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Would you try a pair of headphones that rests on your cheekbones and sends audio through your bones to your ears? It does this through a technology called “bone conduction,” which is most commonly used in consumer headphones. These products are not too expensive and can be a good alternative for people who don’t enjoy headphones or want to try something different. What to Consider Before Buying a Pair for Yourself
What is bone conduction?
When you hear something, you usually hear it because sound waves traveled through the air and reached your ear. However, sound can travel through liquids and solids too – in fact, sound travels the fastest through solids. If you put your ear on a track, you would hear an oncoming train much sooner than if you were just standing near the track (however, we don’t recommend testing this yourself).
Our bones are also solid so they can act as conductors of sound vibrations for our ears. Have you ever wondered why your voice sounds different to your own ears when you speak than when you hear a recording of your voice? This is because you can hear part of your own voice transmitted through your bones – which, of course, is not audible to anyone.
How do bone conduction headphones work?
Bone conduction headphones bypass the outer part of the ear entirely – usually they’re placed on the cheekbones to send audio vibrations to the inner ear. That is, if you have normal hearing, you can hear surrounding sounds clearly while using bone conduction headphones to continue listening to music, podcasts, or other audio files. This is especially useful in situations where you need to hear other sounds around you, such as when walking or running outdoors. Bone conduction technology is also helpful for some people with hearing impairment – the technology is used in certain types of hearing aids.
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Bone conduction critics point out that due to their design, these headphones do not “seal” your ears like conventional headphones, so the sound quality itself is not as good. And because these headphones are placed on your cheekbones, you may find it uncomfortable or inconvenient to use them during intense physical activity.
These types of headphones, such as open-back headphones, also tend to lose sound so that people around you can hear some of what you are hearing. This is something to consider when tempted to use them in quiet, enclosed spaces like a library or an airplane.
Another challenge you can experience with bone conduction headphones is the vibration itself – since these products send sound through your bones, you will feel the vibrations in your skull all the time. How annoying these vibrations feel varies from person to person.
Should I buy bone conduction headphones?
The answer to this question is subjective and depends on your headphone usage, your needs, and your desire to try different technologies. For most people, they’re not a necessity – but they can be beneficial in some situations, including swimmers using the waterproof version, people with hearing impairments, and those who cannot wear normal headphones due to skin irritation or who have dizziness.
Generally a set of bone conduction headphones will be used reset between $ 50 and $ 200, and some brands such as Aftershocks, specializing in bone conduction headphones.
If the vibrations are not for you, something like that Bose Sport Open Earphones could be an alternative – they offer some of the benefits of bone conduction (they sit lightly on your ear and don’t block your ear canal), minus the vibration.
