Submitted by divinewrite t3_1272sj6 in headphones

These headphones are great... for some things.

THE GOOD

  • They're VERY light and comfortable. The moment you put them on, you forget they're there. They don't move around (no matter how much you sweat) and the band that goes around the back of your head doesn't get caught when you turn your head, even if you're wearing a bike helmet. And even if they do happen to move a little, you don't notice because it doesn't change the audio quality or volume, and you never feel like they're at risk of coming off. They're easy to put on and take off too.
  • They're great for audiobooks and podcasts, which is what I use them for.
  • You can still hear everything that's going on around you.
  • Absolutely no problems fitting them with glasses or bike helmet. Again, for me, it's like they're not even there.
  • The volume is pretty good. You can hear the audio over MOST external noises. (More on this below.)
  • Solid battery life.
  • Good, big, actual clickable buttons. No unreliable gestures.

THE NOT QUITE AS GOOD

  • They DON'T sound good. Not even as good as the cheapest set of buds or over-ears I've used. Don't be fooled by their marketing or other reviews into thinking otherwise. Yes, you can HEAR the music clearly, but I'd never use them to LISTEN to music, to immerse myself in it. They're tinny. I'd use them for music only if I wanted something in the background. It's much like placing your phone near your ear and playing music. The bass is a little better than that, but they're categorically NOT headphones for listening to music. (For reference, I listen to music with my Sony WF-1000XM4 buds or Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ears. But my kids have cheaper headphones, and the Shokz don't even come close to those cheaper gadgets. Fortunately, the sound quality is largely irrelevant for me, because I listen to mostly audiobooks, and they're great for that.)
  • If you're planning to use them in or beside traffic, be aware that a loud truck or Harley will drown them out, even at the highest volume. And if the traffic varies, you'll have to constantly adjust the volume, otherwise the headphones will be blaring in your ears when the traffic's light, and too quiet when the traffic's heavy. None of this is a huge problem for me, because most of my riding is done next to light or no traffic. Occasionally a truck will go by and I'll miss a word or two of my audiobook, but I can still pick up what I missed from context. And if I can't, I can always skip back a bit and listen again. If you're playing to music, I suspect traffic won't be a problem, because you won't notice / care if you miss a particular note or lyric.
  • If you're planning to use them in high wind or when riding very fast, you may not hear as much. That said, I have no problems, even downhill at around 40km/hr. I had to turn up the volume, but I could still hear clearly.
  • If you're outdoors in an environment with mixed ambient noise (no traffic, light traffic, heavy traffic, wind), you'll find your average volume is pretty high. When combined with the poor sound quality, you may find this a bit fatiguing. I think it's mostly the sound quality. I find it hard to listen to loud, abrasive noises of any sort, for a sustained period. They're definitely not as fatiguing as wearing a set of uncomfortable buds or buds that start slipping out as soon as you start to sweat, but still a little tiring. That said, I can easily get through a 3-hour bike ride, without feeling the need to turn the content down or take them off.

TLDR: They're great for listening to audiobooks while cycling. Not great for really listening to music.

Happy to answer any questions. :-)

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Comments

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samaxe1000 t1_jecc0ke wrote

Thanks for review. I ended up with AirPod 3.

It sits outside of the ear canal on the ear lobe edge. The sound is very good and with bass surprisingly. I can also hear around me very clearly and naturally.

I wear these in my office where I listen to music at the same time as having a conversation.

Its basically like being in a room with external speakers and able to have conversations.

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divinewrite OP t1_jeccgdl wrote

Interesting. Haven't seen them. Will check them out, thanks.

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HondoReech t1_jeciayw wrote

I use the Shokz OpenComm in my work-from-home setup. I agree with pretty much all of your points. I have never used them outdoors, though. They do sound terrible but it's great for phone calls and they are comfortable. I like still hearing the ambient sounds around me and the easy mute/call controls.

I was worried after reading about people experiencing vertigo after using them. Fortunately I can make it through my shift without any dizziness. It was a great purchase for that purpose, in my opinion.

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divinewrite OP t1_jecl460 wrote

Yeah completely agree. No vertigo for me either, fortunately.

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StainedGlassBlue t1_jecl51z wrote

If you want better sound quality, you might want to consider sony linkbuds. They’re generally have much better sound quality than any bone conduction headset. The fit is a hit or a miss unfortunately, especially for people with small ears. Also I had issues with the battery after a year. For some reason the earpieces constantly drains the case. I read that there was a patch for it recently but I guess it’s already too late for my unit.

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divinewrite OP t1_jeclk5k wrote

Yeah I seriously considered these a while back, but decided against them because fit is always my biggest issue with buds. My Sony buds have great sound and ANC, and I find them comfortable enough for a 3 hour ride, but they slip in sweat and the seal breaks, and about half way through the left bud stutters then stops, again because of sweat, I believe.

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kommanditbolag t1_jedso9d wrote

As a person with a sudden hearing impairment, aftershokz changed my life. They're not amazing, but they give me balanced sound and convenience.

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divinewrite OP t1_jedv3o4 wrote

Nice! So they bypass whatever physiological problem caused your hearing loss?

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