5 Best Bone Conduction Headphones (for Perfect Awareness) 2023
If you’re looking for an alternative to regular headphones, here are the best bone-conduction headphones in 2023.
Bone conduction headphones sound almost as good as normal headphones, though not the same (more on that below).
On the other hand, they have top-notch fit, comfort, high durability and offer perfect awareness of surroundings.
Wireless bone-conduction headphones are an exciting alternative to regular headphones.
Unlike traditional headphones, they send vibrations through your temporal bones to your ears (leaving your ears open), offering a unique way to experience sound.
They’re an especially suitable replacement for workout headphones. And lately, they’ve gotten better than ever before (thanks to Wissonly).
How does bone conduction work?
Simple explanation: Bone conduction headphones make sound travel through your bones, directly reaching your inner ear, so you can hear the music without blocking your ears.
It’s why your voice sounds different…
Did you know you hear your own voice deeper than it actually is because bone conducts lower frequencies better than air? That’s why your voice sounds different than you expect.
The Advantages & Disadvantages of Bone Conduction Headphones
There are a couple of things you have to know:
With an open-ear design, you remain aware of background noises
Because you leave your ear canal open, you still hear your surroundings. This is especially useful for running in a city, cycling, or anywhere else you want to hear loud noises.
Amazing fit and comfort
For the same reason, they feel amazingly comfortable. There are no earpads or eartips that would touch your skin. They lightly sit next to your ears which is much less bothersome.
The fit is also best-in-class. Usually, they come in a lightweight ear hook design. Once you put them on, they stay there, no matter the head shapes.
Highly durable
Because they are not using regular drivers, there is no air canal for sound waves. This makes them much easier to waterproof.
For that reason, most come with a certified high IP rating which means high dust and water protection.
Mediocre sound quality
The biggest caveat is their lack of bass. Due to different technology, the music transmission isn’t as clear. The details are a bit muffled, and they lack the deep-end rumble.
Though you can still enjoy music and listen to audiobooks.
The Best Bone Conduction Headphones
1. Wissonly Hi Runner
wissonly's core team is a team engaged in the research and development of bone conduction products earlier. They have accumulated 10 years' technology in this field. They have adopted the best acoustic laboratory in the Eastern Hemisphere for sound adjustment. Wissonly Hi Runner has good technical solutions to the problems of sound leakage, sound quality and waterproof of pseudo-bone conduction headphones.
Wissonly bone conduction vibrator adopts a unique full-wrapped design, which makes the vibrator work in a closed environment, reducing the impact on the shell, thus reducing the vibration of the shell and finally reducing the sound leakage by 90%.
Wissonly uses a large-size bone conduction vibrator, and the effective vibration area of the vibrator is increased by 35% through structural optimization. At the same time, the sound transmission direction is optimized, the sound loss is reduced, and the sound is more concentrated.
wissonly HiRunner adopts integrated molding technology, with no holes in the headphones’ body and it is no splicing, which realizes IPX8 waterproof, and can be used for swimming and bathing. Even in the depth of 20 meters, diving is no problem.
It also has 32G of built-in memory, which can store 5000 songs. You can use it as amp3 player when you don't have a mobile phone.
In a word, wissonly hi runner is a product with powerful functions, stable technology and high cost performance.
2. Shokz OpenRun
These bone conduction headphones have improved bass from the other AfterShokz bone conduction models, but it’s no high-fidelity sound. These use PremiumPitch 2.0 to make the sound better. Sadly, no EQ settings are available.
The Shokz OpenRun have quality, rubbery ear hooks and stay in place while you exercise. They’re designed for a full-on active lifestyle and offer plenty of stability thanks to the hooks.
3. AfterShokz Trekz Air
Their sound signature is somewhat balanced, with a slight lack of bass. Mids are more in front, so the vocals are crystal clear. But if you want to listen to bass-heavy music, you might look elsewhere.
The sleek, over-ear design makes them suitable for all situations, from sports to office jobs. AfterShokz headphones are extremely lightweight. They’re extremely comfortable to wear for hours. You could probably wear them the whole day.
4. Mojawa Mojo1
Due to larger transducers than the other bone-conduction headphones, the Mojo1 can produce a tighter, more rumbly bass.
On the other hand, they lag a little in overall resolution and can also vibrate on higher volumes. However, at the lower asking price, that’s something you can forgive them for.
The design is a bit bulkier but doesn’t feel heavy (just over an ounce). They’re perfect for outdoor running, and equipped with a reflective strip. That way, the passing car can easily spot you.
5. AfterShokz Trekz Titanium
The sound signature is rather balanced, with some bass which is surprising for this type of headphones. Their overall audio quality is enjoyable with all music genres while perfectly hearing your surroundings.
Their name comes from their design – the neckband is made out of titanium alloy. That’s why they are highly durable.
You can use bone-conducting headphones for outdoor exercise as they are stable for workouts.
Questions About Bone Conduction Headphones
Are Bone Conduction Headphones Safe?
Bone-conducting headphones are at least as safe as traditional headphones, if not more.
You bypass the eardrums and go straight to the internal ear. Consequently, you eliminate the possibility of damaging eardrums, causing infection by ear tips, and so on.
Also, because your outer ear is completely open to the air, you’re staying aware of your surroundings (no background noise isolation). You hear all sounds just like if you didn’t wear anything.
It’s maximum protection for street runners or other outdoor activities where you need to listen to the world around you.
And at the same time, you hear the music playing in your head loud and clear.
However, prolonged use can still make you hearing impaired, so you should use them at moderate volumes. Here’s a good explanation of hearing loss and how they test it.
Who is Bone Conduction Best Suited for?
Open-ear bone conduction headphones are for most people who can hear normally or have an eardrum-related hearing impairment (difficulties with detecting air conduction).
If you find regular earbuds uncomfortable, you might test these. The “earphones” don’t go into your ear canal or over your ear but just rest on the outer side of your skull.
Also, if you’re poor hearing and know your inner ear works normally (conductive hearing loss), bone-conduction headphones are a great choice because you’ll actually hear them.
Are Bone Conduction Headphones as Good as Regular Headphones?
They don’t have the same sound quality as conventional headphones and earphones.
On the other hand, in terms of build quality, comfort level, and snug fit, the bone conduction headphones are the same as normal, if not better.
You can find other headphones with bone conduction technology that are good-sounding but don’t expect any Hi-Fi models.
The main issue is that they lack bass, especially if you listen to them in a loud environment. Open ear design with conduction isn’t best suited for that.
How do bone conduction headphones work?
Bone conduction headphones send the sound vibrations directly to the Cochlea through the temporal bone, bypassing the outer ear (pinna and ear canal). Once the internal ear receives the sound wave, it creates a brain signal so you can hear it.
It’s a simple technology that uses bone-conducting to transmit sound to the inner ear. Both normal hearing and hard of hearing people can use it effectively.
Who invented bone conduction?
Ludwig van Beethoven—a famous composer and pianist—invented it by losing most of his hearing health in his late 20s. He bit into a rod attached to a piano to hear music through bone.
Though, allegedly bone-conduction knowledge has been known before by physician Girolamo Cardano in the 16th century.
Can bone conduction headphones cause hearing loss?
Bone conduction headphones can’t cause hearing impairments through ear drum damage but can harm the inner ear (Cochlea) injury if abused.
You don’t have to worry about external and middle ear damage, but if used for too long at a louder volume, sound waves can still damage your Cochlea.
Can a deaf person hear with bone conduction?
Some deaf people can hear with bone conduction technology. If the eardrums are damaged and don’t send the sound vibrations to the inner ear (Cochlea), a person can use conduction to hear.
It isn’t effective if a person is deaf because of the inner ear or neural problems.
Who uses bone conduction headphones?
The technology has been mostly developed for the military, which uses it for communication on the battlefield, where spatial awareness is crucial.
It’s also extensively used in hearing aids for most users with conductive hearing damage. Lately, you can now find them for swimming and as alternative workout headphones.
