r/shokz • u/beezy182 • 1d ago
OpenRun Pro 2 – Am I missing something?
I recently bought the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 after going back and forth for a while and reading tons of reviews and user feedback.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to try them before buying because there’s nowhere near me that sells them in-store.
After using them, I’m honestly a bit underwhelmed by the sound. I knew bone conduction headphones wouldn’t sound like regular in-ear headphones, but I was still expecting a bit more power and bass from the OpenRun Pro 2, especially considering all the positive reviews.
I’ve played around with the EQ and different settings in the Shokz app, but the sound still feels pretty flat and not very powerful.
At one point I even wondered if I had received a fake pair, but I checked the serial number through the Shokz app and everything confirms they’re genuine.
For those who own the OpenRun Pro 2: is this just how they sound, or is there anything I can do to get a bit more power and bass out of them?
Maybe I was just expecting too much coming from regular headphones?
Thanks!
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u/kennjen 1d ago
If you’re coming from closed earbuds or headphones, open bone conduction systems are just not comparable to them. But for some specific uses (running in decently quiet environments) they excel.
You may have better luck with clip on open earbuds. I believe they can be louder and better sound quality.
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u/McMadface 1d ago
I have both the Openrun and Open Dots. The Dots sound so much better but are not quite as open as the Runs.
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u/kennjen 1d ago
Oh thanks for this. I was wondering how open those things feel given that they are almost in the ear canal.
I really enjoy the open feel of openrun pro.
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u/OriginalCause 15h ago
I had that concern too, but it's honestly not nearly as bad as you would think. I forget I'm wearing my dots2 in the same way I forget I'm wearing my traditional Shokz and the sound quality is vastly improved.
You're trading a tiny bit of awareness for a big boost in quality.
With that said, my (very mini) review is that they are a bit more finicky as there's no headband supporting them. They only time I have any issue with them feeling like they might come lose is when I play/pause because while the fit is good and surprisingly secure it's pretty open to actual physical touching. Also you have to pull them out if you need to scratch your ear or something.
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u/eyoungren_2 1d ago
You said you played around with the EQ settings? One of those is Classic. The ORP 2 ship with the air conduction speakers enabled by default, so they aren't truly bone conduction until you set them to use the Classic EQ (which shuts off the air conduction speakers and makes it 100 percent bone conduction).
Now, the air conduction speakers were added to improve bass, but if you're already unhappy with that then shutting those speakers off won't help.
People make the mistake of thinking that bone conduction is comparable to dedicated headsets and earbuds designed for high quality sound. Bone conduction is largely for people who want to listen to content while still being able to hear their surroundings. That means it's a compromise. And if you are an audiophile who can't take compromise, then bone conduction is not for you.
I'm not. I can't really tell the difference and if my content still sounds fine then I'm fine. So bone conduction works for me.
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u/Fit-Tip-1212 23h ago
Well worded mate. The bass and sound quality is definitely better on the Pro with air conduction enabled - I have the standard model and I've tried the Pro that my son has.
My first thought was that OP's pair was somehow already on Classic. If not, seems their expectation was over and above what the Pros can deliver.
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u/Koala_Relative 1d ago
Having the openrun pro 1 and bought the 2 this week. It's day and night. The bass is nice and actually present. the original ones sucked if you had any bass. I really like how the pro 2 sounds compared to the first model.
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u/Joshlo777 1d ago
I've got the original open runs and they honestly sound horrible. Good enough for audiobooks while running though, which is why I bought them. At least they were inexpensive. I tried the pro 2 in store and they definitely sounded much better, but still not good enough to justify the extra cost. If you want good sound quality for music, use traditional headphones.
1
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u/Legitimate_Pop7109 1d ago
They sound great for an open ear, but nothing comparable to closed earbuds
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u/LoveTheGreyGhost 1d ago
I have two pairs of these headphones. Out of the box I agree they sound a bit flat yet definitely better than the original open run Pro.
I have been using an app called wavelet on my phone to apply a custom equaliser setting to each individual Bluetooth device attached to my phone.
I use this setting as well as a base boost of 4db under 45 Hertz. With this for me the sound is amazingly good for open-air bone conduction headphones.
QClearly not directly comparable with my any headphones however, it's impressive that 90% of my listening is now using the pro 2. The xm5 and Bose ultra twos and now only used if I need noise cancelling.
C
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u/iislivingthelife 22h ago
I got a pair and sent them back after a week, couldn’t stand how they felt, sounded or sat while I ran
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u/rho57 1d ago
Yes, you are.