Alternative to in-ear and over the ear headphones?

#1

I hate those airpods and earbuds. May be my ears are unique and none of buds that I have used so far will not stay in my ears and my ears don’t feel comfortable to have them. And headphones are too big and bulky for my option. I wanted something that is hidden and not obvious like the wireless earbuds.

I was wondering if there is any concept that delivers the music without using in-earphone or earbuds and headphones types. It was a coincidence that the same discussion was going on radio during my morning commute.

When I search the web world, found just one product that says they use Bone conduction transducers to deliver the sound. Bone conduction? What the hell is that? I didn’t like this design either. May be I am one of those who never settle for less :laughing:.
AfterShokz Trekz Titanium: Bluetooth Wireless Headphones For People Who Hate Earbuds

image.png960×518 197 KB

Let’s put it this way. There may be others who think like me and not coming out just because they wouldn’t think there are other possibilities?
Now is the time for going to the next level in music streaming technology?

@ankerofficial: @AnkerTechnical Let’s put our scientists in R&D on this challenge?

Dear fellow members, what concept you have in mind that goes above and beyond current technology limits and improves quality, comfort and user experience in the music world?

I am thinking something like a wearable neckband that delivers music close to my ears and the quality be like the output from a premium bose/sonos/soundcore speaker system? why not? There is no such thing as bad idea :thinking:

1 Like
#2

Already a thread for this What products are on your wishlist for Anker to make next?

@ndalby @TechnicallyWell this may need to be merged…

#3

As I dont like those plugs and the overheads I use still those old styled ones:

eg. Sennheiser 505435 In-Ear Micro-Kopfhoerer, blau
These are good for my old ears.

1 Like
#4

I disagree @Anjou1888 :tongue: I looked at the thread you referred which is a general wishlist. This is specific brainstorming thread just for the ear/headphones. :sunglasses:

#5

I too agree with @Ice1 . There are some headphones i just can’t wear and some others that are just super comfy. I usually change out the silicone tips with Comply Foam tips as the level of comfort and sound changes to something superior above the norm. Now bone conduction xdcrs? let’s get some info on that!

#6

The biggest issue and problem with these headphones Is the sound bleed, yes it conducts sound through your bones, but if you want loud or at a level you can hear you tend to turn them up and others near you can hear them.

@professor recently tried a pair and said they were horrible and not worth the cost

1 Like
#7

I am a bit skeptic about the whole idea of conducting sound through the bone, these vibrations may have ill effect or even add to headaches or migraines. I will always prefer a regular in-ear / over ear or whatever that actually play the sound and not conduct through bones :smiley:

#8

@Tank the example I have quoted is just one concept. I didn’t like this either.

I want this discussion to open up other possible ideas. I like the neckband concept I mentioned but it is open system where others can hear the sound too, there is no privacy. I don’t know if there is a way to channel the sound waves in only one direction into your eardrums, I know just thinking crazy. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#9

The military have the perfect bone conducting setup there is and they have been using it for decades without I’ll effect.
Now if we can get civilian grade sets similar to theirs then I would be all for it, and yes these setups can only be heard by the person wearing them

1 Like
#10

As someone who has to wear a pair of bone-conduction-phones every year, I can tell you, they are doing uncomfortable.

To work properly, they have to CLAMP really hard against your skull in a particular area.

Result… I’m still moderately deaf in both ears :hear_no_evil:

1 Like
#11

Correct, I reviewed online, bought the best reviewed, they were horrible. I had to physically press them into my skull to make it not sound faint and then it was just pressure.

Took me all of 10 mins to conclude the technology can never work in general consumer market.

You’d need a specific head shape, or customized shape to make the part which touches your bone to be pressured and the part which goes over the ear to be not quite pressured. I suspect that is what is being done in medical and military situations, custom to shape the individual.

1 Like
#12

We will release a lots of good headphones this year, you will like it!

4 Likes
#13

Will they be available for testing? And available in UK?

#14

Love to test them :heart_eyes:, will definitely recommend if my ears like them .
I have tried few other brands so far and completely avoiding using earphones. I have not tested Anker earphones yet.
Hopefully I will win one of these contests or powerdraws :smile:

#15

I had the chance to try out the departed Google Glass in an event at Google Montreal a few years back. Most people in the event wanted to try the camera, I wanted to try the sound, which uses bone conducting to deliver it. It was… meh. The room was loud, a lot of people talking, a line behind me of people eager to try the Glass, and I tried the best I could to make the best of the one minute I had with the thing. Like @professor, I instinctively pressed the bone conducting sound part on the Glass - it’s only on the right side in the Glass - to increase the sound. It did got somewhat louder, but, since the Glass is mono, it gave a quick unbalance before my brain could figure out what was happening. Once it did, the sound wasn’t good. I dreaded having to answer a call on that - and the Google representative which owned the Glass confirmed me afterwards that call quality wasn’t great.

Today, I’m wary of inserting a piece of silicone into my ears daily, and preferring over-ear phones even if they are way bulkier. Bone conducting could be a solution, but I guess we’re not there yet.

On a side-note, almost everything about the Glass was actually impressive. The little screen floating just above your line of sight worked better than I imagined, the interface wasn’t bad - most of us trying got a grip of it in the few minutes we had with the device. Of course, I can’t imagine wearing the thing throughout the day - for one, looking up that often must cause eye muscle strain on some level - but I could see the potential for something in the future, or for very specific uses.

1 Like
#16

IIkiUvs.png1130×782 495 KB

#17

Best movie ever :joy::joy:

#18

This is just the beginning and one concept. There could be a better version of it, or there might be other ways to do it.

@tiagomota Thanks for a small review of the google glass, I was curious about the whole project but seems GOOGLE killed it :frowning2:

1 Like
#19

One advantage of the Life buds concept is the item in the ear is very light and pulling by weight of a long wire so the bud inside the ear can be shallow, it requires less friction. So Life is comfortable for all-day.

Over-ear has its own issues, it makes my ears hurt.

1 Like
#20

I Def prefer in-ear type ear/headphones.

Ear hooks, hurt my ears
Spirit sport ear tip things, hurt my ears
Life 2, hurt my ears.
My hearing aids, hurt my ears.

Only those that go JUST in the ear with nothing sticking out or hanging over, are comfortable for me.