I was in the market for some earbuds/sports earphones and shortlisted Aftershokz Aeropex.
I could not find it cheaper than $199 at most places.
Bikeexchange has the Cosmic Black for $185 delivered.
Alternatively, you can price match at JB hifi and use those vouchers you have stocked.
Fantastic for running, and also when you want music but need to be alert / mindful of your environment (e.g. shopping).
Found them $15 cheaper during BF last year.
Agree 100% these are the best for running, I've been using them in the rain and they've been great. Although the price is dear, it was bit of an investment but there have proven to be worth it completely.
The regular size was a little large around the neck for me, so anyone buying may want to follow the guide on their website on choosing a size.
Do you think they'd be comfortable for sleeping?
Depends on sizing. Mine hang out the back and push them off the required spot so no they don’t work for sleeping. At least for me.
Wouldn’t recommend these for sleeping.
Found the Buds Live best for sleeping if your ears are right shape so they sit in ears flush
Thanks! I'll try those
@Subada: Seen the Buds Live on special somewhere for $129 there also great paired with a Samsung phone cause of there app integration but of course works with any Android phone and I think Apple phones too (but best check first for Apple phones), they don't fall out either so great for running etc
No, I own these and they are great for running and cycling because my head stays still but if you move your jaw or eat with them the sound changes because they move around the ear. Would be horrible for sleep.
I disagree. I find most in-ear or semi-in-ear ones, the sound changes when I a moving my jaw, but these stay consistently in place
@DeepDreamer: Agreed. I think head size and shape might be an issue, though. I have 2 so I can listen to audiobooks uninterrupted for 12+ hours. Not only that, but I often fall asleep, forgetting they are on. They are so comfortable, I had my license renewed then looked at the photo on it the other day and forgot I had them on when I got my photo taken.
@bigpallooka: You dudes are tempting me to buy a pair lolz
Edit: so battery life is about 6 hours?, also how do they sound say compared to the Phillips in ear mx3 or Samsung Buds live (all I own currently for comparison)
@Italkdigital: As I'm using them for audiobooks, I can't comment on music comparisons. I stopped using in-ear years ago and first moved to over-ear before finding these as my ears hurt after a couple of hours of in-ear use. I frequently get more than 6hrs of constant use for audiobooks. For use as a phone headset at work etc, I would be surprised if it didn't last all day for just casual use but constantly connected.
My wife uses something called MindBand (I think heavily marketed on social media), she loves it
I wear them in bed regularly, but you have to be a side-sleeper, and take the down-facing ear off and rest it on your neck
Just a heads up, Aftershokz is now known as Shokz
They have a new model now called "Shokz OpenRun Pro". So you might see the older stock of Aftershokz start to get heavily discounted.
Just a heads up
Damn! When did this rebranding happen? TIL
https://shokz.com.au/Shop/p_19256/SHOKZ_OpenRun_PRO_Wireless…
So, this is now the flagship model, as I don't see Aeropex anywhere.
Aeropex now openrun. Think changed something like new app.
New pair openrun pro
Which I get soon
Aeropex now openrun.
They look somewhat alike, but OpenRun Pro is a completely new model (Model ID: S810).
Think changed something like new app
Their app is absolute garbage. Only works with OpenRun Pro.
Have to ask what does "Bone Conduction" mean?
I don't understand it in great detail, but it's something like the audio is created by distributing vibrations to the bone above your ear, which is pretty cool. It actually gets louder if you block your ears.
Normally your ears use the ear drum to pass the signals to the inner ear bones which transfers the signal to your brain. This bypasses it and vibrates the inner ear directly.
Interesting,. reading comments below looks like it even bypasses foam ear plugs, wonder if that effects at all the sound quality, like less base or treble, maybe should've asked this to the dudes below
Ear plugs will increase bass as forms a seal.
Plugs just basically blocks the signal from the ear drums. So the sound is not muddled from two sources. That’s why they sound clearer when you use them.
Earplugs turn these very bassy. Still usable for podcasts and audiobooks, but musically, I imagine it wouldn't be very enjoyable
Anecdotal review:
These are great… until they are not.
I've gone through 2 pairs and won't be buying another. Both were faulty after about 6 months of medium/heavy use.
The mechanics in the "ear" piece that create the vibration come loose very easily and then you get this odd rattle if you tilt your head even slightly.
Aftershokz did give me a warranty claim on my first pair, but their office was in SEA (can't remember where exactly) so it was a slow process. So I can't really fault their customer service.
I would just be wary of spending this much on headphones that are unreliable.
Edit: I've got a few USB -> Aftershockz charging cables from all my hassles with them. If anyone is buying the headphones and wants some spare cables you can message me and I'll post them your way, no cost.
same happened to me. bought over amazon and got new pair sent out real quick. common issue. mine last about 2yr though. my 2nd pair is beginning to rattle slightly. did you not get warranty on 2nd pair? i have found people who have experienced the same and could fix by drilling hole and inserting a putty glue (cheap).
i would buy again
I didn't bother with a 2nd warranty. I just found an alternative solution. Probably should have gotten them to sell them on but I couldn't be bothered at the time.
I believe in the tech, and when they worked they were amazing for my bike rides. I'll just give them a few more years to get them more reliable before buying a future version.
Thanks for comments, I love them for work as I wear them all day for calls. Also use them a few times a week for exercise and they started to show the impact, and just the other day lost the rubber protection on one side.
Was looking at a warranty claim and emailed off but haven't heard back yet.
Not sure I want to move to an 'in ear' version like Apple or Samsung though, for the cost even if I can get ~18m to 2 year I feel like I get my money worth (also claim on tax).
@fredblogs: They are great, honestly was a bit wary thinking the mic would be crap but from feedback from people on the other end (and from using with a colleague who also has them) they are really good and in fact better than most headsets with a boom mic which tends to have variable success based on where it is positioned.
As others have said not something for audiophiles or for use in planes etc, but for general ambient use really great.
@timbo83: My personal opinion,. next best alternative to in ear plugs would be the Samsung Buds Live, though they wouldn't be great for noisey places as there not in ear type Buds even though they have noise cancelling, to me there comfortable for long hours use (cause nothing in the ear canals to cause discomfort), sound great, long lasting battery life, don't fall out and they don't patrude out of ones ears so can sleep with them even for side sleeping (depending on shape of ones ears)
Edit: though I want to try these, the bone conduction feature sounds interesting and the fact everyone's stating these as very comfortable has got my interest as nothing worse then uncomfortable headphones, though wondering about sound quality? how do they sound say compared to the Phillips in ear mx3 or Samsung Buds live (all I own currently for comparison)
@Italkdigital: I can't compare to the in ear buds but for work purposes (e.g. video/teleconferences) and for exercise I find them great.
Downside I would think compared to buds is that in a noisy environment you may need to run at a higher volume. This is fine until you suddenly have someone with a loud voice speak and have a nice buzzing on your jaw :)
@timbo83: Actually the Samsung buds live is those bean ones, they do go slightly go into the entry of ones ear canals but it's the edge of the bean that enters slightly into the canal,. so these are completely different then your usual all in canal buds, all sealed of canal, so the Buds Live has the same issues with surrounding noise, the do have noise cancelling but again no way good as noise cancelling in all in sealed canal type, the main reason I like them there more comfortable to wear as they don't block the ear canal and they almost sit flush woth-in the ears, actually use them to sleep even side sleeping and very difficult to fall out
You have to actually see a pair to understand what I'm talking about
If I want to block noise out then I use my Phillips mx3 buds that has good noise cancelling and completely seal of my ear canals, of course these stick out of my ears
What's your alternative solution?
I been using mine for a few years,with no hassles, even in teams meetings. Sorry to hear your bad experiences. If you still have those cables, i wont say no to a spare.
Yeah I dunno man, maybe I'm just unlucky. I do use them pretty much exclusively cycling, not sure if that is a factor.
In any case, check your DMs, I sent you a message re cables.
By the way warranty service is provided by FE SPORTS
160 Bluestone Circuit | 17 Mile Rocks | QLD | 4073 Australia
T 1300 790 212 F +617 3376 7408
E [email protected]
I found them excellent to deal with, and a turnaround of less than 3 weeks.
I had the rattle replaced overnight from qld to vic during lockdown
They got me to cut up the old pair take a pic
My airs on the tc older never had the problem with them
Although band break eventually
Appreciate everyone, but all the extra charging cables are taken!
Can recommend these highly for running and for when you need situational awareness.
They can go up pretty loud too!
You need earplugs with them if you want to wear them on a bike, or while doing something noisy (like mowing the lawn).
I had to get a case for mine as they would keep getting turned on while in my bag (the power button would press on soemthing).
These are great but need ear plugs in a noisy environment like bicycle riding. You should be using ear plugs when riding a bicycle anyway.
Just curious, isn't the point of these to have more situational awareness while cycling, and therefore aren't ear plugs defeating that? If you are wearing ear plugs anyway, why wouldn't you go for a standard set of in ear headphones?
Which in ear ear plugs don't actually fall out, I can only think of the Samsung Buds Live (the sealed foam type tend to creep out and fall out), umm foam ear plugs usually allow human voice to pass through but I guess if your riding on the road you'd rather want to hear the cars creeping up from behind so surely see your point, personally I avoid riding on roads can never trust crazy drivers on the road
My wic200 don't fall out
Which in ear ear plugs don't actually fall out
Proper IEMs like these
https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/collections/etymotic/products…
These would be better than bone conducting headphones plus earplugs.
the opposite. Without earplugs all you can hear is wind noise.
Earplugs when riding a bicycle… Just why?
So no whooshing noise lolz or hear idiots in cars telling one to get of the fkin road 😝🤣
for ear protection. Ear plugs don't shut out all the sound but enough to help prevent hearing damage… Also enough so you can hear your bone conducting headphones.
I still don't get it. My ears are pretty sensitive to loud noises, so for example I keep a pair of earmuffs in the kitchen to put them on while using the blender - most people just don't care about it. But when I'm riding the bicycle, I don't feel exposed to loud noise. I'm not riding in the busy freeway, most of the time it's either designated bike path or the side of relatively quiet road (usually within 60 km/h zone). The bicycle itself is quiet, a bit more loud on gravel paths but still ok. The noise from cars is more or less the same that pedestrians are exposed to. The strong wind can be a real nuisance, but I'd rather put the hood on to block it than use the earplugs.
I have the Open Move and don't use plugs while cycling, as I use these specifically to help with awareness. Yes there is wind noise, volume increase handles it. Similar in wind noise performance to my old Backbeat Fit.
I have the open move too. On high wind, for music generally its fine (though don't expect clear bass) but hard to hear dialogue such as podcasts.
I bought Openmove model a few weeks ago for $82. My second one. Good headphones if you don't mind the sound quality.
I bought some Aftershockz (what's advertised) and got some open moves as a present for a friend for like $50 less. Using them I can't tell the difference and hers are USB-C charge not custom magnetic charge.
The custom mag charging is so convenient when attaching and detaching, but the risk of losing or damaging a cable and having to pay for the replacement is there.
I wish there was a standard mag charging interface
To anyone considering these, they are very much a niche product that works great within their niche and not so great outside of their niche. They are the ultimate in terms of transparency (nothing to block your ears) and very comfortable (again nothing in the ear canals to cause discomfort), but at the sacrifice of audio quality (I’d say similar to the free earbuds that use to come with your mobile phone). I use mine primarily for audiobooks / podcasts when out waking and find them fantastic for that. I’d suggest to watch some reviews before purchasing to figure out whether they’ll work for your use case.
I have the (now) obsolete model and they’re great.
Use it for cycling and running. End up wearing them around the house too because they’re so comfortable and often instead of my AirPods Pro, though the sound is obviously not as good.
Over 30km/h on the bike and the volume has to go up because of wind noise. Sometimes hard to make out the words of audiobooks unless the volume is up to the point where outside noise isn’t as transparent anymore, but not to the point where it’s rattling on my cheeks.
I wouldn’t wear earplugs whilst cycling because it 100% defeats the purpose… if you want to block out sound and get hit by cars then just wear in ear headphones 🤷🏾♂️ 😂
This is not true. Ear plugs assist with situational awareness and prevent damage to your hearing. Without ear plugs all you'll hear over 25 km/h is wind noise with far reduced situational awareness. Ear plugs vastly reduce wind noise so you can hear other noises.
No idea why you've been neg'ed, I appreciate the alternative point of view.
So you regularly use plugs when cycling?
Always unless I'm only going for a slow or short ride
Ear plugs without music, sure. But ear plugs with music, then you gotta be joking as the only noise you'll hear is the music
Without ear plugs the only noise you will hear is the wind.
@Phoebus: Not sure if ure not reading properly or just bring ignorant. Without nothing, I can still hear bell ringing, rider coming up behind me, traffic passing - even in high wind. But I’m not arguing about wearing ear plugs (its not a bad idea at all). What I’m arguing is about wearing ear plug while listening to music.
@John: you can still hear cars coming with ear plugs but it's easier to hear because the noise is much reduced, and of course it saves damaging your ears. Having the aftershokz in addition is no more a distraction than if you had a speaker mounted on your handlebars or if you listened to the radio in your car.
I thought sound is really decent if you wear the ear plugs
might as well spend an extra 20 and get the swimming model. godsend in the pool
FYI - Swimming model does not have bluetooth.
It is only mp3 which is a shame as I would have loved them. I use JBL Endurance Dive for swimming which are wireless cable joined in ear and can be used as mp3 and Bluetooth for swimming and out of water.
I find it easy to load music on via pc. They also free me of my phone when I'm walking around. Highly recommend
I have had these for over 2 years and still one of my favorite headphones for certain times when I need to have awareness. Use them weekly a few times and even in the shower every so often after an excersise session or because I feel like some music.(new pro model, not fully waterproof). Great for bike rides, jogging and even going for walks with the family, until my 6 year old takes them off of me.
Highly recomend, especially if on speacial at this price.
New models has a few nice features, but not justifiable with the higher cost and lacknof waterproofing in my oppinion, but the quick charge 10 min for 1.5 hours playback is definitely excellent.
Solid price. Highly recommended!
Could be handy for the office, I want to listen to music or podcasts and my boss keeps interrupting me, get sick of pulling out my earbud all the time
You'll still need to pause the music as it does make it harder to hear. Source: i have xtrainerz
Thank you, good to know
This got me interested for my bike commute. Doing a quick search I think the "AfterShokz Open Move" might be a better choice for convenience as they offer USB C charging vs a special charger on these Aeropex (I like the convenience of all devices being UDB C so that I don't need to keep multiple cables at work / home). They're also 30% cheaper, but have a lower IP rating and shorter battery life.
Can anyone commend on the AfterShokz Open Move?
I believe the longer battery life on these is a big deal. Can pretty much go all day.
I bought OpenMove before Christmas and using them daily for cycling, replacing Plantronics Backbeat Fit. I really like awareness of open/bone conduction. I also like the USB-C charging but mostly chose for price to see if Bone Conduction worked for me. Controls easy to use, especially volume. Good for podcasts, not so much for music. From reviews/comments I understand the Aeropex has better music performance, but I'm happy with OM.
Edit: I find battery life in my use case excellent, 4+ hours (possibly longer), certainly better than the bbfit.
Thank you for the feedback Norkle!
I got these and I got a mate some OpenMoves for a present. I'd get the openmoves if I were to buy today. USB-C being the reason.
Using Open Move as well for the last 2 weeks - paid $86 at the time from eBay coupon/sale. No complain really, but wouldn't recommend using it for podcasts/taking calls in high wind. But for listening to music so the ride is more interesting, definitely does the job.
Have been checking the price for these regularly… They are pretty stable in pricing and rarely go down. In good old ozb fashion I'll wait for a better deal ;p
Great headphones, great price