How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a dedicated sport-and-safety pair of over ear hook earbuds built around bone conduction and long battery life, choose Xmenha Over Open Ear; if you need ear hook earbuds that double as a real-time AI translator for travel, meetings and study, choose Rulbovs NE35. One is a straightforward open-ear listening tool. The other is a pocket interpreter that happens to be shaped like an earbud.
• Xmenha Over Open Ear — biggest strength: bone conduction drivers plus flexible titanium ear hooks, so audio travels to the inner ear without plugging the canal, and the fit is designed to stay put during runs and workouts.
• Xmenha Over Open Ear — biggest trade-off: this is a listening device only. There's no translation, no app control and no waterproof rating listed, so it's not the pick for international travel or heavy rain.
• Rulbovs NE35 — biggest strength: real-time two-way translation across 164+ languages in six modes, with Bluetooth 6.0, IPX6 water resistance and a free app that requires no subscription.
• Rulbovs NE35 — biggest trade-off: translation is the whole point, and it depends on the Saymi app. If you just want headphones, you're paying for a feature set you may never open.
• Pick Xmenha Over Open Ear if your priority is comfortable, aware open-ear listening for sport and long sessions.
• Pick Rulbovs NE35 if your priority is understanding and being understood in another language.
The Xmenha model is built around a single idea: get sound to your ear without blocking it. It uses a bone conduction driver with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range, so instead of firing audio into your ear canal it vibrates through the ear bone. In practice that means you keep hearing traffic, a training partner, a referee's whistle or an approaching cyclist while your music or podcast keeps playing. For anyone who has ever felt uneasy running on a road with sealed in-ear buds, that awareness is the entire selling point.
The fit story is the second half of the pitch. The earpieces use a hooks-and-open-ear shape with flexible titanium hooks that the brand describes as conforming to the natural curve of your ear, so they hold on without clamping down. The listed weight and materials are plastic, and the whole thing ships as a pair of buds plus a plastic charging case, a USB-C cable and a manual. Battery is quoted at 6–8 hours per charge and 48 hours with the case, with a full charge taking about 8 hours and average life around 7 hours. That's a genuinely full-day-plus setup for most people.
Who should buy it: runners, walkers, cyclists and gym-goers who want open-ear awareness and a hook design that survives movement; also parents who like the idea of a non-in-ear option for kids, since the brand explicitly frames bone conduction as gentler on hearing. Bluetooth 5.3 with a 10-metre range and touch controls with noise control for sound isolation round out the package, and a mic with environmental noise reduction handles calls.
Rulbovs NE35: Who It's For
The Rulbovs NE35 is a different animal. Yes, it's an open-ear, ear-hook design with soft silicone that the brand says is meant for extended wear, and yes, it plays music through Hi-Fi dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz – 20 KHz range. But the reason to buy it is the translation engine. It handles two-way interpretation in 164+ languages, which Rulbovs claims covers the vast majority of the world's population, and it does it in six distinct modes: AI Chat, Free Talk, Translator, Phone+Headset, Voice Memo and Photo Translation. That last one reads signs and menus with the camera — genuinely useful when you're standing in front of a menu you can't parse.
The supporting hardware matters too. Bluetooth 6.0 is the newest generation listed here, and it's paired with ENC noise cancelling for calls and low latency under 30 ms, which keeps translated speech from feeling laggy. Battery is 4–5 hours per charge and 48 hours total with the case, and a digital display on the case shows remaining power — a small thing that saves you from walking into a negotiation with a dead bud. IPX6 water resistance means sweat and rain are fine. Everything runs through the free Saymi app on iOS or Android, with no subscription and no expiring trial, which is a meaningful design choice for a category where paid translation tiers are common.
Who should buy it: travellers, students, expats, and anyone in meetings or client calls across a language barrier. Also a strong fit for commuters and light exercisers who want open-ear awareness plus a real tool.
Who should skip it: someone who only wants headphones. The translation modes, app dependency and language coverage are the value here, and if you'll never open the Saymi app, a plain open-ear set makes more sense. Note too that the spec sheet lists no noise control for audio isolation and no formal warranty description, so buy it for what it does, not for what it protects.
• Best for sport and running → Xmenha Over Open Ear. Flexible titanium hooks, bone conduction, open-ear awareness and 6–8 hours per charge.
• Best for travel and language barriers → Rulbovs NE35. 164+ languages, six translation modes and photo translation for signs and menus.
• Best for battery life → Xmenha Over Open Ear. Both quote 48 hours with the case, but Xmenha lists 6–8 hours per charge versus 4–5 on the NE35.
• Best for calls → Rulbovs NE35. ENC noise cancelling plus sub-30 ms latency is purpose-built for voice, including Phone+Headset translation.
• Best for workouts in sweat or rain → Rulbovs NE35. IPX6 water resistance is listed; the Xmenha sheet lists no waterproof rating.
• Best for staying aware of traffic → either. Both are open-ear by design, so both let ambient sound in.
• Best for app-free simplicity → Xmenha Over Open Ear. Touch controls on the bud, no app required. The NE35 leans on the Saymi app for its headline features.
• Best for students and language learners → Rulbovs NE35. Voice Memo and Free Talk modes map directly onto study and practice.
• Best for a no-subscription translation setup → Rulbovs NE35. The Saymi app is free with no monthly fees or expiring trials.
In my opinion, the right answer comes down to one question: do you need to understand another language? If yes, I'd buy the Rulbovs NE35. The combination of 164+ languages, six modes, Bluetooth 6.0, IPX6 and a genuinely free app is a lot of capability in one pair of ear hook earbuds, and the digital display and 48-hour case make it practical for real travel days. If the answer is no — you just want comfortable, aware, long-lasting open-ear audio for running and the gym — I'd buy the Xmenha Over Open Ear instead, because you're not paying for a translation stack you'll never open. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since that's the one number that can shift the call.
FAQ
how to wear ear hook earbuds
are ear hook earbuds good
They're good if you want awareness and comfort. Both of these are open-ear designs, so you keep hearing your surroundings while audio plays — useful for running, cycling and commuting. The trade-off is that they don't seal or isolate, so a loud plane cabin or busy train will compete with your audio.
how to put on ear clip earbuds
Treat them the same way as hooks: place the earpiece over the ear, then rotate it gently until the arm sits against the back of your ear and the driver hovers at the entrance to the canal. Don't push it in — with open-ear and bone conduction models, the sound works without a seal, and forcing it in defeats the comfort and awareness benefits.
how to wear earbuds with ear hooks
Put them on one at a time, hook first, then check that the driver points toward your ear canal and the mic arm is clear of your cheek. On the Rulbovs NE35 you'll also want the Saymi app open and paired before a translated conversation, and on the Xmenha the touch controls handle playback once the hooks are seated.
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.
See also: WAVEFUN Neckband vs Avantree Relay & SoundJet, MINDBEAST Bass Amazing Sound vs EXZHIG AI Translation Earbuds, PowerLocus Over-Ear vs L LTGEM Headphone Headset Case, JVC Nearphones Open Ear vs BYDTOOPCBD Purple