Aftershokz Sportz M2 wth mic
Ingenious headphones that deliver sound through bone conduction technology
In our first review of these headphones there were some things we loved, and some things that we found slightly exasperating. The great stuff is still great, Aftershockz have slightly redesigned some of the stuff we were less than impressed by to deliver a better overall package.
Aftershockz work by utilising bone conduction technology, so instead of sitting in your ears, they transmit the music through your cheekbones, leaving your ears free to hear whatever’s going on around you. They’re perfect for urban running and, while we still don’t suggest using headphones whil cycling is a great idea, if you have to ride with music, these are the headphones to use.
The sound quality is good, but if you’re a fan of bass-heavy music you’ll find that the treble is much better more audible than the bass. But when we spoke to Aftershockx at Core Bike last week, they assured us that better bass is something they’re working on. For now, though, it might be better to switch that drum and bass for eurphoric dance on your workout playlist.
The controller has been moved further up the cable in the new version, and clips to the neck on your t-shirt, which is much better than the sternum-positioned controller they had before. Plus, there’s a bit of extra cable between control and earphones so you don’t get any irritating pull when you run.
They’re still not totally easy to use with sunglasses, as the frame still sits above your ear, but it’s not bad enough that you wouldn’t use them. There’s also an option for an in-built microphone which is nice if you want to use them as a hand-free kit, too.
All in all, the second generation Aftershockx are definitely better than the first, and no doubt they’ll continue to improve.
Contact : www.aftershokz.co.uk
Mike Anderson
