Bose is well known in the music industry, mainly because they spend so much money on advertising and self promotion. This is why many non audiophiles purchase Bose. The price is a little higher and everyone kind of assumes "Bose is the best" so they save up their money and get whatever new product they have to offer, thinking it is the best, when many times you can get the same or better quality from other products for much less money. I'm sure some reading this will disagree with me, but this is my opinion and the opinion of many others in the audiophile community.
I say all this because I want to let you know that the Bose IE2 earphones are amazing. They are not just another over hyped Bose product. These earphones provide crisp, clear sound at all volume levels, and the fidelity was better than expected at this price range. I normally prefer over the ear (supra aural) type headphones, my favorite being Grado, a company that doesn't advertise but relies on word of mouth to promote their products (Basically the opposite of Bose). But over the ear headphones aren't realistic in all situations, like working out, or lying down, or when there is limited space. The IE2 headphones really shine because of the StayHear tips that go into your outer ear, keeping them secure even during vigorous movement.
The bass is ample, and doesn't cloud the overall sound as many modern earphones do. The highs are crisp and well balanced and it is always a pleasure to listen to music with these earphones.
A handy clip is provided to relieve strain on the speaker cable, which is relatively thick and sturdy. Overall build quality is good and after a couple months of use, I have not noticed any problems at al, and fully expect these earphones to last a long time.
Yes, I have heard better in-ear phones. Yes, they cost much more money. Expect to pay $200+ for anything that sounds as good as these. If you need earphones that will stay in your ear, just get these. Even $600 earphones will fall out when running if you don't get a perfect fit with the included tips.
So although I will never buy a Bose Wave radio or Sound Dock, I do wholeheartedly recommend these earphones. I was and continue to be pleasantly surprised each time I use them.