How to choose the best bone-conduction headphones
How do bone-conduction headphones work?
Before we discuss the pros and cons of bone-conduction headphones, it’s important to understand how they work and how they differ from other headphones.
Traditional headphones create sound waves that enter your ear via your ear canals and vibrate through your eardrums to the inner ear. Here, they trigger nerve impulses that travel to the brain, where they are converted into the sounds we hear.
Rather than creating sound waves, bone-conduction headphones create mini vibrations that are transmitted via bones in your skull – typically the cheekbones – directly to the inner ear, bypassing the ear canals and eardrums. Once they reach your inner ear, these vibrations are converted in the same way they would be if they’d come via your eardrums.
What are the benefits of bone-conduction headphones?
As bone-conduction headphones don’t transmit sound via your eardrums, they allow those with ear damage or hearing impairment to enjoy audio in a different way from traditional headphones. However, they’re useful for those with perfect hearing, too.
Their biggest selling point is that they leave your ears free, allowing you to remain aware of the world around you while enjoying audio. This is particularly useful if you’re running or cycling when knowing what’s happening in your surroundings is paramount.
Because of this, bone-conduction headphones are the only headphones approved for use in road races under the UK Athletics Rules of Competition. Even if you’re just using them around the house, being able to hear the doorbell or phone ring is very useful.
There are also potential hygiene benefits. As you’re not putting anything inside your ears, you’re reducing the likelihood of ear infections caused by a build-up of bacteria. You’ll still need to keep your ears clean, of course, but not having earbuds stuck in them for hours on end can help with auditory hygiene.
Do bone-conduction headphones have any disadvantages?
Like any style of headphones, bone-conduction options have their drawbacks, and letting environmental sound into your ears can be both a blessing and a curse depending on where you are. While they can be used with earplugs to minimise external noise, they’re not something we’d recommend for use on busy public transport, for instance. And even when used in generally quiet surroundings, a sudden burst of external sound might leave you needing to rewind your podcast.
There’s also the matter of sound quality. Though the gap is getting narrower, even the best bone-conduction headphones lag behind the top in-ear and over-ear headphones. In particular, bass is an area that bone-conduction headphones struggle to do justice to, so they’re much better suited to spoken word than bass-heavy music.
Can bone-conduction headphones damage my hearing?
Because they bypass the eardrums, bone-conduction headphones won’t damage those, but that doesn’t mean they’re completely risk-free. The inner ear may still be damaged if you listen to a lot of loud music for long periods, so it’s best to use them with the same caution as you would regular headphones.
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Other features to consider
In addition to the more general factors to think about when buying bone-conduction headphones, there are a number of specifics worth considering.
Waterproofing: Because bone-conduction headphones are great for sporting activities, most, if not all, will come with a decent IP rating for water resistance. A full breakdown of every IP rating can be found here, but we recommend looking for at least IPX5 if you want peace of mind while wearing them outdoors. For swimming, you’ll need IPX8.
Bluetooth connectivity: There are two main types of bone-conduction headphones: those that operate wirelessly over Bluetooth and those that function like an MP3 player onto which you can transfer audio files. If you want to be able to stream content, you’ll need the former, while the latter are a better option for times when you don’t have an audio source with you, when swimming, for example. Some products offer both on-board storage and Bluetooth, making them particularly versatile.
Battery life: Regardless of the type you go for, your bone-conduction headphones will be powered by an internal, rechargeable battery. Battery life varies from product to product, so make sure the pair you pick has enough stamina to meet your needs.
Microphone: If you want to be able to make and take calls using your bone-conduction headphones, you’ll need to ensure they have a built-in microphone.
Design: Many bone-conduction headphones look very similar, but they’re not all created equal; how comfortable they are is typically dependent on the materials used in their construction. Unsurprisingly, cheaper options use cheaper materials such as polycarbonate rather than rubber-coated titanium and are less flexible as a result.
