7 Best Bone-Conduction Headphones | Well+Good

On-ear, open-ear, noise-canceling, earbuds—with so many forms of headphones on the market, trying to find the proper pair is usually a bit daunting. However there’s one sort of headphones chances are 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 the bones in your cheek and jaw. Fairly cool, proper? To be taught 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 most effective bone-conduction headphones to attempt for your self.

The perfect bone conduction headphones, at a look:

• Greatest general: Shokz, OpenMove, $80
• Greatest sound high quality: Shokz, OpenRun, $130
• Most reasonably priced: Vidonn, F1, $50
• Greatest for swimming: Shokz, OpenSwim, $120
• Greatest for telephone calls: Haylou, PurFree BC01, $120
• Greatest for exercises: H20 Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport, $160
• Most original: Bose, Frames Tempo Sports Sunglasses, $250

What are bone-conduction headphones, anyway?

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

The advantages of bone conduction headphones

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

1. Open-ear design

You probably have listening to loss that’s brought on by 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 reasonable the headphone quantity and listen to music higher, however Reisman says bone conduction headphones may 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’ll additionally remove 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

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

3. Elevated security throughout solo actions

All these headphones permit for environmental noises to journey by 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, working, or strolling.

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

Increase your hand in case you’re responsible of not cleansing your headphones sufficient. Fortunately, that is not a difficulty with this kind 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 can assist keep away from pushing the ear wax deeper into the ear.”

7 of the most effective bone conduction headphones

Best overall: Shokz, OpenMove — $80.00

This mannequin was created by Shokz (previously AfterShokz), one of the vital common bone-conduction headphones manufacturers on the market. The entry-level, titanium type can be one of many model’s hottest kinds, due to 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 worth level beneath $100. The safe match makes them ultimate for a wide range of low-impact actions, too, from morning jogs and yin yoga to lengthy flights, due to the model’s trademark PremiumPitch™ 2.0 stereo sound.

Colours: 4

Weight: 29g

Water-resistance ranking: IP55

Battery life: 6 hours

Music storage: Sure

• Inexpensive
• A number of shade choices
• Bluetooth appropriate
• Contains ear plugs
• Sweatproof and waterproof

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

Best sound quality: Shokz, OpenRun — $130.00

Shokz makes a number of completely different titanium headphones, all of which characteristic glorious sound high quality. That is Reisman’s favourite type of bone-conduction headphones for a number of completely different causes, particularly the sound high quality—which, as acknowledged beforehand, could be missing in different bone-conducting kinds. “The sound high quality may be very clear and constant,” she says. That is because of the 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 in case you do need to block out the environmental noise and concentrate on what you’re listening to, you are able to do so simply,” she says.

Colours: 4

Weight: 26g

Water resistance ranking: IP67

Battery life: 8 hours

Music storage: No

• A number of shade choices out there
• Higher battery life than the OpenMove mannequin (above)
• Sweat- and waterproof
• Very light-weight—the lightest type on this checklist
• Contains optionally available ear plugs

• Pricier possibility
• Buttons are very shut collectively

Most affordable: Vidonn, F1 — $50.00

Whereas many bone-conducting headphones can run between $100-$150 (or much more), this Vidonn pair clocks in beneath $60. Not solely is the sweat-resistant type ultimate for exercises, however this pair of bone-conduction headphones characteristic 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

• Inexpensive
• Contains optionally available earplugs
• Sweat-resistant
• Constructed-in microphone

• Just one shade out there
• Barely heavier than different fashions

Best for swimming: Shokz, OpenSwim — $120.00

Waterproof headphones with inside storage for a library of as much as 1,200 songs? Now we’re listening. This Shokz type helps MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, and FLAC, so you possibly can jam out whilst you swim laps. Plus, they match comfortably beneath a swim cap and include earplugs. It’s like Shokz considered every part! Remember, although, that this type of bone-conduction headphones isn’t Bluetooth appropriate, since they might lose connectivity as soon as submerged. Followers of those headphones say they really feel like they have 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 appropriate
• Much less shade choices than different fashions

Best for phone calls: Haylou, PurFree BC01 — $120.00

When you’re searching for bone-conduction headphones that provide the everyday options, together with the power to make crystal clear telephone calls, this type 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. When you love speaking on the telephone, this can be a bone-conducting type value attempting.

Colours: 2

Weight: 28g

Water resistance ranking: IP67

Battery life: 8 hours

Music storage: No

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

• Not the most effective audio high quality for music
• Some clients say the buttons on the highest could be difficult

Best for workouts: H20 Audio, Tri Pro Multi-Sport — $160.00

Much like Shokz OpenSwim, H20 Audio’s Tri Professional Multi Sport bone-conduction headphones supply full waterproof functionality as much as 12 ft, making them ultimate for every part from biking and HIIT exercises to (clearly) swimming. What units them aside is their further technical options. Not solely are they Bluetooth appropriate, however the Playlist+ know-how lets you 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 appropriate (though solely works a number of inches beneath water)

• Pricier possibility
• Shorter battery life than different fashions on this checklist
• Just one shade possibility

Most unique: Bose, Frames Tempo Sports Sunglasses — $250.00

If you’d like a pair of open-ear headphones however aren’t essentially bought on bone-conduction kinds, this pair of Bose sun shades could also be simply the ticket. Not solely does this prescription-ready type characteristic swappable polarized lenses and Bluetooth functionality as much as 30 ft, however the mesh lining alongside the ports makes the design ultimate 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 completely 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 various for many who don’t like the everyday bone conduction kinds
• Glorious sound high quality
• Waterproof
• Bluetooth-compatible for as much as 30 ft

• Costly
• Minimal type/shade choices

Who’re bone conduction headphones good for?

Reisman says most individuals can profit from utilizing this kind of headphones, particularly if in case you have conductive or blended listening to loss. For individuals with regular listening to, this kind of headphones is good as a result of environmental sounds nonetheless come by—which is particularly useful 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 improve, the vibrations can be felt extra strongly, which might profit individuals with vital inner-ear listening to loss.

Regularly requested questions

Do bone conduction headphones sound good?

Whereas it’s good to have the mixture of vibrations and sound, these headphones aren’t good. Some individuals could not desire them as a result of they do not create the complete 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 most effective bone conduction headphones for you

On the subject of any sort of headphones, your life-style is the principle focus, so you must contemplate what you’d use them for. For many who don’t love an in-ear possibility, these could be ultimate for understanding, lengthy flights, and even in an workplace setting (so that you don’t have to repeatedly take away your earbuds or headphones at any time when somebody stops by your desk to talk). There are even waterproof choices out there if you wish to put on them whereas swimming.