Aftershokz’s Aeropex are refined bone conduction headphones with a lot of the similar snags

As somebody who swears by over-ear noise-canceling headphones, I like Aftershokz’s new Aeropex greater than I assumed I’d. These are bone conduction headphones, which means you don’t put them in your ears. As an alternative, the Aeropex depend on fingertip-sized transducers to push sound via the left and proper sides of your cheekbones. The transducers vibrate as music performs, very like a driver inside an earbud does, besides this vibration makes its method to your interior ear by taking an alternate route via your pores and skin and bones.

This design is both the headphones’ greatest perk or greatest flaw, relying in your wants. These are an important match for individuals who wish to stay current, whether or not that’s to remain protected whereas biking down the road or simply to have the ability to hear somebody name out to you within the workplace. In comparison with being utterly immersed in my over-ear Sony 1000X M3 noise-canceling headphones, the Aeropex don’t make me really feel like I’m stepping out of a sensory deprivation chamber after I want to speak to folks.

These are additionally purportedly helpful for individuals who have misplaced some listening to. Since they work by circumventing your eardrum, they might permit you to hear your music extra clearly than different headphone fashions that you simply place in or round your ears.

Bone conduction headphones are nothing new, and although that is Aftershokz’s first new product since 2017, the Aeropex have most of the similar flaws because the Trekz Titanium that we examined three years in the past. I discover it practically inconceivable to pay attention at work whereas I’m sporting them. On the fitness center, I can hear my music, however I also can completely pick the sounds of weights slamming down, folks grunting as they work out, and the energetic combine that performs over the fitness center’s audio system. These headphones weren’t made to dam out noise, so none of this comes as any shock. Carrying earplugs is a good however imperfect resolution for this challenge.

Aftershokz claims that the brand new transducers have higher sound high quality than its predecessors, although I’ve solely as soon as sampled the Trekz Titanium. Because it was in a busy commerce present room, I couldn’t give it a good evaluation. Listening to music with the Aeropex usually sounds hole and flat in comparison with conventional earbuds, which have the benefit of a good seal, and minimal distance between the speaker and the eardrum. Nonetheless, I’m stunned by the sound high quality right here. There may be some depth within the mids and highs, so rock and pop music in addition to different genres that sometimes place extra emphasis on these frequencies, sound satisfactory. However, for those who want a thumping beat in your music to maintain you motivated, these merely aren’t the headphones for you.

The Aeropex transducers that produce the vibrations are extra compact than in earlier fashions, and Aftershokz claims that they vibrate much less and leak much less sound, too. After sporting them for about 5 days, I’ve solely had a number of moments when the vibration acquired to be slightly an excessive amount of. It was both a difficulty of the quantity being up too excessive (which is sort of needed if you wish to hear your music in a loud room) or listening to a podcast stuffed with some deep voices. It’s powerful to not discover the vibration at first, however the impact disappeared as I spent extra time with them.

Sound leakage, alternatively, does appear to have been improved. I can’t hear them at medium-high quantity from three ft away, and none of my workplace mates have commented on my unusual music style (until they’re all speaking about it in a secret Slack channel).

Pertaining to among the different adjustments, these bone conduction headphones tout a refined look that, in comparison with the Trekz Titanium, is extra consistent with Beats Powerbeats Professional. A number of different issues have modified from that mannequin, just like the swap from Micro USB to a proprietary cable that magnetically latches to water-sensing charging pins. One other huge enchancment is that these are IP67-rated and might deal with being submerged for as much as 30 minutes in a single meter of water. Cleverly, they’ll vibrate and set free a beep for those who attempt to cost them whereas the charging port’s contact factors are moist.

You’ll be able to pair two gadgets to those headphones, they usually can seamlessly swap between them. That’s all the time a welcome characteristic. It permits you to take heed to music on an iPad then choose up a name in your telephone with out toggling with Bluetooth settings, for example. I’m pleased with the battery life, which Aftershokz claims to be eight hours. I’ve been utilizing these for round 5 hours (with music, podcasts, and telephone calls blended in), they usually have about 50 % battery remaining.

There’s a time and place for the form of expertise that Aeropex gives. Most individuals can carve out when and the place headphones like this may come in useful. For me, these instances are too rare, although for those who’re in a position to get numerous use out of those, their $159 price ticket might be far simpler to swallow.

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