If you're like me, you might find standard earbuds uncomfortable. Every "default" set of headphones I've ever gotten has gone into a drawer, never to be seen again. This is why I've always been interested in open-ear headphones. To have a comfortable audio experience while staying present in the world around me would be a game changer.
With all the new tech Shokz is debuting, now is the time to take the leap. The brand has released information about its new OpenSound system, proving that a new era in open-ear technology has arrived. More than a series of incremental upgrades, OpenSound is a unified audio technology framework featuring internal performance benchmarks that represents the most significant advancement in open-ear audio since Shokz pioneered the category in 2012. Let's take a look at the three pillars of Shokz's OpenSound innovations.
Boost the sound
The foundational building block of this new audio architecture is the Open Ear Sound Architecture. It's the key to ensuring the sound from your headphones stays balanced while delivering the punch you're looking for.
Shokz's open-ear hardware depends on its SuperBoost™ technology, an 11×20mm synchronized dual-diaphragm driver. These dual diaphragms create more accurate and stable audio, and SuperBoost™ keeps vibrations stable, which allows for a lower resonance frequency. In Shokz's internal testing, the new low resonance point of 150Hz created a 50% stronger bass without impacting midrange audio.
When it comes to high-frequency performance, Shokz is using aerospace-grade PMI composites to construct its diaphragms. The rigidity of the updated diaphragms allows them to keep their shape during rapid vibration, which results in a more responsive output for high-frequency sounds, extending the range to 40kHz. This improved bandwidth ensures your high-powered pop songs and podcast discussions are clear and precise, while the low-frequency changes prove that deep bass is not just the purview of massive speakers.
Hear smarter
When you hear "intelligent audio algorithm," you probably think of your favorite music streaming service. But when it comes to OpenSound, it's not about selecting your music. It's about making the music sound better. Shokz's second pillar of innovation is the OpenBass™ algorithm that takes into account your playback volume and the acoustics of your environment, adapting on the fly to find the right balance.
Building off the advancements of 1.0, OpenBass™ 2.0 maintains a balanced frequency spectrum across different volume levels and environments. In a loud environment, it will respond to the sound and help control distortion. In a quiet room, OpenBass™ 2.0 ensures detail is preserved. In addition, Shokz has collaborated with audio engineers to offer personalized EQ modes that will match your individual preferences more clearly.
Directed audio
OpenSound's third pillar takes on a core challenge of open-ear audio. Sound spreads, and Shokz wants to develop a way to help you hear more precisely and reliably. DirectPitch™ 3.0 addresses the issue of sound leakage head-on, refining directional sound control to make the field of sound more focused, keeping your music, calls or podcasts to yourself.
What's now and what's next
All these innovations are just the tip of the iceberg for Shokz. The company is always upping the quality of its technology. OpenSound represents generations of Shokz acoustic innovation, and the company will introduce its first product carrying the OpenSound mark soon, with future air conduction true wireless products purpose-built under the OpenSound framework.
Products earn the OpenSound mark only by meeting 18 benchmarks: nine objective acoustic metrics (resonant frequency, frequency range, THD, SNR, etc.) and nine subjective listening dimensions (deep bass, clarity, realism, immersion, etc.). All these standards were created with insights gleaned from listeners, engineers and key opinion leaders in the field of audio.
Stay tuned for future developments as OpenSound continues to shape the next era of open-ear audio. Shokz is delivering a lot of incredible new innovations, but it all comes back to one place: making sure you have an unparalleled audio experience.
