How We Research
Updated: 2026-09-24 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a wired, ultra-light open-ear set for cycling and gym sessions where your phone stays in a pocket or armband, choose ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones; if you need a fully waterproof, Bluetooth-free-underwater swim companion with built-in song storage, choose MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming.
• ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest strength: a featherweight 33 g open-ear design with a Type-C wired connection, CVC6.0 noise cancellation and a highly sensitive mic for clear hands-free calls.
• ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones — biggest trade-off: IPX4 only, and the brand itself states it is not a swimming headphone and shouldn't go underwater; on a 3.5 mm interface the volume runs low.
• MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming — biggest strength: IP68 waterproofing plus 32 GB of built-in MP3 memory, so you can keep listening while swimming where Bluetooth can't reach.
• MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming — biggest trade-off: no wired jack at all, no active noise control, and you must manually switch to MP3 mode for underwater use.
• Pick ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones if you want a plug-and-play wired set for cycling, jogging and workouts and you'd rather not manage a battery.
• Pick MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming if you want one pair that covers both dry-land wireless listening and pool laps.
The ZHQMG set is built around one idea: keep the ears open and the weight down. At roughly 33 g it's the kind of headphone you forget you're wearing, and the elastic headband plus memory metal structure is meant to flex to fit a wide range of head sizes. That combination of low weight and a secure band is exactly what you want when you're moving — jogging, climbing, running, or riding a bike where hearing traffic matters more than isolation. Because the drivers sit outside the ear canal and transmit through bone, ambient sound stays audible, which is the whole safety argument for open-ear sports audio.
Where this model stands out is the wired, Type-C approach and the calling side. There's no battery to charge, no pairing, no lag — you plug in and go. The microphone is described as highly sensitive, paired with CVC6.0 noise cancellation, and the brand claims clearer hands-free calls than typical bone conduction headphones, along with a design meant to reduce sound leakage. For someone taking calls between sets at the gym or on a commute, that's a genuinely useful combination that many open-ear sets treat as an afterthought. The push-button controls and active noise cancellation round out the control side.
Who should skip it? Swimmers, first and foremost. The IPX4 rating covers sweat and light rain only, and the manufacturer explicitly warns it isn't a swimming headphone and shouldn't be used underwater. If your phone or laptop only has a 3.5 mm jack, note the brand's own caution that volume is relatively low through that interface — that's a real limitation, not a nitpick. And if you want a fully wireless experience with no cable snagging on your shirt, this isn't that product.
The MARLALL pair takes the opposite route: it's cordless, waterproof to a serious degree, and carries its own music. The headline spec is 32 GB of built-in MP3 storage — enough for thousands of songs — which exists specifically because Bluetooth signals don't travel through water. The workflow is deliberate: stream over Bluetooth 5.4 on land, then switch to MP3 mode before you get in the pool. That single design decision is what separates it from almost every open-ear set, and it's the reason the product exists at all.
On land it behaves like a normal open-ear Bluetooth headphone. Bluetooth 5.4 is the current generation, promising stable connections and strong interference resistance up to about 10 meters (33 feet), with support for iOS and Android, music, audiobooks and hands-free calls. The 20 Hz–20,000 Hz frequency range covers the full audible spectrum on paper. There are adjustable straps to keep the fit secure without slippage, and the silicone enclosure with a Turquoise finish is the soft, skin-friendly material the name advertises. It ships with a 1-year warranty.
The honest trade-offs: there's no audio jack at all, so you're fully dependent on Bluetooth or the internal memory. Noise control is listed as "none," so this is purely an open-ear, hear-your-surroundings design — which is fine for safety but means no noise cancelling. And the MP3-mode switch is a manual step you have to remember; if you forget it, you'll get silence underwater. Weight is also listed inconsistently across the sheet (22.68 g in one field, 29 g in the description), so treat the "lightweight" claim as directionally true rather than precise.
• Best for swimming → MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming. IP68 plus 32 GB MP3 memory is the only combination here that works underwater.
• Best for battery-free reliability → ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones. Wired Type-C means nothing to charge and nothing to pair.
• Best for clear hands-free calls → ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones. A sensitive mic plus CVC6.0 noise cancellation is a stated focus of the design.
• Best for wireless freedom on land → MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming. Bluetooth 5.4 with roughly 10 m of range and no cable.
• Best for sweat and light rain → ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones, but only just — IPX4 handles perspiration, not submersion.
• Best for multi-sport versatility → MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming. It covers running, cycling, hiking and pool work in one pair.
• Best for a low-hassle gym bag pick → ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones. The 33 g build and memory metal band make it easy to toss in and forget.
• Best for anyone who hates charging → ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones. That's the core advantage of a wired set.
In my opinion, the right buy depends entirely on whether water is involved. If you swim — even occasionally — I'd take the MARLALL Liquid Silicone Swimming, because the 32 GB MP3 mode and IP68 rating solve a problem the ZHQMG simply can't, and Bluetooth 5.4 covers everything else. If you never get in a pool and just want a light, wired, call-friendly open-ear set for cycling and the gym, I'd take the ZHQMG Bone Conduction Headphones and enjoy never thinking about a battery again. Neither is a compromise pick; they're aimed at different jobs. Check the current price on Amazon before deciding.
FAQ
how to bone conduction earphones work
how to use bone conduction earphones
Place the transducers against your cheekbones just in front of your ears and adjust the band or straps until they sit snug without pressure. The ZHQMG plugs in via Type-C; the MARLALL pairs over Bluetooth 5.4 and must be switched to MP3 mode before swimming, since Bluetooth won't transmit underwater.
how to wear bone conduction earphones
Rest the band around the back of your head and let the drivers sit on the bone in front of each ear. The ZHQMG uses an elastic headband with a memory metal structure for a flexible fit; the MARLALL uses adjustable straps to prevent slippage. Neither goes inside your ear.
are bone conduction earphones waterproof
It depends on the rating. The ZHQMG is IPX4 — sweat and light rain only, and the brand states it is not for swimming or underwater use. The MARLALL is IP68, which is what allows underwater use in MP3 mode.
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