Be aware of your surroundings
When you're outdoors it's usually not a good idea to block external sound using earphones or headphones because you're blocking yourself from sounds that warn you of danger.
However, the distraction of music or a good audiobook can help you get through a hard workout. For this, you should consider bone conduction open ear headphones that don't cover your ears and let you listen to your surroundings.
One of the better bone conduction earphones on the market right now is the Aftershokz Aeropex.
Listening through your cheekbones
Aeropex have angled transducers than deliver sound effectively to your cheekbones using their new PremiumPitch 2.0+ technology. This way, audio reaches cochlea directly, completely bypassing the eardrum. There's no need to place anything on the ear that would block ambient noise.
With PremiumPitch 2.0+ compared to other bone conduction headphones you enjoy louder volume, 50% less sound leakage and wide dynamic stereo sound.
Aeropex vs Trekz Air
The Aeropex has better bass and better sound overall compared to AfterShokz's previous flagship model, the Trekz Air.
Also, instead of the 4.2 bluetooth on the Trekz, you get 5.0 bluetooth on the Aeropex. This means the Aeropex has better bluetooth range (up to 4 times more) and has the ability to connect to two Bluetooth-enabled devices at the same time.
The Aeropex also has a better battery life than the Trekz Air at 8 hours of continuous audio compared to 6 hours.
Both Aeropex and Trekz Air can handle sweat from workouts but the Aeropex is IP65 rated waterproof while the Air is IP55 water resistant. You can submerge the Aeropex in water up to a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes not the Trekz Air.
Both have dual noise cancelling mics to reduce noise and a enhance speech for calls.
Better than headphones?
Audio quality from bone conduction headphones, even the one coming from the Aeropex, does not compare to high quality headphones because listening directly with your ears is more effective than listening through your cheekbones.
But because of the sound-isolating nature of most headphones, it is not advisable to use them outdoors where you are exposed to danger.
If you're looking for something higher quality audio without compromising on outdoor safety, consider neck speakers like Bose Soundwear.
Neck speakers like the Soundwear use speakers, which you wear around your neck, that direct sound towards your ears without isolating them from the external environment.
However, neck speakers leak sound and don't stay in position as well as bone conduction headphones.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Clear sound on the treble side
- 8-hour continuous audio battery life
- Keeps you aware of the external environment
Cons
- Lacks bass
- Audio quality not as good as headphones
Conclusion:
The AfterShokz Aeropex is a improvement over its predecessor, the Trekz Air, in terms of sound quality, connectivity, battery life, and more. It's great for what it is used for i.e. for going about outdoors listening to music or to an audiobook while being aware of then environment around you.
It is not meant to replace normal headphones where sound is isolated and you can get better quality audio. Still for what it is, it's pretty good.
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