Headphones are commonly over-the-ear (classic hi-fi models), on-the-ear (the style introduced with the Walkman), or in-the-ear. All three are impractical when jogging and dangerous in traffic because they shield the wearer from the environment. The Shokz headphones are, so to speak, the hands-free system among headphones, and the new Openfit are literally so: you can make phone calls easily and mini speakers are hung over your ears, so to speak. Does this make you a noise nuisance?
Design and comfort
No, it’s not that bad, you don’t walk around with boomboxes on your ears. The new Shokz, which are available in beige or black, don’t look much different than the previous models. However, the connecting bar between left and right, which bothered some people, has been omitted; the headphones are real TWS, True Wireless. Due to the lack of a connecting bracket, the Openfit are no longer charged directly with a single magnetic cable, but rather with a charging case like “normal” in-ears.
The element that previously represented the bone conduction speaker now contains the electronics and battery; so it no longer vibrates. Meanwhile, a similar element floats above the ear as a mini speaker. This means that the ears are completely free and there are no problems with allergies, ear infections or even a “set of hot ears” like with normal over- or in-ears.
At 8.3 g, the earphones are pleasantly light and still fit securely because they are supported on the ear with a bracket and are not just stuck in the ear like normal in-ears. The charging case is slightly heavier at 57 g (without earphones), but also larger than those for in-ears – because of the brackets. Luckily she doesn’t fight for space on her ear with glasses; Only when a corona mask is added does it become complicated. But fortunately that is no longer an issue at the moment.
Equipment, installation and operation
In addition to the headphones, the charging case, charging cable with USB-C and USB-A at the ends, quick instructions also in German and the usual warranty documents are included.
The Openfit are splash-proof according to IP54. Unlike bone conduction models, they do not offer multipoint, i.e. connection to multiple devices. About touching the listeners are Start/Stop/Forward/Back and Accept/reject calls operable. However, the volume cannot be adjusted on the headphones, which may be necessary due to the lack of acoustic insulation if there is noise in the environment.
Bluetooth pairing is straightforward and with up to 7 hours of battery life, you can even run marathons, at least as a top athlete. It can be recharged in less than an hour, which can be done up to three times from the charging case before it has to be recharged itself. That then takes two hours.
Shokz Openfit pictures
Shokz Openfit
The sound: Good bass and treble
You couldn’t expect a sound miracle with the bone conduction technology of the previous Shokz listeners, which was the reason for Shokz to abandon this path with the Openfit and switch to normal sound transducers. In fact, the change is a win in every respect: The Openfit deliver perfect bass and treble, the drivers only limit themselves at high bass levels. But then it would be unhealthy anyway. The headphones no longer vibrate, which was unpleasant for some people – and the sound level in the environment has even decreased: While the bone conduction models were unsuitable for a quiet office, the Openfit is optimal here as long as the playback is not set too loud. The reason: The sound is emitted strongly towards the ears and is compensated for in other directions with counter-sound – so to speak, a reverse ANC (Active Noise Canceling), which does not compensate for the ambient noise for the user, but rather minimizes the radiation of the useful signal into the environment.
A small weak point is now audible: the sound is so good that you miss aptX if you don’t have an AAC-capable Android device. The Openfit now have AAC, which makes sense, so Apple users definitely have good sound. On an Android device without AAC capability, however, artifacts can be heard due to the lack of aptX. In the previous models, the sound was so limited that the standard SBC codec was sufficient. And it’s now worth using high-quality streaming sources like Quboz. But podcasts are now also easier to understand. In addition, walks in nature are beneficial: open ears are simply more relaxed. The only reason not to use these headphones would be the increased strain on your ears in a noisy environment.
Preis
With a list price of just under €200, the Shokz Openfit are not as cheap as their predecessors, but are absolutely worth the money. There is currently no comparable product that leaves your ears free and still sounds good. All other headphones have to be removed or switched to transparency mode in order to still be able to perceive the surroundings to a more or less limited extent.
Conclusion
The Openfit are headphones that you can wear while cycling, jogging or actually all day in the office or at home without being isolated from the environment. It’s easy to take phone calls or enjoy music without making yourself unpopular, because hardly any of it gets out. Only those who need intense bass, high-end sound or ANC because they want to isolate themselves from their surroundings should choose something else.