WIRELESS EARPHONES are a difficult area to innovate in, but not for lack of trying. It’s just that there are countless brands promising that their new models boast groundbreaking features, but very little of it is actually sticking. It may just be that there is very little left to be squeezed out of the earphone’s form factor. That said, when something truly groundbreaking does come along, we take notice.
Open-ear wireless earphones are, by their very nature, game-changers. The ability to listen to music or podcasts without completely tuning out the outside world, in addition to their inobtrusive positioning and more comfortable design, can make them a more appealing option than traditional in-ear earphones. Open-ears do have some drawbacks, however. Because they can’t create a tight seal in your ears with ear tips, they don’t offer active noise cancellation (ANC) – or even noise reduction. At least, that was the case until the Shokz OpenFit Pro came along.
The OpenFit Pro challenges the notion that open-ear earphones and noise reduction are mutually exclusive with Shokz’s first open-ear noise reduction system. The premium earphones represent Shokz throwing the kitchen sink at open-ear tech, with a suite of innovative features.
We’ve been testing the earphones for the past month. From the office and crowded commutes to runs and gym sessions, we put the tech through its paces to see how it holds up in the real world. These are our honest thoughts.
The look
The OpenFit Pro doesn’t reinvent the wheel in terms of design. If you’ve used open-ear earphones in the past, you’ll be familiar with the model’s unobtrusive earhook design that clips around the back of your ear rather than plugging into the canal. This means your ear won’t get that pressurised feeling caused by in-ear earphones.
Shokz has gone for a more premium look and feel this time around. On the OpenFit Pro, you’ll find metallic accents and silicone buffers at touch points for comfort. With a resistance rating of IP55, they can fend off rain and sweat without looking like they’re covered in a poncho.
The specs
Starting with sound, the OpenFit Pro promises dynamic and distortion-free sound thanks to its use of Shokz SuperBoost. It boasts dual diaphragms in the ultra-large driver, which operate simultaneously to provide smooth highs, deep lows and a depth of sound. Shokz OpenBass 2.0 allows you to feel every beat with textured bass, while DirectPitch 3.0 Audio is directed toward you, reducing leakage and keeping your audio private. What’s more, the earphones are optimised for Dolby Atmos for surround sound-style treatment.
Now to the biggest selling point, the noise reduction system. Just how does the OpenFit Pro do it? Well, it uses an advanced triple-mic system, with three microphones working in tandem. At the same time, an adaptive algorithm analyses in-ear noise to provide consistent noise reduction. This system can soften unwanted noise while keeping intended audio clear.
The OpenFit Pro’s ultra-thin nickel-titanium alloy ear hooks also allow it to flex to suit the contours of your ear. In terms of battery life, it offers up to 12 hours of listening time on a single charge, up to 50 hours of total playtime with the charging case, and a 10-minute quick charge will also give you four hours of playtime.
The test
As we said earlier, the Men’s Health team has been testing the OpenFit Pro in a variety of environments, from the office and commute to runs and the gym. Let’s start with the sound. The dual-diaphragm SuperBoost driver does indeed give the earphones a fuller sound than most open-ear earphones we’ve tested. Bass is palpable rather than thin and vocals stay strong and clear in different settings.
As for the noise reduction system, as soon as it’s turned on there’s an easily noticeable dimming of sound. In our office, while our colleagues tapped away at their keyboards and engaged in idle chit-chat, the feature reduced noise by roughly half of usual levels (a completely non-scientific measurement, mind you – we do not have detailed decibel readings – but impressive nonetheless).
In the gym, the noise reduction takes the edge off loud machines and grunting gym-goers, who are reduced to soft background noise. This means you can stay locked in without needing to crank up the volume and damage your hearing. That said, because the OpenFit pro doesn’t seal your ear canal, they don’t completely block out the outside world – but that also has its advantages, as it means you’re not entirely unaware of what’s going on around you.
If you’re someone who likes to bounce around a lot while exercising (think runs, HIIT sessions and plyometrics), you can rest assured knowing that stability is another strength of the OpenFit Pro. The earhook fit feels secure during workouts, and the IP55 resistance rating means getting them wet isn’t a concern.
Comfort is another bonus. The Ultra-Soft Silicone 2.0 material means you can wear them for long periods without getting that annoying ache that comes after a few hours of wearing most in-ear earphones.
An underrated feature that won’t appear in many advertisements is the presence of physical buttons for controls. It feels like every piece of tech now uses haptic sensors, but those come with their own problems. With raised, waterproof buttons, the OpenFit Pro’s controls are easy to find and more reliable if your fingers are sweaty from working out.
The verdict
The Shokz OpenFit Pro is quite a leap for open-ear earphones, introducing innovative new features that solve many of the pain points we’ve had with other models. The sound quality is top of class in the open-ear category, and the fit, comfort and security make it suitable for everything from listening to podcasts on your commute to raising the energy during a workout. And, as sceptical as we were that an open-ear earphone could make a move towards noise reduction, given the technical barrier, Shokz has accomplished everything it set out to achieve with the OpenFit Pro.
