When we talk about earbud or earphones, we usually picture in-ear style buds, whether wired or wireless.In-ear earbudsare designed to fit snugly inside the ear canal. They create a seal to block out external sounds, providing passive noise isolation.These earbuds send sound directly into the ear canal, creating a more direct and isolated listening experience. Even though the design of in-ear style earbuds is often more immersive, it can lead to reduced awareness of the environment.
There is a new style of earbuds in the market known as Open Ear Earbuds. Open-ear earbuds are a type of audio device designed to transmit sound without fully blocking the ear canal.They simply rest on the ears without inserting into the ear canal, providing a more open listening experience.Thedesign of Open Ear Earbuds allows ambient sounds to be heard while listening to audio. This makes them suitable for activities where situational awareness is important, like outdoor running or cycling.
Traditionally, these type of earbuds use Bone Conduction technology to transmit sound through vibrations to the bones of the skull. But a new technology known as Air Conduction Technology is gaining more popularity, where speakers sit outside the ear and transmit sound through air, avoiding the need to send sound directly into the ear canal.
We recently got a chance to test an interesting product that combines the concepts of “Open Ear” design and “Air Conduction” sound transmission. It is the OpenRock S Open-Ear Air Conduction Sports Earphones. OpenRock is a sub-brand of OneOdio, which manufacturers high-end headphones for audiophiles and professionals.Coming to the OpenRock, it focuses on earbuds for workout and sports enthusiasts. As the OpenRock S Earbuds need to transmit sound through air while the speaker is outside the ear canal, they make use of a large 16.2 mm driver to produce punchy bass. There are several more compelling features, which we will look in this review of the OpenRock S Open Ear Sports Earbuds. Continue reading the review if you are interested in purchasing a good quality earbuds for your outdoor activity (running, cycling, etc.) and has a great battery life.
Before we jump in to the design of the OpenRock S Open-Ear Earbuds, let us quickly unbox the package and take a look at its contents.Opening the box, we first get a bunch of paperwork. There is a user manual with a lot of details on how to control and use the earbuds and a separate warnings/cautions guide. Then there is a card with instructions on how to properly wear the earbuds and also charge them. Do not skip this information as wearing and adjusting open ear earbuds, especially the OpenRock S Earbuds is slightly different.
Next, we have the main case that contains the OpenRock S Earbuds. If you have even the slightest of experience with earbuds and their cases, then you might have a pretty good knowledge about their sizes. But when you see the case of the OpenRock S Earbuds for the first time, those earbud cases look puny. Not exaggerating the size but the case really looks big. Inside the case, we have the two OpenRock S Earbuds. We will take a detailed look at the case and earbuds in the next section.There is also a USB-C Cable for charging the case in the package.
Due to the design of the earbuds, OpenRock had to make the case bigger than normal.Speaking of the design, the OpenRock S Open Ear Earbuds have anear hook style design where the speakers part sits on the ear and a hook goes over the ear for a firm and stable fit.There is an interesting thing going on with the hook. If you look at the part between the speaker and the edge of the hook, it has a different color. The reason is, this part of the earbuds is made from a special silicone material that allows you to adjust the ear hook to comfortably fit your ear. There is an indicator LED on both the earbuds as well.
The shape of the earbuds mean that it can house slightly larger battery than any regular earbuds. Hence, it has that super long 19 hours playback on full charge. Coming back to the case, it has 4 LEDs, just below the crease where the lid opens. These, of course, indicate the battery status of the case. There is a USB-C Port on the back of the case for charging. When you open the lid, there is a reset/pair button in the center.
Pairing the OpenRock S Open Ear Earbuds with a Bluetooth device such as smartphone is different but not difficult. Start by removing the protective film on the earbuds and placing them back in the charging case for a quick power-up (you have to close the lid). After ten seconds, pop open the charging case’s lid and the buds will automatically switch on and enter pairing mode, indicated by a flashing white LED light. Now, head to your device’s Bluetooth settings, scan for available devices, and tap on “OpenRock S.” Once paired, the earbuds’ LED will turn solid white for a second, and you’re ready to rock! Simply grab the earbuds and enjoy your tunes.
Need to re-pair your OpenRock S earbuds with your Bluetooth device? No problem! Simply place them in the charging case with the lid open and press and hold the case’s button for five seconds. You’ll know they’re ready for pairing when the indicator light flickers three times. Go to your device’s Bluetooth settings, choose “OpenRock S” from the list, and wait for the earbuds’ indicator to turn solid white for a second to confirm success.
We used the OpenRock S Earbuds primarily with two smartphone (iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung S23 Ultra). The pairing process was a breeze. Two of our associates tested the earbuds and one of them wears glasses. Both of them said the earbuds were really comfortable and they did not feel any fatigue or discomfort after continuously wearing the earbuds for more than 2 hours.
Surprisingly, even people with glasses found the OpenRock S Earbuds comfortable and the ear hooks did not put any additional pressure on their ears. The adjustable ear hook really came in handy different people have different ear profiles and one design to fit all ear types isn’t right. The ability to adjust the fit and grip of the earbuds is really appreciative.
Coming to the actual usage, we tested mostly with cycling and running. While the music from the earbuds is loud and clear, we could also listen to surrounding noise as well.
If you look at the earbuds, there is OpenRock branding on them. This area houses the touch sensitive controls of the earbuds (the area below the “Open” on the right earbud and the area below the “Rock” on the left earbud is touch sensitive).Here is a summary of the touch control and corresponding gestures.
Surprisingly, the OpenRock S Earbuds support two sound effect modes in the form of Rock Mode and Relax Mode. You can switch between these modes by tapping and holding both the earbuds simultaneously for 2s.
So, how was the performance of the OpenRock S Open Ear Earbuds? Let us begin with ergonomics of the earbuds. As we mentioned earlier, these earbuds are really comfortable to wear and even people with glasses do not feel any discomfort. This is our first time experiencing open-ear style earbuds. It took some time adjust to the way sound enters our ear canals but after wearing them for 2-days (not continuously though), we got used to them.
The audio quality from these earbuds is really good. The Open Ear design and Air Conduction works really well. The sound from the speakers reaches the ear canals without any leakage. The OpenRock S Earbuds nicely balances vocals, instruments, and bass. Speaking of bass, OpenRock has large 16.2mm drivers that use TubeBass technology. Theoretically, this should make the low frequencies much deeper. But may due to the open-ear style of the earbuds (or whatever maybe the reason), we couldn’t feel that extra oomph in the bass. Don’t get us wrong. The OpenRock S Earbuds definitely have good bass but it isn’t as deep as advertised. Other than that, the rest of the audio is very good.
Each earbud has two microphones. When combined, the four microphones along with an AI algorithm, will cancel surrounding noise and transmits only the speaker’s voice during calls. We also took a lot of calls using these earbuds and the call quality is really good. The other party did not mention any noise (even when we intentionally introduced some noise).
One of the highlight point of the OpenRock S Earbuds is its battery life. While the manufacturer claims 19 hours of battery life, we got close to 16 hours on a single charge (yes, we tested it at 60% volume playing music on loop). With the charging case, you can charge the buds roughly 4 times. So, the total playback time of the buds with the case is close to 60 hours.The earbuds have IPX5 rating which means you can easily wear them in rains.
There is no smartphone app to control and adjust the settings. All you get is the touch controls on the earbuds. While the touch sensitivity is decent, it sometimes misses to register a touch and we have to tap multiple times.
The listing price of the OpenRock S Open Ear Earbuds is $129.99 but the selling price is $99.99. With some coupons, you can get the buds for even less. The price seems a little premium but these earbuds are for sports and workout enthusiasts who like to listen to music while also being able to listen to their surroundings.
Open Ear style earbuds are not something new. We had several products in that design which transmits music using bone conduction technology. But with OpenRock S Open Ear Earbuds, things are slightly different in the sense that they use Air Conduction Technology to transmit sound directly into the ear canal instead of transmitting through bones.
The benefit of this approach is that you get an experience close to regular earbuds but at the same time you don’t have to feel uncomfortable after a while due to bone conduction. The added advantage is that you are not completely cut-off from the surrounding noise, which is very important for outdoor activities (running, cycling, hiking, etc.).
The OpenRock S Open Ear Air Conduction Sport Earbuds really deliver all the things. They have good audio quality, call quality, and feel comfortable to wear. The bass is good but isn’t punchy enough. The touch controls might miss one or to taps every now and then. But the battery life is excellent.
If you are looking for an open-ear style earbuds for running, cycling, or other outdoor activities where you need to be aware of your surrounding and enjoy the music at the same time, the OpenRock S Open Ear Earbuds are definitely worth checking out.
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