It seems it has been a few years since the last thread (at least I’ve been able to find) discussing bone conduction headphones. For me they are a terrific adjunct for my hearing aids and I thought others might find my experience enlightening. I have no financial interest in this company but just found myself enjoying this product more than anticipated.
I purchased these based on a great 2020 Black Friday sale and have been using them regularly since. In fact I bought a second pair since my high-school age granddaughter ended up commandeering the first pair after trying them. She likes them because they simply stay on her head far better than AirPods for running.
They don’t have the fidelity of my AirPods Pro nor of a really good pair of over-the-ear headphones. That said, they are the only headphones I use these days. I prefer listening to music through my loudspeakers although the AfterShokz will provide pretty decent sound quality. Some reviewers have criticize the lack of deep bass. I use them most often to listen to NPR or podcasts but will enjoy music when I’m tired of hearing voices.
Why I like them: They stay on your head. They are lightweight and I quickly forget I’m wearing them. They do not interfere with my BTE HAs. Pausing the sound with one button push allows me to hear exactly as though I’m wearing only the HAs.
Fidelity and loudness are far beyond streaming via my HAs. The Aeropex buttons are limited, easy to use (after a brief learning period) and make it simple to control volume, skip songs/tracks, pause or answer the phone.
My use is almost exclusively for walking (with or without dogs). I walk every day and sometimes for hours. My routes vary and sometimes I’m near fairly loud traffic where I turn the volume up and other times on a quiet trail where I keep volume low to hear the sounds of nature. The open-ear concept allows me to hear outside sounds. By pushing the pause button it’s easy to fall into conversation with anyone I meet.
The AfterShokz also work exceedingly well for phone calls. There’s a noise-cancelling microphone and I’m told my voice comes through loud and clear on the other side. In fact if I know I’m going to be on a long call at home I’ll put on the AfterShokz as my favorite way to hold a phone conversation.
I also find myself using the AfterShokz when watching video on my iPad, particularly outdoors where the speaker on the tablet is inadequate. I like watching on my patio, for example.
Unlike AirPods or other ear buds the fact they don’t require removing or even adjusting hearing aids is a huge convenience for me. The claimed 8 hours per charge seems about right and they charge up fairly quickly. I haven’t done any tests and they’ve never died on me, although I’m probably a little more zealous than most about keeping things charged.
My hearing loss is limited compared to some people here so I can’t predict any else’s experience with sound quality.
They may be fine for the mild to moderate threshold? But for the more severe to profound, I would save your cash… But thank you for posting, cheers Kev.