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The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Wow! Clear Open-ear Sound with Noise Cancelling

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 250 Contributor

  Highlights: * Amazing sound with great bass - especially for open ear * Comfortable and secure fit * Long battery life * Compact case * Dolby Atmos with head tracking * Physical buttons * Wireless charging * Optional stabilizers work well and fit in case * IP55 rating for rain, sweat and splashes For consideration: * A bit heavier than prior OpenFit models * Case is a bit wider but at least flatter than prior OpenFit models * Noise cancellation effect takes a bit of getting used to Spec Updates over Prior OpenFit 2+: * New larger dual-driver for better sound. * Triple-microphone system for noise cancellation and calls (vs 2 mics) * Up to 50hrs with case (24 with noise reduction on) (vs. 48hrs) * Up to 12hrs playback (6 with noise reduction on) (vs. 11hrs) * 10 min charge = up to 4hrs of playback (vs. 2hrs) * AI noise reduction for calls with powerful wind noise reduction * Hybrid wear detection with optical and capacitive sensors * BT 5.4 stability * Fully-featured app * 12.3g per bud, 123.9 with case. I’ve been enjoying the Shokz OpenFit series of headphones since they first came out. They are great for just about any physical activity while also allowing for situational awareness without the need to intentionally turn on a “passthrough” or “transparent” mode. Since generation 1 of these, the sound has been great, the fit and stability rock-solid and the battery life better than most… but Shokz still figured out how to drastically improve on them for their new Pro model. These OpenFit Pro are the 4th generation of the OpenFit series (OG, OpenFit 2, 2+ and now the Pro). While the basic premise of the product has remained, Shokz has steadily improved on everything with each successive generation. I’ll start with a review of the OpenFit Pro on its own, then a brief comparison of the improvements over the prior OpenFit 2+. The OpenFit Pro are an “open” style earbud with an ear hook design. They are intended to fit securely by wrapping around your ear rather than sitting in your ear. They don’t completely block your ears so you can hear what’s going on around you without having to take them off or turn on a special “transparency” or “passthrough” mode. I wore mine while warming up, stretching, doing yoga, walking on a treadmill, weight training, and riding a bike. During all of these activities, the buds never budged and sounded great. These are the first open-style buds that I’ve tried with ANC (active noise cancellation). It felt odd when I first turned on the ANC. I was hearing ambient sounds and then all of a sudden, the noise floor just dropped. I could still hear people around me speaking and other regular sounds like traffic and people talking, but the background noise and hum just vanished. This may not be 100% unique but I’ve never heard of open buds with ANC and these work surprisingly well. This feature does drain the battery a bit faster, but they beefed up the battery so you can still get up to 6 hours of music with ANC on before needing a charge. If you can do without the ANC feature, they’ll stretch to an amazing 12 hours on a charge! Most buds have a touch panel on the side. I usually struggle to find the touchpad blindly without accidentally activating something. I really appreciate the physical button and its placement as it’s easy to find and press without looking and without accidentally doing the wrong function. The left button defaults to toggling the ANC feature on or off so it’s easy to switch between if you want. That physical button on either bud can also do the usual track controls, adjust the volume and invoke your phone’s assistant. As for the sound quality; you shouldn’t expect open buds to sound this good, but they do! There is minimal sound leakage at normal volumes but the bass is strong, the clarity is crisp and the volume gets loud (albeit with more sound leakage at higher volumes). I was really surprised by how good these sound. In fact, on some of my favorite bass-heavy songs, my head actually vibrated from the rumble! There’s also Dolby Atmos with head tracking support which is great for watching movies or listening to properly-encoded music. Dolby Atmos really does add a layer of realism and clarity to everything that I’ve tried including classes on my spin bike. The provided charging case is flatter and wider to fit the buds with their ear hooks side-by-side rather than stacked. This also makes it easier to put them in and take them out but you need to rotate them versus how they fit on your ears. The case charges by USB-C or wireless (qi) and has enough power to recharge the buds a few times without needing a trip back to a USB adapter. You can also give the buds a quick 10 minute charge in the case for up to 4 hours of music. The app is the same as for all other Shokz products but has new features specifically for these OpenFit Pro. The design is clean and uncluttered with easy access to the features you need most. You can check charge levels on each bud and the case separately, set the equalizer, change the functions of the button shortcuts, and get help when you need it. Overall, these buds really surprised me for their comfort, stability, sound quality, app richness, battery life and the better-than-expected open-ear ANC. If you are already familiar with the Shokz OpenFit range of open ear buds, here’s a short rundown of the improvements over the prior models like the original (gen 1), the OpenFit 2 and the next-lates OpenFit 2+. Starting with the case, all prior OpenFit models had similar square but thicker cases where the ear hooks were stacked to decrease case width. This allowed the case to be narrower but it also had to be taller. This Pro version has the buds rotated and side-by-side so the case can be thinner but needs to be a bit wider, too. This is probably a good tradeoff since the thinner case will fit in pockets better even if it is a bit wider. The buds themselves are a bit heavier than prior versions but this creates a more balanced feel plus longer battery life. There are more microphones for both better voice pickup for calls and for the new ANC feature. Prior models had a wear sensor that was a bit too sensitive and frequently paused the music when I would tilt my head up or to the sides. These Pro buds have a new hybrid wearing sensor which uses both optical and capacitive sensing to detect when they’re being worn and automatically pause the music when you intentionally take one or both off without falsing nearly as often. The sound quality is noticeably better than prior versions of the OpenFit. The sound is more nuanced, the bass more pronounced, and the clarity more focused. I was genuinely surprised and pleased at how great these sound - especially considering they are open-ear style. Lastly, the new ANC feature works really well. I turned it off and got a feel for what my room normally sounds like. Then I turned on the ANC and it was like that hum of life just went away. This also makes music and calls that much clearer without having to turn up the volume to compensate for background noise. Overall, these Shokz OpenFit Pro buds will surprise you at how good they sound, how long the battery lasts, how comfortable they are and how secure they fit. The ANC feature really does work great and the Dolby Atmos processing with head tracking adds clarity to music and immersion to movies. If you’re upgrading from a prior version of OpenFit, you will definitely notice and appreciate the improvements. If these are your first experience with the Shokz OpenFit, you’ll probably love them as much as I do.

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  Posted 1 day ago by gadgeTT

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Outstanding sound quality, no ear canal irritation

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 1000 Contributor

  If open earbud headphones needed an ambassador the Shokz OpenFit Pro would be a great choice. They sound great with excellent detail, balance, and a wide soundstage. Bass is light but musical, more akin to a reference speaker in that you’re going to hear it more than feel it. If you need something that’ll vibrate your ears and offer a strong kick, these honestly aren’t it. But if sound quality is your thing, you’re going to like these. I actually like my bass a little heavy and love these because there’s just enough oomph to satisfy me while enjoying some major benefits of the open earbud design. It’s an area where most open earbud style headphones struggle because the speaker essentially hangs in front of your ear and uses bone conduction tech to transmit sound vs sitting directly in your ear canal. It’s my first experience with this style, but I can immediately hear and feel the advantages. As far as practicality goes, these might be the best “earbuds” I’ve ever tested. The loop comfortably wraps around my ear and confidently keeps the earbud in place. I can actually sprint and shoot ball without worrying about them falling out. And while they’re not as low profile as an in-ear bud, they're stylish and noticeable so I don’t seem like I’m talking to myself when I’m on a call in public. Another big advantage is that since they don’t go in your ear canal, there’s no issues with sweat and irritation which seems to frequently happen with in-ear earbuds. This is huge to me, because working out with earbuds frequently irritates my ears no matter how often I clean them or headphones. The open style makes my ears feel like they can breathe which lends to another great advantage: I can confidently wear both sides while on my neighborhood walks and runs. With other headphones I only wear one side when I’m out and about because I like to be aware of my surroundings. It’s been a workable compromise, but as a music lover I’m so happy to now do my walks in stereo. And despite hyping up the “openness” of open earbuds, the Active Noise Cancelling works well in some regards. It’s an open ear headphone design so there’s significant noise reduction limitations and it won’t totally silence your surroundings, but the ANC does magically reduce some of the noise. Overall, the sound quality is great, the loop and open ear design makes them super practical, and the long battery life assures they’re ready to go. If you care about sound quality and earbuds that’ll confidently stay in place, you’ll love the Shokz OpenFit Pro. SOUND Excellent detail and tonality. Highs are smooth at the top end, vocals sound natural and the bass is musical. Bass performance is generally the biggest challenge for open earbud headphones so it’s impressive what Shokz is able to accomplish here. The bassline in “Hard Knock Life” by Jay-Z comes with just enough kick to respect its presence while staying musical. Same with the bassline in “You’re Makin’ Me High” by Toni Braxton. However, it struggles with the deep notes in Ludacris’s “Blueberry Yum Yum” where the bass is so faint that it lacks presence. At least they don’t overextend and get muddy so they still sound clean - kind of like having a low pass crossover.The sound experience reminds me of a reference speaker and they might as well be with how good the general balance and details are. The open style lends to a wide soundstage that feels and sounds more “free” than any in-ear headphone I’ve tested. It’s more like I’m at a concert hall than sitting between two speakers, which is exceptional. According to Shokz, these were also designed with Dolby Atmos in mind. This would explain why this might be the first time I actually don’t mind leaving Atmos on for music. I usually avoid it because with most headphones the sound becomes overly synthesized, but it actually sounds good here. Turning it off still sounds great and almost “fuller”, but with the Atmos on there’s a certain subtle ambiance that I enjoy. For fine tuning there’s a user adjustable 10 band EQ available in the Shokz app. There you can also adjust the ANC noise pass through, switch between Music or Movies Dolby Audio mode, and customize your controls. Call quality is excellent. DAY TO DAY Comes with a relatively thin clamshell case that features USB-C and wireless charging. The fit and finish are excellent and there’s a little button on the topside of each earbud for controls. No touch controls with haptics here, we get real buttons! It can be a little hard to find at first but after about a week I can feel it pretty quickly now. What really sets these earbuds apart for me are how practical the ear loop and open earbud design is. They stay securely attached to my ears and the open design allows me to hear my surroundings better which is key for when I’m running around at work, are out and about, or working out. The fact that they rest in front of your ear vs inside your ear canal significantly helps prevent irritation issues too. These have quickly become my go to fitness headphones. PROS - Excellent sound quality - Good detail in mids and highs - Surprisingly musical bass - Open soundstage - Excellent call quality - Comfortable long term - Stays in place well - ANC effective - Open ear design ideal for being out and about - Can confidently wear both earbuds while being active - No ear canal irritation - Long battery life - Wireless charging case - Customizable EQ - Well built CONS - Bass is musical, but not powerful - EQ bass adjustments can sound muddy - Can be difficult to find buttons by touch

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  Posted 1 day ago by BIGASN

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Premium Sound and ANC from Open Ear Headphones

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  I’ll start by saying that I am a runner and I have been using Shokz products since they first came out and were called AfterShokz. They changed the game for me as far as listening to music while I run. I run 100+ miles per month plus log a few hundred miles per year in walks/hikes. Shokz offers the best combination of music (or spoken word) and safety for active people. They have gotten to the point where they are popular beyond use in activity though. People like Shokz for use at any time and the OpenFit Pro Earbuds will appeal to even more people. When I first got my Shokz OpenFit Pros I was blown away by the newest feature, ANC - active noise cancellation! I never thought this was even possible with open ear headphones and I had never even heard of the concept before. Now I do want to temper my enthusiasm with some reasonable expectations. These are still open earbuds so ANC will not be as effective as in-ear or over-ear headphones. What they do though is tone down the noise around you. I live right in the middle of downtown in a mid-sized city and I have used these on all my runs and walks for the past couple weeks. The OpenFit Pros reduce car (and other misc) noise by about 30-40% in my estimation. It is just enough to take the edge off the noise of traffic as I walk along the road, but I still am aware of cars coming and going. It really feels like the sweet spot between an “ambient mode” (which is microphones picking up surrounding sounds and playing them in your earbuds) and pure ANC -which could make you miss the sound of a car approaching altogether. The sound quality is really good for open ear earbuds. Certainly not what you get from Apple, Bose, or others, but these are much safer than the other brands. Each set of Shokz headphones I’ve had (and there have been at least 5-6), the sound has gotten better and better. These Pros replaced my OpenFit 2’s and I do think the sound quality is better in the Pro’s. The new Shokz have added some EQ modes. It’s not a full-on equalizer, but you can boost bass, treble, vocal, along with a few other options. They also added a slider for Dolby Atmos. Now I am not an audiophile but it does sound a bit more crisp. The app also includes options for multipoint bluetooth pairing, smart wear detection, find my earbuds, and settings to customize controls on the earbuds. There is even a slider to adjust the amount of noise cancellation. When I was using the OpenFit 2 I had an issue with the charging and the case, but the Pros have been perfect so far and the case seems like a higher quality and better design. I don’t anticipate any issues going forward with the Pros. I’d recommend these earbuds to anyone who wants to listen to some kind of audio playback while still being aware of their surroundings, someone who wants the best audio quality that open ear earbuds can offer. The OpenFit Pros really are in a class of their own. They offer both great sound and noise reduction.

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  Posted 1 day ago by RunJK