As an industry practitioner who has been interested in digital technology and products for a long time, I have always kept a close eye on the latest technology trends and products. At the same time, as a headphone user, I am also very concerned about the impact of headphone use on hearing health. In recent years, open-back headphones have gradually become a popular choice in the market due to their advantages such as hearing protection and wearing comfort. Many friends often ask me for advice on the purchase of open-back headphones, especially the products of the three brands of Shokin, Nanka and Cleer.
In order to give you more accurate advice, I conducted three weeks of in-depth testing and evaluation. In this multi-dimensional evaluation, I found that Nanka's open-back headphones performed well in many aspects, whether it was sound quality, comfort or calls, they showed excellent performance. Next, I will share my testing experience and evaluation results in detail to provide reference for friends who are interested in these brands. (Pictured are some of the headphones I tested).
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of open-back headphones?
The advantages of open-back headphones include:
Avoid the growth of bacteria and make your health more hygienic:The fully open design does not stuff the ears or blocks the ear canal, and the air flows freely, which avoids the breeding of bacteria, does not cause ear infections and inflammation and other diseases, and can also protect the safety of hearing. The traditional in-ear headphones are fully enclosed design, with better sound isolation effect, but often listen in a closed situation, it is easy to breed bacteria, and the dirt inside the earphones must be cleaned regularly, otherwise it will cause ear infection, so it is better to have open-back headphones.
The sound quality is more natural and realistic:Open-back headphones have a wider soundstage and a more natural and realistic sound, because open-back headphones do not have the shell of closed-back headphones, and the sound can be transmitted directly from the earcups to the ears without any obstruction or distortion, so it sounds more natural, wide and bright.
Sports-only for a significant increase in safety:Open-back headphones can also listen to the sound of the surrounding environment at the same time, and when running outdoors, the sound of the vehicle horn can be avoided in time, which greatly improves their own safety. Outdoor cycling, running, hiking, etc. can also be safer.
The wearing experience is more comfortable, and you will not get tired after wearing it for a long time:Open-back headphones don't close your ears and allow your ears to ventilate naturally, avoiding the intense discomfort of wearing them for long periods of time. The ear hangs on the ear, and it also has a certain stability, and it will not be easily thrown off when running.
Not only sports, but also a variety of scenarios:Outdoor running, indoor fitness, office business, online classes, commuting, phone calls, etc.
The disadvantages of open-back headphones include:
Worse sound isolation than closed-back headphones:Open-back headphones are inferior to closed-back headphones, mainly because of their design principle, which does not completely enclose the ear, so the sound isolation effect is poor.
Open design, easy to leak sound:Because of its structural design, open-earphones are easy to cause earphone sound leakage during transmission, and this problem has not been solved so far, so it can only reduce the sound leakage of headphones.
Second, what are the hard conditions for the purchase of open-back headphones?
Brand selectionPopular brands in the market include Shokin, Nanka, Sony, Cleer and Philips, each with its own characteristics. Shokin and Nanka are highly regarded for their good reputation and high credibility. When choosing, it can be decided based on personal preference and brand reputation.
Sound quality experience:Sound quality is often easy to identify, especially in vocals and performance across frequency bands. Sound quality is usually determined by both the audio decoding and the sound emitter.
Audio Decoding:It refers to the process of converting digital audio signals into analog audio signals, and the audio decoding formats commonly seen in the market include SBC, AAC, APT-X, LDAC, etc. The higher the audio encoding format, the more details are retained, and the more natural and rich the sound feels.
Vocal unit:It refers to a device that converts electrical signals into sound signals, and is usually divided into two types: moving coil type and moving iron type. The cost of the moving coil unit is very low, the range of use is very wide, and the sound performance is more natural and realistic;The moving iron unit is more costly, has better sound insulation effect and high resolution.
Wearing experience:When it comes to open-back headphones, in addition to the sound quality performance, the most important thing is, of course, the wearing experience!Wearing headphones for a long time depends on the material, appearance design, volume and other aspects of the headphones, and the comfortable open-back headphones for a long time will make the overall hearing longer lasting and better.
Bluetooth version:by the original v4Version 0 has been carried over to the latest v5Version 3, more stable in terms of connection, faster transmission, better from generation to generation. As an important consideration, the Bluetooth version is not only in terms of connectivity, but also in terms of latency, battery life, and power consumption. The higher the Bluetooth version, the wider the range, the more stable and fast, the longer the distance, etc.
Call Experience:The quality of the call cannot be bad, and the quality of the call depends on the clarity of the microphone and the noise cancellation technology of the chip. Some headsets are also equipped with anti-wind noise technology to improve the outdoor call experience. If the call quality is not good, the call experience will be greatly reduced, so it depends on the brand reluctance to cut the material!
Latency Performance:As long as it is a true wireless Bluetooth earphone, it cannot escape the delay effect, because the wireless Bluetooth headset will go through a variety of procedures and process changes in the process of transmitting audio, and the final sound transmitted to the ear will have a certain delay effect, and the delay phenomenon can not be done at all, only through the Bluetooth version and audio technology to improve and optimize, to the minimum, no obvious delay problems. Choosing a headset with low latency can improve the synchronization of your gaming and improve the overall experience.
3. 3. ParagraphsOpen-endedMeasured by headphones
After the above detailed introduction to open-back headphones and the explanation of selection skills, I believe that you have a deeper understanding of this type of headphones, and have mastered how to avoid common mistakes when buying, and how to choose the most suitable open-back headphones for your needs. To further help you make an informed decision, we've carefully selected three of the most representative open-back headphones on the market for real-world testing. This review is based on real data and my personal experience, with minimal error, so you can rest assured that you can follow these objective and practical suggestions.
1.South Carolina OE Pro (1099).
Brand introduction
Nanka, as one of the pioneers in the field of acoustic technology in China, focuses on the R&D and innovation of open-back headphones. As one of the first brands in China to devote itself to the research of open-back headphones, Nanka has not only won the best recommendation in the domestic market, but also made remarkable achievements in the international arena for its products, such as winning the German Red Dot Design Award and MUSE Design Award. South Carolina 00 pressure through the combination of soft + hard, to achieve open earphones not only comfortable to wear, sound quality is the peak experience, at the same time, in South Carolina three years of acoustic technology attainment, to solve the open earphone sound quality, sound leakage industry problems, can be said to be open earphones are currently the ceiling of the existence.
Parameter configuration
User experience
The sound quality of the South Carolina 00 pressure is simply impeccable, and it is equipped with Super Bass 20 high-performance sound units and 16The large moving coil unit of 2mm fits only 0The ultra-light diaphragm of 0096mm makes the sound reproduction accurate, and the high fidelity reaches an astonishing 986%。This not only ensures the perfect presentation of the notes, but also excels in terms of the delicacy of the notes and the balance of the overall sound quality. In particular, its DS directional audio projection technology effectively reduces sound leakage and protects user privacy by precisely adjusting the sound cavity structure.
Equally excellent in terms of wear. It integrates up to 23 "comfort" technology innovations, combined with a special design for the Chinese ear shape, so that the earbuds show a 31° tilt angle, which fits the pinna perfectly. Combined with the research of more than 10,000 Chinese ear shape data, the earhook design is more natural, and with the medical-grade liquid silicone material, it realizes a comfortable wearing experience without pressure on the ear.
Equipped with Qualcomm 3040 chip and Bluetooth 52 technology, support APTX-HD AAC SBC and other audio formats, to ensure the stability of the connection and high-quality audio experience. The latency of as low as 60ms in game mode provides players with an excellent audio and video synchronization experience, enhancing the immersion of the game.
In terms of calls, through the noise reduction technology of 4 microphones and the ENC algorithm, the ambient noise is intelligently identified and eliminated, making the call process clearer. It also introduces a wireless charging design, no contacts, prolongs the life of the earphones, and the 8+17h battery life fully meets the needs of long-term use. The comprehensive performance of South Carolina 00 pressure makes it a leader in the open-back headphones with a price of 1,000 yuan.
Sound quality experience:
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Latency Performance:
Call Experience:
Overall recommendation:
2.Shokin OpenFit (1298).
Brand introduction
Shokz is a brand that focuses on high-end audio equipment, especially in the field of headphones and audio accessories. Although it may not be as well-known as some big-name headphone brands internationally, Shokin has accumulated a good reputation among audio enthusiasts for its pursuit of sound quality and innovative design.
Parameter configuration
User experience
Shokin performs very well in low frequencies, using OpenBass low frequency enhancement algorithm and high amplitude and high sensitivity driver unit, equipped with a large dynamic driver unit of 18mm x 11mm, bringing a powerful low frequency effect. The bass is deep, detailed, and layered. At the same time, the mid-high frequency transition is smooth. However, turning up the volume is easy to leak sound, which needs to be strengthened in terms of privacy protection.
With a lightweight design, a single earbud weighs only 83g, combined with liquid silicone molding process, delicate feel, with ergonomic design and 0The 7mm flexible titanium alloy earhooks ensure comfort and ease when wearing. It will not feel uncomfortable to wear it for a long time. However, when performing strenuous exercise, the headphones are slightly less stable and prone to shaking or even falling off.
In terms of calls, it supports intelligent AI noise reduction function, which effectively cancels surrounding noise and makes the call sound clearer. But in Bluetooth 52. In terms of connection stability, especially the latency problem during gaming, the performance is average, which may affect the gaming experience.
In terms of battery life, it provides 7 hours of use at a time, and the charging case can reach a total battery life of 21 hours, so there is no problem with daily use.
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Overall recommendation:
cleer arc ii
Brand introduction
Cleer is a company specializing in audio products, known for its innovative design and high-quality audio technology. Although it may not be as well-known as some long-established audio brands, it has successfully found a new development track in the field of open-back headphones in recent years with its excellent products.
Parameter configuration
User experience
The headphones perform well overall in terms of sound quality, thanks to the DBE Pro Dynamic Bass Boost technology it employs, as well as 16The 2mm large speaker unit makes the sound performance more open, and the diving depth is also considerable, making up for its slightly insufficient performance in the middle and high frequencies, the resolution needs to be improved, and there is a certain degree of noise.
The adjustable design of the earhook part allows the earbuds to adapt to various ear shapes, and the use of skin-friendly silicone materials also makes the feel softer and more delicate, improving the stability and comfort of wearing. Still, there is a certain feeling of squeezing when worn for long periods of time, which may be related to the larger volume of the headphones.
The call performance is average, and there is a certain amount of noise. It supports the latest Bluetooth 5Version 3 ensures fast and stable signal transmission, reduces latency, and achieves good audio and picture synchronization.
It also provides a total of 35 hours of long-lasting battery life (8 hours on the earbuds themselves and an additional 27 hours on the charging case), which is enough for a week of frequent use. The built-in six-axis sensor of the headset enhances the user experience by adding interesting interactive features such as nodding and shaking head.
Sound quality experience:
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Overall recommendation:
FourthFinally the end
On the whole, it is still South Carolina OE Pro, which is easier to use, whether it is sound quality, comfort and calling, it is very good, and it is the best one within 1,000 yuan.
If you have high requirements for appearance, you can consider Shokin OpenFit.
If you want a higher battery life, you can consider the Cleer ARC II.