Anyone here using bone conduction headsets?

[eyoungren]

I've been using the Aftershokz brand (now just called Shokz) for four years, specifically the Aeropex.



I prefer bone conduction for a few reasons:

1. I really don't like putting buds in my ears. I have Psoriasis and my body generates a lot of oil. The combination, plus sweat, can leave a nasty mess of oily skin flakes stuck to earbuds when I pull them out.

2. I can't hear (mostly) anyone else when wearing earbuds/headsets.

3. Using earbuds becomes uncomfortable after a while. The insides of my ears start to hurt.

4. I have a lot of earrings. Wearing headphones compresses those earrings against my head, making long term use uncomfortable. I also, really do not like that they press against the side of my head. Sometimes, it's like voluntarily wearing a vise.

5. The Psoriasis in my ears can interfere with hearing and I often have to turn earbuds/headset volume up.

Bone conduction eliminates all of this. They hang from my ears and deliver sound directly. Nothing in my ears or against them. Which also means I can still use my ears to hear.

My AS Aeropex are Bluetooth and they work natively with my iPhones/Macs. I can pause, play, skip, hold calls, answer calls, etc with a side button. Since getting them four years ago it's now the only thing I will use. The rest of my family uses them too.

Anyone else here use them, or have thought about trying a bone conduction headset? I was thinking maybe we could use this thread for discussion.

 

[Michael0816]

I tried one a few years ago and the sound quality was quite lacking. But maybe they got better? 🤷‍♂️

 

[eyoungren]

I tried one a few years ago and the sound quality was quite lacking. But maybe they got better? 🤷‍♂️

Well, mine is from 2021 and I got the top model. I can't tell if the quality is bad or not, but it is immersive. Meaning, I get (IMO) better 'surround, spatial' sound then I would with conventional buds or headsets. That's just true to me, my own experience. I am not saying that this is a quality of the headset that everyone will experience.

And Shokz now has the OpenRun and OpenRun Pro, the Pro being the newer version that replaced my Aeropex.

But, keep in mind I am not an audiophile. Some people can detect music that has been compressed and lossy. That isn't me. When it comes to sound, I'm like Folgers to Starbucks. OTOH, if I were to be doing some serious listening with an intent to be fully engaged I would not be using bone conduction.

 

[Clix Pix]

I have used bone-conduction headphones for years now, ever since Shokz first came out with them. I am part of the somewhat small cohort of people with moderate-to-severe conductive hearing loss who actually were the initial target audience for them in the beginning. I also wear bone conduction sound processors (BAHAs) for everyday use. Since I have bilateral conductive hearing loss, these Shokz bone conduction headphones are perfect for my needs. I don't use them for sports activities, or running or jogging, though; not my thing!

Actually, because I am aware that the sound does "leak" from them and that other people can hear whatever I'm listening to (because I also have the volume cranked up more than normal-hearing people would), I don't wear them outside even on walks. I pretty much use them solely around home and they are great for hearing the sound in videos, or for watching and listening to movies, and of course enjoying my iTunes library of music.

 

[eyoungren]

I have used bone-conduction headphones for years now, ever since Shokz first came out with them. I am part of the somewhat small cohort of people who actually were the initial target audience for them in the beginning. Since I have bilateral conductive hearing loss, these things are perfect for my needs. I don't use these headphones for sports activities, or running or jogging, though; not my thing!

Actually, because I am aware that the sound does "leak" from them and that other people can hear whatever I'm listening to (because I also have the volume cranked up more than normal-hearing people would), I don't wear them outside even on walks. I pretty much use them solely around home and they are great for hearing the sound in videos, or for watching and listening to movies, and of course enjoying my iTunes library of music.

I'm starting to see more and more people use them and I just think it's a neat idea. Because you can still hear regularly. I don't listen as loud as you do and they do go with me on walks. Since I live in a suburban community it allows me to listen to my music, but still be aware of cars and other things.

But primarily they serve as my main computers speakers for me. The main computer is in the living room and there were 'complaints' about my volume settings (with regular speakers).

I won't go back to regular headsets.

 

[Richard8655]

There are waterproof swimming versions popular with some lap swimmers. It gets a little boring going back and forth, and this seems to help keep the mind occupied with entertainment or motivating music. Not something I'd do, though. But seems like an interesting solution for them.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

Ive never tried them although my neighbor who is a contractor & custom cabinet maker uses them all the time. I would like to give them a try because I also suffer from hearing loss, some of which I was born with and some self-inflicted so if they can do what I need without the ear fatigue of buds or even over-ears, that would be really nice.

being that I am a lifelong musician, fidelity is very important to me, so anticipating any pitfalls, sound quality could bug me potentially, but I could easily work around that with my over-ears and then use the bone conducting units for when Im out and about - I dont care too much that those conversations can be heard. I mean most of those are comprised of: "Hi love, want me to scoop the kids on the way home? Hi love, need me to pick anything up on the way home? Hi love, not feeling like cooking? No worries, I'll scoop something for the kids." - or the reverse of that of course lol.

Nothing private or juicy going on there

 

[eyoungren]

Ive never tried them although my neighbor who is a contractor & custom cabinet maker uses them all the time. I would like to give them a try because I also suffer from hearing loss, some of which I was born with and some self-inflicted so if they can do what I need without the ear fatigue of buds or even over-ears, that would be really nice.

being that I am a lifelong musician, fidelity is very important to me, so anticipating any pitfalls, sound quality could bug me potentially, but I could easily work around that with my over-ears and then use the bone conducting units for when Im out and about - I dont care too much that those conversations can be heard. I mean most of those are comprised of: "Hi love, want me to scoop the kids on the way home? Hi love, need me to pick anything up on the way home? Hi love, not feeling like cooking? No worries, I'll scoop something for the kids." - or the reverse of that of course lol.

Nothing private or juicy going on there

Shokz (previously Aftershokz) is pretty much the Apple of this sort of thing. I'd try them. Their top of the line Open Run Pro costs around $180. But you can find NIB Aeropex (the previous top of the line) on eBay for a lot less.

As far as overhearing, someone would have to actually be cheek to cheek with you and your volume full blast to really hear. At full volume, the headset is kind of pounding your skull so that would become physically unpleasant before you started to think about anyone overhearing.

Shokz brand is fully compatible with Apple stuff and the headsets all come with a mic so you can use them to talk on the phone. Had to tell my wife that. She kept bringing her phone up to talk when she had them connected. 😁

PS. For anyone who may be thinking this is a schill thread for Shokz, no. I just like the brand. But any good quality headset works too.

 

[eyoungren]

So, on Wednesday evening I realized that I'd left my Aftershokz at work (work has recalled me back to the office). Which is annoying, because I have nothing currently to use.

However, I've been meaning to order another set for work anyway, so I went and did that. My Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 will deliver today and I'm eager to try them out as it's two models more current than my Aeropex. It means my Aeropex will remain in my messenger bag and travel to and from work while the Open Run 2 stays at home.

I've been with Shokz now for years and my wife and kids use them too, so we're all pretty much converted to bone conduction. My wife was impressed the first time I had her try them. Anyway, I'm expecting good stuff from this new headset.

 

[MBAir2010]

eyoungren,​

how do they perform in the winds?
the reason I asl I no one reviewed this effect when promoting this product.

as a person who wears thin lycra and races about on a carbon fibre bicycle,
this bone design is all the rage.
but I never use my iPhone for music anymore, just 2 Sony Walkmans w/ wired cable headphones.
while commuting on a Mt bike, I listen to music since I pedal on sidewalks and bike paths.

see ya on the intel forums soon!

 

[eyoungren]

eyoungren,​

how do they perform in the winds?
the reason I asl I no one reviewed this effect when promoting this product.

as a person who wears thin lycra and races about on a carbon fibre bicycle,
this bone design is all the rage.
but I never use my iPhone for music anymore, just 2 Sony Walkmans w/ wired cable headphones.
while commuting on a Mt bike, I listen to music since I pedal on sidewalks and bike paths.

see ya on the intel forums soon!

I can't really say how they perform in windy conditions. Usually my headset is for inside, allowing me to have conversations with others in the room but to keep my music going. I do walk with them, but it's rarely windy here where I live.

That said, I have been in noisy conditions where having these are a benefit, because the sound is direct.

 

[Bodhitree]

Thanks for the tip, I just ordered a pair for my mother who suffers from near total hearing loss due to a problem with her eardrums, and this might well bypass that completely and allow her to hear music again, podcasts, video, the tv and so on. That would do beautifully for a Christmas gift, and I got 20% off for Black Friday. Excellent!

 

[eyoungren]

Thanks for the tip, I just ordered a pair for my mother who suffers from near total hearing loss due to a problem with her eardrums, and this might well bypass that completely and allow her to hear music again. That would do beautifully for a Christmas gift, and I got 20% off for Black Friday. Excellent!

It takes a bit of adjustment. You are 'hearing' but you know that there is no real sound coming in to your actual ear canals except for the sounds around you. Shokz used to include ear plugs for that reason. It takes some mental splitting to separate what's bone conduction and what's actual sound in your ears while focusing on both.

But once the adjustment is made, it's really hard to go back.

So, my new Openrun Pro 2 got delivered earlier and they are quite nice. Better sound than my Aeropex and now an app that allows you to set EQ types. These are 10th gen Shokz so much better. The only note is that they have less water resistance than my Aeropex. Which isn't an issue for me as I don't exercise using them and I don't use them in the bathroom or anything like that. My wife killed her first set that way (listening to music in the bathtub).

Anyway, glad you were able to get a deal. I did too! Normally they are about $180 I hear.

 

[zapster]

how do they perform in the winds?
the reason I ask - no one reviewed this effect when promoting this product.

as a person who wears thin lycra and races about on a carbon fibre bicycle,

IMO, Shokz suck in the wind. I wear them while running and a gust of wind is all that it takes to lose whatever I'm listening to. A gusty day is not a good day. I look for any opportunity to wear a skullcap or anything that covers my ears to avoid the wind.

I don't buy the bone conduction explanation. Yes, they vibrate against my skull and it literally tickles if I turn the volume up but 100% of my listening is human voice (podcasts) and if I simply lift the shokz a few millimeters off my head, they still sound just as clear and loud to me and they're not touching my skin. Try that yourself.

Don't get me wrong. I love using them. I've owned 2 pair in 6 years. I currently use the OpenRun and love the magnetic induction charging. (Seems weird to me that their top-of-the-line Pro requires you to plug in USB-C but I wouldn't have bought the Pros anyway because the fidelity of the regular OpenRun is already excellent for my needs. I like the extra water-resistance (I often run in the rain) and I don't need more battery life or presets.

I do use them on my bicycle but I ride relatively slowly (max 15mph) so wind isn't the issue that it would be for someone going fast.

PS: For the person expecting them to work on a person with hearing problems, that seems unrealistic. I don't see how this technology would bypass the hearing damage. Out of curiosity, I let my mom try them. She is in her 90s and recently began having trouble in the mid-ranges. The Shokz don't work for her.

 

[eyoungren]

IMO, Shokz suck in the wind. I wear them while running and a gust of wind is all that it takes to lose whatever I'm listening to. A gusty day is not a good day. I look for any opportunity to wear a skullcap or anything that covers my ears to avoid the wind.

I don't buy the bone conduction explanation. Yes, they vibrate against my skull and it literally tickles if I turn the volume up but 100% of my listening is human voice (podcasts) and if I simply lift the shokz a few millimeters off my head, they still sound just as clear and loud to me and they're not touching my skin. Try that yourself.

Don't get me wrong. I love using them. I've owned 2 pair in 6 years. I currently use the OpenRun and love the magnetic induction charging. (Seems weird to me that their top-of-the-line Pro requires you to plug in USB-C but I wouldn't have bought the Pros anyway because the fidelity of the regular OpenRun is already excellent for my needs. I like the extra water-resistance (I often run in the rain) and I don't need more battery life or presets.

I do use them on my bicycle but I ride relatively slowly (max 15mph) so wind isn't the issue that it would be for someone going fast.

PS: For the person expecting them to work on a person with hearing problems, that seems unrealistic. I don't see how this technology would bypass the hearing damage. Out of curiosity, I let my mom try them. She is in her 90s and recently began having trouble in the mid-ranges. The Shokz don't work for her.

All I'm going to say here is this…if we accept your viewpoint that bone conduction doesn't work, then there is one other benefit for me at least. And that is that these headsets are not buds or pods and do not go in my ears, nor do they sit directly on the ear itself as headphones do. Both things which I hate. They sit over the top of and in front of my ear and I can hear them and other sound.

So from that perspective alone I will continue to purchase these headsets.

 

[zapster]

All I'm going to say here is this…if we accept your viewpoint that bone conduction doesn't work, then there is one other benefit for me at least. And that is that these headsets are not buds or pods and do not go in my ears, nor do they sit directly on the ear itself as headphones do. Both things which I hate. They sit over the top of and in front of my ear and I can hear them and other sound.

So from that perspective alone I will continue to purchase these headsets.

It's not a "viewpoint" but it is my experience. Try holding the shokz slightly off your skin to see whether or not you can still hear it. Then I'll learn your experience. I've never had this conversation before so now I'm curious. Conceivably, you may be listening to some type of music that does make use of the bone conduction.

But I do agree with you about preferring not having things in my ears.

 

[eyoungren]

It's not a "viewpoint" but it is my experience. Try holding the shokz slightly off your skin to see whether or not you can still hear it. Then I'll learn your experience. I've never had this conversation before so now I'm curious. Conceivably, you may be listening to some type of music that does make use of the bone conduction.

But I do agree with you about preferring not having things in my ears.

There is and will always be some sort of 'sound leakage', so the answer to your question is yes.

However, at least to my specific situation I just now did discover a feature of my Openrun Pro 2 that I did not know. When I originally opened the instructions it mentioned something about speakers and there are indeed small speakers at the back.

This is part of what Shokz calls DualPitch technology. They are supplementing the highs and mid tones of bone conduction with small speakers for bass. So, that part is air conduction. But you can turn it off using their app and the 'Classic' EQ setting.

So I did that and now I'm getting more of the sound I expect like with my Aeropex.

Someone mentioned that the trick is this…if the headset it true bone conduction then sticking your fingers in your ears won't make a difference to the sound. If it's actually air conduction, it will. With the Classic setting back on, there is no difference when I stick my fingers in my ears - so I know the bone conduction part is working.

I don't know why there is some sound leakage, but I'm sure I've found the reason before on Shokz website.

 

[zapster]

There is and will always be some sort of 'sound leakage', so the answer to your question is yes.

However, at least to my specific situation I just now did discover a feature of my Openrun Pro 2 that I did not know. When I originally opened the instructions it mentioned something about speakers and there are indeed small speakers at the back.

This is part of what Shokz calls DualPitch technology. They are supplementing the highs and mid tones of bone conduction with small speakers for bass. So, that part is air conduction. But you can turn it off using their app and the 'Classic' EQ setting.

So I did that and now I'm getting more of the sound I expect like with my Aeropex.

Someone mentioned that the trick is this…if the headset it true bone conduction then sticking your fingers in your ears won't make a difference to the sound. If it's actually air conduction, it will. With the Classic setting back on, there is no difference when I stick my fingers in my ears - so I know the bone conduction part is working.

I don't know why there is some sound leakage, but I'm sure I've found the reason before on Shokz website.

You're right! I never looked at the OpenRun Pro user manual since I have the OpenRun. The OpenRun manual doesn't say anything about "Use only the bone conduction driver" like the Pro manual does.

I just tried switching between the 2 EQ modes on the OpenRun and honestly hear no difference - voices sound the same and I still hear audio from the speakers when lifted away from my head. I also tried sticking my fingers in my ears - I'm confident I made a complete seal - that has a muting effecting and yet somehow the sound gets through EVEN when I'm holding the shokz away from my head. But it does get louder when the fingers in my ears touch the shokz. So I now (finally!) experience the capability for conduction through bone - or skin, in the case of the shokz conducting sound through my fleshy fingers!

By the way, the website seems to imply that "OpenRun" and "Aeropex" are just old and new names for the same model. So I think we have the same model.

 

[eyoungren]

You're right! I never looked at the OpenRun Pro user manual since I have the OpenRun. The OpenRun manual doesn't say anything about "Use only the bone conduction driver" like the Pro manual does.

I just tried switching between the 2 EQ modes on the OpenRun and honestly hear no difference - voices sound the same and I still hear audio from the speakers when lifted away from my head. I also tried sticking my fingers in my ears - I'm confident I made a complete seal - that has a muting effecting and yet somehow the sound gets through EVEN when I'm holding the shokz away from my head. But it does get louder when the fingers in my ears touch the shokz. So I now (finally!) experience the capability for conduction through bone - or skin, in the case of the shokz conducting sound through my fleshy fingers!

👍
I actually appreciate the questioning. I would have assumed that I was getting better sound when it was actually being air conduction assisted. I got challenged to look things up and now I understand what I have.

By the way, the website seems to imply that "OpenRun" and "Aeropex" are just old and new names for the same model. So I think we have the same model.

I have two models now. I do have the Aeropex, that was the very first I bought and that was 2021. My understanding is that the Openrun Pro is a rebrand of the Aeropex, so yes, technically we have the same model.

However, I can definitively say that Shokz must have changed the connector on the Openrun Pro. I bought my wife the Openrun Pro in 2023 to replace the second Aeropex headset she killed. There is a slight difference between the connector on the Aeropex and her headset. 🤷‍♂️

My second headset was bought on Wednesday though and delivered today. That is the Openrun Pro 2. It's got USB-C charging. So, if your headset has that I would suspect it's the Openrun Pro 2.

The funny thing is that the app tells me that changing to the Classic Mode EQ is likely to increase my battery usage. I am now finding that it's the other way around!. Having the air conduction speakers active was actually increasing my battery usage. I wondered why it was dropping quicker. So go figure.

 

[zapster]

👍
I actually appreciate the questioning. I would have assumed that I was getting better sound when it was actually being air conduction assisted. I got challenged to look things up and now I understand what I have.


I have two models now. I do have the Aeropex, that was the very first I bought and that was 2021. My understanding is that the Openrun Pro is a rebrand of the Aeropex, so yes, technically we have the same model.

However, I can definitively say that Shokz must have changed the connector on the Openrun Pro. I bought my wife the Openrun Pro in 2023 to replace the second Aeropex headset she killed. There is a slight difference between the connector on the Aeropex and her headset. 🤷‍♂️

My second headset was bought on Wednesday though and delivered today. That is the Openrun Pro 2. It's got USB-C charging. So, if your headset has that I would suspect it's the Openrun Pro 2.

The funny thing is that the app tells me that changing to the Classic Mode EQ is likely to increase my battery usage. I am now finding that it's the other way around!. Having the air conduction speakers active was actually increasing my battery usage. I wondered why it was dropping quicker. So go figure.

You're right (again) about the ports. Now I remember that the first OpenRun that I owned had the plug-in port. My current one has the mag connector.

Interesting observation about the battery usage.

Thanks for such a constructive conversation!

The website seems to imply Aeropex = OpenRun, not OpenRun Pro 2. Here's a screenshot.

 

[Bodhitree]

For the person expecting them to work on a person with hearing problems, that seems unrealistic. I don't see how this technology would bypass the hearing damage. Out of curiosity, I let my mom try them. She is in her 90s and recently began having trouble in the mid-ranges. The Shokz don't work for her.

It depends on the type of hearing loss. If you have conductive hearing loss due to problems with the outer ear, the eardrum or the little bones in the ear, then it may help, is my understanding. If on the other hand you suffer from sensorineural hearing loss, which is to do with the cochlea or the way the signal from the auditory nerve is processed, then you’re likely out of luck.

It’s a 160 euro gamble, I understand that, but in the end that’s the same as one taxi ride to the Audiology Lab at the University Medical Centre where my mother is treated. The potential upside is well worth it.

 

[Clix Pix]

You're right! I never looked at the OpenRun Pro user manual since I have the OpenRun. The OpenRun manual doesn't say anything about "Use only the bone conduction driver" like the Pro manual does.

I just tried switching between the 2 EQ modes on the OpenRun and honestly hear no difference - voices sound the same and I still hear audio from the speakers when lifted away from my head. I also tried sticking my fingers in my ears - I'm confident I made a complete seal - that has a muting effecting and yet somehow the sound gets through EVEN when I'm holding the shokz away from my head. But it does get louder when the fingers in my ears touch the shokz. So I now (finally!) experience the capability for conduction through bone - or skin, in the case of the shokz conducting sound through my fleshy fingers!

By the way, the website seems to imply that "OpenRun" and "Aeropex" are just old and new names for the same model. So I think we have the same model.

Your teeth are great for bone conduction, too -- try it!

 

[eyoungren]

Here's something I like about my new set. There seems to be some sort of magnetism between the transducers so that when you put the set away they 'click' together. That's not a feature of my Aeropex, where it's often difficult to make them sit evenly (and they tend to just cross instead).

Not anything I'm seeing advertised as a feature, but a very nice touch.

 

[Clix Pix]

It depends on the type of hearing loss. If you have conductive hearing loss due to problems with the outer ear, the eardrum or the little bones in the ear, then it may help, is my understanding. If on the other hand you suffer from sensorineural hearing loss, which is to do with the cochlea or the way the signal from the auditory nerve is processed, then you’re likely out of luck.

It’s a 160 euro gamble, I understand that, but in the end that’s the same as one taxi ride to the Audiology Lab at the University Medical Centre where my mother is treated. The potential upside is well worth it.

Yes, that is correct. Bone conduction hearing devices (including sound processors and headphones) are meant for people with conductive hearing loss and they are ideal for us. The sound goes straight to the bone and because we have patent cochleas we can hear at an almost-normal level if we don't have any other hearing issues.

People who have sensorineural loss or other types of hearing loss have other options for hearing and for headphones. Most people with conductive hearing loss do not. That's why I was so thrilled several years ago when I first discovered (After)Shokz, ordered a pair and found that they work beautifully for me.

I have just had a pair of the orange mini OpenRun Pro 2 delivered and right now they are on the charger and acclimating to the room temperature before I pair them and try them out. I also am in the process of getting the Shokz app, which is something new to me; never needed that before!

 

[Clix Pix]

Well, that's disappointing! By adding the air conduction feature they have managed to ruin these previously bone-conduction headphones for those of us who really need the pure bone conduction functionality. From what I've experienced so far the sound is very hollow and even when I have the volume cranked up it still isn't loud enough or the darned things shut off when all I'm trying to do is to adjust the volume. Very fiddly, the way they've got the controls set up. I was hoping that by now they would've improved that.

I am not sure that I actually was successful in going to the bone conduction-only function. I found some directions by Googling because the instruction manual that came with the headphones doesn't tell you how to do it. I fumbled around with the app for a while but didn't find an answer there, either. Can anybody who has more experience with these things give me some guidance on switching to the "classic" bone conduction function?

I also ran into some initial frustration with the app, as it seems that one can only install it on an iPhone or iPad? I don't use headphones with either of them, I use headphones only with my Mac and apparently there's no way to download and install the app in that machine? I did manage to download and install it on my iPad but didn't find answers to my questions.

Frustrated right now.....