AfterShokz Aeropex bone headphones - our point of view
2019-10-08
It was a beautiful hot day when the MegaDron store was visited by our sales supervisor Michal. He had on his ears, or rather worn by his ears, slick headphones, and full of enthusiasm, he initiated us into what a fantastic piece of equipment it was.
That's when we first heard about the American brand AfterShokz which produces headphones based on so-called bone conduction.
At first, our reaction to AfterShokz's wireless, bone-shaped headphones, which were a total novelty on the market at the time, resembled a...big question mark - that seems to be the best term. However, being open to new technological solutions and, above all, trusting Michael as a specialist in practical gadgets, we decided on a test model.
It was a hit - today everyone has a copy of the Aeropex model and we have introduced the entire AfterShokz line of bone headphones for sale.
This review is written based on the model of the AfterShokz Aeropex.
Bone conduction - what it's all about
This method was used as early as the 18th century, for example, by the famous composer Beethoven, who, suffering from near-total deafness, composed his Symphony No. 2 in D major by means of contacting a rod squeezed in his teeth, which he put in contact with the piano. The vibrations then passed through his jaw causing the sound to reach his brain through his bones.
Based on bone conduction, hearing implants also work by transmitting sound waves to receptors located in the inner ear, bypassing the damaged structures of the ear organ.
AfterShokz bone conduction headphones allow us to simultaneously receive the sound they transmit and hear ambient sounds coming through the air. This has many advantages that we decided to use in our work.
AfterShokz headphones - benefits of use
Health
As a Team we all work a lot talking on the phone and at the same time - at the computer. We are aware of the harmfulness of the radio waves that smartphones radiate. The amount of energy absorbed by the human body, as measured by the rate of SAR (Specific Absorpion Rate), increases especially during voice calls. All the more, it is then worthwhile not to hold the device directly to the face.
In addition, by not inserting headphones into the ears, we also do not introduce germs into the ear and do not expose the eardrums to damage at high tones.
Thanks to their design, AfterShokz do not compress without causing headaches, which Matthew H praises.:
'Thanks to their weight of 26 grams, they are almost imperceptible on the head and only after a day at work do I start to feel discomfort,and Marcjanna adds:
'To me, the headphones impressed me with their wearing comfort. After just a few minutes, I felt that they became "part of me", and I could easily listen to my favorite music even when I normally couldn't, such as during my morning run for the bus to catch the MegaDrone :)'.Another thing is that the Aeropexes have a flexible design and can be easily rearranged around the neck and back when you want to answer or make a call.
Convenience at work
Aftershokz wireless and bone headphones are very convenient when working at the computer - just press the button on the left earpiece and the call is answered. With both hands free, we can operate more easily and quickly. In addition, the open design keeps us oriented to what is going on around us, and this is a huge advantage with our duties. If, on the other hand, we need to make a longer phone call and the background noise is undesirable - we can use stopwatches, also included in the set.
Their usefulness at work was appreciated by Bartek:
'Perfectly fitting headphones (sometimes I forget I'm wearing them), for use at work they are ideal, but also for everyday use, such as driving. When talking, we can hear the interlocutor well, with the recipient hearing us just as well. Good music quality, no big bass, but for quiet music listening they are completely sufficient'.
An additional advantage of AfterShokz headphones is their longevity. In the words of Matthew H.:
'The working time (continuous playing) as stated by the manufacturer is 8 hours, and I believe that this is fully realistic. Standby time is 10 days, yes 10 days! In a month of use, I only charged the handset a few times'.
Physical activity in the open air
Nowadays, more and more people spend time in a sitting position, and technology is becoming dominant in our lives. We are of the opinion that technology can be friendly to us, making physical activity, essential for maintaining health, easier and more enjoyable.
David commented on how the Aeropexes perform during sports activities:
'They are comfortable and practical, especially for any outdoor activities (they greatly enhance safety and comfort), it's great to hear your favorite music and at the same time the surroundings of the forest while cycling or running.'.
David's opinion is supported by Matthew H., who has already tested several types of headphones:
Since we are already at the weak points, it is worth noting that these are headphones dedicated mainly to sports, there is no point in comparing their sound quality to, for example, Bose. Matthew C. he admits:I believe that the great advantage of bone conduction headphones is the openness to external sounds, which allows to increase safety, for example, at pedestrian crossings we hear vehicles, we know what is going on around us. When it's warm, I like to run in the rain. Headphones give me the opportunity to do just that. When it's cold, in-ear headphones make it difficult to run in a hat because they "bang" into your eardrums. I've tested a lot of running headphones - with hooks, in-ear with tongues, and they always need to be corrected from time to time.'Not to be too idealistic, Matthew also pointed out their weak point:
'Everything has a downside - during activity in a noisy place, e.g. busy streets, when external sounds are much louder than the music, it feels as if it has been turned down to a minimum. But who likes to inhale exhaust fumes:) ? It is much better to perform the activity, if there is such an opportunity, in parks, forests and here we can run with an audiobook and additionally listen to birdsong. Great! No more hard choices of birdsong or music. An important aspect during physical activity is to "listen to your body and breath," that is, to synchronize your movements and breathing properly. Thanks to AfterShokz, we can combine listening to music and the body :)'.
'The sound quality may not be a huge advantage of these headphones, but they are not dedicated to sound lovers versus athletes.
Although Matthew H. he adds:
'I believe that the amount of sound reaching the viewer is very high. The scene is flatter, but wide. The vocals are very clear and accurate. The highs do not give the impression of "squeaks." On the other hand, the low tones are very soft. Being at home the music is just as enjoyable to listen to'.
Ultimately, the question of sound quality is left as individual and dependent on personal expectations and needs.
Daily use
The female part of the Team appreciated the comfort of the headphones in daily use. Paulina points out the hygienic aspects:
'Aeropexes are fully encased, so dirt has nowhere to go. I use them at work and at the gym, rearranging them from my sports bag to my purse, and I finally don't have to mess with cleaning them, which is cumbersome and often damaged the diaphragms of traditional headphones. These are the first headphones with which I do not have to worry about damaging them, even if they are thrown into the depths of a woman's purse :)'.
With a masculine eye, this is summed up by Matthew H.:
'In production, you can see and feel that they are made of very high quality materials resistant to damage and scratches. Buttons are placed in thoughtful locations. We can easily: adjust the volume, change the song (back, next, pause/start), start the assistant, answer/reject a call, dial the last number, change the equalizer'.
Our attention was also caught by the unconventional charging port -
'these are two connectors hooked up to a magnet, so there is no physical possibility of damaging the charging port, and if pulled during a two-hour charge, the power cable will disconnect from the headphones'.Keep in mind that you won't charge these headphones with 'just any' charger...but no worries if you get disappointed - the manufacturer generously includes two charging cables for all eventualities :).
Loud ambient music
Mentioning the gym, we have encountered voices that the sound coming from the headphones will be drowned out by the loud music from the speakers located all around, and it will not pass the test - a lot of people say that they put on the headphones to "switch off", to focus more on the exercises.
Here again, we believe that it is an individual issue. Paulina found this out completely by accident:'Aeropexes went with me to training through inattention - I didn't take my in-ear headphones and decided that it was better to drown out my music than to rely on what the tape would wind up with. The sound stimulus of bone conduction is weaker than the acoustics of air conduction, so I had to set the Aeropexes to the max, but what was my surprise when I found that the sound coming through my body was closer to me than the rumbling music "outside", which I could hear very well. For me, the fact that I don't have to pull out my handset to hear questions like "Are you using this yet?", "How many series do you still have left?" is the virtue of these headphones, and if I need to "switch off" to unwanted stimuli, I simply focus on my body - the exercises I do and the sounds it conducts with AfterShokz'.In addition, you can always use the included stopwatches.
Waterproof
Bone conduction is also used in areas with specific conditions, such as in noise or in water, where hearing on the airway is difficult - in which case it is useful to use stoppers. Although the Aeropexes have an IP67 waterproof rating, the typical headphones for swimming are the model Xtrainerz with IP68 rating - they are fully submersible to a depth of 2 m.Importantly, each AfterShokz model is sweat and moisture resistant. You can easily do a hard sweat workout in them or, like Matthew, run in the rain.The manufacturer states that with Aeropexes you can stay underwater for approx. 1 hour, so for occasional musical ablutions - as found :).AfterShokz headphones - see for yourself
As you can see, we are delighted with the novelty on the market which is AfterShokz wireless bone headphones. So as not to be lip service and ask you to take our word for it, we invite you to test the headphones in our stationary store:
