Sony Sports Headphones Float Run First Hands-on Test-Sina Hong Kong

Sometimes it is not difficult to choose earphones. I know my own needs, especially the choice for a specific environment or function is the most suitable for me. It has to be said that true wireless earphones are indeed the king of the current earphones, but they are full of low-end and low-quality products, which has created a mixed market. Is it really the only choice to choose true wireless?

Just like the two options in the picture above, the sports Bluetooth headset with wire solves the problem of true wireless instability, but it does not solve the safety hazard and a small part of the stethoscope effect. The open design of bone conduction headphones once became popular in the sports circle. It’s just that anyone who has a little bit of demand knows that this “replacing an organ” listening method will definitely not be able to break through the sound quality problem, so “vibration” alone can only cure the symptoms but not the root cause.

So is there any product that listens through the eardrum and takes into account the open structure? In fact, there were some on the market a long time ago, and they were relatively mature-neck-mounted speakers, including Sony’s early launch (model SRS-NS7R). However, it cannot be ignored that headphones have higher requirements for wearing, and hairstyles, accessories, and even glasses parties will have an impact. For the demand, Sony engineers are well aware of the importance of ergonomics, and this is the Float Run with a new form of the old face.

Innovative thinking, new design

Seeing that Sony can launch headphone products with a new design structure is a positive signal not only for enthusiasts but also for the industry. I believe that everyone has more doubts about this new form, such as wearing, open features, sound quality effects, etc.

I have spent a week testing it. Although it is not a long-term test, it still has a lot of positive reference value for the main sports scene. Next, I will conduct actual measurements from the three aspects of design, wearing, and sound quality, hoping to give you some little help when you are about to get on the car.

There is nothing to say about the packaging, there is no trace of plastic, and the concept of environmental protection is implemented to the end. The charging cable is very short and can be thrown into the storage bag at will, highlighting the portability. However, it is not a big problem for this kind of long battery life headphones, and there is no problem without a line.

So after talking about the packaging, let’s talk about the headphones. Wearing ear-hooks and connecting the ears with support wires, when you first see the shape of Float Run, you will basically think it is a bone conduction earphone. When you pay attention to the eye-catching design of the white sounding unit, the lightweight earphone product that uses the dynamic coil to achieve “no ear blocking” wearing experience, always reminds you that there is an essential difference between Float Run and bone conduction earphones.

So after talking about the packaging, let’s talk about the headphones. Wearing ear-hooks and connecting the ears with support wires, when you first see the shape of Float Run, you will basically think it is a bone conduction earphone. When you pay attention to the eye-catching design of the white sounding unit, the lightweight earphone product that uses the dynamic coil to achieve “no ear blocking” wearing experience, always reminds you that there is an essential difference between Float Run and bone conduction earphones.

The benefits of “true” ambient sound are a real necessity for sports enthusiasts. In addition, there is no risk of ear pressure, stethoscope effect, or even ear canal inflammation. crowd.

After the LinkBuds S, Sony knew the secret to weight loss, and this time it controlled the weight of the Float Run to 33 grams. In earhook construction, rear ear fins support for even weight distribution. To further solve the difficulty of having both lightness and stability, no matter how large the range is, it will not be loose.

The unique ergonomic bending structure makes it difficult for the white sounding unit to come into contact with the auricle. It is the unique structural advantage that allows the 16mm large dynamic unit to easily exceed the parameters of many true wireless earphones. The internal and external symmetrical openings ensure a good openness of the sound field. My own measurement does not cause sound leakage to affect others (the sound is clear within five centimeters), which is amazing.

Float Run has a strong positioning of sports products. The three physical buttons are raised for blind operation, and the buttons rebound cleanly (easy to operate accurately during intense exercise). This is very much in line with my minimalist understanding of sports Bluetooth headsets, and Float Run should be one of the best to operate.

Taking into account the fit, brand new wear

If you have used ear-mounted bone conduction headphones, you should know that wearing them is generally not a problem, but whether they can stick to the bones is the key to normal sound. Switching to Float Run, the wearing continues the traditional advantages of ear-mounted bone conduction earphones, and the dynamic coil does not care much about the sound angle, which greatly makes up for the limitations of the former. It can be seen from the picture that it is not a big problem for elementary school students to wear it. Float Run does have a full fit.

Full fit is not only compatible with different ages, genders, and ear heights, but also needs to consider additional effects such as hairstyles, accessories, and decorations. For example, those who have more worries about eyeglasses can rest assured that Float Run is really different from ordinary earphones, and “clamping temples” will become history.

I think Float Run can have such excellent compatibility, there are two very important factors: one is the overall lightness, and the weight ratio is better; Adaptability, ergonomic advantages are obvious. In the past, it is really hard to imagine that there are still dynamic coils that can play like this. The era of bone conduction earphones is the end of the open sports earphones.

Free movement, new sense of hearing

Float Run is a dynamic headphone that sounds in an open environment, so what kind of sound quality can it achieve?

The first is to eliminate the stethoscope effect, no ear canal contact, and basically no leakage of sound (as mentioned above), which is of great help to listening to songs during exercise. The fully open sense of hearing is very different from the true wireless transparent mode, which has no dynamic adjustment (and is difficult to do) and is very unfriendly in a sports environment. The sound of Float Run has an obvious feeling of front surround. When the volume is increased, the music will only have a feeling of “coverage”, and the ambient sound is more like an independent channel without being affected. Then I can accept a higher volume to increase the sense of hearing, and ensure a real and complete ambient sound, ensuring a safe environment for exercise.

In view of the fact that the sense of hearing is different from that of headphones that enter the ear canal, Float Run really emphasizes the prominence of the sense of atmosphere, which can be seen in the application of the 16mm large-size dynamic unit.

For exercise, I prefer to listen to inspirational songs with strong rhythm, such as King CAAN / Elysa “Go Again”. First of all, the BGM is obviously pulled apart, thanks to the good sound field performance. At one and a half minutes, Elysa’s ethereal female voice lingered in the left and right ears, which was extremely ear-catching. Compared with the details I listened to with headphones, Float Run puts more emphasis on the sense of space. The feeling of full vocals is very different from traditional headphones, which is a very magical feeling.

Shota Shimizu / TAKA’s “Curtain Call” guitar intro and drum beats, Float Run is different from traditional in-ears in its treatment, paying more attention to the rebound strength and the transient feeling until the point is reached. The follow-up vocals enter the stage, and they are separated all at once, which highlights the ear-fitting feeling of the vocals, and the sense of image is very three-dimensional.

Originally, I thought that sports earphones should focus on low frequencies and weak details. Later, when I went home and listened to this song, I heard an unusual feeling from outdoors. The details of the electric guitar in the song appeared more, and the listeners clearly grasped the details of the chord part, highlighting the unique charm of Japanese R&B and the emotional expression of the big dreams of the little people in the song.

Finally, there is another song “REAL-EYES”, which is very popular with female singer Inori Minase. In terms of characteristics, I think that because I am more familiar with the singer’s voice, and I have a good impression of Japanese female drugs for many years, I have the idea to share this song. The song is still the girly feeling of Minase Inori’s softness and sound, and the background sound is full of vitality, but it is not enough to steal the spotlight of the female voice. The rhythm is light and bright, and Float Run does not show dull mid-low frequency, but it can drive the song to a lively and lively listening effect, which I am very satisfied with.

Float Run is indeed a very distinctive product, whether it is product form or hearing, I think it is. Compared with the “priority” of bone conduction earphones in sports earphones, the new posture of Float Run’s dynamic coil can indeed wrench the wrist, especially for sports enthusiasts who have requirements for sound quality.

As I mentioned earlier, Float Run cannot be a hexagonal fighter, but it can combine (wearing) comfort, (movement) stability, (moving circle) nice, these three elements are combined, and its “partial” part is measured The overall performance is really good. Bone conduction is no longer the only option, and the sports and healthy people around them finally have an alternative option. The original advantages of major manufacturers are highlighted again, and there are almost no competing products. For me who love sports and music, Float Run will definitely become the first choice in the short term and there is no one.