I wished to like Shokz’s OpenFit 2, the corporate’s newest open-ear wi-fi earbuds debuting right here at CES 2025. While Shokz made a number of enhancements to the general design and performance, the sound can nonetheless be a tad hole.
I attempted the OpenFit Air a number of months again, they usually ticked off virtually all the pieces I used to be in search of in a pair of open-ear operating buds. While not good, bass was respectable. Volume is also fairly difficult in sure environments — once more, one thing comprehensible for open-ear design. The drawback was the ear hook design didn’t match nicely if I wore my eyeglasses. (That, and the contact controls had been finicky to make use of.)
Shokz despatched me a pair of the $179.95 OpenFit 2 forward of CES. Based on the updates, I used to be very hopeful. For starters, Shokz added an additional speaker to every bud for a complete of two: one devoted to bass, the opposite for mids and highs. It’s an method that labored fantastically nicely with the OpenRun Pro 2 bone conduction headphones that embody an air conduction speaker to enhance the bass. (My colleague David Pierce and I are diehard OpenRun Pro 2 converts.) Volume has been barely improved. The ear hook design has additionally been tweaked so the curved portion excessive of the ear is thinner. Physical buttons had been added to every bud for easier controls. Battery life additionally improved to 11 hours, up from the seven hours on the unique OpenFit and the OpenFit Air’s six hours. There are additionally 4 EQ presets!
And in my testing, I instantly observed many of those enhancements. It’s nonetheless not very best, however the thinner ear hook is simpler to make use of with my glasses on days after I don’t need to put on contact lenses. Loud highways and tremendous noisy environments had been nonetheless difficult however outperformed the OpenFit Air. While getting these hands-on pics, the bustle of the Vegas Strip didn’t drown out my music or stop me from listening to my colleague Antonio G. Di Benedetto’s picture cues. I acquired about 10–11 hours on a single cost. When I wished to pause or skip tracks, the bodily buttons had been simpler to make use of (although my butterfingers nonetheless sometimes struggled, particularly when carrying press-on nails.)
Unfortunately, I additionally couldn’t assist however discover the sound high quality. While higher than the Air, it wasn’t fairly nearly as good as I’d hoped. On “Unfair” by Stray Kids, what needs to be rumbly baritone vocals sound muddy. Vocals, normally, can typically sound distant even with the vocal EQ. At larger volumes, bass-heavy songs sometimes sounded distorted. My points had been most obvious after I was operating outside. However, for those who’re listening to a podcast or in a comparatively quiet room at a decrease quantity, it’s a lot much less noticeable.
All of that is considerably anticipated from open-ear buds. It’s extra that the impact of getting devoted audio system for bass versus treble and mids wasn’t as spectacular because the OpenRun Pro 2. When I first tried the latter, my jaw dropped and I stated, “Oh.” With these, it’s extra of an appreciative nod. This may be as a result of the OpenFit 2 are conventional headphones utilizing air conduction. The OpenRun Pro 2 use air conduction for bass and bone conduction for treble and mids.
Whether the sound high quality is a deal-breaker relies on how you propose to make use of these buds. I largely use open-ear buds for operating and located myself wanting to succeed in for the OpenRun Pro 2 as an alternative. But whereas puttering round the home or power coaching, the shortage of a wraparound neckband makes these infinitely extra snug, particularly for workout routines like chest presses or leaning again in my chair.
The OpenFit 2 can be found beginning right now for $179.95 in black and beige.
