May 12, 2014 at 17:09Headset AfterShokz Bluez. Sound directly to the brain
It's no secret that technology for transmitting sound through bone has been around for quite some time. However, in mass products for the first time we came across this in Google Glass. Nevertheless, they remember that there is no earphone that is inserted into the ear, but there is only a vibration plate that transmits sound almost directly to the head. It turns out that this is not the only solution on the market and now there is a headset that works on the same principle. And despite the terrifying name of the “bone headset", the Aftershokz Bluez model really conveys sound and works great. Let's look at it in more detail.
Many people are still skeptical about the transmission of sound through bone. Someone believes that this is harmful, someone generally says that this is all fiction and sound we still hear with our ears. There can be many opinions, but I tested these headphones for a week and I can say for sure - the technology works. Of course, I’m not a specialist and I can’t judge how harmful it is that vibration comes into your bones, but in my opinion, earplugs are not very useful. At least, I read that the use of headphones worsens my hearing, but I have not seen any adequate studies about bone sensitivity.
However, since I myself am a skeptic by nature, I also could not believe that this gadget works. In general, to some extent I was right. In fact, ordinary speakers are hidden behind the rubber pads. And the sound can be perfectly heard through the ears. Moreover, if the membranes are not leaned against the bone, but simply inserted into the ears, the sound is heard even better. But I decided to check whether the sound of music is transmitted through the bones or is this just what I hear with my own ears. And what is the easiest way to do this? That's right, plug your ears and try to listen to the headphones. This was done. Using an ear plug, I isolated my hearing aid from external sounds and even specifically checked using ordinary headphones that I couldn’t hear anything. Then I put on the AfterShokz headset and you know, really, the sound is perfectly transmitted through the bone. In fact, in these moments, I only heard music from the headset and my voice, because he also resonated through his head. I did not hear any external sounds, whether it was a person’s voice, music from speakers or street noise. It would seem, what are the advantages?
For a regular audiophile, such a headset, of course, is hardly useful. He would rather like good monitor ears. But these headphones have their own target audience. First of all, these are athletes who work in the fresh air. When you run, it is important for you to hear everything that is happening around you so as not to get caught in the car, and not to lose touch with the outside world. In addition, such headphones are useful to motorists. Now all the wireless headsets on the market occupy one ear. That is, you have one organ less to drive, and when you leave the car, listening to music is also difficult. With these headphones, things are a little easier. When you are in the car, you can hear both the interlocutor and the sounds of the environment at the same time. Of course, I don’t know how the police will react to the fact that you are driving with headphones, but it’s unlikely that it is somehow spelled out in our laws. In addition, this headset is suitable for hearing impaired people. For obvious reasons, they can’t use the phone and the usual headset. Even if they do not have complete, but partial hearing loss, still they need to make the maximum volume in the headphones. With these settings, eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a couple of meters away from you. And AfrerShokz can broadcast music or the voice of the interlocutor directly into the inner ear. With these settings, eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a couple of meters away from you. And AfrerShokz can broadcast music or the voice of the interlocutor directly into the inner ear. With these settings, eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a couple of meters away from you. And AfrerShokz can broadcast music or the voice of the interlocutor directly into the inner ear.
Yes, as far as concerns about the use of such headphones are concerned, there is no need to be afraid. The method of delivering sound to the basilar membrane in the inner ear can be either air or bone. There is nothing unnatural here. In addition, when you hear your own voice, part of the vibrations is transmitted to your brain exactly in the bone way. By the way, that's why the voice that is heard to you and the one that you can feel on the audio recording is different. Because there are no vibrations transmitted through the bone canal in the recording. Well, something I delved into the medical topic, it's time to move on to the gadget review.
Of course, when you open the box with the headphones you never know what you find in it. It happens that in addition to the headphones themselves and additional ear cushions, there is nothing inside, although the packaging is huge. And it happens that in a set a bunch of adapters for various connectors, a cover, except that spare headphones do not lie. As for the AfterShokz Bluez configuration, this is something in between. In the box, I found the headphones themselves, a soft case with a pair of pockets for transportation, a special rubber band for changing the size of the headphones, a charging cable and a stack of waste paper in the form of instructions in different languages. In general, nothing unusual. Although, probably, it is worth mentioning the elastic band to adjust the size separately.
If you put this thing on the headphones, you can reduce their size. For example, I do not need it, because head circumference is quite large. But here girls or guys with miniature skulls (sounds ominously, huh?) Come in handy. I remember when there used to be headphones with this design, many were tormented, because they couldn’t reduce the bow in any way and it constantly hung out. With such a rubber, there will be no problems with adaptation to the right head.
Headphones look stylish and modern. The case is black, but, unfortunately, it is glossy outside, so fingerprints are clearly visible on it. The inner surface is matte, this combination looks great. Smooth lines and smooth transitions only complement the style of the headset.
The main controls are located on the rear of the bow. There is a lever for turning on the headphones, an LED that indicates a discharged battery or that the headphones are turned on. There is also a volume rocker and a plug under which the microUSB connector is hidden to charge the device. There are no minuses in the fact that the controls are located behind, it is convenient to adjust the volume, there is no discomfort.
In addition, the left and right earphones also have controls. On the left is a button for answering a call and a microphone, because these are not just headphones, but a headset. Right button start and stop playback. By long pressing the button on the right earphone, the pairing mode with the smartphone or player via Bluetooth is turned on.
On man, AfterShokz headphones look rather strange. Due to the fact that the earphone is not inserted into the ear, but leans against the cheekbone. However, this is only a primary impression, and who will peer? If you do not pay attention to this, the headphones look just a stylish accessory, and they will suit both sportswear and a formal suit, thanks to the neutral black color.
The membrane, which is just adjacent to your bone, is made of soft rubber, also black. It is pleasant to the touch, so it cannot cause any irritation or discomfort. The headphones are not tight, so even after prolonged wearing, the inconvenience does not occur.
Despite the fact that these headphones have a 250 mAh battery, they weigh only 43 grams. On the head it is felt, but literally the first five minutes. Then you get used to and hear only the sound. By the way, the built-in battery lasts for about 4-5 hours of music playback. A little, but I'm about that much a day and listen to my usual headphones.
Frankly, after a week of testing these headphones, I got a double impression. On the one hand, the headset uses an interesting technology that will help motorists, and people with hearing impairments, and athletes. In terms of convenience, the gadget is almost perfect. It is not felt on the head, the sound is heard well (not like if you insert the membrane into the ears, of course, but good). But the device also has practical disadvantages. Personally, I didn’t really like that even at medium volume, people around me hear the sound quite loudly. This could be corrected by more tightly pressing the membranes to the bones of the head, but then there would be tangible discomfort. And of course, when it’s very loud around, you won’t listen to these headphones. That is, if in the subway using ordinary plugs you can isolate yourself from the noise of the train, then here you will hear both music and noise. But overall, I liked the gadget. Even with the minuses, there are places where this headset is convenient to use. For example, driving the car. It was very easy for me to drive and talk on the phone, and when I got out of the car to get to the store, I could just listen to music in stereo.
I liked the sound quality. Yes, if you bring the rubber membranes to your ears, the sound will be louder, but less clear. But wearing headphones is so inconvenient, yet they are “sharpened” just to lie on your bones. At high volume, the membrane begins to vibrate significantly and even tickle a little. But listening to these headphones at maximum is almost impossible, I was very loud and wanted to turn it off sooner. The sensitivity of the speakers is 100 dB ± 3 dB, and the frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
AfterShokz Bluez Headphones are undoubtedly an interesting gadget. Geeks who cannot yet afford Google Glass, but who already want to test the sound transmission through the bone, can purchase such a device. I am sure that this headset will be useful to athletes, motorists and those who have hearing impairment for some reason. In general, I would especially recommend them to those involved in sports. I often ride a bicycle with one earphone, because you need to hear what is happening around. Either the car is traveling, or a person is stomping around the corner. And in the gym on the treadmill with this gadget is convenient. It seems to be listening to music, but it seems that you hear the clatter of the simulator. But here, as anyone likes. Some people like a complete immersion in the audio recording.
By the way, I must note that these headphones may not be very convenient for you, in connection with the design. Therefore, I recommend trying them on before buying. Headphones are in the region of 4200 rubles. In general, this is the price of a mediocre Bluetooth headset. So, the cost of AfterShokz Bluez is adequate and corresponds to a market niche.
PS As for the fact that you can hear the sounds of the outside world, it’s hard for me to decide whether this is good or bad. It seems to be yes, we often wear headphones to isolate ourselves from noise and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of music. Of course, Bluez is a poor fit for such a scenario. And if you think about it, how often do we sit at home or at work with one earphone, because Do you need to hear colleagues or with one ear to eavesdrop on a football match on TV? In general, there is no definite answer here. One thing is clear that this gadget has the right to life, you just have to figure out when and where to use it.
PPS I came across a funny service. In general, if someone wants to test their hearing and musical skills, then Philips launched the Golden Ears program.". Everything is free there, you can register and play. I was able to get to the middle level, but sometimes I’m mistaken.
If you want to be the first to know about the latest medical and fitness gadgets, follow the company’s news, subscribe to our pages on social networks. Subscribe you can visit our blog , in
Twitter , join our group in 
Vkontakte and 
Facebook . What's New gadgets and fitness equipment in our online store Medgadgets.ru .
Many people are still skeptical about the transmission of sound through bone. Someone believes that this is harmful, someone generally says that this is all fiction and sound we still hear with our ears. There can be many opinions, but I tested these headphones for a week and I can say for sure - the technology works. Of course, I’m not a specialist and I can’t judge how harmful it is that vibration comes into your bones, but in my opinion, earplugs are not very useful. At least, I read that the use of headphones worsens my hearing, but I have not seen any adequate studies about bone sensitivity.
However, since I myself am a skeptic by nature, I also could not believe that this gadget works. In general, to some extent I was right. In fact, ordinary speakers are hidden behind the rubber pads. And the sound can be perfectly heard through the ears. Moreover, if the membranes are not leaned against the bone, but simply inserted into the ears, the sound is heard even better. But I decided to check whether the sound of music is transmitted through the bones or is this just what I hear with my own ears. And what is the easiest way to do this? That's right, plug your ears and try to listen to the headphones. This was done. Using an ear plug, I isolated my hearing aid from external sounds and even specifically checked using ordinary headphones that I couldn’t hear anything. Then I put on the AfterShokz headset and you know, really, the sound is perfectly transmitted through the bone. In fact, in these moments, I only heard music from the headset and my voice, because he also resonated through his head. I did not hear any external sounds, whether it was a person’s voice, music from speakers or street noise. It would seem, what are the advantages?
For a regular audiophile, such a headset, of course, is hardly useful. He would rather like good monitor ears. But these headphones have their own target audience. First of all, these are athletes who work in the fresh air. When you run, it is important for you to hear everything that is happening around you so as not to get caught in the car, and not to lose touch with the outside world. In addition, such headphones are useful to motorists. Now all the wireless headsets on the market occupy one ear. That is, you have one organ less to drive, and when you leave the car, listening to music is also difficult. With these headphones, things are a little easier. When you are in the car, you can hear both the interlocutor and the sounds of the environment at the same time. Of course, I don’t know how the police will react to the fact that you are driving with headphones, but it’s unlikely that it is somehow spelled out in our laws. In addition, this headset is suitable for hearing impaired people. For obvious reasons, they can’t use the phone and the usual headset. Even if they do not have complete, but partial hearing loss, still they need to make the maximum volume in the headphones. With these settings, eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a couple of meters away from you. And AfrerShokz can broadcast music or the voice of the interlocutor directly into the inner ear. With these settings, eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a couple of meters away from you. And AfrerShokz can broadcast music or the voice of the interlocutor directly into the inner ear. With these settings, eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a couple of meters away from you. And AfrerShokz can broadcast music or the voice of the interlocutor directly into the inner ear.
Yes, as far as concerns about the use of such headphones are concerned, there is no need to be afraid. The method of delivering sound to the basilar membrane in the inner ear can be either air or bone. There is nothing unnatural here. In addition, when you hear your own voice, part of the vibrations is transmitted to your brain exactly in the bone way. By the way, that's why the voice that is heard to you and the one that you can feel on the audio recording is different. Because there are no vibrations transmitted through the bone canal in the recording. Well, something I delved into the medical topic, it's time to move on to the gadget review.
Equipment
Of course, when you open the box with the headphones you never know what you find in it. It happens that in addition to the headphones themselves and additional ear cushions, there is nothing inside, although the packaging is huge. And it happens that in a set a bunch of adapters for various connectors, a cover, except that spare headphones do not lie. As for the AfterShokz Bluez configuration, this is something in between. In the box, I found the headphones themselves, a soft case with a pair of pockets for transportation, a special rubber band for changing the size of the headphones, a charging cable and a stack of waste paper in the form of instructions in different languages. In general, nothing unusual. Although, probably, it is worth mentioning the elastic band to adjust the size separately.
If you put this thing on the headphones, you can reduce their size. For example, I do not need it, because head circumference is quite large. But here girls or guys with miniature skulls (sounds ominously, huh?) Come in handy. I remember when there used to be headphones with this design, many were tormented, because they couldn’t reduce the bow in any way and it constantly hung out. With such a rubber, there will be no problems with adaptation to the right head.
Appearance
Headphones look stylish and modern. The case is black, but, unfortunately, it is glossy outside, so fingerprints are clearly visible on it. The inner surface is matte, this combination looks great. Smooth lines and smooth transitions only complement the style of the headset.
 |  |
The main controls are located on the rear of the bow. There is a lever for turning on the headphones, an LED that indicates a discharged battery or that the headphones are turned on. There is also a volume rocker and a plug under which the microUSB connector is hidden to charge the device. There are no minuses in the fact that the controls are located behind, it is convenient to adjust the volume, there is no discomfort.
In addition, the left and right earphones also have controls. On the left is a button for answering a call and a microphone, because these are not just headphones, but a headset. Right button start and stop playback. By long pressing the button on the right earphone, the pairing mode with the smartphone or player via Bluetooth is turned on.
 |  |
 |  |
On man, AfterShokz headphones look rather strange. Due to the fact that the earphone is not inserted into the ear, but leans against the cheekbone. However, this is only a primary impression, and who will peer? If you do not pay attention to this, the headphones look just a stylish accessory, and they will suit both sportswear and a formal suit, thanks to the neutral black color.
 |  |
The membrane, which is just adjacent to your bone, is made of soft rubber, also black. It is pleasant to the touch, so it cannot cause any irritation or discomfort. The headphones are not tight, so even after prolonged wearing, the inconvenience does not occur.
Despite the fact that these headphones have a 250 mAh battery, they weigh only 43 grams. On the head it is felt, but literally the first five minutes. Then you get used to and hear only the sound. By the way, the built-in battery lasts for about 4-5 hours of music playback. A little, but I'm about that much a day and listen to my usual headphones.
Impressions
Frankly, after a week of testing these headphones, I got a double impression. On the one hand, the headset uses an interesting technology that will help motorists, and people with hearing impairments, and athletes. In terms of convenience, the gadget is almost perfect. It is not felt on the head, the sound is heard well (not like if you insert the membrane into the ears, of course, but good). But the device also has practical disadvantages. Personally, I didn’t really like that even at medium volume, people around me hear the sound quite loudly. This could be corrected by more tightly pressing the membranes to the bones of the head, but then there would be tangible discomfort. And of course, when it’s very loud around, you won’t listen to these headphones. That is, if in the subway using ordinary plugs you can isolate yourself from the noise of the train, then here you will hear both music and noise. But overall, I liked the gadget. Even with the minuses, there are places where this headset is convenient to use. For example, driving the car. It was very easy for me to drive and talk on the phone, and when I got out of the car to get to the store, I could just listen to music in stereo.
I liked the sound quality. Yes, if you bring the rubber membranes to your ears, the sound will be louder, but less clear. But wearing headphones is so inconvenient, yet they are “sharpened” just to lie on your bones. At high volume, the membrane begins to vibrate significantly and even tickle a little. But listening to these headphones at maximum is almost impossible, I was very loud and wanted to turn it off sooner. The sensitivity of the speakers is 100 dB ± 3 dB, and the frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
Pros and cons
pros
- Bone Sound Technology
- Ears are not busy
- Convenient management
- The ability to hear sounds for the hearing impaired
- Comfort when using
Minuses
- Glossy case
- People hear the sound too
conclusions
AfterShokz Bluez Headphones are undoubtedly an interesting gadget. Geeks who cannot yet afford Google Glass, but who already want to test the sound transmission through the bone, can purchase such a device. I am sure that this headset will be useful to athletes, motorists and those who have hearing impairment for some reason. In general, I would especially recommend them to those involved in sports. I often ride a bicycle with one earphone, because you need to hear what is happening around. Either the car is traveling, or a person is stomping around the corner. And in the gym on the treadmill with this gadget is convenient. It seems to be listening to music, but it seems that you hear the clatter of the simulator. But here, as anyone likes. Some people like a complete immersion in the audio recording.
By the way, I must note that these headphones may not be very convenient for you, in connection with the design. Therefore, I recommend trying them on before buying. Headphones are in the region of 4200 rubles. In general, this is the price of a mediocre Bluetooth headset. So, the cost of AfterShokz Bluez is adequate and corresponds to a market niche.
PS As for the fact that you can hear the sounds of the outside world, it’s hard for me to decide whether this is good or bad. It seems to be yes, we often wear headphones to isolate ourselves from noise and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of music. Of course, Bluez is a poor fit for such a scenario. And if you think about it, how often do we sit at home or at work with one earphone, because Do you need to hear colleagues or with one ear to eavesdrop on a football match on TV? In general, there is no definite answer here. One thing is clear that this gadget has the right to life, you just have to figure out when and where to use it.
PPS I came across a funny service. In general, if someone wants to test their hearing and musical skills, then Philips launched the Golden Ears program.". Everything is free there, you can register and play. I was able to get to the middle level, but sometimes I’m mistaken.
If you want to be the first to know about the latest medical and fitness gadgets, follow the company’s news, subscribe to our pages on social networks. Subscribe you can visit our blog , in
Twitter , join our group in Vkontakte and Facebook . What's New gadgets and fitness equipment in our online store Medgadgets.ru .