I Did Not Expect To Like These Open-ear Headphones As Much As I Did - Just Look At Them

Nwm One Open-Ear Headphones

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The NWM One open-ear headphones unit for $300 and supply immersive yet alert listening.
• The headphones remainder lightly and comfortably, making them perfect for some workout and agency use.
• The artillery life leaves thing to beryllium desired.

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I spell done phases pinch earbuds and headphones. One minute, I'm craving immersive sound and perfectly zero distractions pulling maine distant from my music. Next, I'm overstimulated and require either soundlessness aliases nan calmest ambience delivered astatine arm's magnitude distant from my precious ears.

Because of this, I've taken to unfastened earbuds nicely. Pairs for illustration Nothing's Ear Open aliases Bose's Ultra Open present rich | sound pinch a patient distance. When I tested these earbuds out, I had nary problem going connected agelong walks pinch them in, arsenic I tuned into my situation while listening to my music. 

Also: I wore 5 different headphones crossed 8 flights - here's really each brace won (and lost)

I wore them to nan market store, thing I'd ne'er do pinch a brace of noise-canceling earbuds, fixed really engaged my Brooklyn Trader Joe's is and really unaware I go of my surroundings pinch earbuds successful my ears.  

So erstwhile I recovered retired that Nwm was trading unfastened headphones, called Nwm One, I jumped astatine nan chance to effort them out. How connected Earth would these work, I thought to myself. A fewer weeks of moving and exercising pinch nan headphones bring maine answers to that very question. Are they nan adjacent large point successful audio, and should you bargain a brace of unfastened headphones for yourself? I get into each of that below. 

The Nvm open-ear headphones lucifer normal headphones, isolated from that their centers person been trim out. The receptor pads successful a modular headphone are replaced pinch shiny coned speakers successful these. 

Because these headphones don't cup my ears and alternatively remainder inches distant from them, nan unit buildup aliases sweaty receptor syndrome associated pinch dense noise-canceling, over-ear headphones is nonexistent successful this pair. This makes them maximally comfortable and effortlessly ray to deterioration connected walks, to nan gym, and astatine work. 

Also: You should cleanable your headphones and earbuds ASAP (and it goes beyond sanitary reasons)

When it comes to work, if you walk your days successful an agency and find yourself perpetually taking disconnected your headphones to reply colleagues' questions, see this your cleanable pair. The consciousness that lends itself to nan Nwm's shape facet ensures that I tin person afloat conversations pinch coworkers while playing my euphony astatine a mean volume. 

Nina Raemont/ZDNET

The audio connected nan Nwm One is rich | and crisp. The headphones nutrient loud, clear, and balanced sound. With that being said, however, I must statement that location is much audio leakage from these open-ear headphones than from different products I've tested, but that's par for nan people for specified a unsocial and unprotected shape factor. 

I wouldn't acquisition these if you're looking for a headphone that quiets it each down. Quite nan contrary: I'd acquisition these if you want to perceive loud, clear euphony alongside your environment. I tested these retired successful my bustling gym's weight room. 

Also: I'm an audiophile, and these are nan only inexpensive earbuds you should see correct now

I heard nan clanks and bangs of large instrumentality alongside nan sound of my podcast big successful my ear. At times, it was difficult to afloat perceive what my big was saying without turning nan measurement each nan measurement up. 

When I moved to a little noisy portion of nan gym, my euphony was clearer, and erstwhile different gym personnel came up to maine to inquire maine a question, I didn't person to region my music, return my headphones out, and opportunity "Sorry, could you repetition that?" to a stranger. That's because nan audio allowed his words to break done my music, dissolving nan accustomed obstruction betwixt nan gym's chap exercisers and maine that noise-canceling earbuds often create. 

When I'm stepping connected nan street, I don't person to return my headphones disconnected to perceive cars beeping aliases bicyclists passing. It is precisely these usage cases that item erstwhile and wherever personification should deterioration nan Nwm One headphones. 

ZDNET's buying advice

If you're looking for a unsocial shape factor, sound that keeps you immersed successful your euphony while still being alert of your surroundings, and headphones that you tin usage during exercise, work, and passim nan day, I'd urge nan Nwm One. If sound cancellation is precocious connected your privilege list, I'd see different options connected nan marketplace -- location are plentifulness that get that occupation done.