I really wish people were more interested in open format ear buds and bone conductors. They are the perfect blend between personalized notifications, background music and being able to hear what’s going on around you as well as so much more comfortable than having your ear holes plugged up. I wear mine all day long sometimes and forget I’m even wearing them.
I have both current Linkbuds. I love the concept of the first one but they are uncomfortable for me no matter how I wear them (unless I damn near have them hanging out of my ear, but then they sound bad and fall out easily). The S model is one of my favorite earbuds I own. Super small and light with great sound and fantastic ANC and passthrough. Not quite the same as a truly open earbud though. I want to try the BOSE clip on one’s, but like you said they are pricy.
I know it’s subjective, and not denying your experience. But for other readers, the og Linkbuds are hands down the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn, without exception. I sometimes even forget I’m wearing them.
Obviously your mileage may vary, but if they sound like they might be your thing, it’s worth giving them a go, especially with the crazy low sales atm
Yes in high noise environments, like on airplane for example, open formats can be limited. Unfortunately I don’t think open formats can be your only headphone. That being said, for my day to day life at least they are my goto 95% of the time.
I live in the center of the city so in my case open format headphones is bad, however, i always use them at work when I’m in office and open format headphones are great at low noise environments, however, transparency tws is more versatile and can be your only headphones
City noise should be fine. Consider bose open for a much different experience than the bone conductors you mentioned. I use mine in the city too. It’s not the same as jet engines. Many of us can’t tolerate ear holes being blocked up by Earbuds for long periods of time. I find that really uncomfortable. Also transparency modes are active and will eat through battery and even the best never sound natural to me.
You don’t need to say Transparency mode is the best thing ever in ten comments.
Transparency mode is not nearly the same as open headphones. Its fine for a quick conversation but isn’t good at providing awareness of your surroundings. It has its place and is a great feature, but it’s not going to cut it for people looking for open headphones.
If you want, i can say it in twenty comments, since I’ve used both standard tws and bone conducting headphones, i experienced firsthand that transparency mode is golden middle ground between closed and open headphones
I really wish people were more interested in open format ear buds and bone conductors. They are the perfect blend between personalized notifications, background music and being able to hear what’s going on around you as well as so much more comfortable than having your ear holes plugged up. I wear mine all day long sometimes and forget I’m even wearing them.
Got any links or recommendations?
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-open-ear-earbuds-headphones
Think new Sony links are coming out.
My favorite are bose open but the price point is inflated a bit.
I mean, the budget option there is still a lot of money, I can see why it’s still niche, also seems it would hurt if you use glasses?
Probably depends on which model and your glasses. Link buds not an issue at all. Bose open not an issue with glasses for majority at least
I have both current Linkbuds. I love the concept of the first one but they are uncomfortable for me no matter how I wear them (unless I damn near have them hanging out of my ear, but then they sound bad and fall out easily). The S model is one of my favorite earbuds I own. Super small and light with great sound and fantastic ANC and passthrough. Not quite the same as a truly open earbud though. I want to try the BOSE clip on one’s, but like you said they are pricy.
I know it’s subjective, and not denying your experience. But for other readers, the og Linkbuds are hands down the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn, without exception. I sometimes even forget I’m wearing them.
Obviously your mileage may vary, but if they sound like they might be your thing, it’s worth giving them a go, especially with the crazy low sales atm
€240 for the Bose ones isn’t too bad. I know they’re inflated a bit but the quality is definitely top end
Sony stuff tends to be good but lacks physical buttons, really fucking annoying for accidental button pushes
Any tws with transparency functionality
https://www.soundguys.com/best-transparency-mode-earbuds-109883/
These pale in comparison to open format imo
I have bone conducting headphones, they are very bad in high nose environments, transparency mode tws is better
Yes in high noise environments, like on airplane for example, open formats can be limited. Unfortunately I don’t think open formats can be your only headphone. That being said, for my day to day life at least they are my goto 95% of the time.
I live in the center of the city so in my case open format headphones is bad, however, i always use them at work when I’m in office and open format headphones are great at low noise environments, however, transparency tws is more versatile and can be your only headphones
City noise should be fine. Consider bose open for a much different experience than the bone conductors you mentioned. I use mine in the city too. It’s not the same as jet engines. Many of us can’t tolerate ear holes being blocked up by Earbuds for long periods of time. I find that really uncomfortable. Also transparency modes are active and will eat through battery and even the best never sound natural to me.
You don’t need to say Transparency mode is the best thing ever in ten comments.
Transparency mode is not nearly the same as open headphones. Its fine for a quick conversation but isn’t good at providing awareness of your surroundings. It has its place and is a great feature, but it’s not going to cut it for people looking for open headphones.
If you want, i can say it in twenty comments, since I’ve used both standard tws and bone conducting headphones, i experienced firsthand that transparency mode is golden middle ground between closed and open headphones
Can’t you wear ear protection and still hear bone conducted sound? Would that reduce the problem in high noise environments?
Yes, that is possible, however you won’t hear surroundings