Many people like to listen to music while outdoors, especially when biking, running, or even skiing. Unfortunately there are drawbacks including that it can be difficult to hear other people, cars, and even your phone unless you are listening to music at a very low volume. The earHero earbuds are a solution that because they are so tiny that they only partially block the ear canal, allowing you to easily hear everything around you.
Why It’s Great
Whether you do sports for fun or for fitness, you probably like to listen to music. I know I do. One of the biggest issues is that you can’t always hear cars coming if you’re on a road, and you can’t always hear signals and alerts such as phone calls and texts. Many headphones are also too bulky to fit comfortably under a helmet, and many can get in the way, bounce out, or be uncomfortable for sport enthusiasts. The earHero earbuds get around all of that by offering an incredibly thin and light alternative that can be worn under a helmet, allow you to hear cars and texts, and even let you answer a call without taking them out. Other uses could include security and even low-key headphone use, such as in class, or at work where you might not necessarily be encouraged to listen to music.
How They Work
earHero earbuds are essentially standard earbuds but much smaller. They were designed by audiologist Matt Murphy and are based on 7 years of research. Each earbud contains a tiny speaker and a retention cord that sits inside of the eardrum to keep the speaker in place. Then, the two speakers simultaneously transfer different audio signals to the brain, so that you can listen to them, as well as anything else at the same time. Unfortunately this also means that if you listen to your music on the top of volume, it’s also easier for others to hear what you’re listening to. Despite this, listening at a standard volume becomes a great deal more convenient when outdoors, at work, or biking and running.
Getting It
The earHero comes in two versions although the earHero Sport is the most commonly marketed. The earHeroPro is marketed for security and professional audio usage (I.E. Special Ops), and both are designed to withstand extreme elements as well as shock and motion, making them perfect for high impact and standard sports.
The earHero costs $149, although it is sometimes on sale.
Owners can also spring for a bluetooth clip to help them with going hands free.
However, there are no specifications on audio quality, so to many, a $150 earbud purcahse is a big risk. What do you think? Are thin, lightweight, and highly durable earbuds worth the purchase price? Or is it not worth the money for something that is essentially a downsized version of what we already have? The earHero earbuds offer convenient and safety when outdoors, but most are not willing to pay the extra money for the convenience.
