SHOKZ OpenFit for 2023 Open-Ear True Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Microphone, Earbuds with Earhooks, Sweat Resistant, Fast Charging, 28HRS Playtime (Black)

Product Information

The former can be counteracted within certain limits with the equalizer in the Shokz app for iOS and Android, the latter rather not. So you should already have music playing when putting on the OpenFit to help it fit perfectly according to acoustic criteria. Simply boosting the bass via the equalizer is not such a good idea. Despite its 18 x 11 cm diaphragm, the oval driver occasionally reached its limits in the listening test. More about this below in the detailed listening test. The result is that you are able to hear sound clearly. This, combined with the 18 X 11mm dynamic drivers means these earbuds deliver quality, crisp sound, even when they’re near your ear and not inside it. However, once I did get the fit right, I found them incredibly comfortable. Lots of audio and wearable tech brands say you’ll forget you’re wearing their gadgets and I’ve never believed them. But I genuinely couldn’t feel that I had these on at times – a major testament to their light and comfortable design and ergonomic fit. Having said that, I did experience some movement at times when I was running and when I did a pretty hardcore HIIT class. With every other type of exercise, though, they stayed firmly in place.

Prioritize safety with outdoor sports like cycling, jogging, or hiking. The open-ear design allows you to hear crucial environmental cues like approaching vehicles, strangers, or wildlife encounters. A respected colleague who reviewed the OpenFit for another magazine recently raved about them: The most comfortable earpieces he knows. That’s why he uses it every day when he’s on foot. However, I also find the wearing comfort of the new JBL Soundgear Sense very good, although the first open-ears of the Americans turn out to be a lot more bulky. For this, they have an adjustment around two axes, which makes positioning much easier compared to the rigid Shokz.But their use cases remain rather niche and traditional in-ear options are a far better choice for general purpose listening. For the same money, you could buy the Huawei FreeBuds Pro 2, which provide effective sound isolation to help deliver a more satisfying audio experience and benefit from useful features including active noise cancellation and wear detection. Imagine a world where music seamlessly intertwines with your surroundings. In 2011, the founders of Shokz aimed to create an audio experience that does exactly this. They developed an innovative new headphone model by combining an open-ear earphone design with bone conduction technology. JBL took a different approach with the aforementioned Soundgear Sense open-ears. Their open-ears are significantly larger, also cover the ear more and you can’t forget them quite as easily when wearing them. Thus, the Americans sacrifice both the striking airiness in sound and feel, but voices and especially basses sound fuller and remain clean even at higher listening levels. Conclusion and alternatives to the Shokz OpenFit

The extra situational awareness means that if you’re cycling to work, you can listen to music while still being able to hear the sound of cars, pedestrians, sirens and other cyclists around you. For runners, the benefits are much the same. They’re also handy in the office, where you may want to listen to music while still being able to hear your colleagues. Much better sound quality than previous models, but please refer to no 2 of the negatives. I have since tweaked the EQ more and it’s made it better, but at the expense of the range of bass.The Shokz OpenFit is also designed with hygiene in mind. Traditional earbuds can accumulate dirt, sweat, and bacteria over time, impacting the audio quality, and leading to potential ear infections or discomfort. The OpenFit combats this with minimal maintenance and an IP54 water resistance rating. There are noise-canceling mics on the exterior of the buds, which is to make call quality as clear as possible, and I found this worked well in more environments apart from it being rather windy. Stay engaged on calls or video conferences while being aware of your surroundings. You can hear your partner, kids, or pets when they need you, and achieve work-life balance and effective communication from home. What those battery numbers don’t illustrate is performance at different volumes or when using more powerful EQ modes. I found an hour at close to maximum volume using the Bass Boost EQ mode saw battery drop by 30-40%. That would equate to significantly less than the claimed 7 hours battery.

Yes, history repeats itself here in our review: recordings with natural instruments, especially stringed instruments, sounded downright magical over the open-ears, with fabulous fine dynamics and a very generous, authentic sense of space. As for the voice reproduction, sometimes a tiny shift decides a slightly throaty discoloration, which mainly affects female voices, but also some male vocalists. The headphones are also water resistant, allowing you to enjoy your music during sweaty workouts or even in the rain, worry-free. This strikes a balance between in-ear and over-ear earphones, both of which obstruct the ear canal and lower your environmental awareness. With the not-in-ear design of the OpenFit earphones, Shokz is trying to create a “best of both worlds” solution, offering good quality sound without obstructing the ears and lowering environmental awareness.The Shokz OpenFit come with a handy charging case that has a matte finish and USB-C charging. The case is almost double the size of most other cases for true wireless earbuds, weighing 75g with the buds inside. The ergonomic dolphin arc ear hook ensures that the headphones rest securely around your ears, allowing for natural airflow and minimizing discomfort during prolonged wear.