We’ve heard of bone conduction headphones before, but the new TOZO OpenReal is termed as “air conduction”. To me, it feels more like an open-ear concept as the speakers of the headphone don’t fully seal off your ears. The TOZO OpenReal retails for US$50.
Unboxing
Here’s what you’ll find in the box:
- TOZO OpenReal headphones
- Charging cable
- User manual
Tech specs
| Frequency response | 20 to 20,000 Hz |
| Driver | 16.2mm dynamic driver |
| Battery life | Up to 14 hours per full charge |
| Weight | 30g |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
| Water resistance | Unknown |
| Controls | Button, Touch |
| Charging | Proprietary magnetic connection |
Build quality and features
The whole of TOZO OpenReal headphones is covered in a soft silicon material in a matte black colour. Only the area where the speakers drivers are located are made from plastic. The design is very simple as well, with just the TOZO logo located at the speaker area.
The overall headphone has a dense feel which translate well to its build quality. I couldn’t really find any info on the water resistance rating, but seeing after seeing advertised images of it being soaked in water, I’m assuming it can handle water and sweat well. I’ve worn the TOZO OpenReal for a few running sessions and they are still working fine so far.
Controls
TOZO OpenReal uses a combination of touch and button controls. The touch controls are located on the right side headphones. It is easy to reach (if I have my thumb to find the end), reactive to touch, and not accidentally triggered when adjusting fit. The button controls are located further back (when wearing it), and they are okay to use. There are slight nubs on the button to give you an indication of its existence,
The combination of controls grant you the ability handle media controls (such as volume, and track skipping). You can find a summary of the button controls in the image below:
Like on the TOZO Golden X1, the TOZO OpenReal also has support from the TOZO app, but the customisations are limited to the EQ settings. There are many stock presets available to choose from, or you can always create your own. The EQ presets does create a noticeable change in sound signature compared to the stock.
Fit and comfort
The fit of the TOZO OpenReal is very similar to most bone conduction headphones out there. The fit relies heavily on the curves along the speaker drivers to hook on to your ear. I got a good fit with the TOZO OpenReal even with spectacles on. Comfort is pretty good as well as the 30 grams weight of the TOZO OpenReal doesn’t create much pressure on my ears. I like using the TOZO OpenReal for runs as it doesn’t have the thumping sound that you get when listening to music with earbuds.
Having said that, I can definitely feel that there is something being hooked on my ears, just that it isn’t uncomfortable. One thing to note is that the neckband just hangs freely and there is no way to adjust it. As such, I cannot recommend using this if the back of your head is going to be resting against something (eg. gym bench), as it will cause the headphones to dislodge from its fit. I used the TOZO OpenReal for casual runs and the fit remained intact and secure without any hint of moving out of position.
Sound quality
Looking at how the TOZO OpenReal is an open-ear type of headphone, I had expectations that the sound was likely going to be on the thinner side without much bass impact. However, I was pleasantly surprised that the over sound signature is actually rather balanced, without any frequency feeling noticeably lacking.
Bass is clear and present, with a good amount of punch and depth to it to give the song warmth and liveliness. Having said that, don’t expect too much sub-bass rumble. Midrange is natural sounding with any body to it to not sound thin. Vocals and instruments manages to stay fairly forward in the mix despite the speakers drivers not directly pushed into my ear canal. Treble is slightly veiled but remains clear and fun to listen to.
It’s actually quite impressive that the TOZO OpenReal is able to produce a sound signature that does fall prey to usual open-ear limitations of airy thin sound. The overall sound is quite immersive and full.
Microphone quality
Microphone on the TOZO OpenReal is surprisingly good. Voice production is clear, a tad distant, but retains a good amount of natural warmth to it. In noisy conditions, TOZO OpenReal is able to remove a large chunk of the noise whilst keeping my voice forward and clear.
Battery life
TOZO OpenReal is rated to last up to 14 hours of play time on a single charge, which was rather sufficient for my use case – about 20 to 25 running sessions. The only drawback of the TOZO OpenReal is the use of its proprietary charging port via magnets, due to its need to keep it as water resistant as possible.
If you need to juice up the TOZO OpenReal quickly, you’d be glad to know that there is fast charging available. And charging it for an hour will bring it back fully to 100%. The TOZO app will give you an accurate percentage of the remaining battery life.
Pairing, connectivity, and latency
TOZO OpenReal is equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.3 and pairs to my iPhone very quickly as one unit. During my time of testing, I did not encounter any connection issues or dropouts. There was also no audio-video lag experienced as well when watching YouTube on my iPhone 11. There isn’t multi-point pairing, but I’d say is ok for this price point.
Conclusion
If you’re not a fan of how bone conduction headphones sound, the TOZO OpenReal is a rather compelling option as it offers an open-fit earbuds type of sound in a fit that works best for sporting usage. The TOZO OpenReal is currently my go-to headphone when it comes to active use cases of running or cycling.