Headset AfterShokz Bluez. Sound directly to the brain
It is no secret that the technology of transmitting sound through the bone has been around for quite some time. However, in mass products for the first time we encountered this in Google Glass. Still, they remember that there is no earpiece 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 horrendous name “bone set”, the Aftershokz Bluez model really transmits sound and functions perfectly. Let's take a closer look at it.
Many people are still skeptical about the transmission of sound through the bone. Someone thinks that it is harmful, someone even says that this is all a fiction and we still hear sound with the ear. There may be many opinions, but I tested these headphones for a week and I can say for sure - the technology works. Of course, I am not an expert and I can’t judge how harmful the fact that a vibration enters your bones, but in my opinion, earplugs are not much more useful. At least that hearing was getting worse from the use of headphones, but I haven’t seen any adequate research about the “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, behind the rubber pads are hidden conventional speakers. And the sound can be perfectly heard through the ears. Moreover, if the membranes do not lean against the bone, but simply insert them 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 it just what I hear with my ears. And what is the easiest way to do this? Right, plug your ears and try listening to headphones. This was done. With the help of earplugs, I isolated my hearing aid from external sounds and even specially checked with the help of ordinary headphones that I could not hear anything. Then I put on the AfterShokz headset and you know, really, the sound is perfectly transmitted through the bone. In fact, at these moments I heard only the music from the headset and my voice, because he also resonated through the head. I did not hear any external sounds, whether it be the voice of a person, music from the speakers or noises from the street. It would seem, what is the advantage?
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, it is athletes who are engaged 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 hit by a car, and not to lose contact with the outside world at all. In addition, such headphones and motorists will be useful. Now all the wireless headsets on the market occupy one ear. That is, driving one less organ for you, and when you leave the car, listening to music is also difficult. With these headphones, everything is a little easier. When you are in the car, you can hear 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 wearing headphones, but this is unlikely to be somehow spelled out in our laws. In addition, this headset is suitable for hearing impaired people. For obvious reasons, they cannot use the phone and the usual headset. Even if they have not complete, but partial hearing loss, they still need to make the maximum volume in the headphones. With such settings, the eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a few meters away from you. AfrerShokz can broadcast the music or the interlocutor's voice directly to the inner ear.
Yes, as for concerns about the use of such headphones, then you need not be afraid of anything. The method of delivering sound to the basilar membrane in the inner ear can be either airy or bone. There is nothing unnatural here. In addition, when you hear your own voice, some of the vibrations are transmitted to your brain in exactly the bone way. By the way, therefore, the voice that you hear and the one that you can feel on the audio recording is different. Because there are no oscillations in the recording transmitted through the bone channel. Well, something I delved into the medical topic, it's time to go to the review of the gadget.
Of course, when you open the box with headphones you never know what you find in it. It happens that in addition to the headphones themselves and additional ear cushions inside and there is nothing, although the packaging is huge. And it happens that in the set of a bunch of adapters for different connectors, cover, except that spare headphones do not lie. As for the configuration AfterShokz Bluez, then it is something average. In the box I found the headphones themselves, a soft case with a pair of transport pockets, a special gum for changing the size of the headphones, a charging wire and a pack of waste paper in the form of instructions in different languages. In general, nothing unusual. Although probably worth a separate mention gum for adjusting the size.
If you put this thing on the headphones, you can reduce their size. For example, I do not need it, because head girth is quite large. But girls or boys with miniature skulls (sounds ominous, right?) Will come in handy. I remember when there used to be headphones with this design, many were tormented, because Could not in any way reduce the bow and she constantly hung out. With such a rezinochkoy problems with adaptation to the desired head will not.
Headphones look stylish and modern. The case is black, but, unfortunately, it is glossy on the outside, so that fingerprints are visible on it perfectly. 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 on the back of the handle. There is a lever for turning on the headphones, an LED that indicates a dead battery or that the headphones are on. There is also a volume rocker and a cap under which the microUSB connector hides to charge the device. The fact that the controls are placed behind any minuses are not present, it is convenient to adjust the volume, there is no discomfort.
In addition, on the left and right headphones, too, there are controls. On the left there is a button for answering a call and a microphone, because these are not just headphones, but a headset. Right start button and stop playback. With a long press of a button on the right earpiece, pairing mode with a smartphone or player via Bluetooth is turned on.
On a man, AfterShokz headphones look pretty strange. Due to the fact that the earpiece is not inserted into the ear, and leans against the cheekbone. However, this is only the 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 strict suit, thanks to a neutral black color.
The membrane, which is just adjacent to your bone, is made of soft rubber, also black. It is pleasant to touch, so it can not cause any irritation or discomfort. Headphones are not tight, so even after prolonged wear, there is no inconvenience.
Despite the fact that these headphones are 250 mAh battery, they weigh only 43 grams. On the head it is felt, but literally the first five minutes. Then you get used and hear only the sound. By the way, the built-in battery lasts about 4-5 hours of music playback. Not much, but I'm about as much per day and listening to my regular headphones.
Frankly, after a week-long test of these headphones, I had a double impression. On the one hand, the headset uses an interesting technology that will help motorists, hearing impaired people and athletes. In terms of convenience, the gadget is almost perfect. It is not felt on the head, the sound is heard well (not as if you insert the membrane in the ears, of course, but good). But the device has practical disadvantages. Personally, I didn’t like it very much that even at medium volume the surrounding people hear the sound quite loudly. This could be corrected by a more dense pressing of the membranes to the bones of the head, but then there would be noticeable discomfort. And of course, when it’s very loud around, you don’t listen to these headphones. That is, if you can isolate yourself from the train noise on the subway using ordinary gags, here you will hear both music and noises. But in general, I liked the gadget. Even with the disadvantages, there are places where this headset is convenient to use. For example, at the same wheel of a 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 membrane to the ears, the sound will be louder, but less clear. But wearing headphones is so inconvenient, yet they are “sharpened” precisely in order to lie on your bones. At high volume, the membrane begins to vibrate noticeably and even tickle a little. But listening to these headphones at the maximum is almost impossible, I was very loud and I wanted to turn it off as soon as possible. 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 can not yet afford Google Glass, but already want to test the transmission of sound through the bone, can purchase such a device. I am sure that this headset will be useful for athletes, motorists and those who, for some reason, have lost their hearing. In general, I would especially recommend them to those who play sports. I myself often ride a bike with one earphone, because need to hear what is happening around. Whether the car goes, or a person stomps around the corner. Yes, and in the hall on the treadmill with this gadget is convenient. It seems to be listening to music, but it seems that you hear the sound of a simulator. But here, as someone like. Some like full immersion in audio.
By the way, I should 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 worth around 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 is difficult for me to decide whether this is bad or good. It seems that yes, we often put on headphones to isolate ourselves from noise and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of music. Of course, for such a scenario, Bluez is not suitable. And if you think about it, how often we sit at home or at work with one earpiece, 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. One thing is clear that this gadget has the right to life, you just have to think of when and where it should be used.
PPS I came across a funny service here. In general, if someone wants to test their hearing and musical skills, Philips launched the Golden Ears program. Everything is free there, you can register and play. I was able to reach the average level, but then sometimes I am mistaken.
If you want to be the first to learn about the latest medical and fitness gadgets, follow the company news, subscribe to our pages on social networks. You can subscribe to our blog page ,
Twitter , join our group in 
Vkontakte and in 
Facebook New gadgets and fitness devices in our online store Medgadgets.ru .
Many people are still skeptical about the transmission of sound through the bone. Someone thinks that it is harmful, someone even says that this is all a fiction and we still hear sound with the ear. There may be many opinions, but I tested these headphones for a week and I can say for sure - the technology works. Of course, I am not an expert and I can’t judge how harmful the fact that a vibration enters your bones, but in my opinion, earplugs are not much more useful. At least that hearing was getting worse from the use of headphones, but I haven’t seen any adequate research about the “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, behind the rubber pads are hidden conventional speakers. And the sound can be perfectly heard through the ears. Moreover, if the membranes do not lean against the bone, but simply insert them 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 it just what I hear with my ears. And what is the easiest way to do this? Right, plug your ears and try listening to headphones. This was done. With the help of earplugs, I isolated my hearing aid from external sounds and even specially checked with the help of ordinary headphones that I could not hear anything. Then I put on the AfterShokz headset and you know, really, the sound is perfectly transmitted through the bone. In fact, at these moments I heard only the music from the headset and my voice, because he also resonated through the head. I did not hear any external sounds, whether it be the voice of a person, music from the speakers or noises from the street. It would seem, what is the advantage?
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, it is athletes who are engaged 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 hit by a car, and not to lose contact with the outside world at all. In addition, such headphones and motorists will be useful. Now all the wireless headsets on the market occupy one ear. That is, driving one less organ for you, and when you leave the car, listening to music is also difficult. With these headphones, everything is a little easier. When you are in the car, you can hear 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 wearing headphones, but this is unlikely to be somehow spelled out in our laws. In addition, this headset is suitable for hearing impaired people. For obvious reasons, they cannot use the phone and the usual headset. Even if they have not complete, but partial hearing loss, they still need to make the maximum volume in the headphones. With such settings, the eardrums can be even more damaged, and all sounds will be heard a few meters away from you. AfrerShokz can broadcast the music or the interlocutor's voice directly to the inner ear.
Yes, as for concerns about the use of such headphones, then you need not be afraid of anything. The method of delivering sound to the basilar membrane in the inner ear can be either airy or bone. There is nothing unnatural here. In addition, when you hear your own voice, some of the vibrations are transmitted to your brain in exactly the bone way. By the way, therefore, the voice that you hear and the one that you can feel on the audio recording is different. Because there are no oscillations in the recording transmitted through the bone channel. Well, something I delved into the medical topic, it's time to go to the review of the gadget.
Equipment
Of course, when you open the box with headphones you never know what you find in it. It happens that in addition to the headphones themselves and additional ear cushions inside and there is nothing, although the packaging is huge. And it happens that in the set of a bunch of adapters for different connectors, cover, except that spare headphones do not lie. As for the configuration AfterShokz Bluez, then it is something average. In the box I found the headphones themselves, a soft case with a pair of transport pockets, a special gum for changing the size of the headphones, a charging wire and a pack of waste paper in the form of instructions in different languages. In general, nothing unusual. Although probably worth a separate mention gum for adjusting the size.
If you put this thing on the headphones, you can reduce their size. For example, I do not need it, because head girth is quite large. But girls or boys with miniature skulls (sounds ominous, right?) Will come in handy. I remember when there used to be headphones with this design, many were tormented, because Could not in any way reduce the bow and she constantly hung out. With such a rezinochkoy problems with adaptation to the desired head will not.
Appearance
Headphones look stylish and modern. The case is black, but, unfortunately, it is glossy on the outside, so that fingerprints are visible on it perfectly. 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 on the back of the handle. There is a lever for turning on the headphones, an LED that indicates a dead battery or that the headphones are on. There is also a volume rocker and a cap under which the microUSB connector hides to charge the device. The fact that the controls are placed behind any minuses are not present, it is convenient to adjust the volume, there is no discomfort.
In addition, on the left and right headphones, too, there are controls. On the left there is a button for answering a call and a microphone, because these are not just headphones, but a headset. Right start button and stop playback. With a long press of a button on the right earpiece, pairing mode with a smartphone or player via Bluetooth is turned on.
 |  |
 |  |
On a man, AfterShokz headphones look pretty strange. Due to the fact that the earpiece is not inserted into the ear, and leans against the cheekbone. However, this is only the 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 strict suit, thanks to a neutral black color.
 |  |
The membrane, which is just adjacent to your bone, is made of soft rubber, also black. It is pleasant to touch, so it can not cause any irritation or discomfort. Headphones are not tight, so even after prolonged wear, there is no inconvenience.
Despite the fact that these headphones are 250 mAh battery, they weigh only 43 grams. On the head it is felt, but literally the first five minutes. Then you get used and hear only the sound. By the way, the built-in battery lasts about 4-5 hours of music playback. Not much, but I'm about as much per day and listening to my regular headphones.
Impressions
Frankly, after a week-long test of these headphones, I had a double impression. On the one hand, the headset uses an interesting technology that will help motorists, hearing impaired people and athletes. In terms of convenience, the gadget is almost perfect. It is not felt on the head, the sound is heard well (not as if you insert the membrane in the ears, of course, but good). But the device has practical disadvantages. Personally, I didn’t like it very much that even at medium volume the surrounding people hear the sound quite loudly. This could be corrected by a more dense pressing of the membranes to the bones of the head, but then there would be noticeable discomfort. And of course, when it’s very loud around, you don’t listen to these headphones. That is, if you can isolate yourself from the train noise on the subway using ordinary gags, here you will hear both music and noises. But in general, I liked the gadget. Even with the disadvantages, there are places where this headset is convenient to use. For example, at the same wheel of a 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 membrane to the ears, the sound will be louder, but less clear. But wearing headphones is so inconvenient, yet they are “sharpened” precisely in order to lie on your bones. At high volume, the membrane begins to vibrate noticeably and even tickle a little. But listening to these headphones at the maximum is almost impossible, I was very loud and I wanted to turn it off as soon as possible. The sensitivity of the speakers is 100 dB ± 3 dB, and the frequency range extends from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
Advantages and disadvantages
pros
- Technology of playing sounds through the bone
- Ears are not busy
- Convenient management
- The ability to hear sounds for the hearing impaired
- Comfort when using
Minuses
- Glossy case
- Ambient also hear the sound
findings
AfterShokz Bluez headphones are undoubtedly an interesting gadget. Geeks who can not yet afford Google Glass, but already want to test the transmission of sound through the bone, can purchase such a device. I am sure that this headset will be useful for athletes, motorists and those who, for some reason, have lost their hearing. In general, I would especially recommend them to those who play sports. I myself often ride a bike with one earphone, because need to hear what is happening around. Whether the car goes, or a person stomps around the corner. Yes, and in the hall on the treadmill with this gadget is convenient. It seems to be listening to music, but it seems that you hear the sound of a simulator. But here, as someone like. Some like full immersion in audio.
By the way, I should 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 worth around 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 is difficult for me to decide whether this is bad or good. It seems that yes, we often put on headphones to isolate ourselves from noise and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of music. Of course, for such a scenario, Bluez is not suitable. And if you think about it, how often we sit at home or at work with one earpiece, 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. One thing is clear that this gadget has the right to life, you just have to think of when and where it should be used.
PPS I came across a funny service here. In general, if someone wants to test their hearing and musical skills, Philips launched the Golden Ears program. Everything is free there, you can register and play. I was able to reach the average level, but then sometimes I am mistaken.
If you want to be the first to learn about the latest medical and fitness gadgets, follow the company news, subscribe to our pages on social networks. You can subscribe to our blog page ,
Twitter , join our group in Vkontakte and in Facebook New gadgets and fitness devices in our online store Medgadgets.ru .Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/222347/
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