As a Brooklyn-based record producer, audio engineer, and headphone enthusiast, I’m deeply invested in the nuances of music and sound quality and how they shape our listening experience.
In this review, I explore the curious world of True Wireless Open Earphones, a format that has been embraced by a wide range of manufacturers, from the budget-friendly 1MORE S31 at $70 to the premium Bose Ultra Open Earbuds at $299.
These open-ear models vary considerably in price, sound quality, and fit, with the design itself introducing challenges that might make the listening experience highly dependent on the shape of the listener’s ears.
While these earphones offer benefits like comfort, spatial awareness, and suitability for workouts, even the best of them struggle to match the sound quality of my out-of-the-studio go-to – AirPods Pro 2nd Generation (aka AirPods Pro 2).
Still, after spending time with these eight models, I can see why someone might be drawn to the open-ear format despite its potential sound quality shortcomings. Read on to find out which of these earphones stand out and which (literally) fall flat.
What We Tested
- 1MORE S31 — $70
- Beyerdynamic Verio 200 — $220
- Bose Ultra Open — $299
- Cleer ARC II — $150
- Creative Outlier Go — $60
- Oladance OWS Pro — $230
- Soundcore C30i — $70
- Soundcore AeroFit Pro — $170
Methodology
To review the eight different true wireless open earphones, I spent three weeks listening and comparing their fits, user experiences, sound quality, and call quality.
To evaluate sound quality, I listened to podcasts, watched movies, and played tracks on my curated reference playlist on Spotify.
For models with a corresponding iOS app, I explored and tested all available features directly on my iPhone.
To assess call quality, I used each pair to leave voicemails for my (very confused) partner, reading from the manual of each pair.
I then transferred all the voicemails to my recording studio setup, where I played them back on studio monitors and headphones to evaluate and compare each pair’s clarity and performance.
Why Choose Open-Ear Style?
Initially, the appeal of True Wireless Open Earphones was somewhat puzzling to me. However, after extensive testing in various scenarios, I encountered several advantages over traditional wireless options like AirPods.
One notable benefit is the enhanced comfort of open earphones during extended use. While my AirPods Pro 2 cause physical discomfort and ear fatigue after about 30 minutes of continuous use, some of the open-ear options reviewed here allow for much longer wear without the same level of discomfort.
Additionally, the open-ear design offers a notable safety advantage for activities like biking and running, where maintaining awareness of surroundings is crucial.
Despite these benefits, I still prefer using AirPods Pro 2 in transparency or dynamic mode for their superior sound quality.
However, AirPods are more expensive and may not fit comfortably for everyone, making the more affordable open-ear options a compelling alternative in some cases.
Specifications
| Brand | Model | Price | Codecs | Battery Life (per charge) | Touch Controls | Weight (per bud) |
| 1More | S31 | $70 | AAC, SBC | 8 hours | Y | 8.2 grams |
| Beyerdynamic | Verio 200 | $220 | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | 8 hours | Y | 10.8 grams |
| Bose | Ultra Open | $299 | aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC | 7 hours | Buttons | 6.4 grams |
| Cleer | ARC II | $150 | aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, AAC, SBC | 8 hours | Y | 14 grams |
| Creative | Outlier Go | $60 | AAC, SBC | 6 hours | Y | 11 grams |
| Oladance | OWS Pro | $230 | AAC, SBC | 16 hours | Y | 12.9 grams |
| Soundcore | C30i | $70 | AAC, SBC | 10 hours | Y | 5.7 grams |
| Soundcore | AeroFit Pro | $170 | AAC, SBC, LDAC | 14 hours | Buttons | 12.23 grams |
Fit & Comfort
Many of the earphones in this comparison feature a design reminiscent of hearing aids. They have a long, rounded piece that wraps around the ear, balancing the portion with the audio driver that sits closer to the ear canal.
At first, putting on these “hearing-aid” style models felt awkward and unintuitive.
However, by the time I put on the third pair with this same design, the process became much smoother – muscle memory kicked in and I no longer had to really think about it.
It’s worth noting again here that the fit of these open earphones will be heavily dependent on an individual’s ear shape and size.
1MORE S31 — 4 out 5 rating
The 1MORE S31 earphones offer a solid fit that I found to be unrelenting during runs and workouts. The S31 earphones stay securely in place, with minimal risk of falling out – even when shaking my head. The sound quality also remains relatively consistent despite movement.
Beyerdynamic Verio 200 — 4 out 5 rating
The Beyerdynamic Verio 200 earphones fit I found to be just about on par with the 1MORE S31 in terms of fit, comfort, and security.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — 4 out 5 rating
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Ultra earphones feature a very different design compared to the previous two. Instead of a ‘hearing-aid’ style with a loop up around the ear and a driver that rests on top/outside of the ear canal like most of the other contenders in this comparison, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds clips on like an orbital earring around the upper lobe and fires audio towards the inner ear.
The mechanism feels very secure with no risk of them falling off. The sound meaningfully improves when I push the earphones a little closer to my ear canal which makes me suspect that someone with differently shaped ears may have very different impressions of the sound quality.
Additionally, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds earns bonus points for its compact charging case, making it the most pocket-friendly option of the bunch.
Cleer ARC II — 3 out 5 rating
The Cleer ARC II provides an average fit with a “hearing-aid” design similar to the 1More and Beyerdynamic models. However, due to its beige color and more bulbous design, the Cleer ARC II most closely resembles an actual hearing aid.
Unlike its counterparts, the Cleer doesn’t feel as secure on my ears, and the sound quality fluctuates when I move my head which makes for a less enjoyable on-the-move listening experience.
While these earphones are reasonably comfortable when stationary, they are perceptably heavier than the other similarly designed options.
Creative Outlier Go — 4 out 5 rating
The Creative Outlier Go earphones, similar in design to the 1More and Beyerdynamic models, deliver an excellent fit and stay securely in place, aided by a clicking mechanism that allows for precise adjustments—a feature I find particularly well implemented.
Although they have a relatively heavy feel, they offer a surprisingly premium experience for their price and provide a more secure fit than the other similarly designed options.
Oladance OWS Pro — 2 out 5 rating
The Oladance OWS Pro earphones’ fit falls short when it comes to exercise or any kind of head movement. Another relatively heavy ‘hearing-aid’ style design, the Oladance OWS Pro earphones easily come loose with even a slight shake, or even lean, of the head.
To maintain comfort and sound quality, at least the way they fit my ears, I would need to remain perfectly still. While the OWS Pro earphones aren’t uncomfortable per se, their poor fit security results in one of the lowest fit ratings on the list.
Soundcore C30i — 2 out 5 rating
The Soundcore C30i earphones have a design similar to the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds but they lack the Ultra’s softness and flexibility. The C30i earphones are the most cumbersome to put on. The earphones’ hard, rigid plastic makes the process awkward and uncomfortable.
Although they’re lightweight, the material feels cheap with noticeably hard edges on the pods. While they are exceptionally secure, I find the C30i earphones the least comfortable of the bunch.
Soundcore AeroFit Pro — 3/5 (without strap) | 4/5 (with strap)
The Soundcore AeroFit Pro earphones get two distinct ratings for fit because the experience is a bit different with and without using the included attachable strap. Without the strap, the AeroFit Pro earphones are notably less secure than the similarly designed alternatives like the 1more and the Beyerdynamic.
With the strap attached, the Soundcore AeroFit Pro earphones are the most secure option of the bunch. The AeroFit Pro is about as comfortable as the other options with a similar design even though they are one of the heavier options.
User Experience
1MORE S31, Beyerdynamic Verio 200, Cleer ARC II, Soundcore AeroFit Pro, Oladance OWS Pro & Soundcore C30i — 4 out 5 rating
All of these models provided a consistently solid user experience in my testing. They were all easy to remove from and replace into their charging cases thanks to magnetic assistance and their controls are highly customizable through their respective iOS apps allowing for convenient volume adjustments directly on the earphones.
Notably, any changes made to the control settings via the iOS apps remained effective when switching from my phone to my laptop.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — 3 out 5 rating
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds offer a highly intuitive experience despite their unique design. They are easy to remove and replace in their charging case thanks to their magnetic assistance and the app provides clear guidance through the connecting and fit processes.
I found the ~double-click and hold~ volume adjustment mechanism awkward and not conducive to making fine adjustments to listening level. Unlike all of the options above which I rated 4 out of 5, it’s not possible customize how the volume and other controls are adjusted to get around this.
Despite the lack of customizability, I prefer the physical clicking mechanism on these earphones over the touch controls found in the rest of the lineup.
Creative Outlier Go — 3 out 5 rating
The Creative Go user experience is largely comparable to that of the 1MORE S31, Beyerdynamic Verio 200, Clever ARC II, and Soundcore AeroFit Pro, with a few notable drawbacks.
One issue is the excessively loud voice prompts, such as “Bluetooth Connected,” which I found to be overwhelming right out of the box—hopefully, this can be addressed with a firmware update.
The app is comprehensive, offering extensive customization of controls, but I experienced significant difficulty with the Outlier Go app when trying to locate and connect the earphones, even though my iPhone was already connected and playing music.
Volume control is accessible via touch controls, but by default, adjusting the volume when content isn’t playing can inadvertently power down the earphones. Thankfully, the touch controls can be customized to require a double or triple tap instead of holding.
Additionally, placing the Outlier Go earphones back into their case proved to be one of the more challenging user experiences until I got accustomed to adjusting the clicking ear supports to the correct angle for a proper fit.
Sound Quality
It’s worth noting again here that the sound experience of these open earphones will be heavily dependent on an individual’s ear shape and size. The following is based only on my own highly subjective listening experience but I hope that it will give readers a sense of the differences, similarities, advantages and shortcomings of each option in terms of audio.
1MORE S31 — 3 out 5 rating
The 1MORE S31 earphones sport a generally neutral frequency response with respectful amount of dynamic impact compared to some other options in this comparison. Like the rest of the models below, the S31 lacks any meaningful deep bass.
The S31’s neutral leaning frequency response comes across, to me, as a little upper mid forward without the weight of any deep bass presence to anchor the rest of the sound. This is particularly noticeable in songs like “Don’t Wanna Fight” by Alabama Shakes where the absence of low-end impact detracts from the overall cohesiveness of the arrangement.
While the bass is audible, thanks to an excellent mix by Grammy-winning engineer Shawn Everett, the lack of depth and sustain in the low end leaves the music feeling less grounded and totally absent of the thunderous impact that the song is capable of delivering played elsewhere.
The accompanying mobile app offers four preset EQ options: Studio, Bass Booster, Bass Reducer, and Acoustic. The default Studio setting provides the most balanced sound. Bass Booster adds a noticeable mid-bass boost which causes significant frequency masking and makes the S31 come across as dull and congested.
Overall, while the 1MORE S31 delivers a generally balanced sound with respectable dynamic impact, its lack of deep bass and tendency for upper mids to dominate limit the earphones’ ability to aptly capture the richness and depth of certain tracks.
For spoken word content like podcasts and audiobooks, the 1More S31 earphone’s sound quality is perfectly adequate.
Beyerdynamic Verio 200 — 4 out of 5 rating
The sound quality of the Beyerdynamic Verio 200 earphones is characterized by their warm tonality. The Verio 200’s subdued lower treble creates a mellow sound without sacrificing too much detail.
Although there is no real deep bass impact or sustain, the subdued lower treble keeps the Verio 200 from ever sounding overly strident or treble-forward. This warmer sound signature makes elements like cymbals and electric guitars sound particularly smooth, contributing to an overall pleasant listening experience.
The dynamics are above average compared to other options in this range, giving the sound a relatively engaging quality.
The accompanying app includes a 5-band graphic EQ for sound customization which I found welcome and useful. With the app EQ set to my liking, I found listening to music with the Verio 200 highly enjoyable relative to the rest of the options in this comparison.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — 3 out of 5 rating
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds sport a generally balanced frequency response that varies significantly depending on where they are clipped to the ears. I suspect that, more than with any of the other models, these earphones’ performance is highly dependent on the listener’s ear anatomy.
When I adjust the earphones to sit angled slightly higher, mimicking their position on someone with thicker earlobes, the sound quality improves dramatically, delivering class-leading tonality and dynamic impact.
Despite these quirks, the earphones feature a midrange response that is more detailed and resolving than any of the competition.
The accompanying app offers a simple 3-band graphic EQ and access to the Ultra’s “Immersive Audio” feature. The EQ is only capable of very broad changes to the tonality and I found that increasing the bass only clouded the Ultra’s low end response.
When listening to “Lemonade” by Rubblebucket, the punchy rhythm section is reduced to a mere suggestion of what’s usually present, highlighting the earphones’ low end limitations – at least on my ears.
The “Immersive Audio” is a huge miss for me – engaging the feature makes music sound brighter and washier as if listening in a bathroom or a small car. The same is more or less true of all options in this list that have a similar “Immersive Audio” feature.
Cleer ARC II — 3 out of 5 rating
The ARC II earphones offer a sound signature that can be described as hazy and thin, with very little low-end presence or dynamic punch. The bass sounds small and lacks the deep impact necessary to give music a sense of fullness and weight.
Listening to “Mythological Beauty,” by Big Thief, the enveloping size and thumping impact of the kick drum in the intro are completely missing leaving the song feeling underwhelming. Apart from the lacking low end, ARC II’s mids are also somewhat hazy, lacking the clarity and detail found with other models.
Although the accompanying app sports a 5-band EQ, I found it wasn’t possible to overcome the inherent haziness and flatness of the sound. While the EQ allows for some customization, it doesn’t significantly improve the overall sound quality, leaving the ARC II trailing behind other options in this comparison.
Creative Outlier Go — 2 out of 5 rating
The Creative Outlier Go earphones deliver a muted, low-mid forward sound that unfortunately overemphasizes things like fundamental vocal frequencies, resulting in a response that feels dull and uneven.
Dynamic impact is noticeably lacking, which, combined with the Outlier Go’s hazy mids, leads to a generally uninspiring music listening experience.
The accompanying app features an EQ with a selection of 10 genres presets or a flat setting. I found the flat setting to be the most agreeable. Overall, the Outlier Go provides a generally unpleasant experience for music listening, failing to deliver the detail, clarity, and dynamism that would make these earphones a worthwhile option.
Oladance OWS Pro — 3 out of 5 rating
The Oladance OWS Pro earphones present a very musical V-shaped sound signature with elevated lows and upper treble delivering more bass impact and high end ‘sparkle’ than most of the alternatives.
However, like all of the options on this list, even despite the increased bass level, the earphones still lack real sub bass presence and sustain.
When listening to “Geometry” by Rubblebucket, the bass has more impact than with other models but still lacks any authoritative and gripping sub-bass weight.
These earphones have a better sense of dynamics than most, but the mids are somewhat recessed, which, combined with the elevated upper treble, can make for a fatiguing listening experience.
While they do offer a better sense of detail and dynamics compared to the Beyerdynamic, the somewhat aggressive treble might not be to everyone’s taste.
The app features an 8 band EQ which can make adjustments up to 3 dB per band. I found the EQ useful for subtly altering the tonal balance, but drastic changes are limited by the 3 dB restriction.
Another feature in the app is “Focus Mode.” Focus Mode, according to the manufacturers website, is supposed to create “…a personal audio space free from external disturbances…” I found this to be essentially nonsense.
At home, with the air conditioner running, the earphones’ attempt to eliminate ambient noise induced a feeling of uncomfortable pressure – probably the result of the ambient noise combining with a phase-reversed iteration of itself in real time. I also tried “Focus Mode” in a café, and its effect was particularly underwhelming up against the background music and chatter.
Soundcore C30i — 1 out of 5 rating
The Soundcore C30i earphones are my least favorite of the bunch by a large margin. Although the tonality is highly dependent on where the C30i earphones are clipped to my ears, even in the most optimal spot the sound is decidedly unpleasant.
Regardless of positioning, the C30i earphones lack any low end response below 100 Hz and feature prominent tonal resonances up through the mids. These are the only earphones in this comparison that make even spoken word content listening to a podcast unpleasant.
The “3D Surround Sound” feature, accessible via the iOS app, exacerbates these issues rather than improving them. This feature, much like on the Bose model, creates a sound that mimics what sounds to me like the echoing effect of a small tiled bathroom.
Soundcore AeroFit Pro — 2 out of 5 rating
The Soundcore AeroFit Pro earpods feature a very muted tonality similar to that of the Creative Outlier Go. The AeroFit Pro’s excessive low-mid reproduction, lacking sub bass and subdued highs make for a particularly dull sounding listening experience.
While the AeroFit Pro earphones are markedly more refined sounding than the manufacturer’s other less expensive model in this comparison, they’re still among my least preferred options in terms of sound quality.
The Soundcore iOS app for the AeroFit Pro earphones features a customizable 8 band EQ which can help tailor the sound but did not ultimately affect my overall impressions.
The app also features two different Spatial Audio modes: Music Mode and Movie Mode. Music Mode has the undesirable bright-small-tiled-bathroom-acoustics effect similar to the immersive modes of the Soundcore c30i and the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.
Movie Mode is unappealing in the other darling sounding direction – like listening to speakers in a hallway with pillows over both ears.
Call Quality
The call quality ratings that follow were evaluated by reviewing voicemails left using each set of earphones.
1MORE S31 — 3 out 5 rating
Although generally intelligible, the call quality of the S31 sounds very warm and lacks energy in the upper mids that would make voices easier to understand. The S31 voicemail was, however, noticeably louder than any of the alternatives which is a point in its favor.
Beyerdynamic Verio 200 — 4 out 5 rating
The Beyerdynamic Verio 200 call quality is among the most consistent and balanced sounding of the lot – almost rivaling that of the Apple AirPods Pro 2.
Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — 3 out 5 rating
Although perfectly intelligible, the call quality of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds sounded slightly thin/tinny compared to the alternatives.
Cleer ARC II — 4 out 5 rating
Like that of the Beyerdynamic, the Cleer ARC II call quality sounded balanced and consistent.
Creative Outlier Go — 1 out 5 rating
The voicemail left using the Creative Outlier Go was very warm, inconsistent, and garbled making it almost completely unintelligible.
Oladance OWS Pro — 3 out 5 rating
The voicemail left using the Oladance OWS Pro earphones was slightly inconsistent and garbled compared to the alternatives but generally tonally balanced and intelligible.
Soundcore C30i — 3 out 5 rating
Despite sounding thin and tinny compared to alternatives, the Soundcore C30i voicemail was perfectly consistent and intelligible.
Soundcore AeroFit Pro — 3 out 5 rating
The Soundcore AeroFit Pro produced the most ambient sounding voicemail that, like the C30i, sounded a little thin and tinny but was consistent and perfectly intelligible.
Overall Ratings
| BRAND | MODEL | PRICE | FIT | USABILITY | SOUND | CALLING | TOTAL |
| 1More | S31 | $70 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 14 |
| Beyer-dynamic | Verio 200 | $220 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 16 |
| Bose | Ultra Open | $299 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 13 |
| Cleer | ARC II | $150 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 14 |
| Creative | Outlier Go | $60 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 1/5 | 10 |
| Oladance | OWS Pro | $230 | 2/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 12 |
| Soundcore | C30i | $70 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 11 |
| Soundcore | AeroFit Pro | $170 | ⅗, ⅘ | 4/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 12.5 |
Conclusion & Recommendations
In case it isn’t already clear, if sound quality is your utmost priority, I don’t think this is the form factor to go for. The listening experience is severely limited, at least in my experience, by the open-ear nature of the designs. Even the best sounding options in this comparison do not hold a candle to the naturalness, richness, and dynamism of some similarly priced options like Apple’s AirPods Pro 2nd Generation ($199) or AKG’s wired over-ear K371 headphones ($159).
However, for use cases where fit, comfort, spatial and awareness trump sound quality like running, cycling, and listening to podcasts while doing chores, the open ear form factor makes a lot of sense.
Podcasts generally don’t rely on sub bass reproduction for enjoyment. Running outside among city traffic is safer without having one’s ears closed off to the world. In all of these cases, the fit and usability trump any other aspect.
With all of this in mind, I would suggest checking out the Beyerdynamic Verio 200. Between their secure and comfortable fit, ease of use, class leading call quality, and relatively good sound quality, the Verio 200 earphones are the most well-rounded and safe choice for all of the use cases listed above.
If the Beyerdynamic at $220 is out of budget, my recommendation for a budget option would be the 1More S31. For only $70, the 1More S31 earphones represent a respectable balance of fit, comfort, security, usability, call quality, and sound quality.
While they wouldn’t be my first choice for listening to music, the S31 earphones do a perfectly adequate job reproducing spoken word content like podcasts and audiobooks.
Personally, I haven’t found any scenario in which I’d prefer to grab any of these open-ear options over my Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Generation. For running and exercise, the superior sound quality and transparency options of the AirPods Pro 2 make them a decidedly more attractive alternative over even the best sounding open-ear earphones I’ve tested.
To bridge the gap, sound quality and the ecosystem integration would need to drastically improve – the former difficult due to the varied anatomy of listeners and the latter impossible due to Apple’s anti-competitive tendencies.
As a record producer and mix engineer I feel compelled to stress that none of these open-ear options offer a complete reproduction of music as it’s meant to be heard or felt. This is not to say that listening to music won’t be enjoyable.
Music is magic!
Even a phone speaker is capable of conveying a compelling picture of a musical arrangement – of the harmonic and dynamic tension and release that makes listening to music endlessly moving and deeply human.
But as far as I can tell from the options in this review and comparison, the open-ear form factor may only be capable of providing the musical equivalent of viewing a thumbnail image rather than a glorious, full resolution monitor-spanning image.
Where to buy?
- 1MORE S31 — $70 at Amazon | $40 at 1MORE
- Beyerdynamic Verio 200 — $220 at Amazon
- Bose Ultra Open — $299 at Amazon
- Cleer ARC II — $150 at Amazon
- Creative Outlier Go — $60 at Amazon
- Oladance OWS Pro — $230 at Amazon
- Soundcore C30i — $70 at Amazon
- Soundcore AeroFit Pro — $170 at Amazon
Related reading: Are the New Apple AirPods Pro 2 Really Better?
