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How does the Bose Sport Open Earbuds differ from bone conduction headphones?
Bose’s open earbuds use precisely directed dynamic drivers to funnel sound down your ear canals, and that sound directly interacts with your eardrums. Bone conduction technology, like that found in the AfterShokz Aeropex, differs: the earpieces sit on top of your cheekbones and bypass the eardrum instead of sending vibrations directly to the cochlea.
If you are hearing impaired, specifically with eardrum damage, bone conduction headphones are a more accessible choice.
How does the Bose Sport Open Earbuds compare to the Bose Sport Earbuds?
Though both the Bose Sport Earbuds and Sport Open Earbuds are intended for athletes, the latter is more niche. If the bulk of your training happens indoors, the Bose Sport Earbuds are the better value: the StayHear Max tips comfortably seal to your ear canal, and the attached wing tips maintain a secure, comfortable fit. The Sport Earbuds have a stronger bass response because of the sealed design and have a better mic system than the Bose Sport Open Earbuds.
Unlike the Sport Open Earbuds, the standard Sport variant includes a USB-C charging case that fast charges the earbuds and provides 10 hours of reserve battery. The Bose Sport Open Earbuds have a greater standalone playtime, but you need to keep track of the charging cradle at all times.
The Bose Sport Open Earbuds’s hybrid button/touch control system is nifty, but the touch controls are just too sensitive and could really use recalibrating. This contrasts the Bose Sport Earbuds’ perfect touch panels, which accurately register touches, even imprecise ones. As of the initial publication of this Bose Sport Open Earbuds review, you have more freedom to configure the Bose Sport Earbuds controls than you do with the Open Earbuds.
Again, if you’re an outdoor adventurer who likes to listen to music, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds are a great option, but all other athletes can save a few bucks and go the way of the Bose Sport Earbuds.
Who should get the Bose Sport Open Earbuds?
- Outdoor athletes are the target audience for Sport Open Earbuds because the buds don’t block your ear canals, which keeps you aware of your surroundings at all times. The audio quality is good and certainly better than most bone-conduction headphones (which these aren’t).
- Bike commuters should get these earphones because they take up less space than a JBL Clip 4.
- Anyone who lives in an urban area will benefit from the completely open design of these earbuds.
First off I want to say as someone with bad ear fatigue and swollen ears from any earbuds that go in-ear this is legit the best thing to ever happen to me!! Now let me tell you why. First off sound quality, the sound quality is phenomenal but its not just ordinary sound. The sound is so hard to explain its like a movie theater is constantly following you around everywhere you go. Because its open and not inside your ear I feel like the sound is more natural and feels like you can touch the sound rather it being locked up in your head. I could go on all day long about the sound but lets talk about the comfort. As someone who can only use headphones because earbuds are so uncomfortable these really change the game. If you put these on right it fits perfectly and does not fall out. Ive worn these today for a total of 8 hours and a lot of the times I totally forgot they were even in. I tested them walking around the store doing some chores and even laying around and it didnt cause any problems. They are very lightweight so you dont have to worry about it weighing your ears down or falling down. Some more perks that are very nice to have are all the modes they offer I wont list them but the bose app offers different sound settings to choose from to enhance your experience. For the mic/phonecalls I don’t really know but I also don’t care. I give these a 5 star because of sound and comfort. I truly can’t explain how balanced and comfortable these earbuds are. Buy them and you will see😁