Review: Shokz OpenRun Pro 2

Open-ear technology is Shokz’s speciality. The new Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 combines both air conduction, as in the previously tested Shokz OpenFit Air, and bone conduction.

The technology

Both air conduction and bone conduction mean that you don’t have to put the headphones into your ear/hearing canal to hear the sound. Instead, Shokz works with vibrations (bone conduction) to transfer the mid-range and treble via the cheekbone directly to the inner ear, and not via the eardrum. To include bass, air conduction is used, which means that the bass is conducted into the ear through the air.

The consequence, or result if you will, is that the ear canal itself is kept free, which means you hear everything that happens around you. For better or worse. If you find it hard to concentrate and really need to be in your ‘zone’ during training to not lose focus, you won’t appreciate this technology.

However, if you want to hear what’s going on around you, be contactable and perhaps be able to respond if someone speaks to you, then this technology is excellent. The same goes if, like me, you often get earaches from in-ear headphones.

Fit and training

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is not two separate earbuds, but one unit that consists of a part that sits in front of each ear and a part that sits behind the ear, and all of this is connected by a bow that goes around the neck. The earbuds are an excellent training companion and sit firmly in place without distracting from your workout.

The headset has physical buttons, and while it’s not as “’slick”’ as touch, I personally find it a little easier to handle when I’m running or in motion. Touch is not quite as precise.

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is a headphone designed for training, and especially for running. It’s not an “audiophile” headphone, although it can definitely be worn for a long time; all the more so because it sits so softly around the ears. And it’s not that the sound is bad in any way. I can get an airy and detailed rendition of my favourite workout list, which drives me forward and motivates me in my training. And since it’s possible to make personalised equaliser settings, there’s not much to complain about. Except for one thing. The promised heavy bass.

My personal guess is that the path from the part of the headphones that sits in front of the ear (where the bass element sits) to the ear canal itself is too long and too much of the bass is lost along the way. It’s a bit annoying. I can select the Bass Boost eq mode, but then the sound reproduction becomes muddy and stuffy and generally poor. There’s definitely room for improvement here.

The app

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 has a companion app, aptly named Shokz. It’s simple, straightforward and easy to use.

I can’t personalise the settings for what happens if I press the small button on the left earbud once, twice or three times; you just have to get used to the default settings.

Conclusion

The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 is a sleek and easy-to-use open-ear headset for those who want to enjoy music while running and hear their surroundings. I quickly forget I’m wearing it and thanks to the companion app, I can adjust the sound profile to suit me and my preferences. Unfortunately, the promised heavy bass is missing in action, but I still think the headphones make a great running companion.