Aftershokz Aeropex practical test: the sound of these headphones goes through your marrow and legs
Music while jogging is motivating, but it can be dangerous in traffic if you can no longer hear your surroundings. Are the Aftershokz Aeropex headphones safe for running? After all, they leave your ear free and channel the music through your skull bone so that you can still hear your surroundings.
When Dorothea isn't making sure we have enough smartphones and tablets on sale, she's a passionate jogger, but she needs music to motivate her. So far, she has been travelling the streets of Hamburg's suburbs with in-ear headphones. In the truest sense of the word, because she can no longer hear anything from her surroundings. This has already led to dicey situations when she didn't notice cars or cyclists ringing their bells. This is exactly where the Aftershokz Aeropex come in and Dorothea thinks they are great for this one purpose.
"Bone Conduction": When the music plays on the bone
Aftershokz uses a technology called "Bone Conduction" for its headphones. In German, this can be translated as bone conduction or bone sound. The idea behind it: Bones in the skull transmit sounds into the ear. The Aeropex utilise this and lie on the jawbone in front of the ear. They transmit the sound as vibrations via the bone into the ear. Desired side effect: you can still hear your surroundings.
Dorothea quickly unpacked the Aftershokz Aeropex and was immediately impressed: "They feel comfortable, are flexible and seem extremely light." Setting up the Bluetooth connection to the smartphone is quick and easy. "I don't need an app for the headphones."
After several jogging laps and some cycling, Dorothea got an impression of the Aeropex: "They are very comfortable to wear and sit very securely when running. They don't wobble or slip, even when moving. At least after I've fixed my plait. At first, my hair fell onto the neckband and made the entire headphones wobble."
The sound of the Aftershokz Aeropex also impressed Dorothea: "The sound is good and, above all, my ears stay clear. I can hear everything around me. It sounds like there are small speakers hanging in front of my ear." The only thing she misses is the bass. This falls by the wayside with the headphones' transmission path. However, the operating principle of the bone conduction headphones is unusual at first: "The louder I turn up the music, the more the headphones vibrate. That's how they work, but it was annoying."
The Aeropex can not only be heard through the bones. The sound also travels through the air. At normal volume, however, the person next to you can't hear it. "At maximum volume, my friend could hear my music, but he has to stand right next to me."
There's not much room for a large battery in the Aeropex. But Dorothea didn't reach the limits of the battery life, which the manufacturer specifies as eight hours, during her sporting activities. The headphones are also IP67 waterproof. Sweat or even rain are therefore no problem for them, but they are not suitable for swimming.
Conclusion: Great for sport - outdoors
Dorothea's conclusion is clear, the Aftershokz Aeropex are great for their intended purpose and not helpful in other situations: "They're great for outdoor sports, but they're nothing for everyday use. On the train, I don't want to hear anything from my surroundings." The earplugs supplied can provide a remedy at such times. Similar to earplugs, they block the ear canal. "The music then no longer comes from outside, but only sounds inside my head. It's impressive and strange at the same time."
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When I was but a young student, I'd sit in my friend's living room with all my classmates and play on his SuperNES. Since then I've had the opportunity to test out all the newest technology for you. I've done reviews at Curved, Computer Bild and Netzwelt, and have now arrived at Galaxus.de.
