It’s weird to believe that everything you have ever heard in your life started as vibrations in the physical. Well, if this is your first time to learn about this, welcome on board! The discovery of sound wave is why we can tame sounds from different sources, and with recent technologies, we have full control of the sounds we want to hear.
Imagine listening to loud music with ear-buds on both ears while riding a bike. That sounds suicidal, right? There’s a technology that would allow you to enjoy music on your bike without missing the traffic sounds – bone conduction headphones make it possible.
Some people have dubbed the invention of bone conduction headphones as the channel to create portable audio in the mist of many sounds. It’s a technology that anyone interested in taming sounds doesn’t want to miss. Bone conduction headphones are also good devices for individuals with hearing impairments. And this makes the market really large that sometimes choosing a brand that best suits you could be a task. But what are bone conduction headphones?
Bone Conduction headphones are devices used to transmit sound waves directly into one’s inner ear bones without passing it through the eardrums. Does that make any sense or sound too scientific? Well, let’s explain this using hearing mechanism.
When a sound travels into the inner ear, from the pinna (outer ear), the waves are channeled to the eardrum (also called the tympanic membrane) which signals the inner ear bones through vibration. The ear bones will package the sound to the ear cochlea (fluid) in the form of a special vibration where it is converted into electric pulses for the brain to interpret. The use of bone conduction headphones makes one hear from sounds that are passed through the jaw and cheekbones (skull) which gets to the inner bones directly.
Best Bone Conduction Headphones of 2018
While there are many bone conduction headphones available in the market, some have more outstanding designs which serve as an edge above another such as appropriate fittings against compression loss, EDR transmission, and battery life. Now let’s look at the best bone conduction headphones you can buy.
Aftershokz Trekz Titanium
Aftershokz Trekz is the bone conduction headphones to consider when top tie audio is much of a concern. It has a vague layout and sharp angles but still curved with slightly distended bands for a suitable fitting. The device is completely gorgeous as a pair of athletic headphones. Trekz’s cable is the only thing that looks challenging about the headphone. Even though it provides a vital function, dealing with a cable may provide some discomfort.
Interestingly, Aftershokz Trekz is compatible with Bluetooth 2.0 phones. That means it can connect with phones manufactured five to six years ago to deliver raw sounds straight into your ear without compression loss. This feature (low power Bluetooth radio) makes Aftershokz have a considerable long battery life. It can deliver music (nonstop) on the highest volume for about six hours.
Aftershokz Bluez 2S Wireless
Bluez is the younger brother to Trekz if reviewed on a wider scale. But Bluez 2S wireless bone conduction headphones have some qualities that make it outstanding in certain scenarios. It’s the headphones to buy if you are the type that sweats a lot from a workout or take up tasks that would expose you to the rain – it’s water resistant. The headphones are designed to be a little loose than other models though they still fit comfortably while jogging or running. One can say that it’s designed for rap music or electronic because the sound quality has a lot of bass. Just like the Trekz model, Bluez is also compatible with phones built six years ago and the battery life is relatively the same with the Trekz.
KSCAT Open-ear
This one of the top quality bone conduction headphones that delivers premium sounds, though not very popular like the Aftershokz or any other brands. It is designed to deliver safety, the outer front edge looks straight, but the inside is curved enough for a comfortable grip. It is mostly used by hikers, runners, and cyclists. KSCAT has an open-ear design with a quality shape to aid direct sound to the inner ear bones. It’s durable as fabrics from titanium with v4.1 Bluetooth connectivity (10m wide range), and the battery life is about 6 hours.
IMAGE: KSCAT Open-ear
Aftershokz AS450 Sportz
AS450 is a very good option for individuals with a short budget for bone conduction headphones. While it’s considered as less superior to other models reviewed, Aftershokz AS450 Sportz delivers outstanding quality compare to the bone conduction headphones in its category. In fact, if you are not concerned about cables on headphones, AS450 is a great deal. It has a 3.5 mm headphone jack and noise-canceling microphone which are also available for calls. As a device from a top company in bone conduction headphones, AS450 Sportz is designed with nanotechnology coating, rubber gaskets, and watertight fittings to impede inflow of sweat into the device. The battery life is alleged to last for about 12 hours, but most users can’t get up to that number of hours.
IMAGE: Aftershokz AS450 Sportz
Damson Audio DAHB01RE
The options available in Damson bone conduction headphones are the reasons why it remains one of the best to buy. Damson headphones allow users to isolate ambient noise by plugging in a traditional earpiece into a 3.5 mm jack on the device’s side. As a device for athletes, it has a water-resistant design, adjustable rubber securing headband, and Google voice features. The battery life is about 8 hours of nonstop music, the best on our list. But the sound quality is not as good as any of the bone conduction headphones on this list.
IMAGE: Damson Audio DAHB01RE
