We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a dual-mode headset that doubles as a conversation amplifier for face-to-face talking, choose BenexBesdi Bone Conduction; if you need bone conduction built for swimming, heavy sweat and phone-free music, choose Aiwa.
• BenexBesdi Bone Conduction — biggest strength: Two listening modes in one headset. It defaults to a mic sound-pickup mode for everyday conversations, then switches to Bluetooth 5.3 for music and calls. That dual purpose is unusual in this category.
• BenexBesdi Bone Conduction — biggest trade-off: Battery life is modest at 6 hours in Bluetooth mode, and the IPX5 rating handles rain and sweat but not submersion.
• Aiwa — biggest strength: IP68 waterproofing plus 8GB of built-in MP3 storage. You can swim with these and play music without a phone anywhere nearby, for up to 12 hours.
• Aiwa — biggest trade-off: No sound-pickup mode and no wired option — it is a Bluetooth-or-MP3 sports headphone, nothing more.
• Who BenexBesdi is for: Anyone who wants an open-ear headset that helps with in-person conversations as much as it plays music.
• Who Aiwa is for: Swimmers, runners and gym users who want rugged, waterproof, phone-free audio.
Most bone conduction headphones do one job: play audio while leaving your ears open. The BenexBesdi set is different. Out of the box it starts in a mic sound-pickup mode, and a short press of the MFB button flips it into Bluetooth mode, where it shows up as "Z18" in your phone's Bluetooth menu. In that first mode, the built-in HD microphone picks up the voices of the people around you and sends them through bone vibration, so you hear conversations more clearly without pulling out a hearing aid or cupping your hand to your ear. That is the real reason to buy this pair.
The hardware backs up the idea reasonably well. It weighs 27 grams, uses a hook-shaped open-ear design, and the enclosure is plastic with a black finish. Bluetooth 5.3 gives you a stable connection at up to 10 meters, and the specs list a 10 mm bone conduction driver, 8 ohm impedance, a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range and 40 ms of audio latency — low enough that lip-sync on video stays tolerable. Battery life is the part to think about: 6 hours in Bluetooth music and call mode, but 10 hours in sound-pickup mode, with a 2-hour charge time. Volume is handled with plain push buttons, and there is active noise cancellation on board.
Who should skip it? Swimmers, first of all — IPX5 is not a submersion rating. Heavy users who want a full day of music on one charge should also look elsewhere, because 6 hours of Bluetooth playback will not get most people through a long day. And if you want touch controls or a phone-free music library, this is not that product. As for cost, check the current price on Amazon before you commit — the button on this page will show it.
Aiwa: Who It's For
The Aiwa Prodigy Swim is built around a single, very clear promise: take bone conduction underwater. Its IP68 rating means it can be fully submerged and still shrug off sweat, dust and rain, which is a genuinely different class of durability from a splash-resistant headset. If your workouts happen in a pool, this is the feature that matters most, and the open-ear design still lets you hear lane mates, whistles and traffic when you take it outside.
The second thing that sets it apart is the built-in 8GB MP3 storage. That is enough room for roughly 2,000 songs loaded straight onto the headset, so you can swim or train with no phone and no Bluetooth connection at all. For lap swimming, where a phone would have to sit on the pool deck anyway, that is a real convenience rather than a spec-sheet gimmick. Playtime is listed at up to 12 hours per charge — double what the BenexBesdi offers in Bluetooth mode — and the fit uses plastic, rubber and silicone in a yellow finish, with touch controls and active noise cancellation. The frequency range matches at 20 Hz–20,000 Hz, and like the BenexBesdi it has no headphone jack, so wireless is the only option.
Who should buy it? Swimmers above all, then runners, cyclists and gym-goers who sweat heavily and want one headset that survives all of it. Teens and adults who want to leave the phone in a locker will get the most out of that 8GB library. The lower 1 ohm impedance is also worth noting for anyone pairing it with a range of sources.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for hearing nearby conversation → BenexBesdi Bone Conduction. The mic sound-pickup mode is the whole point of this headset, and it runs 10 hours in that mode.
• Best for swimming → Aiwa. IP68 means full submersion; the BenexBesdi's IPX5 does not.
• Best for phone-free music → Aiwa. 8GB of built-in storage, around 2,000 songs, no Bluetooth required.
• Best for battery life → Aiwa. Up to 12 hours versus the BenexBesdi's 6 hours in Bluetooth mode.
• Best for call and music convenience → BenexBesdi. Bluetooth 5.3, 40 ms latency, button volume controls and a 10-meter range.
• Best for control style → depends on you. Button push controls on the BenexBesdi are easier to work with wet or gloved hands; touch controls on the Aiwa are sleeker.
• Best for light outdoor use and rain → BenexBesdi. IPX5 is enough for sweat and showers, and 27 grams is light for all-day wear.
• Best for a dual-purpose daily device → BenexBesdi. One headset for conversations, calls and music.
If I had to pick one for myself, I would buy the Aiwa Prodigy Swim. The IP68 rating, the 8GB of onboard music and the 12-hour playtime cover more of how I would actually use bone conduction — outdoors, sweating, away from my phone. I would only switch to the BenexBesdi if my priority were understanding the people in front of me, because its sound-pickup mode is something the Aiwa simply does not offer. Two different jobs, two different headsets. Decide which job is yours, then check the current price on Amazon before buying.
FAQ
No. The BenexBesdi relies on Bluetooth 5.3 for music and calls, so a paired device is required. The Aiwa is the one with 8GB of built-in storage for phone-free listening.
The BenexBesdi gives 6 hours in Bluetooth mode and 10 hours in sound-pickup mode. The Aiwa is rated for up to 12 hours of continuous use per charge.
BenexBesdi. It defaults to a sound-pickup mode that amplifies nearby voices through bone vibration, and both headsets keep your ears open for situational awareness, but only the BenexBesdi is designed for face-to-face conversation.
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