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!

I just have a lot of questions about bones conducting headphones

How do bone conduction headphones work? Do they just vibrate on the back of your ear or do they kinda work like normal headphones just in a different position? Wold they work on old people whose hearing has decreased? Do they need to use their hearing aid to make bone conduction work or can they just use it by themselves? Do this devices damage hearing like normale ones or are they safer?

I'm looking for head phones that are light weigh, compact, and discreet, I would.like it to be corded but blue tooth us fine as long it has a long battery life. So with all these things is bone conduction headphones what I'm looking for? (I don't wanna use ear buds cuz my ears are super waxy and that's gross)

https://www.fredmeyer.com/p/emerge-helix-air-wireless-headphones/0081006114152?fulfillment=PICKUP&storecode=70100209&&cid=shp_adw_shopl_.FY23.01_search_ent_conv_lia_corelia_frys_g_lia_shop_acq_evgn_ship_all_roas_deli&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz6ShBhCMARIsAH9A0qVB4ONlnKUZRC-9lRVd9yBGgCJs5feY-iMCauyFsQTkIEEmtgC_UdwaAto8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

My old shop would allow me to wear earbuds, this one is open to me using open ear headphones where they can still see my earplugs.

Does anyone have any experience using bone conduction headphones for audiobooks/podcasts in a shop?

I listen to a lot of music during the day, but this has the disadvantage of making it difficult for people to get my attention. I've heard bone conduction headphones allow you to remain aware of your surroundings while hearing your music still, and I was hoping I could be pointed towards a good quality set.

I like the idea of using them instead of earbuds so that I can hear traffic better while touring. But I wonder if it's unhealthy to use them for 8 hours or more every day while riding because of how the conduction vibrates the inner ear bones. Has anyone used conduction headphones for long tours?

Any thoughts and experiences or tips for headphone choice in general would be appreciated.

So i need new headphones, and for now i use on-ear ones, since i have bad experiences with in-ear headphones (i either lose them or when "moving my ears" the sound is too flat, which due to wearing glasses happens quite frequently). On-ear-headphones on the other hand have the horrible disadvantage of acting as ear muffs and shielding you from your surroundings. Since i want to wear them at work, it's essential for them to not shield me, which is why i mostly wear the on-ears like a DJ, but i still have the heating problem.

Bone conduction seems like an ideal solution (given you don't want to force anyone to listen to your shitty music), but how bad is the sound really?

I just saw this for sale.

They go like on your ear, but not in your ear, and supposedly they sound like headphones.

If they work, can other people hear this?

I am thinking of: Since bone conduction headphone vibrates our cheekbones to transmit the sound directly into our cochlear, which, unlike the eardrum, has no nociceptive nerves, so, it actually makes it harder for us to spot the volume has exceeded decibels that the ears can tolerate. If so, can the bone conduction earphone still be a better option when you want to take care of your hearing? Can anyone tell me if am I correct on this, so I will decide whether to get a pair of bone conduction or not :D

I am a guy who like to run or ride, or even like to wear headphones when swimming, then bone conduction headphones are very worthwhile for me. When exercising, wearing the in-ear type is not as comfortable as bone conduction headphones. The bone conduction headphones are not plugged into the ear, and it will not affect your judgment of the surrounding environment. It is safer, so bone conduction headphones are also called professional sports headphones. I serched on the website and there are three bone conduction headphones that are really good in 2022.

The first, Naenka Runner Pro bone conduction sports headphones

Naenka Runner Pro is a bone conduction earphone. Since the bone conduction earphone does not need to be plugged in to listen to music, it is open to listen to music, so it will not block the ear canal during exercise, and sweat will not cause the ear to become wet or itchy. At the same time, it can also avoid the situation that the ambient sound cannot be heard because of the earplugs, which is safer than the in-ear type.

It uses a lightweight all-titanium alloy skeleton, and the outside is wrapped with a layer of high-tech hypoallergenic silicone material, which makes the inner layer of the earphone firm, the surface layer is skin-friendly and comfortable, and can be worn for a long time to avoid redness and allergies. The fuselage design adopts ergonomic design, which can also perfectly take into account the groups who wear glasses. And also supports IPX8 professional waterproof.

The Naenka Runner Pro is also equipped with a new Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which has stronger anti-interference ability and can easily cope with various complex outdoor scenes, ensuring that the good mood during exercise is not disturbed by disconnection. The stable connection also brings ultra-low latency performance, listening to songs, chasing dramas, and playing games to meet all daily needs for headphones.

The second, Aftershokz Aeropex bone conduction sports headphones

Aftershokz Aeropex is also a bone conduction bluetooth headset with a non-in-ear design. The overall shape of this Aftershokz bluetooth headset is slender and slender, and it is very textured at any angle. As Aftershokz's flagship bone conduction headset, it is also the lightest in weight. One, the fuselage is connected by a titanium wire. Compared with the Naenka Runner Pro, this headset also does a good job in sound leakage processing. Aftershokz also has its own exclusive technology to reduce sound leakage through concentrated sound, but it is a pity that there is no body memory.The third, Aftershokz Aeropex bone conduction sports headphones

Aftershokz Aeropex is also a bone conduction bluetooth headset with a non-in-ear design. The overall shape of this Aftershokz bluetooth headset is slender and slender, and it is very textured at any angle. As Aftershokz's flagship bone conduction headset, it is also the lightest in weight. One, the fuselage is connected by a titanium wire. Compared with the Naenka Runner Pro, this headset also does a good job in sound leakage processing. Aftershokz also has its own exclusive technology to reduce sound leakage through concentrated sound, but it is a pity that there is no body memory.

The third, Philips A6606 bone conduction sports headphones

The Philips A6606 bone conduction sports earphone is a Bluetooth earphone for running and cycling sports enthusiasts, especially for long-distance runners, the earphone can eliminate the boring time during running. It conducts music through the bones, but also allows the ear to receive sound information from the surrounding environment at all times, ensuring that objects such as vehicles behind can be avoided in time and ensuring the safety of the movement process. It is not very advantageous in bone conduction technology, but its advantage lies in safety. Philips bone conduction headphones will have a night running light function, which can play a warning role in dimly lit environments.

I am still wondering which one to choose, any ideas?

I am curious if this works. I sandblast for a living and when we sandblast we need to wear earplugs because of the noise and after standing for 2h it's gets really boring. So my question is if anyone knows or have tried this can you where bone conduction headphones and have earplugs and listen to music.

Can one side be muted? My work is changing their earbud policy from one ear bud to none. Ear plugs at all times. So we brought up the bone conduction ones to kind of be smart asses since we could still wear earplugs with them. We got approval as long as one side can be turned off so we can still hear someone talking to us. Can this be done or no?

If you’re like me and have really waxy ears, you may have faced the constant frustration of destroying in-ear headphones. Mine would either get grossly caked in wax or stop working altogether due to sound quality deterioration or complete failure.

I switched to over-ear headphones and they solved the problem. However, they are bulky and not very convenient for everyday use.

That’s when I discovered bone conduction headphones, and they’ve been a life-saver! They’re completely unaffected by ear wax since they don’t go in your ear at all. Plus, they’re lightweight and more comfortable for everyday use.

Another bonus is that bone conduction headphones allow you to stay aware of your surroundings since your ears remain open. This has made them especially useful when walking around or commuting.

Why YSK: Bone conduction headphones can help people who produce a lot of ear wax preserve their headphones and avoid constantly replacing them. They are also more comfortable for everyday use and can improve safety when walking or running outdoors by allowing you to stay aware of your environment.

So I'm considering to buy a pair of bone conduction headphones to use while cycling, mostly for listening to podcasts but perhaps also music (depending on the sound quality). From what I've read these seem to be the best option safety-wise and are also comfortable to wear. I'm still curious to collect a few more impressions and ask what brand you would advise? I'm also open to other suggestions/options.

Update: please see update at the bottom of this post. I’m fine.

Bought bone conduction headphones two weeks ago to wear while running. They sit on your cheekbones and conduct vibration through your bones instead of through your eardrums to reach your cochlea. So you’re hearing music “inside” your head but can still hear all of the ambient sounds of cars, etc.

Marketed as a safer solution for runners.

When I got them in the mail, I was surprised at how quiet my music was with these headphones. I had to turn them up almost ALL THE WAY to get even a half decent volume on my runs.

Turns out they were actually LOUD, I just couldn’t hear the music over the ambient sounds of the city. Today I tried plugging my ears and listening to them, and THE MUSIC IS SO LOUD inside my head. Unplug my ears and the perceived volume decreases.

So, the fuck up: I ran for an hour a day for two weeks with full volume music in my head. Without knowing.

A few days ago I started noticing sound sensitivity, headache, and ringing in my ears. Yesterday I went for another run with music, and developed a headache part way through. Today I woke up to a splitting headache and piercing high-pitched ringing. It’s lasted all day.

That’s when I realized what must have happened. That’s when I tested my theory with earplugs and the headphones.

I’ve had mild tinnitus for my entire life. I’m completely freaked that I may have permanently damaged my ears.

TLDR; accidentally listened to music at full volume for two weeks, possibly permanent consequences to my hearing

Don’t be like me, kids.

——UPDATE:——

Good LORD this took off. I’ve never in my life had a post get this much attention. Talk about a welcome to Reddit experience.

I want to emphasize that I am just one person and my experience may be coincidental. Maybe it’s allergies. Maybe it’s a migraine. Maybe the isolation of quarantine is finally getting to me. I have no way of actually scientifically determining that my hearing issue has intensified because of the use of these headphones. It just happened to occur within two weeks of me getting them and beginning daily use. I’m no doctor and I haven’t seen one.

I have had mild tinnitus for my entire life. I have no memory of true silence, except when I use that temporary “tap your head” trick. I just feel like the high pitched screaming is lot more noticeable right now, and it’s accompanied by a headache. This could be real, or it could be stress induced and psychological because I’m focusing on it and worried about it.

I realize I have thousands of people screaming at me to walk myself right into a specialist’s office RIGHT NOW, but it’s a lot harder when I have to consider my current financial situation. Do you understand how expensive specialists are in the US?

I will probably visit Urgent Care and speak with a doctor there, have them check me for sinus or impacted earwax, etc. If they rule out other causes, and advise I get further testing, I will have to decide what my next step is.

Thank you for every one of you for weighing in with concern, advice, and boner jokes. Really.

If you are reading this thread and are suffering from a sudden increase of tinnitus, and have the means to see an audiologist or ENT, or even visit Urgent Care, it’s probably a good idea. Remember that people on the internet are not a substitute for trained medical professionals.

——UPDATE #2——

The tinnitus continued to increase to the point I was having trouble hearing or sleeping, so I went to Urgent Care.

They looked in my ears and said, “Wow, yep, you have a lot of fluid built up in there. Probably allergies.” And gave me a steroid and a prescription for allergy medicine.

TL;DR I got a shot in my butt and my hearing should return to normal soon.

I recently purchased the Shokz OpenRun Mini and I gotta say, I'm underwhelmed. First impression was that it's basically a clever crafted speaker that sits right outside your ears. I notice a slight difference when I don't have skin contact with the phones, but I get the same quality of sound if I just move them to right outside my ear canal. With the volume at a low to medium level, I had a hard time having a normal conversation without feeling like I need to turn them down or take them off.

If it wasn't for the idea that they're supposed to be "bone conducting" they'd be pretty decent headphones for what it's worth.

Overall, IMO, seems like a gimmick. Maybe I'm ignorant to the tech behind them, but sure seems like I'm holding some earbuds right outside my ear.

I had a couple gift cards and Amazon cut the price on the Titanium Aftershox (which I believe is the lowest price version of the AfterShox line) so I pulled the trigger.

I strongly believe in using bone conduction headphones over in-ear or on-ear headphones while cycling for safety reasons. That being said I have biked 50 miles in 5 hours with in-ear headphones without incident. Doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.

Anyways, I unpacked these and tried them on last night and while I will keep them because of the whole safety thing, I'm super unimpressed with the sound quality. A $20 pair of true wireless earbuds from China beats these things without even trying. The lack of bass in the music is the real killer - even at higher volumes there is almost no bass response at all. If it was my own money, these would be returned. Since it was gift card money and I do want to bike safely (and bonus, the color matches my bike) I will keep them and use them.

But man, what a bummer.

I've been looking into the Aftershokz Aeropex. I do a mix of mountain/gravel/road biking and am looking at something that stays secure while my helmet is on, while also being aware of sounds around me. Any recommendations of what's working for you?

Edit: Wow, thank you all for your replies! Been reading and taking them all in. I think I'll pick up a pair this weekend after I try them :)