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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-27 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• August Over Ear's biggest strength: big 50mm drivers, aptX Low Latency for audio/video sync, a free EQ app, and a 3.5mm wired option when Bluetooth isn't practical.
• August Over Ear's biggest trade-off: it's a full-size over-ear design at 235g, so it's bulky compared to pocket buds, and the rated battery life is a modest 10 hours.
• rooftree Open-Ear Earbus' biggest strength: a genuinely featherlight 7.5g-per-bud open-ear hook design with IPX5 water resistance, Bluetooth 5.3, and up to 40 hours total with the charging case.
• rooftree Open-Ear Earbus' biggest trade-off: open-ear air conduction means you will never get the bass isolation or passive blocking of a closed over-ear cup, and there's no wired fallback.
• Pick August Over Ear if you mostly listen at a desk, on a couch, on a plane, or while watching video and want the fuller, more enclosed sound.
• Pick rooftree Open-Ear Earbus if you run, cycle, lift, or commute by bike and need to hear your surroundings while staying light on your head.
The August EP650 is a classic over-ear Bluetooth headphone built around one clear priority: sound you can sink into. The 50mm dynamic drivers are the headline here, and the spec sheet backs up the intent — an impedance of 50 ohm and a 60Hz–20KHz frequency range point to a tuning aimed at fuller low end rather than a thin, treble-forward signature. If you've ever put on a pair of big cups and felt the music wrap around you instead of sitting on top of your ears, that's the experience this design is chasing.
The feature list is unusually practical for the category. aptX Low Latency matters most if you watch a lot of video on a phone, tablet, or TV — it's the difference between lip-sync that looks right and lip-sync that feels slightly off. There's also a free August Audio EQ app for Android and iOS, which means you're not stuck with the factory tuning; you can nudge the bass up or flatten it out to taste. Multipoint pairing lets it hold two sources at once, so you can keep it connected to a laptop and a phone and have music pause automatically when a call comes in. And when Bluetooth is inconvenient — a long flight, a low battery, an older device — the 3.5mm jack gives you a wired escape hatch. NFC pairing and an integrated mic with on-ear controls round it out.
So who should buy it? Someone who listens in one place for long stretches: working at a desk, watching series, gaming on a PC or Switch (note the manufacturer flags it as not PS4 compatible), or taking calls over Skype and similar VOIP services. The adjustable headband and flexible earcups with soft padding are meant for extended sessions, and the sound isolation is a feature here, not a bug — it's what makes the bass feel present.
Who should skip it? Anyone whose priority is going out the door with nothing in their pockets. At 235g and with a full over-ear frame, this is not a gym or running companion, and the rated 10-hour battery life per charge is fine for a workday but not for a multi-day trip without charging. If awareness of your surroundings is a safety requirement, closed cups are the wrong tool.
The rooftree V49 flips the priorities entirely. These are open-ear hook-style true wireless earbuds, and the whole design is organized around staying light and staying aware. Each bud comes in at just 7.5g with a Ni-Ti alloy hook that flexes to contour to your ear — that's the kind of thing you forget you're wearing after a few minutes, which is exactly the point for workouts. The open-ear air conduction approach means your ear canal stays uncovered, so you hear traffic, a training partner, or a gym announcement while your music plays.
The audio hardware is a racetrack driver measuring 18mm × 11mm, paired with Bluetooth 5.3 for a stable, Hi-Res-capable link. Realistically, an open-ear design will not deliver the same bass weight as a sealed over-ear cup — physics doesn't allow it — but the racetrack driver is clearly chosen to push as much low-end as the form factor permits, and custom directional acoustic tech aims to keep your audio private and minimize leakage toward the people around you. Calls get AI-enhanced mics, which is a meaningful upgrade if you take meetings or calls on the move.
Durability and endurance are where this one pulls ahead for active use. IPX5 water resistance covers sweat and rain spray, and the battery story is strong: up to 8 hours on a single charge, up to 40 hours with the charging case, plus a 5-minute top-up that buys about an hour of listening. The charging case is compact — roughly 2.6 × 2.6 × 1 inches — so it disappears into a pocket or bag. Touch controls handle playback, and there's a 1-year warranty listed.
Buy this if you run, cycle, lift, walk the dog, or commute and want music without shutting the world out. Buy it if you hate the feeling of something stuffed in your ear canal for hours. Skip it if you want deep, isolated bass for critical listening, if you fly often and need noise blocking, or if you want the option of a wired connection — there isn't one here.
• Best for sound depth and immersion → August Over Ear. Big 50mm drivers and a closed over-ear cup deliver the fuller, more present low end.
• Best for all-day wear during activity → rooftree Open-Ear Earbus. At 7.5g per bud with a flexible Ni-Ti hook, it's in a different weight class entirely.
• Best for battery endurance → rooftree Open-Ear Earbus. Up to 40 hours with the case versus a 10-hour single-charge figure on the August.
• Best for watching video without lip-sync lag → August Over Ear. aptX Low Latency is explicitly built for audio/video synchronization.
• Best for sweaty or wet conditions → rooftree Open-Ear Earbus. IPX5 water resistance is the deciding factor; the August has no equivalent rating listed.
• Best for situational awareness and safety → rooftree Open-Ear Earbus. Open-ear air conduction keeps you tuned in to your surroundings.
• Best for desk work, calls, and device flexibility → August Over Ear. Multipoint pairing, an integrated mic, and a 3.5mm wired option cover more scenarios.
• Best for a quick top-up before a session → rooftree Open-Ear Earbus. A 5-minute charge is rated for about an extra hour of listening.
If I had to pick one, I'd take the rooftree Open-Ear Earbus — but only because of how I actually use headphones. Most of my listening happens while moving: walks, workouts, errands, and I care more about staying aware and staying light than about maximum bass. In my opinion, the combination of 7.5g buds, IPX5, 40 hours of total battery, and a 5-minute fast charge is genuinely hard to argue with for that lifestyle. That said, if your listening is stationary — desk, couch, long video sessions — the August Over Ear is the better tool, and its wired option and EQ app give it a flexibility the rooftree simply doesn't have. Match the pick to where you listen, not to which one sounds more impressive on paper. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that's the variable I can't speak to.
The rooftree. It's the only one of the two built for motion — 7.5g per bud, a flexible hook design, and IPX5 water resistance against sweat and rain. The August is a 235g over-ear headphone with no water-resistance rating listed.
Yes. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can run it wired when you don't want to use Bluetooth. The rooftree is wireless only — there's no wired option on that model.
The rooftree, by a wide margin on paper: up to 8 hours per charge and up to 40 hours with the charging case. The August is rated at about 10 hours of average battery life per charge, with a 2-hour charge time.
Both have microphones, so it comes down to fit. The August has an integrated mic with on-ear remote controls and multipoint pairing, which suits desk and VOIP use. The rooftree uses AI-enhanced mics and is the better pick if you take calls while moving around.
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