[2023] 7 Best Bone Conduction Headphones! Most Comprehensive Introduction
Over the past few years, due to well-known reasons, our way of life has changed and more and more companies are introducing telecommuting to work.
At the same time, as we spend more and more time at home, we also have more and more opportunities to use headphones to comfortably enjoy calls and music! It is no exaggeration to say that headphones have become a necessity these days. However, I think many people will have this experience, that is, the ears will hurt after wearing the headphones for a long time.
Not only will your ears hurt if you wear regular headphones in your ear canal for extended periods of time, but, in some extreme cases, this can lead to ear infections. At the same time, it can also make you unable to hear the sounds around you, causing discomfort to family members or friends who live with you.
Luckily, in the last 2 years, a whole new category of headphones has become more and more popular - bone conduction headphones. These headphones will not hurt after wearing them for a long time, and it is a product that is really beneficial to your ears. Below, I will introduce the magical "bone conduction headphones" in detail, and recommend several excellent products to you.
What kind of headphones belong to bone conduction headphones?
Bone conduction headphones are the ones that "transmit sound by vibrating the bones around the ear", and they are very different from ordinary headphones.
Ordinary headphones transmit sound through the air and vibrate the eardrum to send the sound to the brain. Bone conduction headphones, on the other hand, transmit the vibrations directly to the auditory nerve by vibrating the bones near the ear, thereby transmitting the sound to the brain. Since they do not pass through the outer or middle ear, even the hearing-impaired can use them to enjoy music.
The advantages of bone conduction headphones are very prominent
1.Bone conduction headphones do not hurt the ears Unlike ordinary headphones, human earholes are not blocked when using bone conduction headphones, and the sound is transmitted directly through the bones. Even if you use them for a long time, your ears will not hurt. For those who are troubled by in-ear headphone injuries, it is worth trying bone conduction headphones!
2.It is safer to listen to external sounds while listening to music
Another feature of them is that when in use, you can capture the sounds of your surroundings and ambient sounds. For example, you can run, listen to music, and listen to the sound of cars passing by, which makes it safer to use headphones outdoors. At the same time, you can also answer family calls while doing housework or cooking.
How to choose bone conduction headphones
When choosing a headphone, it is recommended that you decide based on the "use scenario". Based on the features you care about, you'll know which headphones are right for you. Now let's look at some criteria.
1.Choose wired or wireless
（1）What are wired headphones?
A wired headphone is a headphone for listening to music by connecting a cable directly to a mobile phone or an audio device, etc. Since we plug the cables into our audio gear when in use, their sound delivery is pretty solid, with no sound lag or loss of sound quality, and no battery life concerns.
However, the cable can get tangled in your bag or clothing, so it's best not to use wired headphones in crowds. Plus, they also present a risk of cable disconnection, so care must be taken when handling them.
（2）What are wireless headphones?
Wireless headphones are headphones that connect wirelessly to your phone or audio device using the Bluetooth protocol. The biggest advantage of wireless headphones is that they can be used in any place and scene because they do not require wires.
However, before you can use wireless headphones, you need to charge them in advance, and they cannot be used when they are out of power. Also, their downside is that there is a delay in the sound and a slight loss in sound quality due to the Bluetooth connection.
2.Choose according to the stability of wearing
Most bone conduction headphones are worn on the temple next to the ear, so stability is very important. There are two factors that affect the stability of wearing, that is, the fit of the headphone body and the head circumference and the weight of the headphone.
So I recommend choosing those bone conduction headphones with adjustable bodies to ensure a good fit with different sizes of head circumferences. The weight of headphone is too heavy, which will also affect the wearing stability. It is recommended to choose a lightweight headphone with a weight of about 25 to 35 grams.
If you may not be used to ear-hanging bone conduction headphones, then you can choose clip-ear headphones.
3.Choose according to sound quality
Bone conduction headphones produce sound by vibrating bones, so the sound quality is inevitably not as good as common headphones. Of course, the sound quality of the latest bone conduction headphones has been greatly improved.
If you want to focus on sound quality with wireless headphones, we recommend choosing one that supports high-quality codecs. For example, headphones that support the AAC/aptX (high-quality sound) codec, iPhone uses AAC, and Android uses aptX, so be sure to check the compatibility with your device when purchasing.
4.Consider water resistance
Water resistance is important if you want to use bone conduction headphones while jogging or exercising. Because during exercise, it is inevitable that there will be a lot of sweat or sudden rain. Headphones with a high waterproof rating can work normally under these conditions.
The waterproof performance is often identified by the letter "IPX", ranging from "IPX0" which does not have the waterproof performance to "IPX8" which can be used underwater. As the number increases, so does the water resistance of the headphones. So if you want to wear them for jogging or doing sports, please choose IPX4 or higher headphones, and if you want to use them while swimming or diving, then you need to choose IPX8 headphones.
5.Consider an external microphone
If you often conduct remote meetings at work or call family members, you can choose bone conduction headphones with positional microphones. They'll make phone calls clearer and work more productively.
6.Can it be used with glasses?
Many bone conduction headphones are designed to fit the temples, but can also be used with glasses or sunglasses. If you find it a bit difficult to put your glasses on from the headphones, you can put the glasses on first, then the headphones.
However, the wearing experience varies from person to person, so if you are worried about the sliding of the glasses or the instability of the headphones, you can choose clip-ear bone conduction headphones, but the sound quality of these headphones will be slightly worse.
7.select by brand
Speaking of big headphone brands, there are Sony, Panasonic, Apple, Bosch, AKG, Beats. When it comes to bone conduction headphones, there are also some excellent brands.
Wissonly
This is the fastest-growing brand in the last year. It was founded by engineers and designers who have been in the field of bone conduction for more than 10 years. Its headquarter is located in Hong Kong, and the team is famous for developing bone conduction headphones with good sound quality that do not hurt the ears, and is very popular among young people who love sports.
Philips
This is a big name in consumer electronics with a lot of products, and bone conduction headphones are one of their many products. Its bone conduction headphones are of good quality, and it has also made many thoughtful and practical designs for running enthusiasts.
Shokz
Founded in the United States in 2011, Shokz is one of the earliest brands to enter the field of bone conduction headphones. Most of their products have simple and lightweight designs and are popular for their comfortable wearing. Its products have good sound quality and performance.
Boco
Founded in 2015, Boco is a manufacturer that develops, manufactures, and sells bone conduction devices in Japan. It has excellent acoustic technology and is also known for releasing the world's first "completely wireless bone conduction headphones" with independent left and right sides.
Ears open
This is a brand of bone conduction headphones jointly developed by Golden Dance and BoCos. Just like the product name Earsopen, you can enjoy music and surrounding sounds without clogging your ears!
Vidonn
This is a Chinese brand. It has advanced bone conduction technology, which can realize high-quality music and comfortable calls, and sells headphones that can be used in various scenes.
Haylou
This is a consumer electronics start-up company headquartered in China. Its products include smart watches, earplugs, and bone conduction headphones. It only entered the field of bone conduction last year, and the overall performance of the products is good.
Naenka
Naenka is a new bone conduction start-up company headquartered in China. It has performed well in the Chinese market. Last year, it expanded to the global market with good product performance.
What places and scenes are bone conduction headphones suitable for?
Bone conduction headphones are not noise-canceling headphones, but headphones that allow you to hear the sound of your surroundings while listening to music. Therefore, they are suitable for use in scenarios where you want to be able to hear your surroundings.
For example, while running or walking, listening to music can make exercise less boring, but at the same time, you need to pay attention to the sound of bicycles or emergency vehicles around you to avoid danger. When doing outdoor sports, such as cycling or climbing, you also need to pay attention to the surrounding environmental sounds to avoid danger. You can also hear your family members calling while listening to music at home, or your boss or colleagues calling while listening to music at the office.
We also recommend bone conduction headphones for people who are used to listening to music for a long time, because they can avoid ear pain that may be caused by listening to music for a long time.
It should be noted that bone conduction headphones do not block the ear canal, so it is easy to leak sound. Please pay attention to the volume adjustment when using it in a place close to people.
The difference between cheap and high-end bone conduction headphones
The price of bone conduction headphones varies. Cheap headphones can be bought for tens of dollars, and the expensive ones cost more than 100 dollars. So what is the difference between cheap and high-end models? Simply put, there is not much difference in the basic performance of "listening to music". If you just listen to music every day and don't have any requirements for sound quality, you can choose cheap bone conduction headphones.
However, if you want a bone conduction headphones with good sound quality, less sound leakage, high waterproof performance, high wearing comfort, large battery capacity, built-in memory and more, the price of headphones will be more expensive. If you want to choose a famous brand, you also have to accept a higher brand premium.
Best Bone Conduction Headphones of 2023
Top 1: Wissonly Hi Runner Bone Conduction Headphones
The Wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction headphones are excellent in terms of sound quality. They use a large-sized vibrator, which makes the sound range wider, with good treble and bass performance, and lower loss in bone conduction sound transmission.
The brand has also made a lot of efforts to reduce sound leakage. The body of this headphone is fully sealed and then optimized through algorithms to minimize sound leakage. In the actual test, the volume of the headphones was turned on at 60%, and we could not hear the sound at a distance of 2 meters.
Their waterproof rating is very high, reaching IPX8, and they can still work normally under 15 meters of water. They also have 32G of built-in storage, capable of storing 5,000 songs. When not connected to Bluetooth, you can use them as an MP3 player. Their battery life is excellent, allowing you to listen to music for 8-10 hours straight.
Wissonly Hi Runner are very light, only 28g, and they don't feel heavy when worn. Moreover, the surface of the headphone is made of soft and skin-friendly silicone, which makes them very comfortable to wear.
Top 2: Philips 7607 bone conduction headphones
Their sound quality is generally good, because they use a large 17mm bone conduction driver, which makes their low-frequency sound more delicate, and the mid-high frequency sound is clearer without harshness.
The Philips 7607 bone conduction headphones have IPX7 waterproof performance and can work well in daily sweat and rain, but they cannot be used while swimming.
They also have a thoughtful little design - LED night running lights, which allow passing vehicles to see you when running at night, providing you with higher safety.They also have a decent fit and comfort, but don't have built-in memory.
Top 3: Shokz OPENRUN PRO Bone Conduction Headphones
They adopt an ergonomically designed ear-mounted rear hanger, which is very stable to wear. Even when you make large movements during exercise, you don't have to worry about the headphones being thrown off.
The bone conduction unit of Openrun Pro adopts suspension shock absorption technology, which can reduce the vibration caused by movement and make the sound have continuous stability, thus bringing a more comfortable listening experience.
The waterproof level of Openrun Pro has reached IPX7. They'll work just fine if you're sweaty or rainy while exercising.They have mediocre battery performance and no built-in storage.
Top 4: BOCO Earsopen PEACE TW-1 Bone Conduction Headphones
They are the Earsopen series jointly developed by Goldendance and BoCo. They are headphones that clip on the ear instead of hanging on the ear and are as fashionable as earrings.
They come in 2 clip-on headphones, each weighing just 9 grams so you might forget you're wearing them. They're sandwiched between the ear cartilage, so you don't need to worry about them falling out. They fit over the ear, even if you wear glasses or sunglasses, and won't interfere with your hairstyle.
Their waterproof rating reaches IPX7, so you don't have to worry about it even if you encounter heavy rain.They have a mediocre sound quality and no built-in memory.
Top 5. Haylou PurFree bone conduction headphones
They are very light, weighing only 28g, and the surface is made of silicone material, which is very comfortable to wear. Their skeleton uses aerospace-grade memory titanium wire, which gives them a higher fit and can be bent at will.
They have reached the IPX7 waterproof level, and you are not afraid of damage if you wear them during sports and sweat or wash them with water. But it cannot be flushed for a long time, nor can it be used while swimming.
They have a little bit of sound leakage, which may be a shortcoming of them.
Top 6: Vidonn F3 bone conduction headphones
The weight of Vidonn F3 bone conduction headphones is only 29g, there is no sense of weight, the fit is also good, and it is very comfortable to wear.Their performance in all aspects is good, but the sound quality is average. After all, it is difficult for you to ask for an entry-level bone conduction headphone to have excellent sound quality.
Worth mentioning is their exterior design. They have a sporty appearance and more fashionable colors, which are very suitable for young people.
Top 7: Naenka Runner Chic Bone Conduction Headphones
They use a titanium alloy body that you can adjust at will to fit different sizes of head circumferences to improve the stability of wearing. They're so light and so comfortable to wear that you don't even feel they're there.
They carry a Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes the Bluetooth connection more stable.
The sound quality and leak-proof performance of Naenka Runner Chic bone conduction headphones are also very good. They're also IPX6 water-resistant, so they'll work fine in the rain and sweat, but not for swimming.
FAQs About Bone Conduction Headphones
Q: Where can I buy bone conduction headphones? A: You can buy them on Amazon, Ebay, and other platforms. However, the products on these e-commerce platforms are relatively mixed, and many cheap and low-quality products are mixed among them, and you will buy inferior products if you are not careful. If you want to choose high-quality products, it is recommended to go to the official website of each bone conduction headphone brand to buy.
Q: Is it illegal to use bone conduction headphones while cycling?
A:In most countries, it is not illegal to use headphones while cycling. However, everyone is obliged to strictly abide by road traffic laws, even when riding a bicycle, and must drive responsibly to ensure safety.
It should be noted that bone conduction headphones can allow you to hear the surrounding sounds, but it does not mean that you will hear all the sounds and pedestrian sounds, so you should still be very careful when using bone conduction headphones when cycling.
Also, road traffic rules and regulations vary from country to country and from state to state. Always check the regulations in your area before you ride a bike.
Q: When the surrounding sound is loud, can I still hear the sound from the bone conduction headphone?
A:Bone conduction headphones do not block the ear canal, so they are not suitable for use in extremely noisy environments. When using it outdoors, you should be able to turn up the volume if you're in an environment where you won't disturb those around you.
In addition, when you get used to listening to music through bone conduction, your ears will become more sensitive to soft music sounds, so you can enjoy music without being too distracted by the sounds around you.
Q: Bone conduction headphones won't make your ears tired after using them for a long time. Is it true?
A: If you listen to music with ordinary in-ear headphones, you may feel eardrum fatigue and pressure on your ears after using them for a long time. Bone conduction headphones transmit sound through vibrating bones, which makes them puts less pressure on the ears, and you will not easy to get tired after using for a long time.
Q: I heard that bone conduction headphones are not good for the body. Are they harmful?
A: When you hear the words "vibrating bones," you may be concerned about whether bone conduction is affecting your body or your skull. However, many studies have shown that bone conduction is completely harmless to the human body. In daily life, people can also hear their own voices through bone conduction. I hear my own voice in two voices: "sound transmission through bone vibration and sound transmission through air vibration". This means that you are receiving the sound transmitted by vibrations from your bones every day, so you will not cause harm to your body by using bone conduction headphones.
Summarize
Bone conduction headphones listen to sound by vibrating the bones around the ear. This unique sound transmission principle allows you to use it for a long time without hurting your body or getting tired of your ears, so I think they will become an indispensable part of your future life. You can choose the right headphone according to your needs and budget. If you have a small budget but have requirements for sound quality, sound leakage reduction, and waterproof performance, you can choose Wissonly Hi Runner, which are product with good performance and high-cost performance.