Aftershokz Wireless Trekz Titanium Bone Conduction Headphones Review
Peter Donnell / 8 years ago
Performance
Bone conduction technology is very interesting, and while it’s not the first choice for your typical audiophile, it’s certainly got its applications. This headset was designed for those who are active, hence it’s waterproof rating, sturdy over ear mounting system and wireless support. Pairing it via Bluetooth was straightforward enough, and it works just like any other Bluetooth headphones in that regard, allowing you to enjoy your music on the go. It’s got excellent range too, so leaving your phone at the side in the gym while you work out shouldn’t be a problem.
The drivers really just sound like any other set of headphones to a certain extent. If you crank them up, you can still hear them a little when they’re no on your ears, as would anyone sitting next to you on the train for example, but it’s nothing too loud to be bothersome compared to normal headphones. One funny quirk is that at maximum volume you can feel the vibration more on heavy rock music, which could be distracting if it weren’t for the fact it’s so loud you’re unlikely to need to push them that far anyway.
The behind the head fitting of the headband is great, as it keeps the drivers held perfectly in place with the over-ear design, and the soft rubber pads make it surprisingly comfortable, even if it does look a little strange. Jumping around, running, doing push ups, it doesn’t matter, this headset wasn’t going to come off before I was out of breath, so 10/10 for the headband design. A nice perk is that it’ll easily fit under most helmet designs too, so protective gear and headphones are a winner here.
The sound quality is bright and clear, more so than I was expecting. It does lack a bit of bass definition you would get from standard in-ears, but there’s more in play here than just sound quality. It’s great for listening to music, and anything vocal heavy (Radio, audiobooks, podcasts, etc), all sound sublime. The real trick here, however, is that I can have my music absolutely cranked up as loud as I want while I’m out for a jog, but I can still hear my surrounding as my ears aren’t plugged. It’s a little jarring at first having this dual sound, but once you adjust it’s pretty cool. If you’re on your bike in the road, you can listen to your music, your sat nav, phone calls, whatever you need, but at the same time you can still hear that idiot chasing up behind you in his car, giving you a level of safety that cannot be understated here.