The concept of open earphones has been accepted by more and more manufacturers and consumers in recent years, and Shokz (formerly Aftershokz, Shaoyin Technology), which specializes in the field of bone conduction, is definitely well versed in this. However, the OpenFit “non-in-ear” earphones it launched last month are an attempt to explore new categories. This device is different from the previous Shokz products in form, and instead introduces a true wireless design in order to become more popular in the current mainstream market. The acoustic technology used is no longer bone conduction, but hopes to achieve a similar effect by directional sound field, but at the same time further release the ears to provide better comfort. So what is the experience of this “not ear-catching” in actual use? The author will share my experience soon.
Appearance and Wearing Feel
OpenFit canceled the customary neck hanging on Shokz headphones and turned into a pure ear-hook style like Powerbeats Pro. This change can make its shape easier to integrate into daily use scenes other than sports, which is conducive to further expanding the potential customer base. The surface of the earphones is covered with metal and skin-friendly silicone, and the earhook part contains titanium wires, which can be freely twisted into various shapes to better adapt to different ear shapes. When wearing it, you can easily hang up the OpenFit. After fixing, the main body of the earphone will naturally fall in the middle of the auricle, but it will basically not block the ear hole.
The weight of the OpenFit unilateral earphone is only 8.3g, and the earhook is soft, so there is almost no sense of presence when worn, and it will not be a burden for long-term use. Even speaking, because it is really insensitive, and the author is used to wearing rear-mounted and in-ear headphones, when I first started using it, my ears can hear music normally, and I still inevitably feel “Huh? Did I wear the headphones properly?” ?” question… Because there is no hanging neck, naturally there is no trouble with the clamps on both sides of the earphones. When doing certain movements where the head is close to the wall and the ground, OpenFit also allows you to no longer have “worries”.
As for the stability of wearing, as a frequent visitor to the gym, the author has not encountered a situation where OpenFit can be thrown off so far. Its “compatibility” with glasses, masks, headbands, helmets and other items is also good, which is considered to have inherited the fine tradition of Shokz headphones. The only thing I want to complain about is the texture of the charging box. The connection part of the cover is a bit loose, which does not match the high positioning of the product.
Function and battery life
The Bluetooth version of OpenFit has reached 5.2. The connection stability and effective range are roughly the same as those of Shokz’s recent bone conduction headphones, and there will be basically no problems in daily use. But what puzzles me is that this device does not support multi-point connection. Considering that most of Shokz’s previous products have this function, and OpenFit’s main focus is to wear it comfortably for a long time, it is somewhat surprising that the factory made this decision.
This headset uses built-in dual microphones combined with AI algorithms to achieve call noise reduction. In actual use, the ability to resist wind noise is slightly weaker, but the noise cancellation performance is still satisfactory. The headphone body has IP54 dustproof and waterproof performance, which is the lowest among the Shokz products I have used. You don’t have to worry too much about wearing it for anaerobic training or less intense aerobic training, but if it’s the kind of sweaty exercise, it’s best to avoid it as much as possible.
According to official data, when OpenFit plays music through AAC at 50% volume, the battery life can reach 7 hours (combined 28 hours). The author’s measured results are indeed not far behind, but it should be pointed out that in many scenarios, 50% volume is not enough. For example, if you listen to podcasts in the gym, you need to adjust it to about 85%. But in general, electricity is not likely to be stretched. Moreover, OpenFit also supports fast charging. After the earphones are placed in the charging box for 5 minutes, they can get the power needed for 1 hour of listening.
Operation and listening experience
Shokz has made subtle protrusions on the outer surface of the left and right earphone body bodies. The left earphone is a line, and the right earphone is two points (I don’t know what the different meanings are), which are used to remind the user of the touch position. . Through the two actions of double-clicking and long-pressing for 3 seconds, you can complete operations such as playing/pausing music, answering/hanging up calls, switching to the previous/next song, and rejecting incoming calls. If you want to adjust the volume, you have to take out your phone.
Today, many affordable true wireless earphones already support sliding gestures to change the volume. The absence of this on OpenFit really challenges the user’s intuition. That is to say, the design of long press for 3 seconds is not very conducive to certain sports. The set of solutions currently chosen by Shokz seems to be designed for relatively slow-paced scenes. You don’t have to rush to take your fingers off the earbuds, and don’t mind adjusting the volume on your phone. Speaking of phones, the Shokz app that comes with the OpenRun Pro doesn’t support OpenFit. In other words, users cannot customize the sounds that OpenFit makes.
As for the sound quality, I was quite pleasantly surprised. The overall sense of hearing of OpenFit is very full, and it can even be said not to lose to ordinary semi-in-ear headphones. With the blessing of the 18x11mm unit and the factory’s self-developed OpenBass algorithm, the low-frequency power of this device is very sufficient. Compared with Shokz’s previous bone conduction headphones, the overall experience is much better. And at high volumes, it doesn’t cause the itchy sensation that bone conduction devices do. In terms of latency, listening to songs and watching dramas are not affected. If you are playing games, it is best for players with high requirements to choose headphones of the same brand as the mobile phone. OpenFit has not completely solved the sound leakage that open headphones must face, but it has made significant progress. In a quiet environment, people who are one meter away can clearly perceive the critical point of the volume of the earphones, which is almost 85% and 60% in terms of conversation and music.
epilogue
As the debut of Shokz’s new category, OpenFit’s performance is basically qualified. Sound quality and wearing comfort are its biggest strengths, enough to make it a suitable addition to the Shokz lineup outside of bone conduction headphones. The introduction of true wireless design is obviously to catch up with the trend and further explore the mass customer base, but some functional trade-offs potentially limit the usage scenarios. After these factors are added, the applicable groups of OpenFit may become more limited. But if its strengths can just hit your needs, I personally think this device is still worth a try.