Bose Ultra Open Earbuds + Wireless Charging Case Cover Set (Desert Gold / Black) review

This assessment is for Bose's U.S. Ultra Open Earbuds + Wireless Charging Case Cover Set, bundle SKU SET-UOE-WLSCH. The product page identifies a Desert Gold first-generation earbud component, ULT-HEADPHONEOPN-DSGLD-WW, and a Black wireless case-cover component, CMWB-FULT_WLSCH-COVERCASE-BLK. That accessory changes the package's case-charging capability; it does not turn the earbuds into a new generation. The image attached to this review is Bose's exact Desert Gold earbud-component image only, not a photograph of the whole set or a promise about a seller's carton.

Why this is a separate package assessment

The original Ultra Open Black base configuration uses its charging case over USB-C and does not itself establish wireless charging. Bose separately lists a cover that adds wireless charging, and this set page identifies that cover as an included component. That distinction matters if wireless case charging is a must-have: the earbuds-only family name does not tell you which case accessories arrive. See the first-generation Black base-model assessment for the wired-only case configuration. This Desert Gold set is a separate, earlier bundle record because its included charging accessory changes a concrete buying requirement, not because its earbuds have a different audio platform.

The set page names both component IDs and shows the earbud component's box list: two earbuds, a charging case, USB-C cable and safety sheet. It does not publish a consolidated bundle-carton inventory, so confirm the actual seller's components and contents. Bose says the cover enables wireless charging, but the reviewed pages name neither a charging standard nor an included pad. Do not assume Qi, MagSafe or that a pad comes with the set.

The earbuds remain an open cuff, not an ANC set

These are the original ULT-HEADPHONEOPN family, model type 438926, not Bose's separately named second-generation Ultra Open. The earbuds curve around the outside of the ear instead of sealing the canal with a tip. That makes the package relevant when an uncovered ear is a deliberate preference, but it is not a promise that every wearer will find the cuff comfortable or that surroundings will always be audible at a particular volume. An open design also does not substitute for an ANC requirement: Bose's product information says noise cancelling is not included.

The black wireless cover is not a replacement pair of earbuds or a new audio revision; it changes case charging, not the documented fit, codecs or ANC status. Bose's other U.S. set listing pairs the same Desert Gold earbud component with a black protective silicone cover. That is a different accessory and is not described as adding wireless charging, so the two package names are not interchangeable when charging method is essential.

Multipoint is firmware-dependent and still switches one stream

Bose's type-specific guide supports storing up to six devices and connecting to two at once, but it says audio comes from only one source at a time. The firmware history dates the Multipoint addition to version 4.0.22. A used pair may not have the required software installed; check its actual firmware in the Bose app before relying on the second connection. Connecting two devices is not the same as playing two streams at once.

Bose lists SBC and AAC for Bluetooth Classic Audio. The guide also documents aptX Adaptive when the source is Snapdragon Sound-certified and compatible. These are not interchangeable host-side promises: the phone, tablet or computer still needs to support the selected codec and route. I keep aptX Adaptive in a separate single-source plan because the reviewed sources do not establish its combination with the Multipoint setup. The two-device plan is limited to the documented SBC/AAC path.

Battery claims and protection need separate reading

Bose's launch announcement and model guide say up to 7.5 hours of music with Immersive Audio and Auto Volume off, 4.5 with either on and 3.5 with both. Current support specifications instead give 7, 4 and 3 hours. Bose does not explain the difference, so both claim sets remain; up to 19.5 additional case hours is also a manufacturer maximum. None is a measurement of this pair or a forecast for a used battery, and none is ANC runtime on a model without ANC.

Water ratings are component-specific: the type-438926 guide gives the earbuds IPX4 and the underlying case IPX1; the cover has no rating in the reviewed source. Keep all parts dry around charging and follow Bose's care instructions. This set does not meet a requirement for IPX4 earbuds with an unrated case.

Who may shortlist this earlier set?

This is a documented package to consider only if you want an open cuff, do not need ANC and specifically need wireless charging from the included case-cover setup. If those requirements do not fit, the accessory does not rescue the model: it remains non-ANC, does not seal the canal and retains the first-generation case's IPX1 rating. Compare its charging configuration with the later Ultra Open review and with other open-ear designs before deciding whether an earlier model is worthwhile.

Before buying, match the set SKU and both component IDs, confirm first-generation earbuds and the Black wireless cover, and ask what charger, cables and other items arrive. For a used pair, check the case, cover, firmware, battery, seller terms and return window. This is manufacturer-source research, not a hands-on test: no fit trial, battery measurement, microphone trial or ownership is claimed.

Primary references: Bose's U.S. Ultra Open + Wireless Charging Case Cover set and wireless cover; the type 438926 Ultra Open Owner's Guide, Bose's current specifications and firmware history; and the distinct silicone-cover set. Manufacturer maximums and capability descriptions are not independent test results.