Getting boned in the ear
- 1 minHaving the right tool for the right job is vital to success in a wide variety of fields. Similarly, having the right headphones for the situation at hand is key to happy listening. In recent months, two bone conduction sound emitters have been added to the broad range of personal noise producers used regularly.
Bone conduction technology works by transmitting vibrations directly through the bones near the ear, bypassing the need to vibrate the air inside the ear canal. While these headphones and speakers might not provide an ideal experience for music enthusiasts—quite frankly, they’re awful—they excel in delivering clear audio for podcasts, audiobooks, phone conversations, and any content centred around the spoken word.
The two below are the budget options I’m using to test the tech. They’re both good enough in true 80/20 fashion, but I’m sure the more expensive options would produce even better results. Regardless, I do recommend picking up both of the following items.
Bone phones
These bone conduction headphones loop over the ear, resting the vibrating pad just in front of the ear on the side of your face. The benefit of using these is that you’re not cut off from the environment around you. Perfect for listening to an audiobook when:
- moving around the house so your partner can get your attention
- working in the garden so that you get the benefits of the natural soundscape
- running or cycling so that you can hear the world around you
Bone speaker
Using the same technology, this Bluetooth speaker is designed to vibrate your bones through a pillow. Unless you have the volume turned up to 100%, the person in the bed next to you won’t be able to hear what you’re listening to. This is the perfect solution for fellow insomniacs who like listening to podcasts to help with drifting off but find that in-ear headphones wander at night.
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