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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a bass-focused multi-effects rig with amp models, rhythms and a looper for your PS5 practice and recording setup, choose Zoom B1; if you need an open-ear Bluetooth headset with a noise-canceling mic for calls and meetings while you game, choose ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2.
• Zoom B1 biggest strength: More than 60 bass effects, 9 amp models and 5 simultaneous effects give you a full tone-shaping toolkit in one stompbox.
• Zoom B1 biggest trade-off: It's a wired, bass-specific processor — not a wireless earbud or headset, so it won't work as casual listening gear.
• ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2 biggest strength: Bone conduction open-ear design, a noise-canceling mic and a USB-C dongle make it a low-latency Bluetooth headset built for clear voice chat.
• ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2 biggest trade-off: It's tuned for speech and calls, not for deep bass reproduction or instrument modeling.
• Pick Zoom B1 if you're a bassist who wants effects, amp emulations and a built-in looper.
• Pick ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2 if you want an all-day headset for voice chat, work calls and staying aware of your surroundings.
The Zoom B1 is a multi-effects processor built specifically for electric bass. In my read of the spec sheet, it's the kind of pedal that rewards players who like to sculpt a tone rather than just plug in and go. You get more than 60 bass effects, and you can chain up to five at once in any order you like. That's a lot of routing freedom for a single stompbox. On top of that, there are 9 amp models simulating classic bass rigs, so you can color your sound without hauling real amps around.
The practical touches are what make it interesting for a home player. There's a 30-second onboard looper and 68 built-in rhythm patterns, and the rhythms can run alongside the looper — genuinely handy for building a bassline over a drum groove by yourself. The chromatic tuner saves you from clipping on a separate one. You can save your setups into 50 user preset patches and switch between them (or whole banks) with a tap of your toe, which is why this format works just as well in a studio as on a stage.
The global tone stack and output volume knob stay fixed as you cycle patches, so your overall level and EQ character don't jump around mid-set. Controls are knob-based, power comes from an adapter (9V), and the bundle includes a set of Polsen HPC-A30 closed-back monitor headphones, a power adapter and a 10-foot instrument cable — a complete plug-in-and-play starting point.
Who should skip it: anyone looking for wireless in-ear earbuds or a general-purpose headset. This is a bass tool, full stop. If you don't play bass, it isn't for you.
ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2: Who It's For
The ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2 is an open-ear headset built on bone conduction. Instead of sealing your ear canal, it sits outside it and transmits sound through the bone — which means you keep hearing what's going on around you. At just 35g with a flexible frame and an IP55 water-resistant silicone finish, it's designed to be worn for long stretches without the pressure that closed earbuds create. That's the core of the "advanced all-day comfort" pitch, and the weight figure backs it up.
For voice work, the spec sheet points to a 7th-generation bone conduction setup, PremiumPitch 2.0 audio and a noise-canceling microphone with DSP. The mic is the part that matters most for calls — DSP processing is there to keep your voice intelligible when there's background noise. There's also a dedicated mute button, so you can kill your mic with a physical press rather than hunting through software. Volume, play/pause and call controls are all handled by physical buttons on the headset.
Connectivity is where this model earns its "UC" name. It ships with the Shokz Loop120 USB-C wireless adapter, which is meant to keep a PC or Mac connection stable, and the headset is Zoom-certified for straightforward software integration. Bluetooth 5.1 gives you wireless freedom with a range up to 98 feet. Battery is rated at up to 16 hours of talk time and 8 hours of listening per charge, with a 5-minute quick charge delivering 2 hours of talk time — a genuinely useful detail if you forget to plug in before a meeting. The box includes the headset, a protective case and the Loop120 adapter, and it carries a 2-year warranty.
Who should buy it: remote workers, call-heavy gamers and anyone who wants to hear their room while talking — plus people who find in-ear buds uncomfortable after an hour.
Who should skip it: listeners chasing deep, isolating bass. Bone conduction is about awareness and speech clarity, not thumping low end. Noise control is listed as none, so it won't block out a loud room.
• Best for bass tone-shaping → Zoom B1. Over 60 effects, 9 amp models, 5 simultaneous slots.
• Best for looping and practice rhythm → Zoom B1. 30-second looper plus 68 rhythm patterns that can run together.
• Best for preset recall on stage or in the studio → Zoom B1. 50 user patches with toe-tap switching and a fixed global tone stack.
• Best for clear voice chat and meetings → ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2. Noise-canceling mic with DSP and a one-press mute button.
• Best for all-day comfort → ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2. 35g open-ear frame with IP55 water resistance.
• Best for battery life → ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2. Up to 16h talk / 8h listening, with a 5-minute quick charge for 2h of talk.
• Best for stable PC/Mac wireless → ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2. The included Loop120 USB-C adapter plus Zoom certification.
• Best for staying aware of your surroundings → ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2. Open-ear bone conduction leaves your ears uncovered.
In my opinion, these two barely overlap — so the real question is what role you need filled for PS5. If you're a bassist wiring into your console setup for practice, jamming or recording, I'd buy the Zoom B1: nothing in the OpenComm2's spec sheet can emulate an amp or chain five effects. If your priority is a bluetooth headset for PS5 voice chat that stays comfortable for hours and keeps your ears open, I'd buy the ShenzhenShokzCo.Ltd OpenComm2. For the PS5 specifically, I'd lean OpenComm2 for chat and Zoom B1 for playing bass — and if you want both jobs done, they're complements, not competitors.
No — it isn't earbuds at all. It's a bass multi-effects processor that runs on a 9V adapter. The bundle does include Polsen HPC-A30 closed-back monitor headphones, but the unit itself is a wired bass tool, not wireless listening gear.
It's an open-ear bone conduction headset with Bluetooth 5.1, not in-ear buds, and it's aimed at voice chat and calls. It also ships with a USB-C dongle for stable PC/Mac connections, which is the more reliable route for low-latency audio. Think of it as a bluetooth headset for PS5 chat rather than a music-first headphone.
The OpenComm2, clearly. It's rated up to 16 hours of talk time and 8 hours of listening per charge, with a 5-minute quick charge giving 2 hours of talk. The Zoom B1 is adapter-powered, so battery life isn't part of its design at all.
No. The OpenComm2 lists noise control as none — its open-ear design is deliberately built to keep you aware of your surroundings, and its noise-canceling mic works on your outgoing voice, not on what you hear. The Zoom B1's included monitor headphones are closed-back, which naturally reduces outside sound while you play.
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