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Shokz
uk.shokz.com › blogs › news › how-does-bone-conduction-headphones-work
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work? - Shokz UK
Bone conduction headphones work by transmitting sound vibrations along your cheekbones instead of through the air. It’s the same technique that sea mammals use underwater and composer Beethoven used to make music when he lost his hearing.
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Philips
philips.co.uk › c-e › so › sound-hub › what-are-bone-conduction-headphones
What are bone-conduction headphones? | Philips
September 27, 2022 - But you don’t have to make your eardrum move to hear something. There are other ways to make the bones in your inner ear vibrate—and that’s how bone-conduction headphones work.
Discussions

ELI5 How does bone conduction headphones work?
Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: ELI5:Bone Conducting Headphones 4 comments ELI5:How do bone conduction headphones compare to air conduction headphones in terms of safety? 3 comments Has anyone used Bone Conduction Headphones? 12 comments Thoughts on "bone conduction" headphones? 12 comments Bone-conduction headphones for hard-of-hearing people? . ELI5: Do bone conduction headphones work on people that are deaf? 3 comments Bone conducting headphones 11 comments More on reddit.com
🌐 r/explainlikeimfive
4
1
December 28, 2017
Bone conduction is just bullshit
Aren't bone conduction headphones aimed at like runners and people who want to have their ears open for spatial awareness in public? How is it bullshit if they still provide that benefit? More on reddit.com
🌐 r/headphones
117
12
May 5, 2023
Bone conduction headphones opinions?
Shokz is the market leader. I am using theirs for some seven years or so specifically for listening to podcasts when cycling. Whether it will work or not for you heavily depends on where you are cycling and also, to a lesser extent, to what you are listening exactly. Thing about this bone conduction tech is that the outside volume can easily overcome the headphones, since there's nothing blocking your ear. Which means that it pretty much will not work if you are riding next to heavy traffic. If you are considering this for city commute - forget about it. If you are considering for rural cycling (or otherwise away from traffic), then it is just about perfect UNLESS your area is very windy - wind noise can overcome Shokz output as well. You can use Cat-Ears or similar to help this, though. Certain podcasts will have more trouble cutting through wind and traffic than others. It depends on the timbre (?) of a podcaster's voice. Some are just significantly clearer than others, but there's no way to know without trying. Other than these caveats, Shokz is great. Waterproof, sweat-proof, great battery, adequate controls and the sound quality is not too bad for music either. As a matter of fact, music comes through the noise much cleaner than the podcasts, though it won't woo any audiophiles, ofc. Shokz also weighs nothing and it's extremely comfortable to wear. I use these headphones as a mandatory office equipment, too. It can't be beat for taking hands-free calls. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/cycling
167
229
February 18, 2023
Are bone conduction headphones any good
Tbh "bone conduction" makes them seem way cooler than they are. They're just very buzzy speakers that sit close to your ear and kinda vibrate the sound into your head. It tickles if you turn them up loud enough to hear in any kind of wind and the sound quality predictably sucks. Plus everyone around will be able to hear what you're listening to. Since they have to be so bass-heavy to work the battery life also sucks. I'd recommend getting some of the classic-style airpods with no rubber tip thing, they just hang in your outer ear and don't go all the way in the canal so it's difficult to get much wax on them. Sound quality is way better and you get like 6hrs battery life before they have to go back in the case. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/AskTechnology
11
8
April 2, 2023
People also ask

Can I use bone conduction headphones with tinnitus?

Tinnitus typically is a product of the brain in response to hearing loss. Bone conduction headphones won’t cure your tinnitus, but they’re safe to use.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bone conduction headphones: gimmick or godsend?
Bone conduction headphones: Gimmick or godsend? - SoundGuys
Can I use bone conduction headphones with hearing aids?

This depends on the design of your hearing aid. If you have in-the-ear (ITE) or invisible (IIC) hearing aids, you should be able to use bone conduction headphones with hearing aids without issue. However, if you have behind-the-ear (BTE), receiver-in-canal (RIC), or open-fit hearing aids, you could experience some discomfort when wearing bone conduction headphones because they may make contact with the top part of the hearing aid module.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bone conduction headphones: gimmick or godsend?
Bone conduction headphones: Gimmick or godsend? - SoundGuys
Are bone conduction headphones something a person who can't wear normal on-ear headphones or earbuds due to jaw or head sensitivity might use?

This will depend on the extent of the sensitivity and the specific model. Bone conduction headphones still attach to your head or your ears.

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soundguys.com
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bone conduction headphones: gimmick or godsend?
Bone conduction headphones: Gimmick or godsend? - SoundGuys
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/headphones › bone conduction is just bullshit
r/headphones on Reddit: Bone conduction is just bullshit
May 5, 2023 -

So I have a late model Shokz and can tell you from experience: this "technology" is just hype and bullshit. It's just a speaker placed next to your ear, that's all. At best, what's left to be conducted through your skin and bones is just residual bass, maybe less than 5%. Plugged my ears with proper earplugs and played music in the Shokz. Nearly NOTHING is left, and I assure most of it is just normal sound still leaking through the earplugs, and appropriately muffed.

I don't know how no one ever tested or debunked this thing yet. I was first made aware of this possibility when I visited a Best Buy and tried on these eyeglasses (mind me, from Bose!) with tiny speakers attached. So, they don't purport to be "bone conduction" phones. They sound pretty much the same as my Shokz, it's the same experience.

Coming to think of it, how could it possibly work in the first place? Good sound is a lot more complex than just shockwaves.

My 2 cents.

Edit: I'm not saying the end result is unsatisfactory. I'm just saying it's not conducting any significant amount of sound through the puported means (bone conduction) and that's their entire claim to fame. Bone conduction. It's the deceitful nature of the purported technology itself that bothers me. Other than that, these headphones are good for the intended result - leave your ears free to outside noise.

Edit 2. Still not convinced? I have my Shokz on me now. If I slightly remove its contact with the skin, it should go silent, right? Well, it doesn't. Now try that with the screwdriver thing and see if you can hear anything.

Edit 3. Hey, look: all these "bone conduction" headphones have clear sound openings conveniently directed to you ear canals!

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Soundcore
soundcore.com › home › blog center › headphones blog › how do bone conducting headphones work?
How Do Bone Conducting Headphones Work? (Explained)
August 27, 2024 - They have a neckband design that fits around the back of the head, while the bone-conduction speakers sit near the cheekbones. Because they have an open-ear design, they are used mainly by athletes who want to listen to music without compromising their awareness of their surroundings. If you are just hearing about it, you might be asking: How do bone-conducting headphones work?
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Salusu Health
salusuhealth.com › news › 2018 › 08 › how-do-bone-conduction-headphones-work.html
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work?
Although most sounds are transmitted through the air to our eardrums, bone-conduction headphones rely on sound being transmitted through vibrations on the bones of the head and jaw. The sounds from these headphones bypass the eardrum and relays sound directly to the inner ear.
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SoundGuys
soundguys.com › home › earbuds & headphones › bone conduction headphones: gimmick or godsend?
Bone conduction headphones: Gimmick or godsend? - SoundGuys
June 6, 2025 - Unfortunately, no: bone conduction may bypass your outer ear, but needs the inner ear bones, cochlea, and your nerve to work in order for you to hear audio. An acoustic neuroma is a tumor on the nerve bundle that connects these organs to your brain, and if that nerve is severed, there’s no longer a link from the ear to your brain. Bone conduction can’t bypass this. ... The Aftershokz Aeropex are the best bone conduction headphones: they use Bluetooth 5.0 technology, has an eight-hour battery life, and are IP67-rated.
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Mojawa
mojawa.com › home › bone conduction headphones news and events › bone conduction headphones: 10 questions answered before you buy
Bone Conduction Headphones: Everything You Need to Know – Mojawa
October 28, 2025 - Yes, some bone conduction headphones provide water and dust resistance rated at IP67 or higher. This means they are fully protected against dust and can withstand immersion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes without damage. The IP67 rating ensures adequate water resistance to handle heavy sweat and running in the rain. This makes headphones with this rating ideal for intense workouts in any weather.
Find elsewhere
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RTINGS.com
rtings.com › home › headphones › guide
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work? - RTINGS.com
August 27, 2025 - How do bone conduction headphones work? Learn how this tech lets you enjoy music while staying aware of your surroundings.
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ALOVA
alovaaudio.com › home › knowledge › what are bone conduction headphones and how do they work?
What Are Bone Conduction Headphones and How Do They Work? - ALOVA
March 21, 2025 - Bone-conduction headphones are innovative audio devices that transmit sound through your skull bones instead of your ear canal. They rest on your cheekbones, sending vibrations directly to your inner ear while keeping your ears completely open ...
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Advnture
advnture.com › tech › headphones & earbuds
What are bone conduction headphones? How they work and why they’re great for runners | Advnture
May 28, 2022 - Bone conduction headphones work by creating vibrations that travel along your cheekbones and straight to the cochlea in the inner ear.
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Vocal Media
vocal.media › lifehack › how-do-bone-conduction-headphones-work-and-are-they-good
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work and Are They Good? | Lifehack
When the bone conduction headphone works, it converts the sound signal into mechanical vibration by the sound unit and drives the skull to vibrate at the same frequency, allowing the sound to reach the cochlea of the middle ear and inner ear.
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Bose
bose.com › home › story listing › air conduction vs. bone conduction: the ultimate guide
Air Conduction vs. Bone Conduction: Open-ear Audio Guide | Bose
April 22, 2024 - Bone conduction headphones act as your eardrums, translating sound waves into vibrations and delivering them to your middle ear. The differences between air and bone conduction for audio · The significant difference when looking at air conduction ...
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How-To Geek
howtogeek.com › home › how do bone conduction headphones work, and are they right for you?
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work, and Are They Right for You?
June 9, 2023 - Instead, they use two transducers to vibrate your skull---or, more specifically, your cheekbones. These vibrations find their way to your cochleas, where they're translated into "sound" for your brain.
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TechRadar
techradar.com › health & fitness › fitness headphones
The best bone conduction headphones 2025: Stay aware on the road, in the pool, and in the office
November 21, 2025 - Bone conduction is a specific kind of technology that differs from other open-ear headphones. Bone conduction headsets beam sound through the bones in your skull via transducers, rather than vibrating the air with soundwaves.
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Professionalhearingkc
professionalhearingkc.com › blog › bone-conduction-headphones
Bone Conduction Headphones: Professional Hearing Center: Audiologists
Bone conduction headphones vibrate the skull to create a soundwave in the hearing organ called the cochlea, that will then send the sound signal up the pathway to the brain. Bone conduction headphones are particularly favorable for those who ...
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SlashGear
slashgear.com › 1402119 › bone-conduction-headphones-how-they-work
Bone Conduction Headphones Explained: How They Work, And Are They Safe? - SlashGear
September 28, 2023 - Similarly, this fact is also why you can hear yourself chewing and is the same way that famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven could hear the music he played even though he was hearing impaired. While the design of bone conduction headphones provides many benefits, it also has downsides and may not be for everyone.
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Nank(Naenka)
naenka.com › home › nank blogs › nank blogs
How Bone Conduction Headphones Work?
August 28, 2024 - Bone conduction headphones do work, such as transmitting sound through the vibrations of the skull during outdoor activities, they allow users to enjoy music or talk on the phone while still being aware of their surroundings, making them a safe ...
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ARTZT Neuro
artztneuro.com › home › neuro blog – knowledge about neuroathletics › neuro blog – knowledge about neuroathletics
How bone conduction headphones work | ARTZT neuro
December 4, 2024 - Bone conduction headphones are perfect for athletes with their open ear design because they leave the ears free. This means you can listen to music and hear ambient noises such as traffic or announcements at the same time - an important safety aspect. They also offer: Robustness: Many models are water and sweat resistant (IP65 certification), which means they can be used without any problems even in the rain or during intensive workouts.
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Hearing Health & Technology Matters
hearinghealthmatters.org › home › bad to the bone headsets
Bone Conduction Headsets: Bad to the Bone
December 1, 2024 - This unique pathway leaves the ear canal and eardrums free to perceive other sounds. Interestingly, most bone conduction headphone manufacturers opt for placing the stimulus on the jawbone rather than the traditional mastoid stimulus commonly used in audiometry.
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Wissonly
wissonly.com › blogs › user-guide › how-do-bone-conduction-headphones-work-and-how-about-their-side-effects-
How do bone conduction headphones work?
February 8, 2023 - Facts about bone conduction headphones:what they are,how do they work,their advantages and disadvantages,how to wear bone conducton earphones,Best headphones in 2023