I love my bone conduction headphones. I wear them when I’m running so that I can hear traffic approaching. I also love them for noisy environments where I put in earplugs. Since the headphones don’t require my ear canal to be open, I can use earplugs and still be able to hear my bone-conducted music. So what’s going on with this strange technology, and what are the downsides? I’ll explain.
SHOKZ OpenRun Bone Conduction Headphones $99.95 at Amazon $129.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal Get Deal $99.95 at Amazon $129.95 Save $30.00(From there, vibrations are transmitted to the inner ear, including the cochlea, where they are translated into signals sent to our brain and then further processed into our perception of sound. All of that is outside the scope of this article, though. We’re just interested in how the vibrations get from our headphones to the middle ear.)
We actually hear bone-conducted sounds all the time. Every time you speak, you’re hearing your own voice through bone (and soft tissue) conduction and through the air. (That’s probably why your recorded voice sounds so different from what you’re used to hearing when you talk.) Stick your fingers in your ears and speak out loud, and you’ll hear just the bone-conducted portion.
Are Shokz and other “bone conduction” headphones really conducting sound through bone?
Yes, they work through actual bone conduction, but not only bone conduction. Some of the sound gets transmitted through the air as well.
First, wear them normally. The little speakers will be on the bony spot right in front of your ear. Turn on some music. Enjoy. Now pull the speakers gently away from your head, so they’re no longer making contact. Yes, you will still hear the music. But, it will be tinny and quiet, compared to when you were wearing them normally.
Is bone conduction safe for your ears?
Bone conduction is neither better or worse for your ears than traditional headphones, because ultimately the same thing happens in each. Your cochlea (which is the part of your ear that’s damaged in the most common types of hearing loss) still receives the vibrations either way. Too-loud bone conduction headphones are bad for you, just like too-loud regular headphones.
I started wearing the earplugs-and-headphones combo this summer when I was doing a lot of outdoor workouts near a loud air conditioner, and also realized that the sound of dropping the bar was actually pretty darn loud as well (dropping the bar is a routine part of olympic weightlifting). So I got some Loop earplugs, and found that not only could I still hear my music through my Aftershokz Aeropex Mini (an older version of what is now the Shokz OpenRun Mini), I was able to turn the volume to a near-minimum and still hear it just fine. Overall my ears are getting a lot less noise exposure, so that’s a win-win.
Loop Experience 2 Ear Plugs $34.95 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $34.95 at AmazonWhat are the downsides of bone conduction headphones?
Some are better than others, and you should always check out reviews and try headphones in person if you want to make a buying decision based on sound quality. But in general, the upside of bone-conduction headphones is also their downside. Since Shokz and the like don’t block out ambient sounds, the sound that reaches your ear is a mix of the music you’re playing on purpose, and the noises of the world around you.
Personally, I find these minor downsides are balanced by the other advantages that bone conduction headphones provide. I don’t need to hear my podcasts in crystal-clear audio while I’m running, I just need to be able to listen in while still being able to hear what’s going on around me. When I do want to listen to music in high fidelity, I do that at home, with a nice pair of noise-canceling headphones.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( How Bone Conduction Headphones Work (and When You Should Use Them) )
Also on site :