REVIEW – I beforehand reviewed the Naenka Runner Diver bone conduction swimming headphones and actually appreciated them so when Naenka provided their new Runner Neo headphones for me to attempt I couldn’t say no. Let’s see if I like these higher.
What’s it?
The Naenka Runner Neo headphones make the most of bone conduction to transmit sound waves somewhat than by the air. The Naenka Runner Neo headphones are IP66 waterproof to allow them to resist sweat, moisture, and dirt. They make the most of Bluetooth 5.2 to hook up with two units concurrently and are available inexperienced, grey, and crimson coloration choices.
What’s within the field?
- 1x Naenka Runner Neo headphones in crimson
- 1x USB-A Charging Cable Dock
- 2x Ear Plugs
- 1x Silicone Adjustment Band
- 1x Person handbook
- 6x Sound high quality enhancer
{Hardware} specs
- Weight: 30.3 g or 1 oz
- Battery: 160 mAh/4.2v Lithium Ion
- Charging time: Absolutely prices in 2 hours by way of wi-fi charging
- Playback: 10 hours at 60% quantity
- IP66 Waterproof Score
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Pores and skin pleasant silicone
Design and options
The Naenka Runner Neo headphones appear like most bone conduction headphones however are a bit of slimmer and lighter by 6 grams than the Runner Diver’s I beforehand reviewed which have been 36.2 grams. They’re wrapped in a bit of smoother silicone so that they don’t decide up mud as simply because the Runner Diver which is a optimistic. They match very properly over my ears and regardless of sporting them for hours at a time I didn’t really feel any discomfort.
My Runner Diver’s in grey for comparability
The Runner Neo buttons have a pleasant tactile really feel and stable click on when pressed
The Naenka Runner Neo retains issues easy with solely three buttons that are the operate button and two quantity buttons that carry out all features. The largest change from the Runner Diver is the Runner Neo is now turned on utilizing the + quantity button as a substitute of the operate button on the fitting ear piece.
There’s a microphone port on the aspect of the fitting ear piece and an LED indicator mild just a bit in entrance of that. Naenka features a pair of ear plugs in addition to three units of sound high quality enhancers.
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Setup
Setup was fairly straightforward. To show the headphones on you press the + quantity button for 3 seconds and it’ll enter pairing mode. Naenka Runner Neo confirmed up in my telephone’s Bluetooth and after choosing it I heard a “related” from the Runner Neo. To show off the Runner Neo you press the + quantity button for five seconds.
Charging is tremendous straightforward as properly and is now wi-fi. The cradle connects to the fitting aspect with magnets and when the white mild stays on it’s totally charged.
Efficiency
The Naenka Runner Neo Bone Conduction Headphones connect with my mobile phone extraordinarily quick. After urgent the + quantity button for 3 seconds the little voice says, “Welcome to Naenka bone conduction headphones, pairing, the Bluetooth is related”. With the Runner Diver it solely says, “Energy on, Bluetooth mode, related” which was succinct and to the purpose. I would like a easy chime or tone or simply “Energy on, related” somewhat than an entire promoting spiel each time I flip them on.
The operate button on the fitting ear piece is used to reply calls and cling up with one click on or reject calls with a double click on. It’s also possible to wake your telephone’s assistant with a double click on and I discovered it labored fairly properly on Android with Google Assistant. You’ll be able to pause music by clicking the operate button and resume with one other click on.
To show the Naenka Runner Neo off you press the + quantity button for five seconds and it states a easy, “Energy off”, which is all you want. That is the place a significant design flaw arises, nonetheless, as a result of whenever you press the + quantity button for two seconds it skips to the subsequent monitor. Urgent the – quantity button goes again to the earlier music. This was the identical with the Runner Diver however for the reason that energy on/off was moved from the operate button it now prompts the skip monitor whenever you flip it off.
This implies EVERY TIME you flip it off it is going to skip to the subsequent monitor. If you’re listening to a podcast it is going to skip to the subsequent podcast. If you’re watching a YouTube video it is going to skip to the subsequent video. If you’re listening to an audio e book it is going to skip to the subsequent chapter whenever you flip it off. So whenever you flip them again on you’ll have to return and discover your house. Not a giant deal if simply listening to music however as a podcast, YouTube, audio e book listener this isn’t solely annoying however principally makes them unusable for me as this acquired previous actually shortly.
Apart from that I actually like them. The sound switch by my cheek bones is evident and telephone conversations throughout calls have been nice. The Bluetooth vary was wonderful and remained related to my telephone over 50ft away by a number of partitions with none static or skipping which is why I appreciated the Runner Divers a lot.
The one draw back to bone conduction is in case you are in a really noisy setting corresponding to on a treadmill when everybody round you can also be on the treadmills then it may be onerous to listen to a podcast or dialogue. Music isn’t a problem and I do like with the ability to hear every thing round me when I’m operating outdoors for instance. When I’m taking a exercise class I can have my very own tunes however nonetheless hear the trainer which I like in addition to when weight lifting I can speak to my lifting buddy with out having to take an earphone out.
Battery life was wonderful and appeared higher than the marketed 10 hours per cost and I appreciated the magnetic charging cable which made a stable connection when hooked up. Right now Naenka doesn’t have an app which I appreciated initially as a result of I don’t assume every thing wants one however on this case they do as a result of the one solution to repair this enormous design flaw is a firmware replace which isn’t potential with out an app.
What I like
- Clear sound akin to in ear headphones
- Permits me to listen to my environment
- Snug for very long time use
What I’d change
- Transfer energy on/off again to operate button
- Solely brief chime when turning on/off
Closing ideas
For probably the most half, I like the texture, sound, and lighter weight (30g vs 36g) of the Naenka Runner Neo over my Runner Diver, nonetheless, I’ll hold utilizing the Runner Diver for the massive flaw talked about above. If not for that I might change over. I did see that Naenka launched an up to date Runner Diver2 and so long as they saved the identical button features as the unique Runner Diver I might positively suggest these over the Runner Neo.
Worth: $109.99
The place to purchase: Naenka On-line Retailer ( save 15% with code gadgeteer15 ) or Amazon ( save 15% with code 15gadgeteer )
Supply: The pattern for this evaluation was offered by Naenka.
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