Shokz OpenFit Earbuds Aren’t Bone-Conduction Headphones — and They’re Better for It

Shokz, the corporate previously often known as AfterShokz, has been the chief in bone-conduction headphones. Fashions just like the OpenRun Professional, which ship sound to your ear by your cheekbones, are fashionable with runners and bikers who like to go away their ears open for security causes. However Shozk’s new OpenFit mannequin is the corporate’s first true-wireless earbuds. They’ve an open design that fireside sound into your ears utilizing customized speaker drivers, which Shokz dubs “air conduction” expertise. The OpenFit earbuds can be found for order now in beige and black for $180 at Shokz.com and Amazon.

I have been utilizing the brand new buds for a few weeks and have been impressed by how light-weight (8.3 grams) and cozy they’re — they’ve top-of-the-line ear-hook designs I’ve tried (Shokz calls it a Dolphin Arc ear hook). It is smooth and provides simply the correct amount of flexibility to adapt to the form of your ear, with “dual-layered liquid silicone that gives a pliable match,” in line with Shokz. The earbuds additionally sound fairly good for open earbuds, although not fairly pretty much as good as Cleer’s new Arc 2 Open Ear Sport earbuds ($190) that even have an ear-hook design.

Learn extra: Greatest open wi-fi earbuds for 2023 

One of many huge points with bone-conduction headphones expertise is that it simply does not work all that properly for music listening as a result of bone-conduction headphones simply cannot ship really full sound with sufficient bass, although Shokz has finished its greatest to enhance efficiency on the low finish. In transferring to any such open design with extra conventional speaker expertise, albeit the type that Shokz says is patented, you are now in a position to get a a lot much less compromised listening expertise. Shokz says the OpenFit makes use of DirectPitch expertise together with Shokz OpenBass, the corporate’s proprietary low-frequency enhancement algorithm, “to hold low-frequency vibrations instantly towards your ear with out overlaying it.”

You do get considerably fuller sound in comparison with bone-conduction headphones. Bass efficiency nonetheless does not fairly measure as much as what you get from even an excellent set of $50 noise-isolation earbuds with ear suggestions that seal off your ears. And regardless of all the flamboyant digital processing, I encountered some dangerous distortion once I performed Depeche Mode’s Behind the Wheel monitor on each Spotify and Qobuz, which was slightly bizarre. (I did have an early evaluation pattern, so I think we’ll see some firmware upgrades.)

The Shokz’ bone-conduction headphones I’ve examined beforehand have usually carried out properly for making mobile phone calls with good noise discount. The OpenFit additionally delivers on that entrance. I made some calls within the noisy streets of New York and the earbuds did an excellent job decreasing background noise, although I ought to notice that — as a result of they’re open earbuds — in the event you’re in a loud atmosphere, they let sound into your ears so it may be more durable so that you can hear callers.  

As I stated, I have been usually impressed with these new Shokz buds and so they’ve been a pleasure to put on and can be utilized as on a regular basis earbuds in addition to sports activities buds. I ran with them with out a downside — they stayed on my ears properly — and so they’re IP54 mud and water resistant (that means they’re splashproof). I additionally thought the contact controls labored properly and the case was properly designed. It is greater than many earbuds instances however comparatively compact for sports activities earbuds with built-in ear hooks (it is a lot slimmer than the case for the Beats Powerbeats Professional, for instance). 

The Cleer Arc 2 Sport buds provide slightly higher readability and fuller bass however the Shokz OpenFit are extra snug to put on. Each fashions are fairly dear, however these kind of open earbuds proceed to enhance, significantly within the sound division. Bose was one of many first to supply a premium set of open ear-hook type earbuds with its Open Sport Earbuds, however they had been discontinued earlier this 12 months. In some ways, the Shokz OpenFit are what the Bose Open Sport ought to have been, as Bose prides itself on creating snug headphones. The Open Sport Earbuds fell brief there however these Shokz do not. 

OpenFit Open-Ear true wi-fi earbuds specs, in line with Shokz

• Ear cushion core is engineered with a dual-layered liquid silicone that offers a pliable match for each ear form
• 18x11mm personalized dynamic driver unit that’s constructed with an ultralight composite diaphragm comprised of two elements. The interior dome-shaped cap is made from a high-strength, ultralight carbon fiber
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Battery life: 7 hours of listening time on a single cost and three further expenses in charging case
• Cost time: Cost the earbuds with the charging case: 60 minutes; empty case with charging cable: 120 minutes
• Fast cost: 5 minutes’ charging offers an hour of listening time
• Weight: 8.3 grams per earbud (charging case weighs 57 grams) 
• IP score: IP54 water resistant (charging case is just not waterproof)
• AI name noise cancellation expertise to make sure name high quality
• Contact controls
• Use the Shokz App to pick out your favourite EQ modes and button features 
• Obtainable in beige and black for $180 at Shokz.com and Amazon