I’m an open earbuds skeptic, but this great-sounding set totally won me over – here’s why

Generally speaking, if there’s one way I don’t want to consume my music, it's via open earbuds. They often have a slightly odd feel in-use or look a tad awkward – but more importantly, sound isn’t as neatly directed into the ear canal as when you use a pair of in-ear buds.

Sure, I get that a key benefit of the open design is you can hear more from your surroundings. And no doubt that’s useful if you’re running through a traffic-heavy area, for example. But to be honest, I typically like to block out as much noise as possible.

And as someone who also likes to hear the finer details in my music, the open-ear style isn’t typically ideal there either. After all, I’ve tried a good number of open earbuds which have lacked low-end impact, clear mids or delicate treble to make my favorite songs sound as good as they can be.

But earlier this year, I reviewed a pair of the best open earbuds, and they managed to seriously impress me, despite my usual open-ear skepticism. Yes, I’m talking about the clip-on Anker Soundcore AeroClip, which are my favorite open earbuds I’ve tried so far. Wanna know why? Well, I’ll break it down *starts spinning all over the floor*. Just kidding… let’s check the AeroClip out.

Clarity among a sea of muddiness

The number one draw of the Soundcore AeroClip, for me, is their surprisingly clear audio output. Because open-ear models aren’t nestled into your ear canal or sealing your ears entirely – like the best over-ear headphones – they can often sound a little directionless and unrefined.

But not the AeroClip. After a bit of EQ adjustment in the Soundcore app, I was able to experience an airy, ear-filling quality on tracks such as Não Tem Nada Não by Marcos Valle. In addition, I was met with impactful bass and controlled percussion in Remind Me by Patrice Rushen. There was never any kind of distant quality or harshness to put up with – something I’ve been subjected to with models like the Happy Plugs Clip.

I should note – there are no fancy codecs, such as LDAC which is on the Edifier LolliClip. But for a pair of open-ears, the AeroClip still sound perfectly up-to-scratch, and far superior to many competitors weighed down by muddy, underdeveloped audio.

And a final note on sound quality – if you’re looking for some open earbuds with crisp calling, this is a pair well-worth checking out. Soundcore says that the AeroClip plate up “AI-boosted clear calls”, and although I’m not so sure how much of a role AI plays, I have to say that my speech is always nice and clear over the phone – something that I also felt when listening back to a voice recording.

Secure, yet comfy

Really, the surprisingly strong sound quality of the AeroClip is their key selling point. But I’ve got to say, I really think Soundcore nailed the feel and fit with these open earbuds.

I was able to keep the Soundcore AeroClip on for hours without my ears feeling fatigued or overly constrained. That wasn’t quite the case when trying out the solid, yet slightly less comfy Anker Soundcore C40i. The AeroClip are lightweight and never feel invasive in-use, even if the clip-on design may take a bit of getting used to for anyone new to it.

On top of that, the AeroClip have proved to be nice and secure even when I’m moving around a fair bit, meaning you won’t have to worry about them dropping off mid-workout. In the box, you even get some medium and large-sized ear grips, which will keep the buds closely fitted if you find they’re on the loose side of things. Personally, I didn’t need to use these, though.

An addition, not a replacement

Recently, my talented colleague Becky Scarrott wrote an article explaining why everyone needs 5 pairs of headphones. And what do you know… open earbuds made the cut. Yep, I’m not going to stand here and claim that the AeroClip have replaced the incredible Sony WH-1000XM6, LG Tone Free T90S or Sennheiser IE 200 in my rotation. Instead, they’re more like a worthy addition to what I was already working with.

If you want to add an open-ear option to your arsenal, but you’re not quite sold on the clippy style, then don’t worry, there are some awesome alternatives out there. One of our absolute favorites – which we’ve been recommending since they dropped – is the Huawei FreeArc. They’re IP57 dustproof and waterproof rated, meaning they can even survive being submerged under water for 30 minutes, and they sound absolutely fantastic for the price (£99 in the UK).

So, will you be adding the Anker Soundcore AeroClip or a rival open-ear model to your collection of headphones and earbuds? I’d be interested to hear from you, so let me know in the comments!

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