Bone conduction is the latesttechnological development in the headphone space. It is essentially converting audio data to vibrations that travel across the bones in your skull to reach your inner ear along the auditory nerve. This means you do not need to put anything inside your ears, which comes with its own pros and cons. While you don’t get theisolation and immersion that headphones or earphones offer, you are more aware of the world around you, which is especially beneficial when out in public.
While bone conduction sounds like a new and modern technology, it was first patented in the early ’90s, but the concept dates even further back to the 1500s when it was used in hearing aids. The first commercially available bone conduction headphones came onto the market in 2008. Since then, manufacturers have been improving the technology and releasing new products. Now, there are quite a few options to choose from, so here’s a guide for the best bone-conduction headphones.
The Best Bone Conduction Headphones in 2024
Shokz OpenRun Pro Headphones
The Shokz OpenRUN Pro headphones redefine everything about open-ear listening. While the drivers are 20% smaller than previous models, they still feature Shokz’s signature open-ear design and deliver all-day comfort. Crush training goals while jamming to some music, but stay aware of traffic, pedestrians, cyclists, and more with OpenRun Pro.
Taking the cake for the best bone-conduction headphones overall is the Shokz OpenRun Pro. Designed for more active individuals, the OpenRun Pro looks sleek and elegant no matter what color you choose, and all of them have the company branding in white. These are available in black, blue, pink, and beige; except for the black option, the rest have a dual-tone colorway. They use the company’s ninth-generation bone-conduction technology, which has not only improved the quality of the bass but also the open-ear fit. The OpenRun Pros are available in two sizes – standard and mini – to best fit all head sizes.
In terms of specifications, these bone-conduction headphones have a frequency response range of 20Hz to 20KHz. There are two added bass enhancers that, in conjunction with the Shokz TurboPitch technology, deliver a premium clear sound and deep bass. The OpenRun Pro comes with a 140 mAh battery that can last up to 10 hours on a single charge and can go from 0 to 100% in just one hour. Furthermore, a five-minute charge can give 1.5 hours of listening time. On the subject of charging, one drawback of the OpenRun Pro is that it uses a proprietary magnetic charging port.
Thanks to Bluetooth 5.1, the headphones support multipoint pairing as well as the SBS codec. They are made from titanium and come with an IP55 sweatproof rating. For controlling your music, there are volume buttons and a multifunction button. Taking calls while out in public is no problem thanks to the dual noise-canceling mics.
Those looking for budget-friendly yet decent-sounding bone-conduction headphones should take a look at the YouthWhisper Lite. These come in black, blue, pink, red, and green, all of which have a flexible titanium band connecting the left and right headphones. They come with Bluetooth 5.0, but it is unclear if they allow for multi-device pairing. The lightweight form factor of under 30 grams allows you to wear the YouthWhisper Lite headphones for hours on end without experiencing ear fatigue, which is generally the case with regular headphones or earphones.
In terms of battery life, the company has managed to fit a 200 mAh battery inside the headphones. It can last up to six hours with constant music playing or up to eight hours with phone calls. It also has a standby time of 20 days, which is quite impressive. The YouthWhisper Lite has an IP54 water resistance rating, which means working out or running with these on is no problem at all.
There is also a built-in mic for taking calls, but it doesn’t seem to have any kind of noise-canceling technology. For a budget-friendly bone conduction experience, the YouthWhisper Lite is a great deal and checks all the right boxes.
Tayogo S2
For under $50, users will have a hard time finding a pair of bone-conduction headphones that perform better than the Tayogo S2. The lightweight, comfortable, one-size-fits-most design makes it perfect for those who love listening to music while exercising or want to leave their ears open while still enjoying music.
The Tayogo S2 Bone Conduction Headphones are a cheap entry point into experiencing this new form of music listening. While the price tag of under $30 makes this a no-brainer, it is often available with a discount coupon on Amazon. The Tayogo S2 is available in blue, grey, and red, all of which have a black flexible band with the company branding in white. There are four physical multi-functional buttons to control volume, play/pause music, and power.
For connectivity, the Tayogo S2s comes with Bluetooth 5.0 and works with both Android and iOS devices. The headphones feature a 120 mAh battery that can last up to six hours, and it can be charged back up in about two hours. Being an entry-level offering, there are a few features that have been omitted, like USB-C charging, capacitive touch controls, and a bigger battery, among others. However, there is a mic for taking calls but with no noise cancelation.
Furthermore, companies often don’t go for an official IP rating because it increases the cost of the product, but they still implement features that make the product water-resistant. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case here and Tayogo has an IP55 rating for the S2 headphones, though you may want to rethink dunking these in water.
Mojawa Run Plus
The Mojawa Run Plus delivers consistent and outstanding sound quality on water or land. The incredibly lightweight design makes it easy to wear these headphones with little to no fatigue, no matter the activity. The IP68 rating makes it perfect for swimmers to jam out to their tunes, and the built-in MP3 player means you won’t need to worry about Bluetooth connectivity when you are far away from your phone.
It’s an unfortunate nature of bone conduction headphones that they cannot deliver the premium audio quality and immersion that regular noise-canceling headphones can. With that said, the best-sounding bone-conduction headphones are the Mojawa Run Plus. These have been tuned by Grammy Award-winning audio engineers and come with a 4th Gen Maglev-Bass Actuator, which essentiallyimproves the bass output and reduces latency.
The Dual Suspension Anchor system amplifies sound quality, which increases stability for a consistent haptic experience. Not only can you connect to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth 5.2, but the Mojawa Run Plus has 32 GB of internal memory to store your music offline. This means you can go out for a run without your phone weighing you down and still enjoy your favorite music. It is IP68 rated, so there should be no problem jumping in the pool for a few laps with these on.
Coming to battery life, the Mojawa Run Plus can last up to 8 hours on a single charge. Thanks to quick charging, they can deliver 90 minutes of playtime with just five minutes of charging. It does, however, use a proprietary magnetic connector for charging. All these features have been packed into headphones that weigh less than 30 grams.
Those looking for the best sound quality, solid water resistance, and a stable fit with bone conduction headphones will be completely satisfied with the Mojawa Run Plus.
Creative Outlier Free Pro+
The Outlier Free Pro+ from Creative is a well-rounded and comfortable pair of bone-conduction headphones. They feature adjustable transducers for the perfect fit and are lightweight enough to not cause any fatigue. These deliver up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge and come with an IPX8 water resistance.
Bone-conduction headphones are generally more comfortable to wear for longer durations since they don’t clamp hard around your head or cover your ears, generating heat and causing fatigue. But it also depends on the material and build quality of the bone-conduction headphones. That’s where the Creative Outlier Free Pro+ shines, weird product naming aside.
Creative is well-known in the audio world and is the company behind many popular speaker systems. The Outlier Free Pro+ brings the technology and know-how into the bone conduction headphone space. These come with adjustable transducers, built-in 8 GB memory, Bluetooth 5.3 with multi-point connectivity, as well as support for AAC and SBS codecs. They also deliver up to 10 hours of playtime and can be charged in two hours. Additionally, a 10-minute charge can give two hours of playtime.
What makes these headphones comfortable is the combination of materials used and the adjustable transducer. It is made using lightweight silicone and titanium memory alloy, and the transducers can be adjusted to sit comfortably on your unique ear shape. This, and the fact that the Creative Outlier Free Pro+ weighs just 32 grams, makes for a comfortable listening experience.
The company has acquired an IPX8 water-resistant rating, which means while they are susceptible to dirt ingress, so you can swim with these on. They also have a plug attachment to cover the microphone when exposing it to water.
Suunto Wing
The Suunto Wing is a welcome advancement in bone conduction headphones, benefiting from the high quality, low latency aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec. With the Suunto Wing, ear canals remain unobstructed since sound is transmitted through vibrations along the cheekbones. Buyers can enjoy music and podcasts while remaining aware of their surroundings in outdoor settings. Using a titanium and silicone construction, the Wing is durable, lightweight, and rated to withstand water and sweat. The ability to conduct clear-sounding calls through Clear Voice Capture technology makes the Wing an all-around headset for work and recreation.
The Suunto Wing is an expensive pair of bone-conduction headphones, but it justifies its price tag with a unique set of features, impressive sound quality, and solid build quality. Plus, it has arguably the best battery experience compared to the competition. To start, the Suunto Wing features a 10-hour battery life which is further complemented by the included charging dock which adds 20 more hours of playtime.
While 10 hours is what some of the other, more affordable, headphones on this list offer as well, they do not allow for charging on the go unless you carry a power bank. With the Suunto Wing, you don’t need to as it comes with its own wireless charging dock that is compact, and the headphones slot into place. The dock is IP55 dust and water-resistant, while the headphones are IP67-rated. It takes about an hour to charge the headphones, while the dock takes half an hour more.
Another interesting feature of the Suunto Wing is head movement control. This allows you to use gestures like shaking or nodding your head to skip tracks, answer calls, and more. They also come with LED lights. These can be turned off or customized through the Suunto app. The Wing headphones are made from silicone and titanium alloy, making them durable as well as comfortable to wear.
It should be noted that using the head movement control feature and the LED lights can reduce the battery life quite a bit. With the LED lights turned on in constant mode, the Suunto Wing can only deliver about four hours of playtime. Check out Game Rant’sfull review of the Suunto Wing headphonesto learn more.
Here’s What to Look Out for When Buying Bone Conduction Headphones
Brand:The typical popular brands like Bose, Sony, Skullcandy, and others don’t make bone-conduction headphones, at least not for the Western market. In the bone conduction space, you will come across brands that you may have never heard of and some that are well-known but not the most popular in the headphone space.
Battery Life:One of the most important factors to consider with bone conduction headphones, or anywireless peripheralfor that matter, is battery life. Bone conduction headphones are only wireless given the neckband style form factor. The better the battery life, typically, the higher the price tag.
Water Resistance:As these headphones are targeted towards active individuals, they need to come with some form of water resistance rating. These ratings can range from IPX6 to IP68, which suggests that users will haveno problem working outwith these or even performing more water-intensive tasks like swimming.
Budget:Bone conduction headphones are available across a wide range of budgets, which is great for shoppers looking to experience the technology for the first time. Several factors, including battery life and water resistance rating, can jack up the price, so keep that in mind when looking for bone-conduction headphones and think about your particular use case.
FAQ
Q: What is the downside of bone conduction headphones?
While bone conduction headphones do not interface with the eardrum like conventional headphones, they do involve the cochlea. Listening to content at high volumes for long durations can negatively affect the cochlea and can potentially cause hearing issues.
Q: Can others hear your music with bone conduction headphones?
If you are listening to music at a loud volume and there are people standing close to you, they will be able to hear what you are listening to. However, at lower, more acceptable volumes, there is no sound leakage.
Q: Can a deaf person hear with bone conduction headphones?
It depends on the type of hearing loss. Bone conduction headphones can allow deaf individuals to hear if the hearing loss is in the middle or outer ear. However, those with hearing loss in the inner ear will not be able to hear with bone conduction.
