Shokz OpenFit 2+ and OpenDots One reviewed — one good and one great

Shokz has today announced two new sets of headphones, including one with an ear-clip design.  I’ve been using the two new sets of headphones, the OpenDots One and the OpenFit 2+, for just over a week now and have been impressed with them, although they are not perfect.

Read on to hear my thoughts on both sets of headphones from Shokz.

OpenDots One

The OpenDots One are an entirely new design for Shokz, their first foray into the world of ear-clip design headphones.  These are designed for all-day, every-day use, rather than specifically sport like the rest of their lineup.

Build and design

I’ve used other branded ear-clip style headphones recently and was impressed with how comfortable they were.  The new OpenDots One are much more of the same but take comfort to the next level.

The OpenDots One include a soft silicone on both sides of the clip which results in not just a secure fit but also a soft fit where it does not rub painfully against the surface of the ear lobe.  

Shokz has also included a different material inside their JointArc technology.  This is the section of the clip that joins the speaker section to the battery section.  Not only is it more flexible but it springs back to the fit faster and with more power than the other brand.  

The other brand seems to be more of just a solid half-ring of plastic but the OpenDots One technology is like a spring which opens but then springs back.  This allows the headphone to not just clip onto the ear more securely but to also be flexible enough to fit to any width and shaped earlobe for that comfortable fit.

The headphones are designed in such a way that the battery for them sits on one side of the JointArc band, and the two 11.8mm drivers on the other.   Interestingly, the design of the OpenDots One allows them to be ambidextrous – that they can be used in either ear so you don’t have to look for a left or right sign on the earbud before placing them in position.  

Sound quality

First off, you need to remember that any open-ear headphone will not sound anywhere as good as an equivalent in-ear headphone.  This is the case here but keep in mind that you are still aware of your surroundings, as other sounds can also make their way into your ear canal.  

The OpenDots One have a better sound than the previous set I tested out.  The range of frequencies they are able to project is a lot wider than the other set – but the other set is also $140 cheaper, so there is that.

The highs and mids were much crisper than the cheaper set.  The bass was still lacking when compared to decent in-ear earbuds; the OpenDots One were better than the cheaper pair here as well.

Somehow, the OpenDots One were able to go louder than the cheaper set too, which is both good and bad – it also means that the louder it is the less of your environment you’ll be able to hear.

In the end I was happy enough with the quality of the sound in the OpenDots One.  I feel that sound quality in this case is a choice.  A choice between being able to hear others and objects in your environment and not.  A fully enclosed set of equivalently priced earbuds/headphones will sound better.  

For me I normally would go for the better quality but using these was a nice change to be able to hear people when they were speaking to me in the gym. A quick note on the battery life — it was impressive and at or near the 50 hours total (40 in case, 10 in earbuds) quoted by Shokz. The case also has support for wireless charging, is a premium addition.

Who buys the OpenDots One?

The OpenDots One are headphones designed as a fashion accessory that can be worn throughout the day while you are in the office, out and about, wherever.  They allow you to continue to interact with your environment with relative ease while at the same time being extremely comfortable and producing a decent sound quality.

These are the headphones for those folks who want something they can use all day and then occasionally during a workout, not the other way around.

The Shokz OpenDots One are available from July 3 in black and grey colours at Shokz.com.au, Amazon AU and JB Hi-Fi for $339.  Additional retailers such as Harvey Norman will stock them from July 31.

OpenFit 2+

The OpenFit 2+, as you may have gathered from the name, is not Shokz’s first set of headphones of this variety.  As such, they are a well-refined design that builds upon feedback received from users of their first-generation OpenFit headphones.

Build and design

The Shokz OpenFit 2+ are two separate earbuds with a speaker that sits outside the ear canal, blasting sound into the ears, and an arm that wraps around the back of the ear to hold it in place.

The grip on the headphones is not super tight and although it feels at times like they are falling out or becoming loose, they never actually did — although I did spend some time adjusting them just in case. Whether this was the shape around the ear of the new design or the soft silicone in various locations that made them secure, I’m not entirely sure but it worked, whatever the reason.

There is only one touch-sensitive area on each headphone, but after receiving feedback, they have added a physical button to each headphone, making it easier to tap and use.  A lot of users prefer to use this for controlling the media and turning off the touch-sensitive buttons – something you do in the Shokz app. I’m ok with only two buttons as I only play and pause my music using buttons on headphones.

Sound quality

The OpenFit 2+ include Shokz’s second-generation open-ear technology, DirectPitch 2.0 that directs the sound accurately into the ear canal, with minimal sound leakage.  This is directed but at the same time, the open ear design allows for your environmental noise to still make it in and be heard.

The sound is just okay, not nearly as good as that from the OpenDots One which surprised me.   The sound seems to be a bit more ‘muffled’ and not as crisp as that in the OpenDots One.   There is a bit more bass to the sound, but it falls off fairly dramatically with the accuracy and crispness of the mids and upper register.  For a pure sound, the OpenDots One headphones are much better.  

When comparing them to the Shokz OpenRun 2, the OpenFit 2+ offer a louder, more encompassing sound with brighter highs and deeper bass.  You cannot hear your environment as well with the OpenFit 2+ because the speaker on the OpenFit 2+ is positioned much closer to the ears. 

These headphones are designed specifically as sports headphones though, and that is where they excel.  You can hear more of your environment than with the OpenDots One headphones, and they have a slightly higher water resistance rating – IP55 vs IP54.

Running at full tilt on the treadmill, these headphones were secure and did not dislodge which is definitely a plus. Battery life was impressive again, close to the 40+ hours quoted by Shokz, with the case again supporting wireless charging.

Who buys the Shokz OpenFit 2+?

The OpenFit 2+ are designed for the athlete who wants a set of open-ear headphones that will be secure and comfortable.  They do sound better than the OpenRun 2, which are truly open-ear headphones, but do not match the sound quality of the OpenDots One. 

These headphones are for the athlete who wants a more encompassing sound and although you cannot hear your environment as well as you can with the OpenRun 2, you can still hear it and be aware of any dangers.

The Shokz OpenFit 2+ is available from July 3 from Shokz.com.au, Amazon AU and JB Hi-Fi for $339.  Additional retailers such as Harvey Norman will stock them from July 31.