These 7 Bone-Conduction Headphones Are a Safer, Less-Gross Alternative to Earbuds

On-ear, open-ear, noise-canceling, earbuds—with so many forms of headphones on the market, looking for the proper pair could be a bit daunting. However there’s one kind of headphones it’s possible you’ll not have even heard of. (Sorry, that pun was simply prepared and ready.) We’re speaking about bone-conduction headphones, which ship audio vibrations straight to your interior ear by way of the bones in your cheek and jaw. Fairly cool, proper? To study extra, we spoke with licensed audiologist Ruth Reisman, AuD MBA CCC-A, about what they’re and who they profit. Plus, we rounded up seven of the very best bone-conduction headphones to attempt for your self.

The very best bone conduction headphones, at a look:

• Greatest total: Shokz, OpenMove, $80
• Greatest sound high quality: Shokz, OpenRun, $130
• Most reasonably priced: Vidonn, F1, $50
• Greatest for swimming: Shokz, OpenSwim, $120
• Greatest for cellphone calls: Haylou, PurFree BC01, $120
• Greatest for exercises: H20 Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport, $160
• Most unusual: Bose, Frames Tempo Sports activities Sun shades, $250

What are bone-conduction headphones, anyway?

In contrast to conventional headphones, bone-conduction headphones bypass your ear canal and eardrum by sitting on prime of your jaw and cheekbone and transmitting sound vibrations on to your interior ear. They’re connected by a band that matches round your head. “As a result of all the bones within the head are linked, when this space is vibrated the sign is transmitted on to the interior ear,” Reisman says. “The interior ear buildings vibrate in tandem with the vibrations of the cranium emitted from the headphones.”

The advantages of bone conduction headphones

Of us have gotten more and more conscious of their listening to well being, and the overuse of in-ear headphones is without doubt one of the fundamental culprits for listening to points. With that in thoughts, bone-conduction headphones have some critical perks. Reisman says there are 4 fundamental advantages:

1. Open-ear design

When you’ve got listening to loss that’s attributable to abnormalities of the outer or center ear, however your interior ear nonetheless capabilities usually, bone conduction headphones could profit you. “The sound will bypass any challenges that the outer or center ear is experiencing,” explains Reisman. Not solely are you able to average the headphone quantity and listen to music higher, however Reisman says bone conduction headphones can even present a cleaner, crisper, much less distorted sign to the interior ear.

Since bone-conduction headphones do not go contained in the ears, they will additionally eradicate the discomfort related to in-ear or over-ear headphones. Bone-conduction headphones, by not protecting or inserting into the ears, can cut back the probability of fatigue throughout prolonged use.

2. Fewer ear infections

When you’ve got fixed ear infections, Reisman cautions that utilizing conventional in-ear headphones could have an effect on your ear’s therapeutic course of. “Preserving the ear open and aerated with bone conduction headphones would keep away from additional harm to the outer and center ears,” she says.

3. Elevated security throughout solo actions

Most of these headphones enable for environmental noises to journey by way of the ear’s conventional pathway, whereas nonetheless permitting you to listen to your favourite music, podcasts, and audiobooks. This implies you may be extra conscious of the vehicles or pedestrians round you whereas biking, operating, or strolling.

4. Diminished grime, micro organism, and ear wax impaction

Elevate your hand if you happen to’re responsible of not cleansing your headphones sufficient. Fortunately, that is not a difficulty with the sort of headphones. “Since bone conduction headphones don’t go into the ear and are solely on the floor, they’re simpler to scrub and cut back the danger of any micro organism or undesirable grime into the ear,” Reisman says. She additionally recommends them for individuals who have vital points with ear wax impaction, since “this will help keep away from pushing the ear wax deeper into the ear.”

7 of the very best bone conduction headphones

Greatest total: Shokz, OpenMove — $80.00

This mannequin was created by Shokz (previously AfterShokz), one of the crucial common bone-conduction headphones manufacturers on the market. The entry-level, titanium model can also be one of many model’s hottest kinds, because of lots of its must-have options; they’re sweatproof, light-weight, Bluetooth-compatible, have a good battery life, a noise-canceling microphone, and even a carrying bag, all at a value level below $100. The safe match makes them preferrred for a wide range of low-impact actions, too, from morning jogs and yin yoga to lengthy flights, because of the model’s trademark PremiumPitch™ 2.0 stereo sound.

Colours: 4

Weight: 29g

Water-resistance ranking: IP55

Battery life: 6 hours

Music storage: Sure

• Reasonably priced
• A number of coloration choices
• Bluetooth suitable
• Contains ear plugs
• Sweatproof and waterproof

• Rechargeable lithium-polymer battery could also be much less environment friendly (and, in consequence, could result in a shorter battery life)

Greatest sound high quality: Shokz, OpenRun — $130.00

Shokz makes just a few totally different titanium headphones, all of which function wonderful sound high quality. That is Reisman’s favourite model of bone-conduction headphones for just a few totally different causes, particularly the sound high quality—which, as acknowledged beforehand, might be missing in different bone-conducting kinds. “The sound high quality may be very clear and constant,” she says. That is as a result of model’s trademark PremiumPitch™ 2.0+ know-how, which delivers a large dynamic vary and wealthy bass. Reisman additionally likes that the Bluetooth stays secure they usually include a set of earplugs, “so if you happen to do wish to block out the environmental noise and give attention to what you’re listening to, you are able to do so simply,” she says.

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Colours: 4

Weight: 26g

Water resistance ranking: IP67

Battery life: 8 hours

Music storage: No

• A number of coloration choices obtainable
• Higher battery life than the OpenMove mannequin (above)
• Sweat- and waterproof
• Very light-weight—the lightest model on this record
• Contains non-obligatory ear plugs

• Pricier choice
• Buttons are very shut collectively

Most reasonably priced: Vidonn, F1 — $50.00

Whereas many bone-conducting headphones can run between $100-$150 (or much more), this Vidonn pair clocks in below $60. Not solely is the sweat-resistant model preferrred for exercises, however this pair of bone-conduction headphones function a built-in microphone accessible by facet buttons, so you can also make (out of breath) calls throughout your subsequent run.

Colours: 1

Weight: 38g

Water resistance ranking: IP55

Battery life: 6 hours

Music storage: No

• Reasonably priced
• Contains non-obligatory earplugs
• Sweat-resistant
• Constructed-in microphone

• Just one coloration obtainable
• Barely heavier than different fashions

Greatest for swimming: Shokz, OpenSwim — $120.00

Waterproof headphones with inner storage for a library of as much as 1,200 songs? Now we’re listening. This Shokz model helps MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, and FLAC, so you may jam out when you swim laps. Plus, they match comfortably below a swim cap and include earplugs. It’s like Shokz considered the whole lot! Have in mind, although, that this model of bone-conduction headphones isn’t Bluetooth suitable, since they’d lose connectivity as soon as submerged. Followers of those headphones say they really feel like they had been designed by swimmers for swimmers.

Colours: 2

Weight: 30g

Water resistance ranking: IP68

Battery life: 8 hours

Music storage: Sure

• Waterproof design
• Inner storage for as much as 1,200 songs
• Longer battery life

• Not Bluetooth suitable
• Much less coloration choices than different fashions

Greatest for cellphone calls: Haylou, PurFree BC01 — $120.00

For those who’re on the lookout for bone-conduction headphones that provide the standard options, together with the flexibility to make crystal clear cellphone calls, this model by Haylou is looking your identify. The design has dual-mic noise cancellation to drastically cut back background noise on calls. Plus, the eight-hour battery life may get a fast re-up from the 10-minute fast cost operate, which provides as much as two hours of battery life in a pinch. For those who love speaking on the cellphone, it is a bone-conducting model price attempting.

Colours: 2

Weight: 28g

Water resistance ranking: IP67

Battery life: 8 hours

Music storage: No

• Light-weight
• Sweat-resistant
• Bluetooth suitable
• Twin-mic noise cancellation

• Not the very best audio high quality for music
• Some prospects say the buttons on the highest might be difficult

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Greatest for exercises: H20 Audio, Tri Professional Multi-Sport — $160.00

Just like Shokz OpenSwim, H20 Audio’s Tri Professional Multi Sport bone-conduction headphones supply full waterproof functionality as much as 12 toes, making them preferrred for the whole lot from biking and HIIT exercises to (clearly) swimming. What units them aside is their further technical options. Not solely are they Bluetooth suitable, however the Playlist+ know-how means that you can add as much as 8GB of songs—not solely out of your library, however from Spotify, too.

Colours: 1

Weight: 32g

Water resistance ranking: IPX8

Battery life: 5 hours

Music storage: No

• Waterproof
• Bluetooth suitable (though solely works just a few inches below water)

• Pricier choice
• Shorter battery life than different fashions on this record
• Just one coloration choice

Most unusual: Bose, Frames Tempo Sports activities Sun shades — $250.00

If you would like a pair of open-ear headphones however aren’t essentially offered on bone-conduction kinds, this pair of Bose sun shades could also be simply the ticket. Not solely does this prescription-ready model function swappable polarized lenses and Bluetooth functionality as much as 30 toes, however the mesh lining alongside the ports makes the design preferrred for multi-sport use. The audio system play deep sufficient to listen to over the wind, even whereas biking as much as speeds of virtually 25 miles an hour. Additionally they include three totally different sizes of silicone nostril pads to make sure the proper match.

Colours: 1

Measurement: 65mm-17mm-136mm

Water resistance ranking: IPX4

Battery life: 8 hours

Music storage: No

• Interchangeable polarized lenses
• Distinctive different for many who don’t like the standard bone conduction kinds
• Wonderful sound high quality
• Waterproof
• Bluetooth-compatible for as much as 30 toes

• Costly
• Minimal model/coloration choices

Who’re bone conduction headphones good for?

Reisman says most individuals can profit from utilizing the sort of headphones, particularly when you’ve got conductive or blended listening to loss. For individuals with regular listening to, the sort of headphones is good as a result of environmental sounds nonetheless come by way of—which is particularly helpful if you wish to bear in mind whereas strolling by your self at evening or on trails.

And, whereas bone conduction headphones don’t essentially present a major quantity enhance, the vibrations might be felt extra strongly, which may profit individuals with vital inner-ear listening to loss.

Incessantly requested questions

Do bone conduction headphones sound good?

Whereas it’s good to have the mix of vibrations and sound, these headphones aren’t good. Some individuals could not desire them as a result of they do not create the total vary of audio frequencies. Plus, they don’t block out environmental and exterior noises, in order that they don’t have the identical sound high quality as closed-back headphones.

How to decide on the very best bone conduction headphones for you

In relation to any kind of headphones, your way of life is the principle focus, so you must contemplate what you’d use them for. For individuals who don’t love an in-ear choice, these might be preferrred for figuring out, lengthy flights, and even in an workplace setting (so that you don’t have to repeatedly take away your earbuds or headphones every time somebody stops by your desk to speak). There are even waterproof choices obtainable if you wish to put on them whereas swimming.