Noise Master Buds Max review: Premium Bose DNA at a price that feels almost unreal

Bose has long been my personal gold standard for consumer audio. The QuietComfort line shaped my expectations for noise cancellation, clarity, and comfort. The only downside has always been the price. You pay for excellence, and you pay a lot.

So when Bose teamed up with Indian brand Noise to tune a pair of over-ear headphones that cost a fraction of typical Bose gear, I was curious. After using the Master Buds Max for days, I am more than curious. I am impressed. These headphones do not feel like a compromise. They feel like a breakthrough.

Design, Comfort, and Practical Touches

From the moment you unbox them, the Master Buds Max feel reassuringly premium. The earcups are plush, soft, and breathable enough to avoid the sweaty discomfort that cheaper over-ears tend to cause. The weight distribution is excellent. I wore them through long flights, office days, and late-night sessions without a single hot spot or pressure ache.

The foldable design is a thoughtful addition, making them easy to tuck into a backpack or sling bag. I would have preferred a proper hard case instead of the dustbag you get, but at this price, that might be asking for a bit too much.

A small feature that quickly became a favourite is auto-pause. Take off the headphones and the audio instantly stops. After weeks of using the Nothing Headphone 1, which lacks this, it felt like returning to a standard that should never disappear. When you are hopping between calls, coffee orders, and gate announcements, these little conveniences are priceless.

Physical controls are kept simple. Power and volume sit on the right earcup, while anything more advanced happens inside the Noise Audio app. It is a clean division of labour that works far better than the overcomplicated gesture systems some rivals chase.

App, Smart Features, and Custom Controls

Noise’s companion app is surprisingly robust. You can toggle Adaptive ANC, switch to Transparency Mode, adjust EQ settings, and try spatial audio. Everything responds quickly, and nothing feels hidden behind unnecessary menus.

A feature I ended up using more than expected was focus mode, which locks your onboard controls. Perfect for avoiding accidental button presses when you are lying down or adjusting the headphones.

There is also Find My Headphones, and honestly, every wireless audio device should have this built in.

Audio Performance

Bose’s influence is immediately noticeable. These headphones have weighty bass that avoids the usual budget boomy mess. It thumps cleanly without swallowing the mids, and vocals sit comfortably above the mix.

Across Bollywood, indie rock, and chart toppers, the Master Buds Max kept up with energy and clarity. Songs like As It Was sounded crisp, lively, and rounded enough to feel premium. The mids can flatten occasionally, especially in more layered arrangements, but the Dynamic EQ balances the overall sound signature based on volume and environment. It helps more often than not.

The biggest surprise came with Taylor Swift’s The Fate of Ophelia. The soft piano, the layered vocals, the controlled bass swell during the chorus; the headphones created a sense of space I did not expect at this price. It felt intimate and cinematic in a way I usually associate with far more expensive gear.

For everyday listeners, these headphones deliver more than enough richness. For budding audiophiles, there is enough fidelity here to raise eyebrows.

Noise Cancellation and Battery Life

Adaptive ANC is genuinely strong for the price segment. It muffles low-frequency hums, chatter, and traffic noise effectively, creating the kind of bubble that lets you focus on work or drift into music without distraction. The transition from ANC to Transparency is smooth, and the transparency itself sounds natural.

Battery life is another victory lap. Noise claims 60 hours on a full charge, and my usage definitely came close to that, especially with ANC off. Even better, a 10-minute quick charge gives you 10 hours of playback. That is the kind of convenience that changes how you use headphones.

Verdict

At Rs 9,999, the Noise Master Buds Max deliver the level of comfort, tuning, and noise cancellation you normally expect from brands that charge more than double. The Bose partnership shines through in all the right places. The design feels premium, the ANC is stronger than expected, and the audio experience ranges from satisfying to genuinely impressive.

Are there compromises? Slightly flat mids here and there. A missing hard case. Some feature limitations compared to flagship Bose products. But none of these undercut the value on offer.

The Master Buds Max proves something important. Premium listening no longer has to be exclusive or expensive. Noise has crafted a pair of headphones that feel ready for everyday life, long journeys, frantic commutes, and lazy playlists. They are comfortable, immersive, and easy to recommend to almost anyone.