While we may no longer be selling Bose Sleepbuds II, we haven’t forgotten about Sleepbuds II owners. We still offer free technical support. You can also contact us by phone or text if you have an issue that can’t be solved using our troubleshooting guide or information found in the owner’s guide, which is still available to download.
Overview
FAQs
How do I know if my mobile device is compatible?
Your device must support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). Apple devices with iOS 11 or later are compatible, as well as most devices with Android 6.0 and later.
Can I listen to my own music or audiobooks with Sleepbuds™ II?
No. They will not stream your own music, audiobooks, or podcasts. Instead, they play specially curated relaxation content to help you fall asleep and masking sounds to keep noises from disturbing sleep. In order to achieve a form factor small enough to be comfortable for sleeping, and accommodate a battery that can support sound playback for an entire night, we made the conscious design decision not to stream audio to Sleepbuds™. Instead, the sound files are stored on each of the earbuds and played back locally, dramatically extending the audio playback time achievable in this tiny form factor.
Can I upload my own sounds?
No. All sounds are provided by Bose within the Bose Sleep app to optimize the masking and/or relaxation experience.
Why does the product use noise masking rather than noise cancellation? How does noise masking differ from noise cancellation?
Although Bose pioneered noise cancelling technology, we found that masking is better for addressing noises that disturb sleep.
Noise cancelling technology continuously measures, compares, and reacts to outside noise, then cancels it with the opposite signal. In Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling™ products, noise cancellation is combined with passive blocking to achieve a good reduction of sound at all frequencies. However, no combination of passive and active technologies for reducing the sound entering a user’s ear can make unwanted noises completely inaudible.
Masking, on the other hand, introduces a soothing, desirable sound to help the brain ignore the disturbance. Masking works because of the way different sounds combine in our inner ears; if they have the right match of frequencies and the masking sound is just enough louder than the disturbing sound, the inner ear and brain cannot detect the disturbing sound. Cancellation creates quiet in our ear canals; masking — in the right conditions — creates quiet in our minds.
What is the difference between Bose noise-masking sleepbuds™ and Bose Sleepbuds™ II?
We made considerable improvements in Bose Sleepbuds™ II:
Sleepbuds™ II use nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery technology, which has a 30-year history of use in both consumer and medical products. The earbuds have battery life of up to 10 hours. Although less than the 16 hours of the original noise-masking sleepbuds™, this is still enough for a full night’s sleep.
Further, the storage case can recharge the buds three times, providing a total of up to 40 hours of use versus 32 for the original Sleepbuds™.
Noise-masking capabilities are improved through a change in the bud design, which led to better passive blocking of noise, as well as further optimization of masking sounds around a new, better-performing driver.
An expanded content library includes more options for noise-masking and relaxation with the addition of nature sounds and soothing music. More content will be added through future software updates.
Connecting the buds to the app is more reliable. It is also easier to consistently place the buds in the case correctly, thanks to a repositioning of the magnets on the buds and a design tweak to how they align within the case.
The addition of an anti-friction surface is designed to avoid any noise made when the earbuds are rubbed against a pillow.
We are committed to continually adding new features and content over time.
Why do Sleepbuds™ II use a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery? Why wasn’t an NiMH battery used in the original Bose noise-masking sleepbuds™?
The NiMH battery technology used in Sleepbuds™ II has a track record of more than 30 years in consumer and medical products. The particular cell we selected for Bose Sleepbuds™ II allows for the tiny bud size needed for side-sleeping comfort, the power needed for all-night playback, and the reliability and safety Bose customers expect.
The battery technology used in the original Sleepbuds™ offered high-energy capacity in a small, safe package; however, during the product’s time on the market, a number of customers experienced issues with their Sleepbuds™ not charging fully and/or powering down unexpectedly. As a result of researching the issue, we decided to discontinue the product.
Electronics have become meaningfully more efficient in the past few years. This allowed us to achieve battery life required for the all-night use case, with the less-energy-dense and proven reliability of an NiMH battery in Sleepbuds™ II.
How has Bose sleep technology been user tested?
In November 2019, Bose sponsored a sleep study, using our first-generation noise-masking sleepbuds, to explore the effectiveness of our unique combination of noise-masking and noise-blocking sleep technology on improving sleep quality and relaxation. The research was conducted by the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and the UCHealth CARE Innovation Center, with 50 adults participating over a 10-day period.
Results were highly positive. Bose sleep technology was clinically proven to help participants fall asleep faster. In addition, when surveyed, most participants felt the product helped them fall asleep easier (86%) and stay asleep (76%). In addition, 8 out of 10 reported an overall improvement in sleep quality, and all said the technology effectively blocked sounds such as snoring and urban noise. Many participants also reported feeling more relaxed and indicated they would continue using Bose sleep technology following the study.
The Sleepbuds™ II build on Bose’s proven sleep technology and deliver improved noise-masking performance.
Are Bose Sleepbuds™ II a medical product?
No. While the sleep tech found inside Bose Sleepbuds™ II is clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster, Sleepbuds™ themselves are a consumer product. So a doctor’s prescription is not required to purchase them.
What if I don’t want the masking sound to play all night?
When possible, Bose Sleepbuds™ II default to playing select sounds all night. However, you can choose to schedule a timer if you don’t want sounds to play all night. This timer can be set within the Bose Sleep app, and the sound will fade out when the timer ends.
How long does it take to load a new sound to my Sleepbuds™ II, and will I need to delete a sound to make room?
The transfer time depends on the mobile device (operating system, manufacturer, version) and the size of the sound file. While most transfers should take less than 10 minutes, transferring a large file on an older device may take up to an hour. Bose recommends initiating the transfer early to ensure it’s complete by bedtime.
Sleepbuds™ II store sound files directly on each of the Sleepbuds™. Because of the small form factor of Sleepbuds™ II, the amount of storage is limited. Sleepbuds™ II will reach a point when memory is full, and you will need to delete one or more sound files before adding a new one. The requirement to delete a sound is based on the combined size of all of the sounds on Sleepbuds™ II, not on the number of sounds. The size of each sound file varies. The Bose Sleep app will tell you when you need to delete a sound or sounds before transferring a new one from the Sound Library.
How do Sleepbuds™ II affect my ability to hear smoke alarms, a child crying, intruders, etc.?
Sleepbuds™ II are designed to mask unwanted nighttime noise and disturbances. Because of this, they can affect your ability to hear other sounds, such as alarms, warning systems, people, or pets.
To balance the levels of noise masking and awareness desired, you can set an appropriate volume level for your needs within the Bose Sleep app. The volume should be high enough to mask disturbing noises, but not so high that you can’t confidently be awoken by the sounds you want to hear. If you are still concerned about your ability to hear sounds while wearing Sleepbuds™ II, you may want to take alternative measures, such as relying on a partner, wearing only one earbud, or scheduling the masking sound timer.
Will I still hear the wake-up alarm if the phone battery dies during the night?
Yes. In the event the phone battery dies and the phone disconnects from Sleepbuds™ II, they will still play the first scheduled alarm automatically. So, as long as the earbuds still have battery life, you will still hear a wake-up alarm.
What are Phone Call Alerts? Can I answer a phone call through Sleepbuds™ II?
No. Sleepbuds™ II will only notify you of an incoming call. Phone Call Alerts are notifications sent through Sleepbuds™ II to wake you when a phone call comes in. In order to answer the call, you must remove Sleepbuds™ II and use the mobile device. Please note that Sleepbuds™ adhere to the device’s Do Not Disturb setting and will not notify you when this feature is enabled.
Do Sleepbuds™ II emit electromagnetic or RF radiation?
Yes. This is the case for all products based on Bluetooth technology. However, Bose Sleepbuds™ II are designed to achieve ultra-low radiation exposure. During an entire night, Sleepbuds™ emit a fraction of what traditional Bluetooth headsets emit during a single phone call.
If you are still concerned about radiation risks, you may choose to use Phone-free Mode. While functionality is limited in this mode, Sleepbuds™ II do not stay connected to a device during the night, and thus have no emissions after a few minutes have passed.
How will long-term use of Sleepbuds™ II affect my hearing?
Bose has limited the maximum sound pressure level (SPL) output of Sleepbuds™ II to 74 dBA. Based on the WHO-ITU standard for safe listening issued in 2019, the amount of sound energy consumed listening to Sleepbuds™ II at this level daily would be within the safe limit for adults. However, compounding factors such as high sound or noise exposure during waking hours, or exposure to certain chemicals or medications, could lead to a cumulative risk to hearing. To minimize this risk, when using Sleepbuds™ II, you should always set the masking sound volume to the lowest level that allows you to get a good night’s sleep.
