Shokz has introduced the OpenDots 2 — open-ear clip-on earbuds that do not go into the ear but attach to its edge. The price is $199.95 and the model becomes the flagship of the OpenDots line.
The main difference from the previous model concerns calls. The OpenDots 2 carries a system of three microphones, and one of them works by bone conduction: it reads the vibration of the jaw instead of picking up sound through the air. Shokz states that this arrangement separates the wearer’s voice from the surrounding noise. For open-ear earbuds that matters more than for in-ears: the ear is not covered by anything, so the microphone picks up every sound around it.
- A triple microphone system, including a bone conduction sensor for calls
- The Bassphere 2.0 system built on two 11.8 mm drivers with a redesigned diaphragm
- MirrorPitch and DirectPitch technologies steer the sound into the ear canal and reduce leakage
- Up to 40 hours of playback in total with the case, plus Qi wireless charging
- IP57 protection for the earbuds and IP54 for the case, with a single earbud weighing 6.4 grams
What changed against the OpenDots ONE. Shokz lists upgraded drivers, the triple microphone system, faster charging, stronger water protection and new connection features. Charging is described most precisely: five minutes at the socket give two hours of playback, which is twice as fast as the predecessor. On weight the company only says the model became lighter and does not give the figure of the previous version in this material.
Fit and connection. The flexible JointArc adapts to the shape of the ear, and side detection works automatically: either earbud sits in either ear. Among the wireless features the company lists Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair and simultaneous connection to two devices.
An open fit always lets part of the sound escape and loses bass — that is physics, not a complaint about this particular model. How much bass MirrorPitch and DirectPitch hold on to, and how clear the voice stays on a call in a noisy street, I will check on the test. Where the OpenDots 2 land in our ranking of the best open-ear headphones, our test will show.
Source: shokz.com
