What you should know about bone conduction headphones?
When you spend your money on something, it’s usually a good idea to know. A little bit about what you’re getting yourself into. So, let’s go over the concepts of bone conduction headphones.
How do bone conduction headphones work?
Bone conduction headphones use regularly moving bone to transfer sound waves through the listener’s skull. Sound is carried through the skull to the brain, bypassing the eardrum sending several inner ears and stapes. After that, the cochlea moves tiny hairs (stereocilia) within the Corti. This flowing movement sets off a chain of chemical processes that activate the auditory nerve via neurotransmitters. When an impulse is fired from the auditory nerve, it travels to the brain, where it is received as sound.
This technique also explains why your voice appears lower to you than to others. Because bone is better at transmitting low-frequency noises than high-frequency sounds. We’re sometimes shocked by how high-pitched our voices seem when played back as a recording.
The difference between bone conduction and standard earbuds and headphones is that the former inserts directly into the ear canal, whereas the latter uses padded ear cups that sit on or around the ear. On the other hand, Bone conduction headphones are an excellent choice for anyone who suffers from hearing loss.
What are the best bone conduction headphones?
If you’ve been looking for a set of Bluetooth bone conduction headphones, you’ve come across the business AfterShokz. After all, it owns a large portion of the bone conduction earbuds market. Our website ixrank has a comprehensive list of the finest bone conduction headphones on the market, but here’s a summary of the top three. The Aeropex is AfterShokz’s top headset and the most powerful of the three, according to its IP67 designation, which indicates dust and water resistance.
The Aeropex bone conduction headphones can be underwater up to one meter for 30 minutes at a time. These aren’t swimming headphones because they lack onboard storage; yet, it’s a useful feature in case you drop them in the water. An inbuilt microphone may be used when receiving hands-free calls, The battery life is identical to that of wireless earphones: eight hours of continuous listening. The remote control button may also be used to contact Google Assistant and control playback. It has Bluetooth 5.0 firmware and is the most costly of the lot, costing USD 125.
AfterShokz Air
This under-$100 fitness headset is smaller than the others and offers bright lines to keep listeners visible during evening walks or jogs. The AfterShokz Air battery life is listed at six hours, which isn’t amazing. But should last you a week of working out. Another upgrade from the Aeropex: the Air employs Bluetooth 4.2 technology, which might explain the relative drop in battery life. Fixed microphones are useful for taking phone calls.
AfterShokz Titanium
The AfterShokz Titanium was my first brand into the realm of Bluetooth bone conduction headphones, and it’s an excellent headset for anyone uncomfortable with the technology. Nothing about this headset will impress you, and if you have the option, we recommend opting with one of the other AfterShokz models, which have a more stable connection strength than the Titanium. Check out our coverage of more excellent offers on headphones here.
Are bone conduction headphones any good?
This is determined by the use case. Bone conduction headsets aren’t for music lovers seeking their next perfect pair of headphones. They are not designed with high playback. Instead, they’re created to free up your ears so you can hear what’s going on around you. And, because how completely a pair of headphones isolate is a key part of how nice they sound. They are not going to sound fantastic because they don’t separate at all. Having your ears free to hear what’s going on around you, on the other hand, is the whole idea of using bone conduction headphones. Bone conduction headphones are a great technique for runners or cyclists who need to be aware of their surroundings while out and about to listen to music or podcasts without losing awareness.
