Bone conduction headphones are headphones that do not cover the ears. They allow you to enjoy your favorite music while listening to the sounds around you. They are healthy, safe, and comfortable headphones.

Such innovative headphones have become very popular in the last 2 years, and more and more people are interested in them. Others may feel uneasy about how to choose the right headphones because they are unfamiliar products.

This article will introduce the characteristics of bone conduction headphones in detail and how to choose them. After reading this article in detail, even first-time buyers can find a product that suits them.

Contents

1. What are bone conduction headphones?

2. How to choose a comfortable bone conduction headphone

3. Peace of mind for first-time purchases! 7Recommended Bone Conduction Headphones

4. Bone conduction headphone Q&A

5. Summary

1. What are bone conduction headphones?

A bone conduction headphone is a headphone based on a “bone conduction” mechanism. Bone conduction is a mechanism that transmits sound to the auditory nerve through vibrations in the skull bone rather than through the eardrum.

Because they transmit sound by vibrating bones, they don’t need to cover the ears like regular headphones.

They are especially suitable for use in the following two scenarios:

(1) During indoor work such as telecommuting

(2) During outdoor training such as running

Using them in both scenarios, you can enjoy your music without missing out on surrounding sounds and ambient sounds. In the office scene, you will not ignore the voices of colleagues around you, which can help you avoid many embarrassing moments.In running and other outdoor training,they’re not for those who have high requirements on sound quality and want to immerse themselves in music.They are more suitable for those who want to do things while listening to BGM music.

Also, since they don’t need to be placed in the ear canal, you won’t feel tired even after prolonged use.

They have one drawback, sound leakage.

The vibration part of the bone conduction headphone is exposed, and while vibrating the bone, it will also vibrate the surrounding air, resulting in sound leakage.

The degree of sound leakage varies depending on the product and volume. Some excellent brands, such as Wissonly and Shokz, have made a lot of efforts to reduce sound leakage. Their products will have much less sound leakage, but they still cannot achieve completely leak-proof sound. So avoid using them in places where you need to be quiet or where people are in close proximity, such as on a train.

2. How to choose a comfortable bone conduction headphone

When choosing bone conduction headphones, it is recommended to pay attention to the following three points:

・Wireless headphones are preferred

・Priority is given to headphones that are light in weight

・Selection according to function actually needed

1. Prioritize wireless headphones

There are “wireless” and “wired” types of bone conduction headphones. But we recommend wireless headphones, as they are more comfortable to use. Wireless headphones do not have a cable connecting the headphones to the player, so you can use them while moving freely. The wireless type is the most suitable bone conduction headphone for frequent use at work. Of course, they also have a small disadvantage, which is the battery life time, which will limit the length of use. Therefore, when in use, try to fully charge it.

For those who say “charging is troublesome” or “want to avoid sound delay”, consider the wired type. Wired headphones do not require a wireless pairing connection, do not need to be charged, and have no audio delay.

2. Choose lightweight headphones

The current mainstream “head-mounted” bone conduction headphones, because they are headphones that fit the temples. Whether the headphone is light or not is directly related to the comfort when wearing it.

Therefore, choose lightweight headphones that weigh around 30 grams. Lightweight headphones with little side pressure and low weight, you can use them for long periods of time without feeling uncomfortable.

If you wear glasses, headphones hanging on your ears may be difficult to wear. In this case, if you opt for clip-ear headphones that clip to the edge of your ears, you can use them without getting in the way of your glasses.

3. Selection according to function actually needed

Typical practical functions of bone conduction headphones

• For people who have a lot of calls at work

Bone conduction headphones with noise canceling are recommended, they allow you to hear conversations clearly

-Headphones that can play for 6 hours or more

The models of wireless bone conduction headphones with long battery life are recommended，so you don’t have to worry about the battery dying.

• Bone conduction headphones with high waterproof performance

For people who want to use it in sports or outdoor scenes, bone conduction headphones with high waterproof performance are recommended, which are not easy to be damaged even if they are exposed to sweat or rain.

• Bone conduction headphones with microphone

If you want to use a wired type of headphone for making phone calls or conducting online meetings, choose a headphone with a boom microphone.

3. Peace of mind when buying for the first time! 7 popular bone conduction headphones recommended

№1 Wissonly Hi Runner Bone Conduction Headphones

Recommended reason:

The design team of Wissonly bone conduction headphones began to study bone conduction acoustics as early as 2012. Their technology accumulation in the field of bone conduction is excellent, and they are a team that is good at technology.

Wissonly Hi Runner  is a wireless headphone with a weight of only 30g. They are ear-hanging type, and the headphone frame is made of memory titanium material, which can adjust the contact area by itself, so as to ensure a good wearing experience of the headphones at any time, and can also take into account more users with different head circumferences.

In terms of sound quality, it is also excellent, with a good performance on the treble and bass. In terms of leak-proof sound, it did the best. They use a fully closed headphone body design to reduce the sound transmission of the bone conduction vibrator to the air, and use cushioning materials to reduce the vibration of the headphone, thereby reducing sound leakage by more than 90%.

Performance of Wissonly Hi Runner is very powerful, equipped with a Bluetooth 5.0 chip, making the connection more stable. Built-in 32G memory, can store 5000 songs. The battery life is good, with more than 10 hours of continuous playback. They also support IPX8 waterproof and can be used normally while swimming.

The price is $99.99, which is very cost-effective.

№2 Shokz OPENRUN Bone Conduction Headphones

Recommended reason:

“OPENRUN” is the main model of Shokz, a big brand in the field of bone conduction, with a wide range of high-performance headphones.

The headphones are wireless type, they have several characteristics:

l Support magnetic fast charging: charge for 10 minutes, use up to 1.5 hours

l High-level waterproof performance: It meets the IP67 standard for dustproof and waterproof performance, and can work normally when sweating or raining

l Comfortable to wear: Weighing only 26 grams, the surface of the headphone is soft, it is a comfortable open-ear headphone

But when the volume is high, there will still be a problem of sound leakage. It only supports Bluetooth mode, and there is no MP3 mode.

The price is $129.95, which belongs to the positioning of high-end bone conduction headphones.

№3: Shokz OPENCOMM Bone Conduction Headphones

Recommended reason:

“OPENCOMM” is the only headphone with a boom microphone among the products launched by Shokz.

This is a headphone designed for online meetings and calls, they have several features

l Boom microphone, good sound reception, suitable for online meetings

l The call sound quality is good, they are equipped with DSP noise reduction function, and the sound is clearer

l Comfortable to wear, they are made of light and comfortable titanium metal, very lightweight, no sense of load

l Easy to operate, they can talk hands-free

At $199.95, they might be a little on the high side, but the product is really good.

№4 Philips A6606 bone conduction headphones

Recommended reason:

Philips is a well-known name in consumer electronics, and their bone conduction headphones are also very good.

The A6606 bone conduction headphones are Philips’ flagship product designed for running and they have several features

l Night running light design: They have an LED light behind the headphones, reminding people or cars behind to notice your position when running at night;

l Firm and comfortable to wear: They are ergonomically designed and firm to wear, and the surface of the headphones is made of soft silicone, which makes them more comfortable to wear;

l High waterproof level: They have reached the IP67 waterproof level, so it is not a problem to sweat during daily exercise or gets caught in the rain.

At $154, although it is a product of Philips, its cost performance is average.

№5 Boco earsopen FIT BT-1 bone conduction headphones

Recommended reason:

Boco is the earliest company engaged in the production of bone conduction headphones in Japan, and the appearance of “FIT BT-1” is attractive.

they have several characteristics

l Good wearing experience: The earphone frame is made of adjustable titanium alloy and the surface is made of soft silicone, which makes it fit and durable at the same time.

l Excellent sound quality: Their high-pitched and low-pitched sound quality is very good, you can experience the sound quality with rich presence from high pitch to low bass.

l Stylish appearance: The smooth curved appearance makes them very fashionable.

They cost $133, neither too high nor too low.

№6: Boco WR-5 HK-1002 Bone Conduction Headphones

Recommended reason:

WR-5 HK-1002 is a wired bone conduction headphone from Boco, a leading manufacturer of bone conduction in Japan.

they have several characteristics

l Secure to wear: They are hook-type wearing, which can be firmly fixed on the ear;

l Good sound quality: They have their own dedicated power amplifier, which improves the volume and sound quality

l Unique features of wired headphones: no need to worry about battery power, and no need to worry about Bluetooth connection problems.

At $105, they’re relatively expensive for wired bone conduction headphones.

№7: Haylou PurFree bone conduction headphones

Recommended reason:

PurFree is a wireless bone conduction headphone, from a Chinese startup company — — Haylou

they have several characteristics

l Comfortable to wear: They weigh only 28g, and they don’t feel heavy when worn. The side pressure is also relatively small, and the surface of the headphone is made of soft and skin-friendly materials, which is very comfortable;

l Good sound quality: They are equipped with Directional audio directional technology, so that the timbre is concentrated and not scattered, thereby enhancing the rhythm of the music.

l Battery life: They can play music continuously for 8 hours, and they also support fast charging.

l The waterproof level is not high, only supports Bluetooth mode, no MP3 mode, and no built-in storage, these are their shortcomings.

They’re priced at $109.99, for the new product of the startup company, its product function is not strong, and the price is a little high.

4. Bone conduction headphone Q&A

Finally, we’ll answer frequently asked questions about bone conduction headphones.

These FAQs are useful information for friends who are buying bone conduction headphones for the first time, so be sure to check them out.

Q1. Will they be hard to hear when the outside noise is loud?

If the ambient sound is louder than the music being played, it will be difficult to hear.

Since bone conduction headphones don’t need to be inserted into the ear canal, they allow you to hear your surrounding sound while playing music. But if the surrounding environment is too loud, it will interfere with the sound of the headphones, and listening to music will be difficult.

In addition, in public places such as stations and trains, you also have concerns about sound leakage, so pay attention to decreasing the volume when using them in these places.

Bone conduction headphones are most suitable for enjoying background music, so if you want to concentrate on enjoying music and have higher requirements for sound quality, we recommend ordinary headphones, especially those with noise reduction functions.

Q2. Will bone conduction headphones hurt my ears?

Bone conduction headphones do little damage to the ears.

Because bone conduction headphones usually transmit sound to the inner ear through the vibration of the skull. Since the route of transmission does not pass through the eardrum, the damage to the eardrum is very small.

Traditional in-ear headphones are more harmful than bone conduction headphones, mainly because in-ear headphones are relatively close to the eardrum, so they will cause certain irritation to the nerves or eardrums when transmitting sound. If you wear it for a long time, it may cause soreness in the ear canal and damage to the tympanic membrane, which may lead to hearing loss in severe cases.

Q3. Do bone conduction headphones affect bones and the brain?

Many studies have shown that bone conduction has no harm to bones and brain.

In daily life, people can also hear their own voices through bone conduction.You can hear yourself in two ways: “sound transmission through bone vibration and sound transmission through air vibration”. This means that you are receiving the sound transmitted by vibrations from your bones every day, so you will not cause harm to your body by using bone conduction headphones.

Q4. Do the bone conduction headphones really keep your ears from getting tired after using them for a long time?

Our team did a test to compare the fatigue level after using ordinary headphones and bone conduction headphones for 6 hours. After wearing bone conduction headphones for a long time, it is more comfortable.

Because the bone conduction headphones do not fit the ear, the pressure on the ear is less, and the ear canal remains open, so there will be no stuffy feeling. Therefore, the ear will not get tired after using bone conduction headphones for a long time.

5. Summary

Bone conduction headphones are headphones that transmit sound through vibrating bones. Their open-ear wearing feature makes them healthy, safe, comfortable, and hygienic headphones, which makes them more and more popular.

When choosing bone conduction headphones, it is recommended to choose lightweight wireless headphones, and at the same time choose headphones with good sound quality, less sound leakage, and good waterproof performance, such as Wissonly Hi Runner.