Yes, history repeats itself here in our review: recordings with natural instruments, especially stringed instruments, sounded downright magical over the open-ears, with fabulous fine dynamics and a very generous, authentic sense of space. As for the voice reproduction, sometimes a tiny shift decides a slightly throaty discoloration, which mainly affects female voices, but also some male vocalists. The Shokz OpenFit are engineered to get sound from the buds to your ear canals in the most effective way possible. The hook is made from dual-layered liquid silicone with a flexible memory wire inside, which Shokz says is what makes the earbud pliable, so you can adapt them a little to your ear shape. On their exterior, they have a soft silicone finish, which makes them feel incredibly comfortable and almost velvety to the touch.

The result is that you are able to hear sound clearly. This, combined with the 18 X 11mm dynamic drivers means these earbuds deliver quality, crisp sound, even when they’re near your ear and not inside it. The extra situational awareness means that if you’re cycling to work, you can listen to music while still being able to hear the sound of cars, pedestrians, sirens and other cyclists around you. For runners, the benefits are much the same. They’re also handy in the office, where you may want to listen to music while still being able to hear your colleagues. While they're not likely to win any awards for audio quality, for open-ear headphones the sound is great. Aside from the aforementioned limitations, the quality remained consistent, loud and smooth during our tests thanks to the brand’s ‘Direct Pitch’ technology, which is said to help deliver ‘bold highs, clear mids, and surging bass’. Whether it was during runs, cycles, or workouts, the audio for both music and podcasts was of great quality throughout.The ergonomic dolphin arc ear hook ensures that the headphones rest securely around your ears, allowing for natural airflow and minimizing discomfort during prolonged wear. In combination with the already mentioned pressure-free wearing comfort, this results in a total work of art that solves not all, but many essential problems of headphones. With the Shokz OpenFit, you always stay a bit connected to your environment and enjoy a sound that is remotely reminiscent of speakers in a room. Thus, the Bluetooth open-ear makes head-fi culture quite a bit more attractive for anyone with chronic headphone phobia. I put the Shokz OpenFits over my ears and let the music rip. Already connected to my phone, the earbuds fired up immediately without me having to push play. That can be a little alarming the first time, but not a big deal.

If you’re a heavy sweater, there are few worse feelings when you exercise than the wet willy-like sensation of an earbud squelching around inside your ear. An uncomfortable thought, but unfortunately, whether you’re on a run or lifting weights in the gym, it’s a necessary evil if you want to listen to music during your workouts without wearing bulky over-ear headphones. But what if we told you there was another way?The introduction of an app and an equaliser is a great addition. I made my own profile immediately, which suited my taste and music preferences. I found it very easy to navigate and use. We test every set of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.