We love technology, its advances and music. Having said that, we personally recognize when music should be at arm’s length, for example, we’re not a fan of having music in the shower. For us a hard surface, slippery bubbles and music doesn’t seem like a natural fit. When we first tried the Bose Frames, the first audio sunglasses with built-in Bose speakers we were lukewarm. Then we tried them with music that we normally listen to and are 100% a convert. They check off all of the marks (almost) so perfectly that you wish they came in a prescription option so that you could wear them all the time.
We received the Bose Frames Rondo and Bose Frames Alto from Best Buy to try out and review. On the surface the look similar to any high-end sunglasses that you’d wear, but the biggest difference with these are the Bose name and the sound that they produce. These are not earbuds. With these, the farthest point on the arm of the sunglasses actually live up to their names and are an earpiece. They have speakers in each earpiece that allow you to listen to music, take phone calls and engage with others, all the while, listening to music.
For us that’s a game changer. We love the full emersion experience of headphones, but are keenly aware that putting them on all but puts you into a sound-proof closet. The Bose Frames allow you do experience the music, phone calls or meetings all while you’re simply wearing sunglasses. You’re able to hear some background noise, but also able to completely and fully hear, talk, engage in conversation or relax to music while you wear them.
The button the bottom of the right arm allows you to control any aspect of sound. You can turn it on/off, reject phone calls, play/pause music or access your smart speaker. We also discovered that if you have two pairs of Bose Frames you can switch back and forth between the person that you’re calling. My wife experienced that firsthand when my son and I were figuring out the distance and aspects of what the glasses can do.
They are solid, well built and a complete luxury that make things more relaxing. We put the speakers in the Bose Frames Alto Small to the test on our back porch. For us, the go-to sonic test is Pink Floyd, Live at Pompeii, although, David Gilmour, Live at Pompeii is equally as great of a test. The Bose Frames brought out highs, lows, echoes and silence that I love about that music. I also tried it with something louder and more immersive and the sunglasses did not disappoint from an auditory point of view.
Next we took the show on the road, or rather to the back yard and raked some leaves. It could have easily have been to the beach, or the lake or the mountains, but I was relaxing. It was a two-tiered method of relaxing where I was outside, doing something fun while listening to music that I love. All the while it wasn’t obtrusive; I didn’t have large headphones or small earbuds that didn’t allow the outside world to impact me.
I could still hear what was happening in the background while the sound coming from the Bose Frames was occupying the foreground. During the atmospheric parts of the music the actual background noises from the wind or the animals actually made the music better! Granted, your music or conversations will differ, but it stands to reason that subtle background sounds could enhance anything.
At times while wearing the Bose Frames I expected images to pop up on the lens. They didn’t and they won’t. These are a mobile form of music and communication, disguised as sunglasses in a relaxing, covert form of entertainment that only you will realize what’s happening.
The Bose Frames Rondo are smaller and have rounder, while the Bose Frames Alto come in Large and Small, depending on what size fits your face the best. As someone who is sensitive to light I also appreciated that they block 99%. The lens are also shatter and scratch-resistant, because you don’t live life sitting down do you?
This is a sponsored post. All thoughts are our own.
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr
GooglePlus
Youtube