Open-ear or bone-conduction audio tech is area of interest, however there are reputable the reason why folks want uncovered ears when working or working outside. If that applies to you, Shokz has been on the forefront of these applied sciences and continues to show themselves with their newest merchandise.
“Area of interest” would be the first phrase that involves thoughts with Shokz’s OpenSwim Professional bone conduction headphones. However after I swam my first lap and took my first sustained underwater plunge sporting the OpenSwim Professional, the subsequent phrase that got here to thoughts was “spectacular.”
By comparability, the inexpensive OpenFit Air aren’t fairly as distinct. However that is okay: they’re extra prone to attraction to non-swimmers or anybody on a price range.
Shokz OpenSwim Professional, OpenFit Air: Value and availability
Shokz OpenFit Air is offered right now, June fifth, in black, white, and pink. You may choose them up for $119.95. OpenSwim Professional is offered right now in two colours, gray or pink, for $179.95.
With the OpenFit Air, it is exhausting to inform how usually you’ll choose them up for lower than MSRP, although they’ve seen value drops on Amazon virtually month-to-month since December 2023. OpenSwim was on sale bi-monthly, however which will have been an early incentive to buy on account of it having fewer options than the brand new OpenSwim Professional.
You should purchase each units straight from Shokz.com or Amazon.com proper now. If a visit to the brick-and-mortar is extra your pace, they’re obtainable at Finest Purchase.
| Classes | OpenSwim Professional | OpenFit Air |
|---|---|---|
| Connecitvity | Bluetooth 5.4, Multipoint assist | Bluetooth 5.2, Multipoint assist |
| Driver | Bone conduction transducer | 18x11mm composite dynamic |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz~20 KHz | 50Hz-16kHz |
| Codec assist | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Battery | 160 mAh | Earbuds: 40mAh; Case: 600mAh |
| Charging | 4-Pin Magnetic Charging Cable, Fast cost: 10 minutes for 3 hours playback | USB-C, Fast cost: 10 minutes for two hours playback |
| App assist | Shokz app for Android & iOS | Shokz app for Android & iOS |
| Colours | Gray, Purple | Black, White, Pink |
| Sturdiness | IP68 (2 meters for as much as 2 hours) | IP54 |
OpenFit Air: What I like
Let’s start with the OpenFit Air. There are a couple of causes somebody might want an open-ear product like this. They might have a couple of piercings in a single or each ears. Perhaps they do not like the sensation of in-ear units. Then there are the standard use instances you examine: outside train or a worksite that requires unobstructed listening to.
Both method, it is vital to notice first that the trade-off with having your ear canals unobstructed is the depth of bass you’ll get. It is easy physics, and there is actually no method but to beat that. Some, like Bose, have come fairly shut, however you may pay virtually thrice extra for these than for the OpenFit Air.
Talking of paying extra, what differentiates the OpenFit Air from the Shokz OpenFit apart from value? Because the identify suggests, though their weight distinction is negligible, the brand new Air unit feels lighter than the OpenFit. Shokz took person suggestions and moved the battery from the stem portion behind your ear on the OpenFit mannequin to the module over your ear within the OpenFit Air.
Then, they added extra curves to the complete earbud and the module that homes the 18 x 11mm customized composite dynamic driver unit. The earbud now sits at a 25.5-degree angle whereas the beveled driver housing sits at 18 levels, so it matches higher in your ear than the OpenFit.
In my testing and evaluating the 2 models, I believe this new match will profit some and be a negligible distinction for others. I just like the heavier really feel of the OpenFit, and I’ve terribly small ear canals, so the smaller driver module of the OpenFit works superb for me. That stated, the OpenFit Air does really feel lighter and simply as snug to put on for prolonged intervals with out feeling prefer it’s flailing across the exterior of your ear as some open earbuds do.
Sound out of the OpenFit Air has stable readability within the mids and highs, with good separation within the stereo picture. OpenFit Air sounds fairly good as open-ear merchandise go, due to the OpenBass Air low-frequency algorithm and Shokz DirectPitch expertise, which pushes sound straight into the ear whereas minimizing leakage.
The genres that shine brightest with the OpenFit Air are typically pop, rock, folks, and classical. Hip-hop is ok. You will be mild on the “Increase” however nonetheless get respectable “bap.” Switching from music to films, I did not expertise any latency in dialog, and the bass copy was satisfying sufficient to offer motion sequences in films or anime the gratifying thump they need to have. And with films that function 5.1 audio, the stereo picture these produce is stable.
Shokz OpenSwim Professional: What wowed me
The earlier OpenSwim product escaped my discover. Seemingly as a result of it was only a standalone MP3 participant within the physique of a pair of bone-conduction headphones. I don’t swim usually, in order that they weren’t my jam. Shokz could have felt that sentiment from extra customers than me, so the OpenSwim Professional is not a one-trick seahorse.
You continue to get the MP3 participant with an elevated 32GB of storage for MP3, WMA, FLAC, WAV, AAC, M4A, and APE recordsdata. That is extra storage than any competing product. Relying on which file sorts you utilize, you’ll be able to cram round 8,000 songs into them — loads for an Ironman or two. Now, although, you get extra utility out of them with the included Bluetooth 5.4 radio in order that once you aren’t within the pool, you’ll be able to stream music, films, podcasts, or no matter you fancy, proper out of your telephone.
What’s most fascinating about these headphones is their underwater sound high quality. It’s severely spectacular. I would virtually say that they sound higher underwater! Think about that. This underwater superior is achieved by OpenSwim Professional having triple-sealed elements rated for IP68 mud and water ingress which implies you are good as much as (two meters) six toes deep for as much as two hours. That is the primary half.
When you’re within the pool, you’ll be able to swap the headphones to MP3 mode and select the Swimming EQ preset (you even have a Customary EQ preset). The Swimming preset flattens the sound profile, sounding tinny out of the water and killing bass response however supplying you with an underwater listening expertise that’s extremely spectacular. The bass magically reappears, supplying you with a delightfully sturdy sound as you hit these freestyle strokes or do some underwater laps.
Simply do not go six toes of depth, because it might injury the OpenSwim Professional.
One of the best a part of this swimming tech is that you do not want the app to entry it. You may concurrently press the amount down and quantity up/energy buttons to change the OpenSwim Professional from Bluetooth to MP3 mode. The controls — the big multifunction button on the entrance and people quantity buttons beneath the suitable arm of the scarf — are simply as responsive moist as they’re dry.
Under these quantity buttons is the proprietary four-pin magnetic charging port. To maintain every thing sealed and guarded in opposition to water ingress, you may use pogo pins as an alternative of USB-C.
The superb of us at Shokz additionally thought-about the case relating to getting moist. It is wedge-shaped so it may well get up and has drainage holes on the again to accommodate airflow for damp headphones drying. Being upright ensures these drainage holes do not get blocked.
General, on land, the audio high quality from the OpenSwim Professional is actually good, with a caveat I am going to get to in a second. They’ve glorious sound separation in MP3 mode and Bluetooth mode. It’s important to keep in mind that you are utilizing open-ear audio units, so there is a stage of heat from the mids and lows that you simply aren’t going to get like in-ears, however regardless of that, the audio output is enjoyable.
Shokz OpenSwim Professional, OpenFit Air: What might use enchancment
There is not a lot I take challenge with relating to each of those units, however for the OpenSwim Professional, the bass handed via the bone conduction pads could get annoying for some folks and an excessive amount of for many who are ticklish. It vibrates quite a bit! Like “PS5 gaming distant haptic suggestions” quite a bit. I believe this can be a function that some folks will settle for however others will hate.
Sorry to be a moist blanket, triathletes, however I’ve to say the lack to make use of these earbuds in salt water. So, no ocean use for you. If you happen to do occur to buy the OpenSwim Execs and take a look at them in that deep blue sea, Shokz recommends that you simply wash them off with recent water and dry them instantly.
One different factor I would prefer to see on future OpenSwim Professional models is the power to regulate the neck, or is it a head-band? For me it sits on the base of my cranium, so technically, I assume that makes it a scarf.
Regardless of the brand new angled design, the OpenFit Air feels “free,” hovering over my ear. For my ear geometry, the OpenFit feels prefer it sits nearer to my ear, however ears are like fingerprints; no two are the identical, so your mileage will differ in how they really feel on you.
The very last thing you could have a problem with is the case measurement. It is a hair bigger than the beforehand launched OpenFit, so it’s “purse-able,” however pocketable? Not likely. It’ll go away fairly the imprint sitting in your pockets.
Competitors
If swimwear is what you are in search of, there are literally a couple of different choices available on the market, and now we have a whole roundup of open-ear earbuds to think about if it is the OpenFit Air you have been inquisitive about. First, let’s speak OpenSwim Professional rivals. The H20 Audio Tri Multi-Sport has a pleasant, heat bass-heavy sound however, not like the OpenSwim, solely has 8GB of storage for music. They’re $20 much less however are solely rated for water ingress, not mud, and their controls may be finicky.
The Zygo Solo takes a novel strategy to protecting you within the water and entertained through the use of an FM radio transmitter, which does quite a bit higher than Bluetooth underwater. The draw back is that in comparison with the OpenSwim Professional’s 9 hours of battery life, you may get simply three hours. Oh, and so they’re quite a bit greater than the OpenSwim Professional.
There are a few others, however they lack both the battery life, the storage capability, or the sound high quality of the OpenSwim Professional.
For OpenFit Air competitors, the premium improve that offers you upgraded sound, a jaw-dropping “Immersive Sound” mode, and higher battery life when you do not use that immersive mode is the Bose Extremely Open earbuds. These are virtually thrice the price, although. You will pay $299 ordering them from Amazon.
1MORE Match Open Earbuds S50 have an extended identify and an excellent longer battery life: 11 hours. They’re IPX7, so no mud ingress ranking, and so they’ll price you $10 extra. Folks with smaller ears could expertise match points with these.
Anker additionally affords some competitors of their Soundcore AeroFit Professional, which provides you a powerful 14 hours of playback time and helps LDAC playback. They arrive with a removable neckband to shore up the match for these high-intensity exercises and so they sound nice at decrease volumes.
Shokz OpenSwim Professional, OpenFit Air: Must you purchase them?
You can purchase OpenFit Air if…
- You need comparatively cheap open-ear earbuds
- You’ve got concha piercings and in-ears do not match
- You need open-air earbuds that sound good
You should not purchase OpenFit Air if…
- You’re a bass lover
- You want greater than 6 hours of battery life
You can purchase OpenSwim Professional if…
- You spend a variety of time within the water
- You need one thing with nice sound submerged
- You need one thing for surf and turf
You should not purchase OpenSwim Professional if…
- You are very ticklish. Critically.
- You do not like neckband configurations
- You want earbuds that may stand up to salt water
In order for you a product that may “Wow!” you underwater, the OpenSwim Professional is that product. It has 9 hours of battery life (six hours in MP3 mode), is IP68 rated for 2 hours within the pool at as much as six toes deep, and has an MP3 mode with 32GB of storage, making it a tough product to beat on this class. Better of all, Bluetooth 5.4 makes it… not so area of interest. Regardless of the doubtless ear-tickling bone conduction modules, the OpenSwim Professional is definitely really helpful for the mermaids and mermen amongst us (Mer-persons?).
OpenFit Air has stiff competitors within the open-ear market. Nonetheless, its mild weight, stable sound, IP54 ranking, wallet-friendly value level, and good name high quality make it an excellent all-around open-ear earbud for many who want or favor this design.
Lighter than Air
The Air model of Shokz OpenFit line feels mild as air when sporting, but it surely’s the stable sound high quality, and a design which retains your ears unobstructed which ought to have you ever giving these a glance!
OpenSwim Professional are spectacular beneath water!
32GB of MP3 participant storage, 9 hours of battery life (6 in MP3 mode), and sturdy IP68 water-resistance make these one of many prime headphones for many who spend a variety of time within the water.
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