Verdict
The Shokz OpenFit Air addresses some key emergence with the OpenFit , particularly with the design sound and price , that make these Shokz open - spike earbuds much easier to urge .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The OpenFit Air sees Shokz take another stab at gain wireless earbuds that comprehend air conduction technology to channel sound towards your ears .
For the OpenFit Air , Shokz has made changes to a conception that ’s ramp up for all - daytime wearable and workout . It ’s still offering sound customisation through additional EQ mode and now it ’s offer that open - ear sound for less money than the OpenFit .
The original OpenFit did n’t quite nail the open - ear earbud conception for me in all areas , so it ’s over to the OpenFit Air to evidence that Shokz is back on track .
Availability
The Shokz OpenFit Air are available to ordinate now priced at £ 119 , which is a sizeable dip in price from theOpenFitthat launched at £ 179 / $ 179.95 , stay the most expensive option in the Shokz headphones family and seems to be sticking around grant to Shokz as a more well-situated option to the OpenFit .
That also makes it cheaper than other open - auricle wireless earbuds like theCleer Audio Arc II Sport(£199 / $ 199 ) and theOladance OWS Sports($149.99 ) . It ’s still not quite as budget as the Sivga SO2 ( £ 69.90 / $ 69.90 ) , which offer groovy all - round performance for less than £ 100 / $ 100 .
Design
For the OpenFit , Shokz develop some things right , and for sure ask to down some design element . They looked nifty , were light to wear down and packed in fine touch control . The OpenFit Air evidence Shokz was listening , particularly with the changes it made to the room these headphones delay on your ears .
uncommitted in your pick of black , pinkish or white colours , the line features an earhook - design and uses a titanium alloy with a silicone refinement . It ’s now a far more whippy earhook that feels more sporty in comparability to the OpenFit and ultimately feels considerably balanced in condition of the overall system of weights and the way it securely twine around the ear .
There ’s a small-scale variety in weight with the breeze compared to the OpenFit , jump to 8.7 gm from 8.3 deoxyguanosine monophosphate per earbud , but it ’s a paltry difference . I ’ve wear out them for walk , travelling on trains , using them in the gymnasium and for hr - prospicient runnel outside and these have not budged or felt uncomfortable to wear over farseeing periods .
They take the same IP54 piddle resistance valuation as the OpenFit , so while that is n’t the impregnable protection uncommitted against sweat and rainwater for a brace of Shokz headphones , I ’ve had no problems using them on rainy daytime .
Unlike its bone conduction earphone Shokz has opt to cover touch control for its earbuds , which can be custom-make in the Shokz app , let you play and intermission sound recording , skip back and forward a track and summon your smartphone assistant . Finding the sweet place for those controls were a invariant challenge and were n’t what I ’d consider a enceinte example of trace controls , even when stationary .
you could take Call with the Air too , with four microphones built - in and what Shokz call in its Adaptive Beamforming technology to boost call timber .
Features
The airwave features Bluetooth 5.2 to connect to your gimmick and offers a connectivity range of up to 10 metres . you may customise sound via four EQ presets available inside of the Shokz companion smartphone app , which is available for both Io and Android .
Outside of customising jot controls and choose a different EQ modality , Shokz patronize the ability to partner off to more than one machine at the same time , once you ’ve enable it in the app first .
In term of battery life , the number has dropped by an time of day from the OpenFit . It ’s now 6 hours as opposed to 7 hr , which is still less than the 10 hours enjoyed from theShokz OpenRun Pro . With the bundle charging case full charge you ’ll get a upper limit of 28 hr . There ’s also a quick charge style that pass on you 2 hour of listening from a 10 - hour thrill .
I ’d say that battery quote is accurate and getting to 6 hours bet on listening volume and the EQ mode that ’s in usage . I found that on average , an time of day ’s use saw the bombardment drop by 20 % , which equates to 5 hours . It decidedly feel a little shortsighted , though that immediate charge modality ensures they stay topped up and helped get through a upright calendar week of use .
Sound Quality
There ’s 11 mm dynamical driver units powering sound along with Shokz ’s Direct Pitch open - ear applied science and OpenBass algorithm that collectively aims to offer power , bass and detail .
The OpenFit Air follows the same principle as other Shokz earphone of give up audio to your ears without blocking them up . They connect the OpenFit in doing that with melodic phrase conduction , placing speaker in close proximity to your ear to conduct sound and still permit you hear what ’s around you .
I ’d say that in undefended - spike wireless earbuds footing , the OpenFit arrange in a really unassailable performance . There ’s residual , punchy but not overbear freshwater bass , and a little more finesse when you call for it . Crucially , that ’s retain when you ’re battling more exterior sound .
I use the Songs to Test Headphones With playlist on Spotify to quiz the earbuds ’ power to cover a mixture of music genres . On Underworld ’s Born Slippy and Bonobo ’s Rosewood , there ’s a prissy rumbling of bass , whether in the Standard or dedicated Bass Boost style . While mids finger a little box-shaped at times , it ’s an gratifying experience overall .
On something more relaxed like London Grammar ’s Wasting My Young Years or Neil Young ’s Harvest Moon , there ’s a relatively across-the-board soundstage , mids do sense a tinge recessed while triplex performance has a more grainy grain to it . The vocal EQ preset is well match for podcasts and audiobooks when you desire to hone in on voice .
It ’s a similar tale when taking song . There ’s good clarity overall , though carrying out can unsurprisingly bumble when battling against the sounds around you .
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Should you buy it?
The OpenFit Air stays put and pump out pleasurable exposed - ear phone .
While Shokz apprehend the controls on its osseous tissue conduction headphones , it ’s unhappily not the same tarradiddle for the OpenFit Air .
Final Thoughts
The Shokz OpenFit Air is just a better package than the OpenFit in terms of the fit , sound and crucially , toll . There ’s still some employment to be done , particularly with the command and it would be nice to have a modest charging type , but overall it feel like Shokz has a worthwhile and little open - ear alternative to its bone conductivity headphones .
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How we test
We test every circle of headphones we refresh soundly over an extended period of metre . We use industry standard tests to compare feature film the right way . We ’ll always tell you what we find . We never , ever , take money to review a product .
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FAQs
Shokz claims the OpenFit Air can last for six hours on a individual charge , and 28 hours with the charging case .
