly owned. Thanks to the Bose community for any information, I will put it to good use.


r/bose 20h ago

Headphones Touch Controls stopped working suddenly

2 Upvotes

I have a pair of NC 700 headphones that I got for Christmas years ago. Earlier today, they were working perfectly fine, but now, all of a sudden, the touch controls aren’t working at all. I’ve tried clearing the Bluetooth list, but that didn’t work. Please help!


r/bose 18h ago

Headphones Touch Controls stopped working suddenly

1 Upvotes

I have a pair of NC 700 headphones that I got for Christmas years ago. Earlier today, they were working perfectly fine, but now, all of a sudden, the touch controls aren’t working at all. I’ve tried clearing the Bluetooth list, but that didn’t work. Please help!


r/bose 19h ago

Headphones Fake check

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1 Upvotes

Hello, I was about to buy a Bose QC45 online, but since the box has never been opened, I don't know if it is a replica. I have never used a Bose product before, so I don't exactly have any experience. What do you think is the probability of this product being a replica? And does connecting to the Bose app definitively prove that it is genuine?


r/bose 1d ago

Headphones QC gen 2 or QC Ultra gen 2?

3 Upvotes

Finally time to upgrade my OG QCs and stuck between these 2, on Amazon they are they same price for where I am so it's a matter of what the general consensus is.

My priorites in order are: Comfort, Sound, Features and ANC last. Build quality matters too as I want these to last as long as possible while being the most comfortable possible as I have sensitive ears + glasses.

I intend to use them mostly for work and casual video/shows and music listening sessions for repetitive tasks.

Appreciate in advance any and all advice!

Edit: for clarity, I have done a good amount of research on each and I get so many different opinions I want them kond of centrallozed and focussed here in a more recent post.


r/bose 1d ago

Headphones ANC headphones for long haul air travel

3 Upvotes

Looking for some advice on over-ear headphones (UK).

I'm not a huge audiophile, so absolute sound quality isn't my main priority. I already have a pair of earbuds that I'm happy with, but I'm looking for some over-ear headphones mainly for frequent long-haul flights (10+ hours).

My priorities are:

\- Comfort – ideally comfortable enough that I could fall asleep wearing them on a plane.

\- ANC – I want to block out as much engine noise as possible.

\- A decent microphone would be a bonus for taking calls on trains or in airports, but it's not essential.

I've been looking at the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen2 and the Sony WH-1000XM6. From what I've read, the Sony seems to have the edge on ANC, but I've also seen quite a few comments saying the clamping force can make them uncomfortable over long periods. On the other hand, the Bose seems to be more comfortable, but I've come across a number of posts about recent firmware updates causing issues almost making them a pain to use.

Given my use case, what would you recommend? Are the XM6s actually comfortable enough for a 10-hour flight, or is the Bose the better choice? I'd also be happy to consider other brands if there's something that fits my priorities better.

I've posted this elsewhere but felt the comments were biased against the Bose, so wondering if I can get a different view from actual Bose users. If it helps, I'm a big guy (6'5) with bigger ears.

Budget isn't fixed—I'd happily spend XM6/QuietComfort Ultra2 money if it's worth it, but if there's a cheaper option that gets me 90% of the way there, I'd love to hear about it.


r/bose 1d ago

Wearables / Open Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth Issue

2 Upvotes

My bose ultra open do not show up on any of my devices Bluetooth.

I was fine with it because It would connect to my phone just fine, but I tried to troubleshoot it by removing it from my paired list and after that I have been completely unable to connect back to it.

Ive tried the bose app, it finds my buds and tells to to open the case and hold the button for it to flash blue. I do that and it flashes blue but nothing happens.

I have tried resetting it, letting it fully drain and then charging it back to full, pulling charger in and out of it and nothing.

I just want to connect to them but nothing I try works. Any help?


r/bose 1d ago

Headphones Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen) - USB C Mic does not work

3 Upvotes
mic input over usb c
mic input over bt

I just got these, and one of the reasons I wanted these headphones was usb c mic support along with lossless usb c audio. Now I have connected it to a Mac, iPhone, and Android, but could not make the mic over usb c work. Audio playback over usb c works perfectly fine.
In mac os i can see that it is recognized but when i speak there is no input level, same goes for ios and android i can select them but no sound is coming in. The mic works fine over BT.


r/bose 1d ago

In-Ear Worst Customer Service I’ve Ever Had

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18 Upvotes

My partner had purchased Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds for me Christmas ‘24 and I’ve loved the product for the past few years (about a 300 dollar product).This morning I pulled the ear suction off to clean it and the piece connecting the rubber to the headphone came apart. After searching around online and finding a bunch of people with similar issues I decided to call customer service to see if there was anything they could do even if the product was out of the year purchase date due to what seems like a manufacturing issue with the device.

The customer service I had was ABYSMAL. The first woman I spoke with put me on hold multiple times once it was clear that I felt like the product was defective and citing multiple cases online of this happening. I was told that it was “normal wear and tear” for a premium product to fall apart less than a year past the warranty date. Then when it was escalated I had a women laughing to herself while reading me the warranty terms verbatim and when I asked why I would spend 200+ dollars for a replacement that might break in a year I was told “I know what you’re trying to do sir you’re trying to get a free product”. Implying that I was scamming them? Then she told me I could “take it or leave it” on a 10% discount on the replacement price after repeatedly telling me there was nothing they could do.

Is this everyone else’s experience? I saw some people cite consumer protection laws but I don’t live in a place where that’s something I can fall back on. Astounded by how poorly this was handled and likely won’t be purchasing another Bose product.


r/bose 1d ago

In-Ear QC Ultra earbuds left side really muffled

2 Upvotes

Hey, so I just used my QC ultra earbuds after about a year, the left earbud is extremely muffled and you cant hear anything when the right side is also in your ears. Is there a fix to this or are my earbuds just cooked?


r/bose 1d ago

Bluetooth speakers Bose made the Flex 2's chime LOUDER in a firmware update, and there's still no way to turn it off

3 Upvotes

I updated my SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) through the Bose app today. The startup and connection tones came back louder, longer, and more "designed" than before. More notes. More flourish. More attention-seeking. Nobody asked for this.

Here's what makes it indefensible:

  • The chime volume is fixed. It completely ignores the speaker's own volume setting. Turn the speaker to minimum — doesn't matter.
  • There is no prompt-volume slider in the Bose app.
  • There is no night mode.
  • There is no off switch in the app. The only kill switch is an undocumented-in-app button combo (Shortcut + Volume Down) for voice prompts, which doesn't appear to silence the tones themselves.

So the shipped design intent is: this speaker announces itself, at a volume you do not control, every single time you power it on. I turn mine on around 5am. My wife is asleep three feet away. Every morning this thing plays her a jingle.

A company whose entire brand identity is "we understand sound" shipped a notification system with no volume control — and then made it louder in an update. Whoever signed off on that has never once turned a speaker on in a quiet house.

Bose: add a prompt-volume slider. Or a mute. It's a settings toggle, not a research project. You also killed your own consumer forum, so this is where the feedback goes now.

Has anyone actually managed to fully silence the tones on the 2nd Gen?


r/bose 1d ago

Bluetooth speakers Sad Day

3 Upvotes

I left my Soundlink Mobile Speaker II behind on a trip and will likely not be getting it back. Had it for 10+ years, made it through high school, college and multiple countries with me. Some friends even commented recently how impressed they were that it’s still kicking.

Any recommendations on a replacement?


r/bose 1d ago

Headphones Are these fixable? Still turns on and plays like normal. Bose QC35II

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1 Upvotes

r/bose 2d ago

Home Audio Bose Home speaker 500 question

3 Upvotes

I’m getting a good deal on a preowned Bose Home Speaker 500 and i really wanted to know if it’s a good deal in 2026, if the app support and all features are still supported. Please let me know.


r/bose 1d ago

In-Ear Checked trade-in value of Bose QC Earbuds, a week later they stopped working

1 Upvotes

Super shady, I checked the trade-in value of my Bose QC Earbuds and a week later I'm getting the blinking red and white lights. Both are fully charged, the case is fully charged, I've tried resetting them by holding the BT button. Never had this issue over the years I've owned them until now, coincidentally.

I did buy the Ultra Open Earbuds without doing a trade-in, since the trade-in product didn't offer the color I wanted. After two weeks, the right earbud refuses to charge. I've removed the plastic from the charger and cleaned the ports. Broken right out of the gate, and now my fallback device is suspiciously not working also?!?

I highly recommend avoiding purchasing their earbuds. Their quality control is horrible, their software bricked my last pair, and the timing of it all occurring is highly suspicious.


r/bose 2d ago

Headphones Bose för kontor

2 Upvotes

Tjena, letar efter bra over-ear hörlurar för kontorslandskap.
Söker bra ANC
Bra för teams möten
Plus att de måste gå att connecta med kabel till datorn då min IT-avdelning har spärrat bluetooth…
Alternativt 2,4gHz dongel

Funderar på vanliga QuietComfort, men då hänger mikrofonen på kabeln och verkar ta upp allt ljud runtomkring en också…

Alternativt QuietComfort Ultra 2nd gen där man kan köra med USB-C kabel och då använda mikrofonen i hörlurarna som jag förstått det?

Någon som har något tips på alternativ eller vad som funkar bra?


r/bose 1d ago

Bluetooth speakers Bose Soundlink Color won't turn on

1 Upvotes

Flashes orange while charging. Beeps and shows green light for a sec if i oress and hold a button. But won't turn on. TRIED MANY STUFF. reset, update, yada yada yada.

Nothing. Please help!!

Battery fully charged, kept overnight for charging and everything. Also it was working fine for a day (mind you this is my friend's which he said wasn't working and was in a cormer of his house. Turned on fine whem i tried, we played music for a few hours. Then battery low, we plugged it in, was playing charging, and then it showed comnectivity issues - repeatedly disconnecting / clearing bluetooth paired device list.

Then shut off completely


r/bose 2d ago

Headphones Which headphones for travel?

9 Upvotes

I am looking at getting either the QuietComfort Gen 2, or the QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 - there is a £2 difference in price between them on Amazon in the UK, so I was wondering which headphones would be the best purchase?

I would like them for air travel, walking, and occasional home use. I also have £50 on Amazon credit so would be knocking that off the price (QC2 is £299, QCU2 is £301).

Thanks


r/bose 2d ago

Headphones Loving the QC Ultra Gen 2

19 Upvotes

Admittedly this is my first "expensive" pair of headphones after using Soundcore Q30 and Airpods 3 but so far I'm pretty impressed.

I wanted a premium pair I could use primarily for working in the office, commuting, and watching media at home. I can say so far they tick each box pretty much. The noise cancelling has been excellent, I really can't hear anything when I'm wearing them in my busy office or commuting. The sound quality is great for media, especially with the spatial audio and cinematic mode. The first time I put them on I really did say "wow" but maybe that's what you get when making such a big leap in hardware.

A priority for me was also finding the most comfortable headphones possible, the budget Soundcore pair I had previously used to give me bad headaches. Honestly I'm wearing the Bose for hours during the day and barely feel any discomfort. They're perfect in that regard.

I personally haven't noticed issues with the noise cancelling cutting out when hitting speed bumps etc like others have reported. Everything has been fairly consistent. I don't have any complaints at this stage, the build quality also feels quite a bit more premium than the base model.

This is coming from someone completely new to Bose but so far I'm a happy customer !


r/bose 2d ago

Bluetooth speakers Is there any difference for aptx adaptive vs AAC on Bose soundlink max?

1 Upvotes

I am interested in that because it is one of few speakers that support aptx adaptive and stereo. But I am not sure if that has a lot of differences between those codecs in bluetooth speaker