Shokz - OpenRun Pro Premium Bone Conduction Open-Ear Sport Headphones - Blue

The previous headphones by AfterShokz was the Aeropex. When I compare the Aeropex to the new OpenRun Pro I just purchased, the OpenRun is far more superior in quality and in performance. The OpenRun even has the an app that the Aeropex doesn’t have. The Aeropex are good, however the OpenRun Pro is better. So overall I’m happy with the OpenRun and highly recommend them. Thanks

Disclaimer: I am a member of Best Buy’s Technical Insider Network, TIN for short. Reviewers in this invitation-only program are provided products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased reviews. Impressions: My first impression. The Openrun Pro is a light weight, flexible, comfortable, and long-lasting open ear headset. And musically unimpressive. But hold on a sec. What is Bone Conductive actually mean and why is it important? When I first listened to this headset I was underwhelmed and confused by the bass performance. I did not understand how a pair of speakers that could make my temples physically twitch in time with the beat did not have the kind of bass response I was used to with in ear earbuds, headsets, and other open ear products. There is a bass. There’s a lot of bass. There is shake your face kind of bass unlike anything my other earbuds and headset can provide. If I remove the speakers from the side of my face and hang them in front of my ear, I hear exactly the tone I am expecting from an “Air Conductive” speaker that is shotting sound directly down my ear canal. So, what is Bone Conductivity? The Openrun Pro is designed to drive the bass into your cheek bone and us it as a conduit to your eardrum. I had to go to the company’s website to read about and see a diagram of what they Bone Conduction was all about. And that is where I found my answer and cleared up all of my concerns regarding sound. Exact quote from https://shokz.com/pages/how-it-works, “By nature, it’s hard for bone conduction to out-perform air conduction in terms of bass…” I’ll try to leave the link to the page at the bottom of this section. The bass is not bad. It just different. And I wish Shokz explained this on their retail box instead of just listing it as a feature in five different languages. Now that I understand what Shokz is trying to accomplish with the Openrun Pro, I have a better understanding of how I should judge the sound quality. So, let us get into that. Sound Quality: First, these “do not” sound like in ear, on ear, or over ear earbuds or headphones. The sound quality will depend on the ambient noise in the room, volume, source quality, and the general position the speaker is from your ear. The louder the volume the better the sound quality. For example, while typing this paragraph, I am listening to “Amanda” from Boston’s Third Stage album. The music sounds a bit boxed in and distant at lower volumes. The boxiness goes away and the distance closes as I turn up the volume. This, of course, has the affect of drowning out ambient noise but not loud enough to complete block out the sound of my keys clacking as I type. I can also hear the furnace running in the basement. Of course, the sounds are less intense than if I had no music playing at all. The point is that I will hear that car coming up behind me while walking, biking, or running outside. You can really crank these. It is possible to block out the world if you really want to. However, I found that the speakers break up something awful at high volumes. I do not recommend you do this because you will not enjoy your music. You will also negate any safety that is inherent with open ear designs. Highs and high-mids are clear. Lower-mids and bass are different due to the Bone Conductive design. Lower-mids are there but sometimes feel like they get squeezed out. Turning up the volume seems to solve this problem. Bass is a different story. Most of use are used to Bam Bam Bam with a big “B”. Bass with the Openrun Pro is a bit more like bam bam bam with a little “b”. This is due to the bass being delivered via Bone Conduction. Mechanical waves sound differently as they pass through materials of different densities. Bone is denser than air. It is what it is. The speakers are very powerful. For example, testing the Openrun Pro with the overly emphasized bass of a workout mix had the speakers jumping off the side of my head. The muscles in my jaw and my temples were bounding in time with the beat. I own nothing else that does this. I found it novel and uncomfortable at the same time. But maybe you will like it. The experience is worth the try. What else have I done? I have been using the Openrun Pro for five days now. I have used them every day for no less than six hours a day for multiple types of activities including exercise, yard work, housework, general computer tasks, cooking, conference calls, writing, and phone calls. I have listened to a wide range of content including classical, rock, K-Pop, rap, dance, techno, electro swing, and many other types of music. I have listened to talk radio, news, and phone/conference calls. The sound was good as long as the source quality was good. These are not audiophile good but good enough good. Phone: Phone calls over my iPhone were perfect for both the sender and the receiver. My phone partners reported that they were surprised how clear I sounded over the Openrun Pro headset. They thought I was speaking directly into the phone. Now, I am mostly in a quiet location when making phone calls so I have no idea if the sound canceling features of the microphones would play just as well in a crowded office or a busy street. Setup: Setup was super simple. I was synced up to my iPhone within a few minutes of removing these from the box. I opened the Bluetooth app on my iPhone, pressed and held the volume up/power button on the Openrun Pro for five seconds, and like magic “Openrun Pro” popped up on my iPhone. I then synced the headset with my gaming laptop. I had to disconnect the headset from the iPhone, press and hold the power button for five seconds, and then add it to Windows from the Wireless Devices app in Settings. I followed the same process to setup the Openrun Pro with my work laptop. The Openrun Pro will reconnect automagically to the last device it synced with. It will easily re-sync with a previously synced device. Note, you will need to manually disconnect from the currently synced device before establishing the connection with your next device. The Shokz app, version 1.0.5, does not work on my iPhone. I am running the latest iOS so am not sure what the issue is. The app does provide additional functionality for the Openrun Pro such as firmware updates, two EQ settings, and quick switching between two Bluetooth sync partners. Controls: I think Shokz did a great job of making the controls on the Openrun Pro simple. There are three buttons: Volume up/Power, volume down, and a multi-function button that is context sensitive: play/pause, answer/end call, track forward, and track back. Not all is perfect though. First, the headset will not activate Siri. Second, not all features are available with Windows. The multi-function button on the left speaker housing has zero function in Windows regardless of what application I use. Controlling volume from the headset is hit or miss. When it works it works. When it does not work then volume button turn into battery status buttons. I have no idea why. The only work around I have found is to restart the headset, restart the computer, and re-sync. Comfort: I found the Openrun Pro to be very comfortable to wear. Any earbud I have owned within the last two years have been painful to wear within an hour of use. I do not even need to listen to anything for my ears to become fatigued. The Openrun Pro will eventually become uncomfortable but only after wearing them for several hours. And even then, any discomfort is minimal when compared to the earbuds I have tested. That is enough time for a good workout and then some before I have to take a break from them. Better yet, I have not been able to get these to fall off my head. I spent one workout jumping on a mini trampoline. The Openrun Pro did not come loose, bounce around on my head, or fall off. Charging: The Openrun Pro comes with a hard case. This will protect the Openrun Pro during transport in your sports bag. The case does not double as a charging case. The charging port is a proprietary magnetic connector located behind the volume control buttons. The other end of the cable is a standard USB connection which will work with any USB charging port. I am guessing that Shokz did this to enhance the water resistance of the headset (one less port to protect). They could have gone with a standard mini-USB charging port but then they would have to make a flap to waterproof the port when not in use. Unfortunately, it is just one more cable to keep track of. The Openrun Pro seems to have a good long battery life to it. Shokz states that the Openrun Pro has a 10-hour battery life. At most I have run it for eight hours without charging. The battery was not dead when I charged it. I just habitually put my devices on the charger before going to bed. Shokz states that the headset has quick charge capabilities. I did not time how long it took to charge the headset. I can only report that I have been using the Openrun Pro throughout the day and have not yet needed to charge the headset. Final thoughts: I have been looking for months for a good pair of headphones to use with my workouts. My focus was exclusively on earbuds which just were not working out for me. All of which I tried and returned to Best Buy. It never occurred to me to check out the open ear style of headphones. It took me longer to figure out the bass. Shokz should include information on the box or in the packaging to define their special features beyond just naming each feature in five different languages. These are not audiophile quality sound. Shokz even states on their website that Aid Conductive devices do a better job. They do a good enough job for a workout, housework, yard work, and for writing a product review. The Openrun Pro checks enough boxes that I will be using these for a good long time.

>> Overview The Shokz OpenRun Pro Premium headphones are the device to use when you want or need to be aware of your surroundings while listening to music and podcasts or having a call on your cell phone. They seem to be targeted for the outdoors person; however, I’ve found that you can enjoy them pretty much anyplace. With the Shokz OpenRun Pro Premium headphones, I can enjoy listening to almost perfect music in the serenity of my bedroom while reading a book or just staring at the ceiling or being entertained with some tunes while shopping at the noisy supermarket. It is easy to operate, it has buttons to allow you to answer a call and bring the volume up/down, among others. I would give this device a rating between 4 and 5. - Pros: open-ear, comfortable, decent sound quality, easy to operate. - Cons: headband not adjustable. >> Open-ear Bone conduction with open-ear come together, I am not aware of other consumer technology that can set your ears free while still being able to wear a headphone like device and listen to music. I really love this concept, it is just great having nothing covering or inside your ears (the only thing I am not sure is long term effects of this technology on your ear-subsystem). I own a good number of different headphones and headsets, and I would say, that after at most a couple of hours, I cannot stand any of them covering my ears or the sides of my head; whereas I can wear the Shokzs for hours, they are perhaps the most comfortable wearing headphones I’ve own. Well, I already own an AfterShokz (now known as Shokz) OpenComm Headset, that came out in 2020, which I almost exclusively use for home office work as it has the mic sticking out. In contrast, this Shokz set is perfect to be used anywhere, no weird mic sticking out, it just feels like other regular set of headphones. >>Silent/Noisy places When used in silent areas/surroundings, e.g. bedroom, office or outdoors areas with minimal noise, the sound quality that comes from this device is great, so you can enjoy your favorite tunes at decent volume levels while still being aware if something is coming your way or someone is calling you in the distance. I’ve noticed, though, that in crowded or noisier places, you do need to place the volume fairly high. At that point, people who are nearby, such as in the Supermarket, can hear a buzzing coming from you. I still need to get used to wearing the device outdoors in public because sometimes I feel like other people are also listening to what I am listening. >> On the move I’d say these are great headphones when going jogging or walking outside. The device properly secures itself around your ears and it doesn’t fall while doing some workout. The headband seems to help the device to be kept in place, and it doesn’t really get in the way although it is not adjustable (my only complaint). I already mentioned that the only issue I saw when doing something outdoors (or where there is too much ambient sound) is that you must turn the volume up a little too much to get some sound into your brain. >> Sound quality I was not expecting top-notch sound experience; however, the sound quality that comes out of the device is very good. If you are listening to music, the quality is more noticeable in silent places when compared to more noisy ones (of course this is expected). Now for making calls and/or listening to podcasts, this thing is just perfect to use almost anywhere. It is stated that it has some improvements with respect to its predecessors, such as bass, and I’d say that indeed, overall, the quality feels better. I’ve noticed that in some songs, the sound of the drums and voice is a little enhanced, perhaps just the way this technology works makes some sounds to be more noticeable (?). Well, it is stated that this has two EQ settings, one standard and other vocal booster, that I have yet to define which one this one is configured with. >> Battery Battery life is great, in constant use it can last one full working day (which I did just for experimenting). If you use it for a couple of hours each day, it can last for several days. One thing I found that is not accurate is the remaining battery life indicator that comes in my phone, for example, it showed it had 20% left of battery at some point, but after a few seconds it shut down. Charging times have been above 30 min so far, I’d love for it to charge faster.

I'm not much of a runner, but I do bike with headphones/earbuds quite often. So I wanted to see how these performed while out for a ride. I'm always aprehensive of not hearing a car coming up behind me. So I put paired these with my iPhone and took of on my eBike. With the audio at about 80% I could hear an approaching motorcycle, a good start, pretty much what I was hoping to find. just after I rounded a corner, a Tesla zipped by, I never heard it, but it's pretty stealthy. I then rode down to the park at the end of my street, and at 80% volume I really could not make out any conversations, but I could see lips moving. I dropped the volume to 50% and I could hear voices but I could not make out the words without turning the volume down further. So at norma or lowered volume you still can't make out conversations, so don't plan on talking to someone with these on at moderate volume, they still pump enough volume toward your ears to prevent you from hearing much. But pausing the music, I don't need to take them off to be able to hear like I do with earbuds. And they are VERY comfortable, you don't feel like they are going to fall off, bouncing over a speed bump at 20mph I had no problem with them staying in place. My bike helmet has built in "headphones" and these Shokz sound so much better, not even a fair comparison. So I'll move on to my normal listening tests. I started by listening to Boston's first album. More than a Feeling had some nice kick but the highs seemed to be missing (I had not noticed this on my eBike ride, with the wind in my hair). With Boston's Foreplay/Long Time the stereo separation was spectacular, but the high end was still weak. You could hear the soundstage moving around (as expected). The mid-bass was nice and tight, the tom-toms sounded nice and full and it has some kick on the side of my head. The bass opening in Smokin had the vibration of the headphones earning their "Shokz bone conduction" name, the mid-bass also sounded, great, but the airy highs were notably missing. But as I listened to the clear separation of the right and left sound stage, It felt like my head was playing with the sound, at points the sound was clearly right and left , but at other points it was more centered in front of me (or inside my head). Good headphones will give this illusion. As I closed out with Let me Take you Home, the missing highs, was not bothering me as much and I was noticing how nice the balance was for open ear headphones. The bass was very different than good over the ear headphones, but it's all about playing with my head, in how they perform, with the vibrations of the headset replacing true deep bass, but it manages to fool the head/brain to a large extent. Now on to Pink Floyd's DSOTM, I know what I expect from every note in this album. The "crazy" vocals in Speak to Me, were well centered, not just in the background. The music spins right to left and back (great separation, the stereo R/L soundstage was still excellent). The lack of highs were more noticeable in some of the vocals, but the mids were very clean. The Clocks on Time were good, and The Great Gig in the Sky's female voices were nice but missing the pinpoint high tones. The warble at end was just almost in audible. Again the bass in Eclipse was very cool sounding, but the soft background voices were hard to discern without more noticeable highs. So, I really liked the feel of these on the head, I could wear them all day, they claim to run for up to 10 hours on a charge, but after about 8h use I got a battery low warning. Still acceptable. They come with a nice travel case, and a proprietary to USB-A charging cable. I wish it had a standard connector, like USB-C, as I have lots of these. So another cable to "not loose" (-1/2 star). The vibrating head bass is pretty effective, I expected it to be more gimmicky, but it does fool you head to a large extent. The open air drivers that point into your ear (see pictures), can't be heard by others around you (also surprising), but if you attempt to talk with them on, you'll likely be talking loudly. As I said the high end does not match the power/balance of the low/mid end (-1/2 star), but over all its very listenable, especially given the comfort of the 'head phones'. I really did enjoy the comfort, few headphones/earbuds I've tried are this comfortable. I was able to use them on my elliptical and stationary bike (but the eBike was more of real workout), so I don't doubt they would be fine for running, they will stay put. They won't yet replace echo canceling high end headphones. There is a Shokz app that lets you adjust the equalization (two modes) and update the firmware. I had no issues pairing them, and was able to use the BT from over 30 feet away. They are very nice headphones.

## Design The design of the Shokz OpenRun Pro does not stray too far from last year’s OpenMove headphones. They still loop around your ear (not in your ear), but have a more pronounced loop so they sit slightly lower behind your ears. The headphones are still lightweight at 29 grams, same as the OpenMove, so you likely won’t notice them while running. ## Performance This year, Shokz is using a new TurboPitch Technology to enhance bass (something that was lacking on their previous headphones). It helps somewhat, but your first thought will likely still be that your music lacks bass when listening through these headphones. That’s a common trait you will find with bone conduction headphones in general, but each year Shokz seems to improve upon it little by little. The main benefit is your ability to hear around you and be aware of your surroundings when outside. Since the Shokz OpenRun Pro headphones do not go in your ear, your ears remain unobstructed so you can hear traffic, dogs, and people as long as your keep the volume at a sensible level. In essence, these headphones simply add background music to whatever you are doing outside, and they do it very well. ## Features - Carrying case: The Shockz OpenRun Pro headphones come with a hard case to help protect the structure of the headphones while traveling. This is a nice addition as I believe that they only included a soft pouch previously. - 2 EQ modes: There are 2 modes: (1) Standard for listening to music and (2) Vocal Booster Mode for audiobooks and podcasts. While music is playing, press and hold both volume buttons until you hear a beep to switch EQ modes. - IP55 sweat/water-resistance: Like the OpenMove headphones, the OpenRun Pro maintains the same IP55 water-resistance rating. They should survive droplets of sweat and light splashes but do not submerge these headphones in liquid. - Multipoint pairing: These headphones can be connected to two devices at the same time, making it easier to switch between your two devices. - Physical buttons: I do appreciate that Shokz continues to use physical buttons (instead of touch controls) in their headphones. The "multifunction" button is located on the left side of the headphones toward the front and allows you to play and pause your music (single-click), skip (double-click), rewind (triple-click), and answer incoming phone calls (single-click while ringing). The volume buttons are located on the right side of the headphones in a slightly less convenient location, but still easy enough to access while running. The Volume + button is also the power button (hold it down for 2 seconds to power on and off) - Voice prompts: Audrey, as Shokz calls the voice assistant, announces when the headphones are turned off, powered on, and the battery level. ## Battery Life Battery life has been improved to up to 10 hours on the OpenRun Pro (previously, the OpenMove headphones had up to 6 hours of battery life). The OpenRun Pro uses a proprietary magnetic charging cable (the OpenMove had a more standard USB-C connection). You’ll want to be careful not to accidentally lose this cable as you’ll likely need to order a replacement online (about $13 at the time of this writing). I’m assuming they switched to a magnetic charging solution to help with the sweat resistance (otherwise, you need to remember to replace the flap over the charging port to keep moisture out on earlier models). The manual even notes that the headphones can detect moisture while charging and alert you to remove the charger. ## Summary The Shokz OpenRun Pro headphones are a great solution for running outside while still being aware of your surroundings. They improve upon the OpenMove headphones with longer battery life and a new magnetic charging solution. Bass is improved, but not on the level of in-ear earbuds. However, most users should find the sound satisfactory for running.

Packaging was minimal and came with the headphones, a hard shell case, and a proprietary charging cable, that was short. I do wish that the charging cable was usb c to allow for using other cables that I already have and not having to have a dedicated cable for the headphones. The headphones are not heavy and are curved around the back of your head/neck. The heaviest part of the headphones being the part that attaches to the ear loop. The material of the headphones is smooth but leaves some finger prints if they are oily, but can be wiped off. Synching the headphones was probably the quickest and easiest synchronization I’ve ever done. It showed up right away. There’s only three buttons; the power button shares duties with one of the volume buttons at the bottom of the ear price behind the ear and the pause/play/answer/end call on the left ear piece. A long hold will power the headphones on and off. On power up it provides the battery level. It’s a tad annoying that it doesn’t do this in percentage, it just gives levels example high/medium. Sound is decent but is not for audio enthusiasts, but these headphones are not meant for that. They have a good microphone and sound quality for video and music. There is some sound that can be heard when standing next to a person wearing them depending on how loud the volume is. I could tell if it was music or talking happening if standing near the headphones. The most noticeable part when wearing the o headphones are the ear lol pieces. The loop guy goes behind the ear and is comfortable . For me the left earpiece sitting right before the tregas part of the ear is comfortable and sits right and doesn’t move. The right part of my ear I can’t get it to sit in the same comfortable spot it tends to love and push against it and is a tad painful after a few minutes. This may not be everyone and might me just me, but I never got it to sit right. Phone calls could be answered using the pause play button. The ring did come through on the headphones but was a little hard to hear compared to the phone ringing itself unless having the volume way up. I didn’t want it in call volume blaring so I had the headphone volume a medium which caused the problem. It’s fixable if you don’t kind having the volume way up. Having the volume all the way up or wait to put on for a sec the bass will vibrate and the buzzing sensation is crazy and a little off-putting. All together I love the one headphones. The sit and you don’t have to worry about them squeezing out of your ear and falling off and stop leave you open to being aware and gable to hear when needed.

I got the following in quotes from an article explaining the concept and technology behind these types of “bone conducting” headphones. The ones I am reviewing and enjoying are the SHOKZ OpenRun Pro model: “Unlike regular headphones or earbuds, bone conduction headphones don’t rely on speakers to create sound. Instead, they use two transducers to vibrate your skull—or, more specifically, your cheekbones. These vibrations find their way to your cochleas, where they’re translated into “sound” for your brain. Bone conduction effectively bypasses your eardrums, leaving them free to hear external noises while you enjoy music, podcasts, phone calls, or other sounds from your headphones.” That is the beauty of this technology: the user hears great sound while still having both ears “open” to hear other sounds of people asking questions, drivers in the street or emergency sirens. The earphones recharge via a supplied magnetic charge cable and operate for 10 hours on a full charge such as overnight or all morning. The unit has dual noise cancelling microphones for telephone call use and everyone says we both sound good when we use them. They utilize Bluetooth 5.1 for compatibility and features with older and newer smart phones and other sources. They recharge to 1.5 hours worth of use in a claimed 5 minute recharge time using a supplied magnetic connection induction charge cable that uses any USB Type A charger for any smart phone we all have at home now. The magnetic cable does not actually plug in so it should last longer than charge plugs that wear out over time. The units is rated at IP-55 which means they are not to be used in a pool (SHOKZ has other models for that) but these can withstand the sweat and occasional wetness from a sudden rain if outside while using them. The sound is very good but please be aware that they will not have the deep bass sound of something like the latest $380 Sony or Bose full ear covering larger headphones. Both my wife and I like them and she is probably going to buy a pair for herself soon. They are easy to put on behind the neck and over the ears and grip the sides of our heads with just enough squeeze but not too tight or painful. They have a 2 year warranty and a headband was included in the box! Highly recommended

These Shokz OpenRun Pro bluetooth headphones have a lot of great features and design but lacks in a couple areas that make this a limited use product. Out of the box, these headphones are flexible, very light weight, and easy to operate. They recommend using the Shokz app for connecting and adjustments or updates. The app offers 2 options for an equalizer. One for music and one for voice. The headphones come in a nice hard case with form fitting on the bottom for the headphones to sit into. The top inside of the case has an elastic band used to store the charging cable, albeit does not come with the actual wall plug. With the headphones and charging cable, the case is still light and easy to carry. It is not small enough to fit in a pocket so it would have to go in a backpack or another type of carry bag. The charging cable for the headphones is magnetic so it is easy to attach to the headphones. It is a lighter magnet so it can also come undone easily too. The other end is usb. The cord overall is very thin and flimsy and is just about 2ft. in length. When charging, a light on the charger side of the headphones will come on red. Once charged the light will switch to blue. Charging seems pretty quick. Battery life is pretty good. Fitment on the head is subjective and will change for every person. There is only one solid band to put around your head so comfort level will vary. It is more on the small side so fitment on a larger head is somewhat uncomfortable after about 20 minutes. Again, quite subjective to each owner. With that being said, the band does fit well over the ears and very little to no movement when shaking your head or facing the sky or ground. The biggest part of these headphones is the audio quality and the privacy associated with this style of headphone. The open ear design and the use of bone resonance is supposed to allow you to listen to music or take a phone call while keeping your ears open for ambient enviromental noise. Unfortunately the mix still washes out any type of enviromental noise and its hard to hear anyone while listening to music that is sitting even a couple feet away. There is a good tone on the highs and some mid, but is heavily lacking everywhere else. The headphones vibrate on bass parts but don't put out any. The quality of the equalizer mix would be equal to listening to anything 70's and earlier before bass was getting pumped into music regularly. Mainly like rock or jazz type music. There is a lot to be desired. The second part is the privacy aspect. There is none. The privacy on these headphones is equivalent to wearing old school flat discman headphones that just sat on the outside of the ear. Even on medium volume levels, people were able to hear the music playing on my headphones and conversations I was having taking on the phone. These headphones are well suited for being out in the open and where there are not a lot of people in close vicinity. I guess since it's called "OpenRun". The bluetooth on the phone works well and phone calls come across clear on both ends. The toggle button is easy to use and the quick guide shows all the tap commands. It has a separate volume button on the bottom side, while the toggle button is on the side. The power button is toggled into the volume control. Overall, I feel there is improvement that could be done, but for a purpose built headphone, it does a pretty good job. Hard to recommend if you are wanting something for heavier usage.