2023-12-25 07:13:10
With its astonishing form factor, this helmet is above all dedicated to outdoor sports. It uses an unusual technology: osteophony, which allows the vibrations of the music to pass through the bones rather than the eardrums.
Headphones that do not fit in the ears. As surprising as it may seem, this is exactly what these Wings, designed by the Finnish brand Suunto, offer; usually known for its connected watches. But how does it work? Simply by using the principle of osteophony or, more clearly, bone conduction. Rather than broadcasting vibrations via the eardrum, the transducers rest on the jawbones and thus directly stimulate the cochlea which contains the endings of the auditory nerve. We thus leave the ear canals completely free to be completely attentive to our environment. Clever.
The headphones don’t fit in the ears at all. © JSZ/01net.com
Suunto’s interpretation of this technology is logically oriented towards sports practice, the company’s DNA. The result is a neckband helmet whose loops go over the ears. The whole thing is extremely light – only 33 grams – thanks to the use of titanium, still covered with silicone. A way to waterproof everything since the Wing is IP67 certified.
LEDs to be clearly visible
Located behind each ear, two small blocks contain the battery, volume control buttons and charging connector. A microphone is integrated into the right earpiece, and on the left a play/pause or take/reject a phone call button depending on the situation. These growths also each incorporate three thin red LED strips that can be activated as desired (fixed, flashing, SOS) to be visible in all circumstances.
The LEDs can also be disabled. © JSZ/01net.com
This is controlled from the classic Suunto application, the same one dedicated to the use of the brand’s connected watches; creating a connection account is therefore essential. Most of the application’s functions will absolutely not be useful if you do not have a watch (performance calendar, statistical monitoring, mapping, etc.). To manage the Wing, you must then go to the “My helmet” submenu located in the profile tab, we have known more ergonomic.
L’application Suunto.
A good ten hours of battery life
Despite this well-hidden menu, Suunto offers all the essential headset settings. Management of LED behavior (which can also be completely deactivated), sound mode (normal or outdoor), multipoint Bluetooth, firmware updates and head movement control. This feature allows you to answer a call by nodding your head twice or reject it by shaking your head twice. In an audio playback situation, this last gesture triggers the transition to the next song. In fact, this possibility works perfectly and although it seems like a gadget, it can be used occasionally if you do not want to be distracted by a screen during your exercise.
The power bank incorporates a system for fixing the helmet. © JSZ/01net.com
The Wing comes with several accessories: a well-made carrying case, a USB-A cable to the headset’s proprietary port for charging, an additional battery that can be used as a dock and… earplugs; we’ll come back to that. Speaking of battery, the power bank (which charges via a USB-C port, cable not included) allows for two additional charges. Enough to add 20 hours of autonomy to the 10 hours of use announced by the manufacturer. A quick 10-minute recharge also adds 3 hours of use. In fact, we completely held these 10 hours, a good point for Suunto.
Light, comfortable and strange
On the head, the helmet is completely comfortable and light, it is hardly even felt. Good point for the mirrors, the handles around the ears absolutely do not interfere with the temples of the glasses. Above all, its support is absolutely perfect thanks to the light – but not at all disturbing – pressure exerted on each of the jawbones. Tested both on the bike and during runs, the Wing never moved an iota during our exercises. Here too, Suunto therefore fulfills one of the missions of this headset intended to be used during very active activities.
The microphone offers good call quality. © JSZ/01net.com
Of course, the first use will certainly be strange for just regarding anyone who has never used osteophonic headphones. For the simple reason that they are not placed in the ear canals, but in front of the ears, on the jawbones. We quickly realize that this arrangement provides an unrivaled feeling of comfort, leaving our ears completely free and attentive to our entire environment.
Perfect for very specific uses
This process, however, has some limitations. The Wing was perfectly suited to our running exercises in an urban park. Far from car traffic, we were able to listen to a podcast while enjoying the sounds of nature. The compromise is simply perfect and will be perfect for trail enthusiasts in particular. On the other hand, when cycling in the city, the Wing quickly reaches its limits: engine noise and horns cover the sound it produces and there is a tendency to significantly increase the volume, thus creating an unpleasant cacophony. This headset is therefore clearly to be reserved for nature lovers who want to enjoy audio content without being cut off from this environment.
On the left earphone the play/pause button. © JSZ/01net.com
And the audio quality in all this? Well obviously, you shouldn’t expect what good true wireless headphones can offer, for example, in this price range. Comparing their performance with that of the Wing would be completely unfair as their operation and framework of use are different. To be clear, Suunto’s headphones are not at all suitable for quality music listening. The audio signal is largely dominated by the midrange frequencies, the bass is almost non-existent and the treble is very timid. These are generally the classic physical limits of osteophony.
A word of advice, do not use the earplugs provided. © JSZ/01net.com
By putting in the earplugs supplied with the Wing – you will recognize that it is strange to do this when using headphones – we notice an increase in bass, of course, but the treble is even further behind to ultimately obtain a sound very muffled. Not to mention that the main advantage of the Wing’s very open helmet disappears de facto. We will therefore reserve the device mainly for listening to podcasts or audiobooks, in which it excels. The voices are, in fact, always perfectly understandable, while allowing you to perceive the sound environment around you. A bit like a friend next to you talking to you.
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