AfterShokz Air Review
- 1 AfterShokz Air Specs
- 1.1 PROS
- 1.2 CONS
- 1.3 Comfort
- 1.4 Sound Profile
- 1.5 Noise Cancellation
- 1.6 Connection
- 1.7 Battery
- 1.8 Conclusion
The AfterShokz Trekz Air are good sports headphones with a novel design that employs bone conduction to allow the listener to experience the bass rather than just hear it physically. Their build is flexible enough to accommodate most sports, with some small tweaks. Their outdoor-friendly design means you can listen to music while staying alert to your surroundings, whether running or riding a bike. The Trekz Air are the only sports headphones on our page with bone conduction, making them a specialized product.
AfterShokz Air Specs
| Headphone Type | Open-Ear |
| Speaker | Bone Conduction Technology |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-20kHz |
| Sensitivity | 100 ± 3dB |
| Connector | Wireless/Bluetooth V 4.2 |
| Wireless Range | 33 Feet |
| Battery | Rechargeable Lithium-Ion |
| Battery Life | 6 Hours |
| Weight | 1.27 Ounce |
| Colour | 4 Colors ( Slate Grey, Midnight Blue, Forest Green, Canyon Red ) |
PROS
- Waterproof and dustproof
- Allows for unimpeded hearing, improving safety.
- Use of a Vocal Helper
- Cosy and snug fit
CONS
- Silent output
- Bluetooth version 4.2
- Battery life isn’t very long
Comfort
The comfort and fitness aspects of bone-conduction headphones are well-described. So, as a bone-conduction speaker, the AfterShokz Air is also very comfortable and fits well. This headset lets you listen with your ears open. You don’t have to put earplugs in your ears. Even though I wore these headphones for several hours, it was very comfortable, and I never got tired of them. Its open-ear design means that it never puts pressure on the ears or makes them too hot. You can also wear glasses with them. My friend is a biker who always puts this headset on with his helmet and glasses. He never gets sick or hurt.
Sound Profile
The AfterShokz Trekz Air bone conduction headphones’ sound profile is amazing and balanced. Its sound as a whole is very full and clear. Also, the frequency response is accurate and works well for all kinds of music. But this headset only makes a little bass by putting pressure on the sound. It has about the same amount of bass as normal through the cheekbones. The treble is also good, and when paired with the lack of bass, it makes the sound very bright.
Noise Cancellation
Bone conduction headphones can’t block out noise in the background. AfterShokz Air has no active or passive noise reduction as a bone-conduction headphone. Since this headset doesn’t cover the ears, it can never be used to block out outside noise. This is great for people who drive or walk on busy roads often. But don’t worry if you want to avoid hearing the noise outside or want to stop it. Earplugs are included with AfterShokz Air. Just put them in your ears to block out the noise around you.
Connection
The AfterShokz Air relies on Bluetooth 4.2 technology, although it only supports the SBC codec. It would be surprising to find a headset lacking in high-quality Bluetooth codecs, but this makes perfect sense in the case of bone-conduction headphones. Any perceived improvement in sound quality from a higher-grade codec is nullified by the low fidelity available through bone conduction and auditory masking from your surroundings. However, I experience some slowness when watching YouTube videos on a Samsung Galaxy S10e due to the lack of high-quality codecs and an older Bluetooth version.
This headset may be outdated, but it has a modern-day rarity: multipoint connectivity. Two external devices can be paired with the Air at once. This may seem unnecessary initially, but it’s a terrific way to check in on your phone while on a conference call.
Battery
The AfterShokz Air has a li-ion battery with a 183mAh capacity that can be used for 6 hours before recharging. When charging, the LED indicator is solid red; when fully charged, it is solid blue; and when the battery is low, it flashes red every two minutes. The Air uses a micro USB connection instead of the company’s standard two-pin charging dock. Both systems are flawed, but microUSB cables are more widely available and affordable than AfterShokz’s patent-pending method.
Conclusion
The AfterShokz Air was revolutionary when it debuted, but now it must compete with the brand’s cutting-edge products. Although it has been officially retired from sale, it may still be purchased on Amazon for $109. The Air could be a better value when compared to the Shokz OpenMove at that pricing. The newest headset is USB-C rechargeable, costs USD 79, has a longer battery life, and produces a louder sound.
