OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review

OneOdio’s OpenRock X open-ear headphones are designed for active people and transmit sound through bone conduction. The headphones feature a 50° pivot adjustment and a comfortable silicone cuff to fit a wide range of ear sizes. So what are our best wireless open ear headphones?

I tested the OpenRock X as sports open-ear headphones to see if their IPX5 durability rating would make them one of the best. best running headphones. These open-ear headphones, which don’t feature active noise cancellation (ANC), can be great for staying aware of your surroundings while running. They feature a sleek metal charging case with customizable EQ and great aesthetics. The rated 12-hour battery life is another plus.

But at $179, these aren’t the cheapest open-ear bone conduction headphones around. Are they worth the hefty price tag? Find out what I think in this OpenRock X sports open-ear headphone review.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Summary page

Why? Mid-range, open-ear headphones.
Who is it for? Runners, cyclists, people who don’t like to feel anything inside their ear.
How much does it cost? From $179 Amazon USA / From £169 Amazon UK
What do we like? The silicone hook is very comfortable and you can hear the ambient sound.
What do we not like? Open-ear headphones can take some getting used to if you don’t already have them.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Features

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Price	$179 / £169
Connection	Bluetooth 5.3
Effective range	10m
ANC	NO
Battery (headset)	2 hours
Battery (charging case)	12 hours / 48 hours with cash register
Weight	0.4 ounces
Dimensions	6.4 x 3.2 x 2.6 inches
Durability	IPX5
Colors	Black, white
Compatibility	iOS, Android

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Price and availability

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OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones start at $179 Amazon USA and from £169 Amazon UK This price makes them much cheaper than: Beats Powerbeats Pro ($249) and $20 less Beats Fit Pro ($199) Designed for iPhones.

But they’re still pretty expensive for open-ear headphones. Here are our picks for the best cheap open-ear headphones: JLab Go Air Sport The buds are only $30, but the OpenRock X is a higher-quality product, as it’s designed specifically for athletes.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Design and controls

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The OpenRock X open-ear headphones are made of high-quality silicone with a 50° rotating hook and a heavy-duty metal charging case. To look And to feel as if they were worth $179. When you press down on the charging case, the lid opens to reveal a tray that the magnetic earbuds fit into. I really like these luxury features, they justify the price tag — if you look at the looks alone.

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The other side of the charging case has a carabiner and a loop for securing bike bags or running vests when exercising, which is a nice feature but I don’t know how effective it would actually be because the case isn’t big enough to fit in a pocket.

In terms of wearing, you can adjust the hook vertically by 50° and horizontally by 45° to fit around your ears. The silicone is comfortable and feels high quality on the skin, and the hook sits perfectly above your ear.

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Unfortunately, this can be quite uncomfortable for those who wear glasses or have their ears pierced. If that’s the case for you, I’d suggest looking for an alternative Running headphonesStrangely, you have to turn each earbud on individually; they don’t turn on together when you press the button on one side.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Features and connectivity

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While the OpenRock X open-ear headphones don’t have ANC, this feature isn’t necessary for someone who wants open-ear headphones to hear ambient sounds. The headphones connect via Bluetooth 5.3, which means they have a stronger connection Shokz OpenWork Headphones that work with Bluetooth 5.0 ($129).

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OpenRock claims that its X open-ear headphones feature a proprietary ‘LISO 2.0’ algorithm that creates ‘crystal clear’ sound across the entire frequency spectrum. The headphones can deliver frequencies between 20Hz – 20kHz, which is the standard frequency range for most headphones, so don’t be fooled by the marketing jargon.

On top of that, the OpenRock X over-ear headphones claim to have a ‘Bass Direct’ feature that improves bass quality. While listening to bass-heavy tracks like ‘flight fm’ by Joy Orbison, I didn’t notice any increase in bass level until I customised the in-app EQ settings. The in-app ‘Find My Buds’ feature plays a wobbly ringtone-like sound until you stop it. This is a good feature for finding lost earbuds, but there’s no map location like on the AirPods.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: App

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OpenRock X open-ear headphones, OpenRock applicationIt’s simple enough to use and has everything you could possibly need, including a manual and product help. You can customise the EQ levels and button controls, and use the ‘Find’ feature here. It’s worth downloading if you buy these headphones.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Sound quality

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The OpenRock X headphones are open-ear, so the sound quality will never compete with wireless headphones with LDAC or ALAC. AirPods 4 ($129) or Sony WF-1000XM5 ($299).

While listening to the radio, the DJ’s voice sounded a bit hissy and muffled. Tracks ranging from electronic to soul do not sound punchy and lively with the OpenRock X. Although these headphones are used for sports purposes, the sound quality could be better.

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If you just want a premium-looking pair of open-ear headphones for running and cycling, these might be a good option, but if you care about sound quality, these aren’t worth the money. While the 14mm drivers can provide an immersive audio experience, they can’t be completely cinematic because the nature of open-ear headphones means your eardrums are too far away from the sound. Lacks LDAC (SonySupport for (‘s high-resolution Bluetooth codec) doesn’t help much either.

When running, the hook had a hard time staying around my ear, and I had to readjust the fit several times. Also, on windy runs, the wind nearly blew the sound out of the headphones before it reached my eardrums. When running on busy city streets, I had to crank up the volume to almost painful levels to hear my tunes in the busy environment. I think it would have been better to use in-ear headphones. Jabra Elite 8 Active 2nd Gen ($229) headphones or the Beats Fit Pro ($199) that will stay in your ears. If you’re worried about hearing traffic to stay safe on your runs, don’t worry. Both Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 headphones and Beats Fit Pro headphones feature powerful transparency/HearThrough modes.

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Open-ear headphones require an effective wind reduction system to prevent excessive noise reduction. It doesn’t matter if this is an open-ear headphone issue or an OpenRock X issue—I couldn’t hear my music. On top of that, the midrange and treble sections of Lime Garden’s “Nepotism Baby” sounded flat, tinny, and lifeless.

Overall, I wasn’t impressed with the sound quality of this OpenRock X open-back headset except in a quiet office.

OpenRock X sports open-ear headphones review: Verdict

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If these open-ear headphones were priced around $70-$100, I’d recommend them for their luxurious looks and battery life. But the most basic job of a headphone is to sound good, and the OpenRock X open-ear headphones don’t do that. If you’re looking for good-quality active earbuds, check out the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 ($229) or the Beats Fit Pro ($199) headphones.