Since I spend a lot of time swimming I was delighted to be given the chance to test out the new AfterShokz Xtrainerz Headphones. Swimming can be boring at times and the most entertaining thing is trying to figure out what lap you are on. So as soon as they arrived I planned my swim session for that evening.
Bone conduction technology introduction
This technology was new to me and I have been doing some research on it before I knew I was going to get a chance to review the Xtrainerz. I guess we are all used to traditional headphones where we put them over our ears or buds into our ear (known as air conduction) but what about placing them just in front of our ears. It definitely seems like a strange way to listen to music. But AfterShokz headphones work by generating miniature vibrations which travel through your cheekbones. The vibrations go directly to your inner ears (cochlea), bypassing your eardrums. Because of this, you are free to enjoy music without blocking your ears. This leaves you with situational awareness and comfort.
Setup
After I unboxed these I connected the cable and hooked it up to the computer. It was an easy drag and drop action into the TrainerZ folder. I then powered on the headphones and music was ready to go. From wireless headphones I have used in the past they were by far the easiest to setup. The main takeaway from this is that you need a computer to set these up.
First Test
Off to the pool I went with my new gadget. I had never used bone conduction headphones before so I was also curious to test out this technology. I turned them on before I jumped into the pool and straight away I noticed the sound quality, it was as good as having ear buds. I wasn’t expecting that to be the case when underwater. Xtrainerz provide an equalisation mode to optimise the sound quality underwater. This makes them loud, with plenty of bass. They fitted nicely, felt secure and didn’t get in the way of my goggles and were comfortable under my swim hat. And now it was the real, I jumped into the water and as soon as I started swimming the quality of the sound seemed to improve. They never once moved during my session and at no stage did they annoy me, if it wasn’t for the music I wouldn’t have noticed them on me.
As I left the pool one of the lifeguards was curious to see what I was wearing as she was looking for something to use in the pool and hadn’t found anything she liked.
Other features worth mentioning
Xtrainerz are IP68 waterproof which means they can be submerged in up to 2 metres of water for 2 hours.
Pros
– Sound quality is exceptional
– Comfortable to wear when swimming and running and feel secure when on
– Makes swimming much more enjoyable
– Quick and easy to get setup and use
Cons
– There is no Bluetooth so you have to download your music in the days where streaming is becoming more popular
Overall
I would definitely recommend these. When it comes to swimming, Bluetooth is not going to work so it is essential that MP3 is available. The sound quality is amazing underwater and when my swims get longer these will make every session more enjoyable. I can’t wait to get back to the pool.
Where can I buy these
You can go
here if you are interested in Xtrainerz.
Technical Specs
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Part number
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AS700
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Frequency response
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20Hz-20KHz
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Battery
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Lithium battery
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Battery Capacity
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183 mAh
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Speaker type
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Bone conduction transducers
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Sensitivity
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96 ± 3dB
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Compatible profiles
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MP3, WMA, FLAC, WAV ,AAC
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Weight
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1.06 oz ( 30g)
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Continuous play
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Up to 8h
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Speaker impedance
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DC：8.5Ω±20%
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Charge time
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< 2 hours
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Warranty
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2 years
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Water resistance
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IP68
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Maximum output power
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0.6W
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Maximum charge voltage
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5.25 V
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Memory
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4GB or 1200 songs
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|
Part number
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AS700
|
Frequency response
|
20Hz-20KHz
|
|
Battery
|
Lithium battery
|
Battery Capacity
|
183 mAh
|
