Final thoughts, where2buy, right2reply
Pros
* Look cool (and they're not mugger-attracting white)
* Three sizes of interchangeable earpieces provided
* More comfortable than other earphones I've tried
* Carry case also supplied
* Money-back, no-quibble 30-day guarantee if buying direct from Bose (but delivery adds £7.50 to the cost!)
Cons
* Not as comfortable as I wanted and hoped they would be
* Not white - so people won't know if you're a cool, iPod-listening dude
* That price tag! £65 is a lot to pay for earphones
To my ears, the Bose TriPort IEs sound great. They're also stylish and well made. Heck, they even come with a natty little black carry case. But, sadly, my search for a comfortable pair of earphones goes on.
It might seem strange for a reviewer to say this but, ultimately, it doesn't matter what I think.
That's because, if you buy direct from Bose, all products come with a no-quibble, 30-day money-back guarantee - so you can find out for yourself if the sound quality is good enough and whether, unlike for me, the earphones are sufficiently comfortable for long listening sessions and will stay in place.
A trial will also help you decide whether the TriPort IEs deserve their £69 price tag. But - even putting aside comfort and rejection issues - I don't think they're that good.
HEXUS.certification
Bose TriPort IE
HEXUS Awards
Still at a loss as to what earphones to buy? So are we. But keep an eye on the HEXUS.lifestyle front page for up-coming reviews of other earphones and headphones - as well as a bunch of iPod accessories.
And don't forget to share your thoughts, questions and comments about the Bose TriPort IE and other headsets in this thread in the HEXUS.lifestyle.community.
HEXUS.links
HEXUS.community :: discussion thread about this articleExternal.links
Bose UK - TriPort IE buying pageBose UK - home page
HiFix - TriPort IE buying page
Bose USA - TriPort IE buying page
Bose USA - home page
Day Trips to Europe - home page
HEXUS Where2Buy
Bose UK's own online store sells the TriPort IE for £69 inc VAT but adds a whopping £7.50 for delivery to bring the total to £76.50.HiFix, though, sells for the same price but delivers for free, so is a money-saving bet if you know for sure that you don't need to take Bose up on its no-quibble, 30-day try out.
Bose in the USA charges $100 and adds just $5 added for delivery - and most US dealers appear to stick to the same price.
HEXUS Right2Reply
At HEXUS.net, we invite the companies whose products we test to comment on our articles. If Bose's representatives choose to do so, we'll publish their commentary here verbatim.About John Hill
John Hill created the UK’s first web site dedicated to day trips to Europe, perversely-named DayTripsToEurope.co.uk.This, in one of his more modest moods, he described as "Utterly brilliant and completely without equal".
John is also a technology journalist and comedy writer and has been for over 20 years. He's earned a decent living as a journo but sadly hasn't yet made it big on the comedy scene (nor, in some people's opinions, is he ever likely to!).