Disadvantages of bone conduction headphones! A Thorough Review of Health Risks and Sound leakage

"What exactly is a bone conduction headphone?"," Want to know its shortcomings and risks before considering buying!"Do you have the same problem? 

Bone conduction headphones are headphones that transmit sound to the brain by vibrating bones near their temples. Unlike traditional headphones, it is a hanging-ear headphone, which does not cover the ears and is easier to hear the sound around.

It has outstanding advantages, such as being healthier, safer, and more hygienic, but it also has some disadvantages. In this article, we will introduce the advantages and disadvantages of bone conduction headphones, as well as recommend excellent products.

Catalog
Disadvantages of bone conduction headphones
It is difficult to hear the sound in headphones in noisy environment.
Sound is prone to leakage and is not suitable for public places or on trains
The price is expensive

Advantages of bone conduction headphones
High safety, because you can hear sounds outside without blocking your ears
Even if used for a long time, the ears will not be tired, and very comfortable
Don't have to worry about the headphones falling off during use

Reputation and evaluation of bone conduction headphones

The most cost-effective bone conduction headphones are recommended
Wissonly Hi Runner
Shokz Openrun Pro
Philips A6606
Earsopen PEACE TW-1

Bone conduction headphones FAQ
Does the bone conduction ear opportunity cause hearing loss?
Do bone conduction headphones leak sound much?
Does the bone conduction headphone have a very poor sound quality?

The disadvantages of bone conduction headphones
1.It is difficult to hear the sound in headphones in noisy Environment

Unlike traditional headphones, bone conduction headphones will not block your ear canal. If the surrounding sound is loud, for example, on a crowded train, on a busy road, or on a windy day, you may feel that you can't hear the sound of headphones clearly.

Therefore, it is not suitable for occasions where you want to enjoy music purely, but for scenes where you want to listen to background music. In fact, there are plenty of people who use bone conduction headphones while running or doing chores.

In the busy street or when the children are noisy, it is difficult to hear the sound of headphones, this is a disadvantage, but because the ears are not completely covered, it is safe. while running, you can hear the sound of cars around to avoid danger; When using it at home, you can hear the voice of your family.

2.Easy to leak sound, not suitable for public facilities or trains

Bone conduction headphones are more likely to leak sound than traditional headphones that block the ears. Because while the sound unit vibrates the bone, it also vibrates the air nearby, thus creating sound leakage.

Because of the problem of sound leakage, it is not suitable for use in quiet public places such as libraries or trains. Imagine being somewhat uncomfortable on the train when the person sitting next to you hears the "shakashaka" from the headphones.

If you do use it, try to turn down the volume before using it.

In particular, the entire industry is trying to improve the problem of sound leakage, some good brands, have greatly reduced the problem, such as Wissonly and Shokz.

3.Expensive

Bone conduction headphones are cheap around $50 and expensive above $150, which are a little more expensive than regular earbuds.

Although the overall price is a little higher, it is worth it from the perspective of the health and safety of the product.

For a better user experience, it is not recommended to choose low-priced products. It is recommended to choose products with a price of 80-100 dollars. For low-priced products, it is easy to feel that the sound quality is low or uncomfortable when worn, and it may not be able to appreciate the original goodness of bone conduction headphones. For products worth 80-100 dollars, various functions will be perfect.

Advantages of bone conduction headphones
1.High-safety, because you can hear the voices outside

Bone conduction headphones don't block your ears, so when you wear the outdoors.
Its non-in-ear features make it easier to pay attention to dangerous sounds, such as the sound of a car or a bicycle ring. So, bone conduction headphones are safer than headphones that cover the ears.
Have you ever used earbuds that cover your ears outside without noticing an approaching car or bike? It's not only dangerous but embarrassing, but bone conduction headphones can help you avoid this kind of situation.

2.Even if used for a long time, the ears will not be tired

When using headphones for a long time, such as during teleconference or exercise, you may feel pressure in your ears and feel pain or fatigue. Bone conduction headphones don't have this problem, because it's worn by holding the head from the back of the head to the sides of the ear, and it doesn't need to plug the ear.

Bone conduction headphones have no earbuds, no pressure on the tympanic membrane and ear canal, and will not feel tired even if used for a long time.

3.Don't have to worry about the headphones falling off when exercising

Because bone conduction headphones are lighter, they are less loaded and more comfortable than earmuff headphones. Don't worry about the headphones falling off during use

With bone conduction headphones, you don't have to worry about the headphones falling out during use, and they are very stable.

Have you ever experienced any earbuds falling off during use? The earbuds may be damaged multiple times and can’t be picked up. Especially people whose ear holes are too big or too small., the earbuds will be very difficult to wear, and it is easy to fall out, causing a lot of problems.

In contrast, bone conduction headphones will not have this problem. They are stable to wear because their frames, fixed by wrapping the back of the head to the ear and holding the sides of the head, can be used comfortably even during exercise without falling.

Public praise and evaluation of bone conduction headphones (excerpt)
Total score:4.0 * * * * (Number of 100 samples)
Very good at 10%
Very good at 67%
It can also be about 23%
leave much to be desired
How terrible

The following is excerpted from the user reviews of the mainstream e-commerce platforms,

Jack 40+ male
Degree of satisfaction:****
Merit:
One thing I like about using them is that they don't block the ear canal.
I bought one,ear-hanging headphones, so I don't have to put them into my ear holes, and my ear canal won't get dirty either.
In addition, because the ear hole is not blocked, so you can hear the ambient sound, and it can be used when walking.

shortcoming:
There are two things that you feel bad about it.
First of all, the sound quality is not very good.
Due to bone conduction, it's fun, but honestly, the sound quality is not good enough. It's not enough to compare with regular noise-canceling headphones.
The second is sound leakage problem.
It does not leak a loud sound but will be heard if close, it is not suitable for use on a train.

David 40+ male
degree of satisfaction:****
merit:
I think does not hurt the ear is an advantage, used for a long time will not tinnitus. Another advantage is that even if you listen to music for a long time, the burden on the eardrum is light.
shortcoming:
It depends on how you wear it, sometimes it can feel uncomfortable. It feels like a masseur has been touching my bones, and my bones will itch, which makes me feel sick.Of course, not always every time.

Smith 30+ male
degree of satisfaction:****
merit:
The sound is transmitted through the skull, which is very convenient. You can listen to the outside sound while listening to music.
I use it while running, I feel that it is a good point because it doesn't block the ambient sound , so I can enjoy the music safely.
shortcoming:
The sound quality is not as good as traditional headphones. It seems to be a sound leakage, so you have to think about the environment and use it.
I think long-term use will hurt the skull, so you must be careful not to use it for too long.

Samantha 30+ old women
degree of satisfaction:****
merit:
You can hear the voices outside, so while running, but you can hear the voices of the people nearby.
shortcoming:
Maybe I'm the only one who's worried that it will weigh more than ordinary earbuds. It strikes me that. It sounds different from regular headphones, so I felt I need to adjust to it.

Teresa 40+ women
degree of satisfaction:****
merit:
Ordinary ear-wrapped headphones can cause ear pain after a long time, but bone conduction headphones will not.
shortcoming
Maybe I handled it improperly, the hanging part soon broke down and then it could not be used.

Yuki 30+ women
degree of satisfaction:***
merit:
It is great that because it does not block the ears, you can hear the surrounding sounds, and when you use it at home, you can also notice the visitors. The ears won't hurt after a long-term use. It feels better than in-ear headphones.
shortcoming:
Even if you don't turn up the volume to use, it will leak sound. It is difficult to use it when there are many people, so you can only use it at home. Maybe I should buy another model.

Cost-effective bone conduction headphones recommended

1.Wissonly Hi Runner Bone conduction headphones

The team of Wissonly has 10 years of product development experience in the field of bone conduction. It is the main headphone brand that does not hurt the ear, and also one of the earliest brands to put forward the concept of non-in-ear headphones. The Hi Runner completely off-ear design reduces the damage to the drum film, which is very healthy.The surface of the earphone is made of skin-friendly silicone material, so it has very light weight, no load-bearing feeling when wearing and high comfort.
Wissonly Hi Runner Bone conduction earphone has made a lot of improvement in sound quality and sound leakage reduction. It is equipped with a large directional bone conduction vibration unit, which through structural optimization increases the effective sound area by 35%, making the sound more shocking. The official claim is that its sound quality reaches the Hi-Fi level, after we measured it, we think the sound quality is really good, but it does not really reach the Hi-Fi sound quality, can only say that it is very close. To solve the problem of sound leakage of bone conduction Bluetooth headphone, wissonly developed a fully closed anti-leak sound technology, which improved the vibration unit, body design, and software optimization of the headphone, and finally reduced the sound leakage effect by 90%.

It supports Bluetooth and MP3 playback modes, Bluetooth when there is a Bluetooth signal, and MP3 when there is no phone. In MP3 mode, it has 32G built-in memory and can store 5,000 songs. It is equipped with a Bluetooth 5.0 chip for higher connection stability. It also has a strong battery life, lasting for 10 hours.

In particular, it's IPX 8 and can work 20 meters underwater, which's crazy.

2. Shokz OPENRUN PRO Bone conduction headphones

The flagship product of Shokz, the leading bone conduction brand, weighs only 26g and wears no pressure. It supports IP67 super standard waterproof, sweat and rain are not afraid. It can be used in bad weather and is a reliable all-weather running headphone. But it is not professionally waterproof, swimming and diving are not suitable, so you must be considered before the purchase.

In terms of sound quality and leak sound-proof, it also performs very well, with a good battery life, and lasts for 10 hours. The only problem is that it costs much more than the new brand that has emerged in the last two years.

3. Philips A6606 bone conduction headphones

The earphone design is very distinctive, equipped with a special night light. When running at night, the LED light will light up to provide you with safe lighting,reminding the vehicles and pedestrians behind you to pay attention to your position and ensure your safety. Its earphone structure is completely ergonomic, so that it will not fall off during exercise and is more stable, which makes you feel more at ease. This is an open earphone, which doesn't need to be plugged into the ear, keeps the ear canal open, makes the ear more hygienic, and does not hurt the eardrum, which is undoubtedly healthier.

It supports IP67 waterproof, and daily sweating is no problem, but after all, it is not a professional waterproof headphone, and can not be used when swimming.

4. Boco earsopen PEACE Bone conduction headphones

earsopen Bor n in Tokyo, Japan, it is BoCo Corporation's bone conduction earphone brand. Earsopen PEACE TW-1 is the first clip-ear Bluetooth headphone that can be separated left and right.Because the sound unit is small and closer to the ear canal, the sound leakage is also very small.

It adopts the form of wearing behind the ear with the arc support frame, which is more comfortable when wearing and can effectively improve wearing comfort . However, because of the wearing way, the auricle will be a little uncomfortable after wearing for a long time.

It also supports IPX 7 level waterproof performance, rainy day travel or sports running, does not be afraid of sweat and rain erosion, and can be used at any time.

Common problems with bone conduction headphones
1. Does the bone conduction ear opportunity cause hearing loss?
Don't worry about it causing hearing loss.
For example, we pass the voice to the brain every day through the bones, such as the chewing sound when we eat.This is the mechanism of bone conduction, which is also a natural sound transmission mechanism, and will not cause hearing damage.On the contrary, this sound transmission mechanism does not affect the eardrum, which is good for protecting hearing. Types of headphones that seal the ears are more likely to cause ear problems such as hearing loss because they vibrate the eardrum.

2.Will bone conduction headphones have serious sound leakage problems?
To be honest, bone conduction headphones have sound leakage problems, which are determined by their sound principle. The bone conduction vibration device also vibrates the surrounding air, creating sound leakage.
In the past two years, many manufacturers have spent a lot of effort to improve the problem. Some excellent brands, such as Wissonly and Shokz, have greatly reduced this problem, so the sound leakage problem of their products is very small.

3. Is the sound quality of the bone conduction headphones very bad?
The sound quality of bone conduction headphones is not as good as the traditional noise-canceling headphones, and it is not worn in the ear, so when you use them outdoors, they will have the impact of wind noise, resulting in unclear listening. Therefore, when used outdoors, it is more suitable for listening to background music.
Of course, some brands have optimized the sound quality of bone conduction headphones, so that their sound is more concentrated to avoid the impact of wind noise, and the sound quality has been greatly improved, such as Wissonly Hi Runner is performing well.

Conclusion: Thoroughly explain the disadvantages and advantages of bone conduction headphones
In this article, we answered the advantages and disadvantages of bone conduction headphones and common questions.

Let's review the disadvantages of bone conduction headphones.
It is difficult to hear the sound in headphones in noisy environment.
Sound is easily leaked and not suitable for quiet places or inside a train
The price is more expensive

Advantages of bone conduction headphones
High safety, because you can hear the sound outside, outdoor sports are safer
Comfortable, even for a long time to use the ears will not feel tired
Don't worry about the headphones falling off during use

Overall, bone conduction headphones are an excellent product, especially suitable during exercise.