Q: I have some damage to my auditory canal and ear drum. I have never found earbuds or headphones that work for me. What is the sound quality of bone conduction headphones?
A: Bone conduction headphones are used by those who want to enjoy music or other programming without isolating themselves from the world around them (such as runners, bicyclists and the parents of babies and toddlers). The ears are uncovered, and the sound is transmitted through the bones to the inner ear.
Your reason for purchasing them is different, and the only way to know for sure if they will satisfy you is to try them. But I think it is worth investigating.
I've recommended them in general to people who need to hear what is going around them, but until now I have never found a pair that I wanted to praise. That changed with the Mojawa bone conduction earphones, which I reviewed recently and found quite impressive.
The spec sheet for them reads high end. The frame is made of titanium and covered with soft, yet grippy and pliable silicone. Noise-cancellation technology is engaged during phone calls to ensure call clarity, and a patented actuator creates the sound. Perhaps this is what makes the excellent performance possible, with sound notably better than other bone conduction headphones I've tried.
After charging and pairing them to my phone, I put on the Mojawas and started playback of a familiar song. The music immediately came to life, and I mean that in the sense that I had an emotional reaction to the quality of the music, which was much better than I was expecting. I remember thinking, "That's really something." The treble and midrange are especially noteworthy, as is the stereo imaging. The effect is much like walking around a room where there are speakers playing music. There is much more immediacy to the sound, though, given that it is being produced right next to your ears.
Loud volumes and bass-heavy music will cause some perceptible vibration. Most of the time it was not an issue, but when I played "Xanadu" from Rush's album "Exit. Stage Left," I could feel the percussion. Adjusting the headphones on your head can attenuate the vibrations and make them less noticeable. At moderate volumes, it is a nonissue.
There is very little sound leakage. I remember listening to full-range, rich music, and when I took off the headphones, all I could hear was weak sound emanating from them. It is very impressive and really shows how effectively the Mojawa headphones' bone conduction works.
The headphones sell for $129 on Amazon. At the time of this writing there is a $30 off checkbox coupon, reducing the price to $99. I don't know how long the coupon will be available, but if it's not, the earphones are worth the $129. At $99, they are a great deal.
Send questions to Don Lindich at donlindich@gmail.com. Get recommendations and read past columns at soundadvicenews.com.