Opinions on open ear headphones
Posted by Dapper_Challenge2179@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 20 comments
The last piece(I think) of decluttering the bike while still keeping it enjoyable for me is getting rid of my radios. I still need the music for the road and it would be nice to have some music while on some sections of the paths. A couple reasons why I don't use earbuds is because I need to still hear what's going on around me and due to an ear issue I can't have things in my ears. So I bought these super cheap open ear headphones to try out. Haven't tried it on the road yet but on my tests they seem to be good although a slight muffling(could just be placement though). Does anyone else use this type and have had any issues with awareness and hearing? And are there ones that are better for it? Keep in mind that I wear glasses so need glasses friendly ones.
Yeti_of_the_Flow@reddit
Always use a speaker. It’s as much for your voice entertainment as it is your safety.
Having a constant sound from your location means others around you are infinitely more likely to know you’re there.
Kyr-Shara@reddit
you are infinitely more likely to know you’re the one pissing them off
general_musician@reddit
I use the Nothing ear (open) while cycling with sunglasses and contacts (I also wear glasses and they fit wonderfully for me).
My rides are 3-4 hours long and the battery lasts incredibly well. You do lose some of the fidelity, of course, but it's amazing for safety.
Dapper_Challenge2179@reddit (OP)
So even though they wrap around the ear glasses fiy good and comfortable? That was my biggest concern with that style but they seem like they are better with positioning of the speaker to the ear plugs there are much more options. Those nothing brand ones are relatively inexpensive too.
general_musician@reddit
Yes, my experience with the Ray-Ban type thicker frames and temple tips has the thinnest part of the Nothing headphones sitting nicely outside and tucking around my ear.
Anything with a smaller driver is going to require solid positioning for the sound to stay right, and you'll risk fidgeting with them if you're too active.
The battery and balance has been great, and the larger driver does a better job of ensuring the sound is not subpar. Even with good earbuds and Transparency mode, you'll not have the same awareness.
I think they're well worth the price ($100USD might seem steep but I've owned mine since launch and they've paid for themselves over and over). ✨
CrashTestPhoto@reddit
I have the Shokz Openrun Pro 2 and they're pretty good, but they're expensive.
The open ear function works well and they're just about enough for city riding.
The bone conduction function is a load of junk though.
OhDavidMyNacho@reddit
You really need a headband to make sure they have enough contact for the bone conduction. But yeah, for bike riding, perfect.
Dapper_Challenge2179@reddit (OP)
That was my concern about the bone conduction type. I like decent to good quality sound plus decent volume to hear over the traffic
Kyr-Shara@reddit
They're good but bone conductor hook type are more likely to stay secure
TRAKRACER@reddit
I think My GF has the best bone conductor but you would need to ask her
Kyr-Shara@reddit
I'll ask her next time you're out
BasedGodBrody@reddit
Seconding bone conducting headphones. I got a pretty cheap pair and they're very secure, sound decent and most importantly I actually feel safe
Revolutionary-Gear76@reddit
I have a pair of OpenRuns and they are fantastic
LadyQuicksilver@reddit
You should just get cheap bone conducting headphones these look like uncomfortable junk and will likely fall right off
Dapper_Challenge2179@reddit (OP)
Surprisingly they are comfortable, you don't feel them on and so far they are really secure.
00_coeval_halos@reddit
I have used the Baseus line while riding. I’ve used the MC1 it was my first try using outside-of-ear, earbuds. It was fantastic to have great tunes and still be able to know what was happening around me. Not to mention the safety improvements.
About 2-months ago where the C-loop connected to the battery pod behind the ear loosened by not even a millimeter. It combined with some weight loss and it began to fall off my ear. I contacted Baseus after I had the for 14 months and they have a 2-year warranty so the replaced them without any hassle. They asked if they could replace them with the updated MC1 Pro model. Of course I said YES!
The MC1 Pro is a huge upgrade over the sound produced by the old version MC1. The sound was clear, voicing of the instruments were crisp and it was really good with acoustic music. I thought things could not be better. I wrote a Reddit review in Baseus Global.
Then I was contacted to try the upscale Baseus Inspire XC1 that has “Sound by Bose” on branding on them. They managed to increase sound quality even more. On a percentage basis it wasn’t as large of an increase as was heard in the MC1 Pro, but they got about 25% to 30% improvement. The big advancement was the EQ is better implemented providing improved controls that gave real results. I did considerable time using them while riding my e-bike and they were secure on my ear and the sound was still great dispute the advantage of hearing important sounds you have to hear in order to be and ride safely.
I did a full review on them also in Baseus Global. I will provide links in this post for quick access.
If you are spending time outside you know you need the direct connection to the environment around you. If you can listen to good quality music it can enhance your experience in the outdoors.
TRAKRACER@reddit
TRAKRACER@reddit
Try these
Arcanum3000@reddit
I have a set of Shokz OpenFit Airs that work pretty damn well. Surprisingly good sound quality. I do get some wind noise at times, but that's more-or-less inevitable, and it's still better than using noise cancelling buds in pass-through mode. They're also more comfortable than most buds for me because they sit next to my ears instead of in them.
CIAntKidding@reddit
I have a pair of the open ear Bose earbuds and they don’t get loud enough imo, riding with rayban metas has been the right amount of volume and situational awareness. They just don’t have great battery life so plan for shorter rides while using them if you go that route.