Can you imagine hearing sound through vibrations in your head instead of ears? With the emergence of wireless headphones, bone-conduction headphones have paved the way and astonished everyone with their technology. Many people ponder on How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work.
Piece of information: Bone Conduction Headphones are also called bone phones. It works on bone conduction audio technology that relies on transmitting sound, not through the ear drum but bones in the skull.
Everyone is using headphones today; that’s why different designs and types of headphones are being designed. They help in a better listening experience. Bone Conduction headphones have made listening to reality without using ears. In this article, I will give a detailed explanation of the working of Bone Conduction Headphones.
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work?
Bone Conduction Headphones are the innovations in the headphones domain. They have diverted many people’s attention towards themselves because of their unique mechanism of working. These headphones work on the same technique that sea mammals use underwater. They rely on ‘sound vibrations.’
Hearing sound from regular headphones
To understand how bone-conduction headphones work, you must understand how you listen to any sound. Sound signals are transmitted through the air, creating vibrations in your eardrum; these vibrations then pass on to the middle and inner ear. From the inner ear, a message is sent to the head that processes these vibrations and interprets them as sound.
Hearing sound through bone conduction headphones
As the name suggests, bone conduction headphones use bones to transmit sound signals through a method known as Bone conduction audio technology. These headphones are placed at the top of your cheekbones. You can fix the strap at the back of the head.
Bone Conduction headphones create sound waves in the form of vibrations. The vibrations bypass eardrums without interfering with the outer and middle ear and transmit sound signals directly to the inner ear.
An auditory nerve carries the signal to the skull from the inner ear. In the head, these vibrations and sound signals are processed, and you hear what is said. Skull is the user’s speaker in bone-conduction headphones.
Tidbit: Bone-conduction Headphones work on the exact mechanism as sea mammals hear sound through vibrations.
How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Sound?
Bone Conduction Headphones are not worn in the ears, so it is a chance that you hear distorted or low-quality sound. You are still able to hear what is happening around you. So you will hear mix-up sounds, the ones coming from the headphone and the sounds of your outer environment.
You have to sacrifice the audio quality if you want to remain alert to your surroundings. As they are placed against the ears, they do not create natural, realistic sounds. Hence bone conduction headphones do not give you rich bass and high tables compared to high-grade audiophile headphones.
Point to be noted: with bone conduction headphones, you will hear the same as inserting fingers into the ears.
Best Bone-Conduction Headphones
These headphones are considered unique, so not everyone can use them. Bone-conduction headphones differ in their mechanism, but anyone can use them. They are great for deaf people, gym-goers, swimmers, and athletes. There are many bone-conduction headphones available in the market.
- Shokz OpenRun
- AfterShokz Aeropex
- WinnerGear’s Exobone
- Bose’s Frames
- Siusumfo’s Bone-Conduction Headphones
- Vidonn’s F1
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Do bone conduction headphones work underwater?
Bone-conduction headphones work on sound vibrations. These vibrations don’t need air as their medium, but they travel along bones and reach the skull, and sound is heard. Bone conduction headphones are designed with this additional feature to withstand water.
They are great for use by swimmers, gym-goers, and athletes because they are sweatproof, waterproof, and resistant to extreme weather conditions. They work great underwater.
Do Bone conduction Headphones Work for Deaf?
Bone conduction Headphones have increased value because they work incredibly best for people who have impaired hearing. This technology was first used by a deaf musician who used to hear sound through sound vibrations traveling through bones.
Bone conduction headphones do not work with the outer ear, middle ear, or ear drum. The sound vibrations hit the inner ear, are transmitted through bones, and are processed in the skull, and sound is heard. So these headphones are workable for the Deaf.
Bone conduction Headphones Pros and Cons
Are Bone Conduction headphones safe to use? It is the query that hits every mind. These are new in the market and provide you with a listening experience you have never had before. These are safe because they are comfortable to wear and have less infection. I have formulated some pros and cons of these headphones.
- Great for use by people with hearing deficiency and tinnitus.
- They increase your situational awareness.
- They are comfortable to wear and fit easily.
- These are wireless headphones and are portable.
- They don’t cause eye infections and wax build-up in the ears.
- Some of these headphones come in waterproof versions.
- They were a little bit pricey.
- These headphones deliver poor sound quality.
- You have to recharge them regularly.
- There is a risk of sound leakage while using these headphones.
Shokz bone conduction headphones
The company Shokz makes some fabulous bone-conduction headphones, and they designed these headphones for the first time to be used in the military. Other brands have also come with these headphones but don’t meet the standard of the Shokz bone-conduction headphones. The headphones by Shokz have incredible features, design, and comfortable fitting. Moreover, they are waterproof.
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FAQs
Can you wear glasses with bone-conduction headphones?
Bone Conduction headphones are not on, and in the ear, they are placed at the top of the cheekbone. You can wear glasses with these headphones. You can put them on either way, adjusting glasses or headphones as you like.
Are bone-conduction headphones better for ears?
Bone-conduction headphones have their worth because they are better for ears. There is less chance of your ears getting infected or any wax building up because they are not worn over or in the ears. In this way, your ears are protected.
How To Choose the Best Bone Conduction Headphones For You?
Selecting the best bone conduction headphones depends on the type of purpose you want to get fulfilled from them. If your priority is safety from the environment, you should get one. Moreover, if you are willing to try new technology, you must choose bone conduction over others. I suggest you add them to your priority list first and then check how they make their worth.
Conclusion | How Do Bone Conduction Headphones Work?
Bone Conduction headphones are new innovative technology in the headphones domain. They have various advantages over conventional headphones that instantly trigger you to purchase them firsthand. They work on the unique mechanism of sound signal transmission through bones instead of air. In this article, I have mentioned their working mechanism, pros and cons, and some of the best bone-conduction headphones.