Bose calls these things "in-ear headphones." Maybe "earbuds" isn't a fancy enough term when the world's most aggressively marketed audio brand expands its portable audio line into iPod-accessory territory. As the only mega-market audio manufacturer still ruled with an iron fist by its founder, Bose has always enjoyed a mixed reputation: reviled by audiophiles for the price/performance ratio of its speakers, loved by consumers for the instinctive hipness of everything else it makes, and perhaps slightly underrated for its growing headphone line, which includes the TriPorts, the larger noise-cancelling QuietComfort2, and the smaller rechargable QuietComfort3. How does its latest contender fit into that crowd? Click below to find out.

These Bose-buds have already caused a tempest in a TriPort, having made their debut with a splashy TV ad campaign that gave way to "stability issues" — that is, complaints about ill-fitting earpads. To mollify annoyed consumers, Bose offers a free upgrade with three sizes of silicone earpad plus a lanyard and clip to reduce tugging. These items will ship with the second generation, of course. The earpads are cleverly color-coded. The middle size (grey) comes installed, while the small (white) and large (black) sizes are supplied. Changing the earpads is surprisingly easy, an inaudible but tactile click signaling when they're in place.

Most human bodies are stubbornly asymmetrical, whether you know it or not. I've always known my right hand is larger than my left, though it came as a shock when my optometrist told me my face is also lopsided and my nose turned to one side. Sure enough, the midsized pad fit snugly into my left ear, but wouldn't stay put in the right. Switching to the large size seemed to help. But how much? The answer came unexpectedly when my iPod nano slipped out of my lap and nearly hit the floor. The Bose-bud's sweet two-toned cord stopped it and the buds didn't come loose in either ear. I dropped the player several more times to see how long it would take to dislodge the buds. After 10 tries, the jack came out of my nano and the player hit the carpeted floor. I didn't press my luck.

And guess what? The Bose-buds sounded good, even compared to the Sony MDR-NC11 ($99) and Shure i4c ($319) that I normally use in situations where my larger and deeply loved Grado SR60s are too bulky. The midbass response didn't emasculate the basses and cellos in a vigorous performance of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony by the Christopher Eschenbach and the Philadelphia Orchestra. And the drum sound on Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti was reasonably Bonzo-esque. There was a slight thickness in the lower midrange and upper bass, but anyone used to thin earbud sound would probably welcome that.

Though the $100 pricetag has raised eyebrows, it's nowhere near the multiple hundreds of dollars other manufacturers are charging for earbuds that sound no better. The only remaining question is whether the two-tone cord will become a badge of coolness or a red flag to Bose haters. But one thing's for sure. The sight and sound of Apple's buds in your face are already passé. — Al Boline