We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a bone conduction headphone that doubles as a standalone music player with built-in storage, choose KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones; if you need the newer Bluetooth generation and a lighter-touch control scheme in a plain black finish, choose Soynoen Bone Conduction Headphones. That's the whole decision in one line. Everything below is me walking you through why I land there.
• KIM HOST's biggest strength: It's the only one of the two with an MP3 mode and 32GB of onboard storage, so you can leave your phone behind entirely.
• KIM HOST's biggest trade-off: Physical push buttons instead of touch, and a louder "Vitality Orange" look some people won't want on their head.
• Soynoen's biggest strength: Bluetooth 6 with a 33-foot wireless range — the more modern radio of the two.
• Soynoen's biggest trade-off: Almost no specs to go on beyond the basics, and no built-in storage or MP3 mode at all.
• Pick KIM HOST if you swim, run phone-free, or want a real spec sheet to compare against.
• Pick Soynoen if you just want a simple black open-ear pair with the latest Bluetooth and touch controls, and you're fine with fewer frills.
The headline feature here is the 32GB MP3 mode. That's not a marketing flourish — it means the BC3 Pro can hold a music library internally and play it without a phone, a cable, or a signal. For swimmers, that's the whole ballgame. Water and Bluetooth don't get along, so a headphone that stores its own files is the only kind that works in a pool. The IP68 rating backs that up, and KIM HOST explicitly lists swimming alongside running, cycling, driving and gaming in the supported use cases.
Battery is the second thing I'd point at. KIM HOST rates it at 11 hours of playback from a 1-hour charge, with Bluetooth 5.3 doing the power-efficiency work. Eleven hours covers a long workday, a marathon training block, or a full travel day without hunting for a charger. The 10-meter (roughly 33-foot) range is standard for the class.
Where it gives ground: controls are physical push buttons, which is a plus for sweaty or gloved hands but a minus if you like tap gestures. Noise control is listed as none — that's inherent to the open-ear design, not a defect. And the color is Vitality Orange on a plastic enclosure, so it's a statement piece, not a stealth one. KIM HOST also bundles a headband, protective case and manual, and advertises a two-year after-sales guarantee with round-the-clock support.
Buy it if you want internal storage, the longest battery of the two, and a rugged spec you can actually verify. Skip it if you want touch controls, a discreet black look, or the newest Bluetooth version.
Soynoen Bone Conduction Headphones: Who It's For
Soynoen's pitch is simpler and, honestly, thinner. The description is the classic open-ear story: drivers rest on the outer ear instead of covering it, so you keep ambient awareness while listening. That's the same core idea as the KIM HOST pair, just with far less detail attached.
The one place Soynoen clearly leads is connectivity. It's listed as Bluetooth version 6 with a 33-foot range. Bluetooth 6 is the newer generation, and on paper that means a more current radio and the efficiency improvements that come with it. If you mostly pair to a phone and care about having the latest protocol, this is the spec that argues for Soynoen.
Battery is rated at 10 hours from a 1-hour charge — one hour less than KIM HOST, which in practice is the difference between a long day and a very long day. It charges in the same hour, so the gap is small but real. The driver is a 16.2mm bone conduction unit with 8 ohm impedance. Contrast that with KIM HOST's 40 ohm: lower impedance generally means the driver is easier to drive, but impedance alone tells you very little about sound without knowing the amp behind it, so I wouldn't read a winner out of that number either way.
Controls are touch-based rather than buttons. Some people love tap gestures for volume and track skipping; some people hate them the moment their hands are wet. The earpiece is circular, the color is black, the enclosure is plastic, and it ships as a single headphone in a retail box. Age range is listed as adult only. Warranty is one year from the manufacturer.
What you don't get: no storage figure, no MP3 mode, no IP rating stated, no frequency range, no bundled case or headband mentioned. For a buyer who wants a straightforward open-ear Bluetooth headphone in black, that's fine. For anyone who wants to swim with it or go phone-free, it's a dead end.
Buy it if you want the newest Bluetooth, touch controls, and a plain black finish for everyday phone-tethered listening. Skip it if you need waterproofing confidence, onboard music, or a longer battery.
• Best for swimming → KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. IP68 plus 32GB of internal storage is the only combination here that survives a pool.
• Best for phone-free listening → KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. The MP3 mode means no handset required at all.
• Best battery life → KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. 11 hours versus 10, both on a 1-hour charge.
• Newest Bluetooth → Soynoen Bone Conduction Headphones. Version 6 beats version 5.3 on paper.
• Best for wet or gloved hands → KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. Physical buttons beat touch when your fingers are slick.
• Best for discreet everyday wear → Soynoen Bone Conduction Headphones. Plain black, touch controls, adult sizing.
• Best bundled package → KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. Headband, protective case and manual are included; Soynoen lists just the headphone.
• Longest warranty coverage → KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. Two years versus one.
I'd buy the KIM HOST Bone Conduction Headphones. In my opinion the 32GB MP3 mode is the single most useful differentiator in this matchup — it changes what the product is, from a phone accessory into a self-contained player. Add IP68, 11 hours of battery, physical buttons that work with wet hands, and a two-year guarantee, and it's the more complete package for anyone with an active life. Soynoen's Bluetooth 6 is genuinely the newer radio and I won't pretend otherwise, but a newer protocol doesn't swim, and it doesn't store a single song. If your use case is purely pairing to a phone around the house or office, Soynoen is a reasonable, simple black option — but for the money I'd rather have the headphone that does more. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since that's the one variable this comparison can't settle for you.
FAQ
No. Soynoen lists no storage figure and no MP3 mode, so it plays over Bluetooth only. KIM HOST's 32GB MP3 mode lets you load music and listen without a phone, which is the bigger practical difference between these two.
KIM HOST, slightly — 11 hours versus 10, and both charge in about 1 hour. The gap is small, but combined with Bluetooth 5.3's low power draw, KIM HOST is the one I'd expect to stretch further between charges.
Soynoen, at Bluetooth version 6 versus KIM HOST's 5.3. Both list a roughly 10-meter / 33-foot range, so the newer version is about protocol generation and efficiency rather than extra distance.
KIM HOST, in my opinion — it ships with a protective case, headband and manual, comes in a bright orange, and is listed for adults, teens and kids. Soynoen is adult-only and ships as a single headphone.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.