It used to be that open-ear headphones meant tinny sound quality; the size and/or technology used to conduct sound waves just wasn’t comparable to traditional headphones. But with almost every pair we’ve tested over the last year or so, companies seem to be consistently improving the audio experience.
You may be wondering: If the sound quality is so much better in traditional headphones, why even bother with open-ear options? Because they keep you safer and more aware of your surroundings, whether you’re running through your neighborhood or taking a call in a coworking space.
The brand-new Anker Soundcore AeroFit Pro Open-Ear Headphones ($170) use a highly directional speaker to optimize sound quality, and add an innovative, detachable neckband to the now-standard open-ear design. Combine that with an extremely long-lasting battery life, and these are a solid investment for everyday listening.
We put them to the test over the past two weeks. Here’s what we liked most (and least) about the Soundcore AeroFit Pro Open-Ear Headphones.
Anker's Soundcore AeroFit Pro headphones are a great pair of open-ear headphones. We love the detachable neckband and the super long battery-life, though they can feel bulky — especially if you're wearing sunglasses or a hat.
What we liked about them
The sound quality
The Soundcore AeroFit Pro headphones have 16.2-millimeter oversized drivers (AKA the part of the headphones that converts electrical signals into sound) with titanium-coated domes. A subtle design on the speaker nozzle reflects the acoustics so more sound waves are redirected towards the ears, and it’s packed with technology that transmits more data than regular Bluetooth and multiple sensors for enhanced sound quality and spatial audio. On calls, four different mics combined with AI that reduces wind interference, for excellent clarity. Overall, we found the sound quality to be much more immersive compared to most open-ear headphones we’ve tried.
In the app, you can play around with sound effects like spatial audio (either fixed or head tracking; we preferred the fixed mode, which felt more standard, versus the sound moving “with us”) and sound field modes (“music” was definitely more immersive, we liked “movie” better for podcasts). You can also choose from audio presets (Signature, Podcast and Treble Booster) or customize the EQ, depending on what you’re listening to.
The detachable neckband
One issue we’ve had with open-ear headphones is instability. Unlike most true wireless earbuds, which sit in the ear canal, or over-ear headphones, which snugly wrap around the entire ear, open-ear headphones sort of…dangle over the top of the ear. In most cases, the battery compartment, which sits behind your ear, serves as a natural counterweight to the driver unit. It’s a smart design, but one that can feel precarious with too much movement. The Soundcore AeroFit Pros come with a detachable 0.7mm titanium wire neckband that clips onto each headphone, anchoring them in place. Even better: the neckband is easily adjustable (even while you’re wearing it), so you can tighten or loosen it to find the perfect fit. While we struggled at first to get everything connected in the right direction, we quickly realized each side has a color and dot to help make connecting them a cinch.
The long battery life
We were pretty blown away by the battery life in these headphones. You can get 14 hours out of a single charge, 46 hours with the charging case, and if you’re running low, 10 minutes of fast-charging will get you 5.5 hours of extra juice. We’ve been using these for over a week — for everything from music and podcast listening on long walks to taking work calls while at home — and we haven’t had to re-up our charge yet.
The headphones can feel a little bulky, but offer great sound and tons of battery life.
What we didn’t like about them
The fit is a little bulky
With all that tech packed into a relatively small device, the design is a little bulky; we could feel the sides of the speaker rubbing up against the bonier parts of our ears. We don’t think it’s a dealbreaker (and everyone’s ears are different!), although these aren’t the kind of headphones that you’ll just forget you’re wearing. (For comparison’s sake, our favorite open-ear headphones, the Shokz OpenFit, have 18x11-millimeter drivers, but the narrower, longer design felt much less distracting.) We also didn’t love how these fit while we were wearing eyeglasses or sunglasses — there was just too much going on around our ears.
How they compare
In general, these feel super similar to the $180 Shokz OpenFit headphones, which have slightly better sound quality and a more streamlined, comfortable fit. That $10 price difference just gets you a little more luxury, we guess. But we’d rank the Soundcore AeroFit Pro right between those and the Bose Sport Open Earbuds when recommending open-ear headphones in this style. If you’re looking for a cheaper pair with a similar design, the $80 JLab Open Sport headphones and the $79 JVC Nearphones are solid options, although you’ll be sacrificing sound quality and comfort at a lower price.
Bottom line
If you’ve been unsure about investing in open-ear headphones due to sound quality, these are another solid option in the “pro” category. With advanced technology enhancing the audio, an impressive battery life, and an innovative neckband that helps increase the security of the design, the Anker Soundcore AeroFit Pro Open-Ear Headphones are worth the price (our only hesitation is around the fit; you’ll want to try these on before committing). They’re not going to replace traditional headphones, but you’ll be able to stay plugged into your surroundings without sacrificing an enjoyable listening experience — and that’s a win-win.
