AfterShokz Aeropex vs Sony WH-1000XM4

I had never tried bone conductivity headphones before, but I figured since I wasn't having any good luck with traditional headphones, I'd give these a try. When they arrived, I could tell they were pretty good quality as far as their build goes, but the instructions are lacking. There are two modes on these, one for when you're wearing earplugs, and one for when you're not. Which one is which? Good luck telling

And the ANC (active noise cancelling) was AMAZING. I could be sitting right next to a whole house fan and not hear it. I was blown away. RANGE: Twice during the day I tried walking around while on a call

1. light weight - doesn't cause discomfort to my ears (I cannot wear earbuds or on the ear headphones as they cause pain to my ears after about 5 minutes. I can wear these for hours without pain)

These are by far some of the most comfortable headphones I've ever used. The noise canceling is top notch in every environment I've needed to use them (mostly the office with an open concept, and airplane travel), which means I can listen to music or other content at a reasonable volume with full clarity. Having them paired to my computer and phone at the same time is a great convenience that will be a requirement when I replace them eventually. I use them for ~8+ hours a day, Monday - Friday, with minimal ear fatigue

The open ear is nice for running on the street, so I can hear cars coming. Sound quality is surprisingly good, but I've never used airpods so I can't offer a comparison.

So my first pair of headphone I got were the beats wireless studio, I recently decided it’s time for an upgrade and I had bough the Sony WH-1000XM4 and I love the wireless and battery life about it. I also like the noise canceling but once I started listening to it more I could tell they sounded ok but I wanted better sound. What are the best sound quality headphones for under 400$?

When I am out for a walk my other headphones do a better job of passing the ambient sounds through when I want and also with blocking them when I don't. When I am at my desk they are not comfortable at all because I have a headrest. Even when I don't want to rest my head on the head rest I still find the loop of the headphones bumping it distracting. When I do want to use the head rest, it is awkward feeling

Comfort: I wear these for hours straight and haven't found them uncomfortable or heavy. Software Support: Not terrible but not great. For some reason, the "Headphone Connect" app (which is used to more finely control and configure these headphones) is only available on your phone; there is no desktop version. Within the app you can change the equalization profile, change what the general purpose button does (Google Assistant or Noise Cancellation mode), and update the firmware (UI for doing this isn't straightforward and buggy)

I'm going to compare these a lot to Phaiser BHS-530, because I used them with great satisfaction for over three years, until they were recently discontinued and I was forced to find a new wraparound-style model. The Phaisers were usually $30 and lasted about a year. These Aftershokz cost about four times that and sound slightly worse. I've had this pair for about 2 months now, but we'll see how long they last

It appears that it would protect the headphones and hold up well with travel. A 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable is included

But they also told me that the headphones can't survive being charged more than an hour and a half at a time. I understand that over-charging is bad for lithium batteries. However, at this point in history I expect any electronic device to be smart enough to stop charging when it's full even if it's still plugged in, rather than torturing the battery chemistry for hours to make sure it stays at 100% to avoid being at 99% in the morning. It's bordering on impossible to imagine I'm *ever* going to pay enough attention to headphones I'm not even wearing to unplug them manually when the charge indicator changes color

My second pair didn't clack but made those other noises. For $250 (on sale) I expect the materials to be top notch and not make noise just because I move (the Bose and JBL didn't have this flaw). The battery life was okay, better than the Bose but I use my headphones daily for my commute and the gym so I had to charge them once a week. My old non-ANC headphones had 40 hour battery life and lasted me weeks so in comparison that was a let down

My follow up has gone unanswered as well so I thought I would come share my experience here. [See UPDATE, they did honor the warranty!] I don't think they are going to honor their warrantee and so I am just going to stick with cheaper options unless they surprise me and I will update this if they do. Update: They shipped me a pair of brand new replacement headphones just over two weeks after I asked for warranty replacement. The first hint that I had been heard at all was confirmation they were sending them

If you're under warranty, you're golden (they'll offer to fix or a discounted upgrade). If not, you're forced to operate with miniature tools under a magnifying glass to bend the button contact points to maintain constant connectivity to the board. My QC35's were months out of warranty & I was SOL.

Unfortunately, they don't have MP3, which to me would make this a complete package deal (-1 star). I don't like to carry my phone around while I'm working out. That being said, I do think the Bluetooth option is also a necessity. I saw the swimming version and thought that was the ONE, but no Bluetooth

So I currently own a pair of Bluetooth Sony WH-1000XM4's that I mainly take with me to work and just wear at all times of the day when needed. Noise cancelling is excellent on them and the audio feels so close, intimate and clear, from YouTube videos to music. They might be the best headphones I've ever used.

I bought these to replace my Bose Soundwear wireless speakers and they are fantastic! Comfortable to wear, clarity is fantastic, and a great value for the cost! In fact, I bought a second pair to keep at the office. Love them!

However, at a price point of $500 Canadian (with all these issues) I can't say they're the best at this time. So if you're thinking of buying these XM4's, my advice would be to just wait it out. Let Sony roll out a few patches, while you stay current with these threads to see if any actual improvements are made. Thanks for taking the time to read