Pretty sure this is the lowest price ever.
Have had my eye on this for ages. Bone conduction headphones with a dedicated mic.
For those who use Microsoft Teams, don't buy the Opencomm UC version, just get this dongle instead https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/electronicrepublic-avantree-usb…
Also at the same price at Hardly Normal but friends don't let friends line Harvey's pockets…
They only hear every second word.
you talk to a dead microphone for the last 8 hrs
so for people with selective hearing they can't hear only 1/4 of the sentence then :)
great for married folks
Wait, how does that work?
I think they differentiate between talk time and listen time. Talking uses less power than listening as it doesn't have to vibrate two transducers.
Interlacing.
I think this is the 1st gen?
Yes, it does not have the mute button, it is the 1st gen.
Here are the differences:
They are both designed for communication focus on mobile devices, the main difference between OpenComm2 and OpenComm is the following.
1. Independent mute button & Place microphone on the right: the independent mute button makes it easier for you to set mute during calls on a the mobile device; Placing the microphone on the right side is in line with user habits and allows for more accurate voice capture, it can be rotated when you are not using it.
2. Used with the Shokz Loop110 Wireless Adapter, firmware upgrades can be achieved via the PC software Shokz Connect, keeping your headset up to date with the latest firmware so you can perform at your best.
3. Optimize the cVc parameters for more stable and realistic microphone performance when using meeting software.
This does the same thing. I got mine on a lightening deal for $16.39. Works fine on Teams too. https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0BFW7ZBK5?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_…
The point of this model is the noise-cancelling boom mic which I bet sounds much better than that Amazon one.
Reviewer states it's just speakers not bone conducting, another comments the volume isn't loud enough when running in open environment. For the price, bare bone speakers suited for quite environments is ok.
It has 2 rubber like pads that rest on the bone just in front of your ear. Anyway I was jut offering a much cheaper alternative that is fit for purpose. Thinking not everyone has $150+ to spend. I am not telling anyone what to do.
We're all very aware, but there's some pretty key differences that reflect the pricing, just like any other product/s. I appreciate your input & no one is telling anyone what to do.
Anyway I was jut offering a much cheaper alternative that is fit for purpose.
The thing is, you're suggesting an alternative that does not do the same thing. Your suggestion fits your purpose but I don't think you're understanding the purpose of these Opencomm ones.
Shokz makes a model that's closer to the one you suggested, and even then the Shokz would perform better.
I've tried a few aftershokz/shokz knockoffs and similar style including the Haylou one.. shokz is still well ahead in this game. quality is so much better. Would pay for them everytime until other companies can catch up. Also the customer service and warranty is great as well.
Good advice about needing the dongle for Teams. This applies if using Teams on Windows, without the dongle you’ll get regular beeping when muted and other shit things.
These are my daily drivers for 6+ hours of Teams and Zoom calls. Work great on an iPad or iPhone (without the dongle) and on a Windows laptop (with dongle).
Comfortable enough to wear all day and great clarity on the boom mic.
a temporary fix for this is to hit both vol up and vol down button and it'll say MUTE OFF and the beeping will stop, i dont know why this needs to be done as its so damn annoying, and it only works for the call youre currently on.
thanks for that, been annoying for a while now
so can it be used with the inbuilt bluetooth in PC ?
Is it just me or is $43 for a Bluetooth dongle expensive?! I feel like I'm missing something???
The OpenComm UC is their model with the dongle. It retails for around $300. So instead of spending the differential, it's cheaper just to get the generic dongle.
jolt is saying a bluetooth dongle can be had for like $5-10.
For example:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/394837252818
https://www.centrecom.com.au/cruxtec-bua-50a-bk-bluetooth-50…
Is jolt missing something here, or What's special/different about the one you had linked?
cant speak for the dedicated mic but the induction headphones are my favourite headphones - most useful for day to day when walking, cycling, and still needing to hear surrounding. very comfortable to be worn for hours and all day, and sometimes i forget im wearing it still. even the ones without dedicated mic has somewhat okay audio mic quality thats good enough for work meetings.
Is the music quality any good or is it just good for calls and podcasts?
It's good enough, it's not terrible but it's no where say like airpods pro or Sony wf/wh xm earbuds. Not for audiophiles.
I was thinking of grabbing some shokz for the office, so I can still hear my workmates, and people don't have to awkwardly wave at my face when they want to speak with me (current situation with Airpod Pros). I am torn with this vs Openrun Pro. The Openrun Pro appears to have better sound quality, which is a priority for me, but I'm not sure how the mic fare's vs this one. I need something primarily to listen to music and also handle a couple of online meetings a day without sounding rubbish. Will the openrun pro mic cut it, or do I need this?
I have the older aeropex model and I've been using it for work meetings for years. I've asked colleagues how I sound and they said it's okay, not amazing, but definitely clear enough to understand what I'm saying.
Just a note: proprietary charging cables
I have the openrun (not pro) and the mic is okay for the odd call, but not good enough for work calls.
Have aeropex mic not great, lots of ambient sounds… from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tm9PAU0-lE these sound much better
I don't understand. Why do you need a bt dongle to use it on teams.
Isnt the point of it for devices that don't have Bluetooth on your PC?
Has someone compared the sound and mic quality between these and shokz openrun pro as the latter seem to have the latest bone conduction technology?
Rtings has mic tests on their website for the openrun pro but for not opencomm.
I have both open run move and open run pro. The move serves its purpose for normal meetings but for discussions that needs very clear audio then open run pro has a better audio input quality (i heard due to the mic position closer to the mouth). Haven't tried this particular model with boom mic yet but if you use it for other things too like running then I feel that open run pro is the best jack of all trades.
Indeed, similar thoughts!
Not that I can find. I've spent a while trawling the internet and youtube reviews to see if anyone has compared them. This seems like an obvious critical comparison. If there is no significant improvement in having a boom mic, then I want the one without the boom mic haha
Haha, exactly
My Huawei P30 Pro bottom microphone broke. It's $99 to 'possibly' fix it.
Would the mic quality on this one be ok as an alternative to getting it fixed?
I suppose it depends on how often and where you make phone calls. Wouldn't it be a hassle to only be able to answer your phone with a bluetooth headset?
Yes, unless you have wear them practically all day!
I wouldn't buy it for a simple reason: Proprietary charging cable. If it breaks or you forgot it, too bad.
That is why I got the PHILIPS A6606 instead, it uses USB-c which is a must imo but it is very hard to find here in Australia.
I bought it from Amazon US for 195.30AUD after the conversion which isn't much more for an USB-c version.
Don't try to buy it from Amazon AU, it is served by Amazon UK and they always cancel the order, I have tried 10x and they cancel the order all 10x
Amazon US processed the order just fine.
People complaining about the audio quality makes me laugh. Bone conduction headphones AREN'T for you.
Thanks will keep this info handy when mine broke down. Yes I find the proprietary charging cable really troublesome.
I wouldn't buy it for a simple reason: Proprietary charging cable.
On the other hand, I much prefer the magnetic charging cable. It's a lot quicker to pop on as it doesn't require a protective flap. I can just hold the cable near it and it'll connect itself.
If it breaks or you forgot it, too bad.
You can just buy spare cables. $5 really won't break the bank. You can also get these little USB-C adaptors that let you use your non-PD charger.
Having to buy an Aliexpress USB adaptor just proved my point.
Personal choices, I am just sharing why after almost buying this I walked away from it.
It should help others after an option B, if you are happy with yours so be it.
Having to buy an Aliexpress USB adaptor just proved my point.
Buying a $5 cable isn't a big deal at all to me. I'd pay $10 for the convenience of the magnetic connector.
Personal choices, I am just sharing why after almost buying this I walked away from it.
Yes, and I'm just sharing why I prefer a magnetic charging cable.
If you dislike it, so be it. I'm not trying to convince you to buy the Shokz. That's why I said "On the other hand, I much prefer…"
The cables and adaptors are also available on Amazon, albeit they are pricier than the Garmin equivalents (which I am resigned to, but are also dirt cheap).
I see.
I received the Philips one yesterday, USB-c as expected, larger battery so WFH I was able to listen music for almost 8h ( I received it in the morning plus I charged it) and still had battery left
Pretty decent audio quality on its own without the equalizer and you don't really need its app which I love it.
I hate devices that depend on apps to work, idk how Shokz is.
A friend of mine got Shokz, will check with her how is it going.
@ratoloko: The Shokz Opencomm is a headset designed specifically for calls, while the Philips A6606 is a sports headphone that can be used for calls.
The Philips does not have a noise-canceling boom mic like the Shokz Opencomm; instead, it has built-in mics. It's not exactly a comparable product.
@fastnet: I see, a few weeks using it to listen music both at home and in the city, I cannot complain.
I spoke with my partner and although she did mentioned the voice was "soft", she could understand me but I didn't buy it for that, I hardly ever make phone calls but do listen music 24/7 but good to know it works fine if I need.
For what matter, I have no regrets.
Bought and tried one of the cheap Lenovo version to see if I like it. Turned out I didn’t like it at all. The contact of the headband to the back of the neck really annoyed me after a while. Not sure if this premium version solves that or not.
Is that the one from ALI? Ive been tempted to try it out
The only thing that Shokz me is the price lol
lol
I have owned this and I think the microphone is really good.
You might check the video here for review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq6dA_lJOMM
I have tried to do a half-marathon with it but unfortunately my sweat got into the buttons and broke it. A new set is sent to me for warranty and I found that the beeping problem is not there anymore. Every time I left my second devices - PC with Bluetooth dongle, it just beep once and that's it. I guess there is an update on the firmware for the "newer" batch of Opencomm.
From my friends and my own experience, my suggestion is that you should really try to wear it and test out before purchase. Reason is that not everyone got used to the vibrations when you set the volume loud. The other thing that I found awkwardly interesting is - I tried to put my finger in my ear and I can listen to the call better… lol
Yes! Thank you for your review and suggestion to try it - I have always wondered if it really works or not, but never gone out of the way to try it XD
Also good to know firmware may have been updated to sort the beeping issue lol
JB Hi-Fi also has this item and can be potentially price matched.
Thanks! I was able to pricematch it at jb hifi today.
I just got one of these and used it for MS Teams calls and there's no beeping issue when muted. Paired with my work laptop through built in Bluetooth.
“With up to 16 hours of talk time and up to 8 hours of battery life”
Wait, how does that work?