I test audio products for a living, which means I've got a bastion of Bose alternatives under my belt. I’ve probably spent upwards of 500 hours testing, analyzing, and reviewing audio gear. But I haven’t only been testing audio gear, I’ve been enjoying it.
I’ve reviewed some of the best headphones, best earbuds, and best speakers. I’ve listened to the world’s first self-described ‘8K’ Bluetooth earbuds, some of the priciest audiophile wired headphones on the market, and speakers with enough bass to rattle my bones.
However, if I’ve learned anything over the past year, it’s that Bose is wildly overrated. Most people wax lyrical about Bose’s sound quality, ANC, and style. Don’t get me wrong, Bose gear is decent, but there’s much, much better stuff out there — sometimes for a fraction of the price. Let me walk you through some of the best Bose alternatives on the market today. What's even better is that three of these five alternatives are discounted in President's Day deals.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones alternative
This is it: the creme de la creme. The piece de resistance. The best of the best. Most people talk about the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones with some kind of gilded reverence. I'm not about to tell those people they're wrong, but they are. I said what I said.
Sonos Ace
When not on sale, the Sonos Ace headphones aren't cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones. They're actually $20 more expensive. However, for that extra $20, you get hundreds of dollars worth of sound quality.
And thanks to President's Day, the Sonos Ace headphones are a huge $100 off, down to just $349.
Although Tom's Guide's review of the Sonos Ace was not written by me, I have personally used these headphones. I actually listened to them simultaenously with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for side-by-side comparison testing.
While the QC Ultras sounded muddled during heavy tracks, the Sonos Ace translated heavy, thick guitars with admirable detail. The 40mm drivers on the Ace are custom-designed by Sonos engineers, so you won't get this sound quality anywhere else. Most wireless headphones are bass-heavy (Bose included), but the Sonos Ace have superior clarity, perfect for those detail listeners. If you're a bass fanatic, though, you can easily amp up that bass EQ on the Sonos app.
The Ace cans might even impress some audiophiles, thanks to the aptX compatibility and 3.5mm aux connectivity. Unfortunately, the Aces don't have ALAC (Apple's lossless codec), but that's an Apple problem, not a Sonos problem. Only Apple headphones and earbuds have ALAC, which you can only use on Apple Music. For iPhone audiophiles, I'd recommend listening via the provided 3.5mm USB-C cable.
Bose QuietComfort headphones alternative
The cheaper version of the highly praised Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, QuietComfort headphones are $349 from Amazon. But you can get some over-ear cans that perform even better for only $199.
Soundcore Space One Pro
In my 4.5-star review of the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones, I praised the excellent (if bassy) sound quality, fantastic companion app, and supreme comfort. But there's so much more to the Space One Pro, if you just dig a little deeper.
The Space One Pro headphones do what no others can. How many times have you downloaded an audio companion app, just to immediately close it and never reopen again? I have so many times. Even JBL and EarFun apps are useless to me.
Soundcore's app, on the other hand, is a marvel. Once connected to your headphones, the app takes you on a sonic adventure as it creates a personalized EQ based on your listening preferences. If you've ever been for an eyesight test, it's basically the same thing. "Do you prefer lens A, or lens B?" On the Soundcore app, that's, "Do you prefer EQ A or EQ B?"
From your responses, the Soundcore app generates you a personalized EQ called HearID. Color me surprised, but HearID is actually astronomically effective. As you can see above, HearID generated me a bass-heavy EQ with a little increase in the treble. I could not get enough of this during listening.
Don't get me wrong — the Bose QuietComfort headphones are good. But for $150 less, the Soundcore Space One Pro offer something better.
Bose SoundLink Flex alternative
In my review of the Bose SoundLink Flex, I criticized the speaker's lack of customization and disappointing sound quality. But don't fret — there's a much better option on the market.
Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2
I have some fantastic news. When I wrote my review of the Fender x Teufel Rockster Go 2, it was $129, which I still thought was a reasonable price. However, in February 2025, the Rockster Go 2 has dropped down to an unbelievable $89. Yes, it is now $40 cheaper, with all the same sound quality.
Bose SoundLink Flex was majorly disappointing due to one critical reason: its sound quality. The nonexistent groove, and tinny mids paved the way for a mediocre listening experience. Bose claims to have fixed these issues with the Flex Gen 2, but I have yet to test the new version.
Regardless, no worries. Because I've got something better anyway. I've got something that doesn't just look the part, but sounds better, too.
Despite not having any hi-res 'lossless' Bluetooth codecs, I doubt you'd be able to notice. The Rockster Go 2 is a compact speaker that sounds like something much bigger. The mids and trebles are detailed, clear, and not lost in the melee of bass-heavy tracks.
While I wouldn't recommend it for floor-shaking house parties, the Rockster Go 2's IP67 rating makes it the perfect choice for beach get-togethers and intimate camping trips.
Bose SoundLink Max alternative
The behemoth of Bose's speaker lineup isn't as good as you'd think — especially not for the SoundLink Max's $399 asking price. I've got something with even more oomph up my sleeve...
Tribit StormBox Blast 2
I'll be the first person to admit that the Tribit StormBox Blast 2 doesn't look as objectively cool as the Bose SoundLink Max. But, oh heck, does it sound better. The Max is pretty lackluster, unless in stereo mode — which means you have to buy two.
You can save even more at the moment, too, thanks to this President's Day deal.
As I discussed in my Tribit StormBox Blast 2 review, the 80W subwoofer on this monster will make your bones shake. This is the ultimate party speaker. Nothing is too loud or too bassy for this beast. It'll make light word of even the dirtiest DnB tracks, the heaviest of all heavy metal, and the floor-filling house songs.
The StormBox Blast 2 has stereo mode, much like the Bose SoundLink Max, and mic input. Yes — the StormBox Blast 2 could even transform into a karaoke machine, should the moment be right. The SoundLink Max can do many things, but can it become a karaoke machine? Not unless you love the sound of silent karaoke.
Bose QuietComfort earbuds alternative
Tom's Guide's reviews team Nikita Achanta reviewed the Bose QuietComfort earbuds. We share a desk, so I watched her go through the testing process every step of the way. While she liked the earbuds, she commented that some affordable buds she tested previously were just as good.
EarFun Air Pro 4
In our 4.5-star EarFun Air Pro 4 review, my coworker Nikita lauded the budget buds' excellent sound quality, silky smooth comfort, and the range of hi-res audio codecs. While not massively discounted for President's Day, these earbuds are still discounted.
Despite being just $95, the EarFun Air Pro 4 are a serious contender for some of the best earbuds in general. And when you consider their budget price? It's almost a no-brainer. The Air Pro 4s have hi-res codecs like aptX and LDAC, which makes them some of the best cheap wireless earbuds we've ever tested. Do Bose QuietComfort earbuds have that? Nope.
While these buds don't have the personalized EQ I adored on the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones, the EarFun app still has a customizable EQ. Users can increase bass, mids, or trebles to their preference. You'd be surprised how detailed these earbuds are, considering their sub-$100 price tag.
One of the major improvements from the Air Pro 3 to the Air Pro 4 is the addition of wear detection. The wear detection on the Bose QuietComfort earbuds is a little janky, but the Air Pro 4's is smooth and seamless.
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