Do you want the best headset? 
A lot of people are familiar with Shokz brand of headsets, like the Opencomm, Openmove, Openrun, and others. Recently, Shokz introduced their newest member of the Shokz headset lineup; the Openmeet Bluetooth Bone and Air Conduction wireless headset.
The Openmeet, though part of the Shokz family of headsets, is unique. That’s because the new Shokz Openmeet headset was designed differently from previous models.
Dual Technologies In One
Shokz headsets have earned wide acceptance for a lot of good reasons. They’re reliable, sound good and are lightweight and comfortable.
The new Openmeet raises the bar on an already popular headset line by incorporating both Bone Conduction and Air Conduction technologies into one headset. Bone Conduction bypasses the eardrum, and allows the ears to be left uncovered enabling background awareness, while Air Conduction is the approach taken by traditional headsets.
By blending both of these technologies in the Openmeet headset, the user audio experience is vastly improved, especially at the low end of the audio spectrum. So if sound quality is important, the Openmeet delivers a better overall sound experience compared to previous Shokz models. Worth noting is the audio is noticeably better, but it doesn’t rival sound quality normally sought by Audiphiles.
Connectivity
The Shokz Openmeet is designed to connect to Windows and Mac computers via USB, as well as to Smartphones via Bluetooth. You have your choice between USB-C, and USB-A formats, and the Openmeet uses the latest Bluetooth version 5.4.
You can simultaneously connect to two devices, and toggle between them which is simple, and seamless, and getting up and running is also easy. Here’s all you need to do:
- Plug in the USB adapter to the computer
- Turn on the Openmeet headset by pressing and holding the multi-function button for a few seconds.
- The dongle will then automatically pair to the headset. Once the pairing process is done, you’re ready to go.
You’ll also want to go to the sound settings on your Application (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, RingCentral etc), and select “Shokz Loop 120” for your speaker and microphone.
Comfort
There are many things that go into making a headset comfortable. One of those things is the design of the headset, and of course weight plays a major role in comfort as well.
Weight. The Openmeet headset weighs just 78 grams, or 2.8 ounces, which by double ear headset standards, is extremely lightweight which will come as good news for anyone who wears a headset all day. Typical dual ear headsets weigh 6 ounces, and can weigh as much as 10 or more. So it’s easy to see that this is one of the lightest double ear headsets available.
It’s all about the cush. The headband on the Openmeet is padded on the top, and it’s adjustable for a custom, personalized fit. Worth noting is the headband on the Shokz Openmeet has unique, interchangeable pads located on each side. You can choose from various sizes of pads to help make the fit and feel tailored to your preferences. This is a feature you won’t find on any other headset, and one more comfort feature of the Openmeet headset.
Audio
When you’re on important calls, you want to sound your best because you need every advantage you can get. Shokz understands this, and spent time making sure that the Openmeet lives up to professional standards. Onboard are two noise canceling microphones to not only allow you to be heard loud and clear, but to help dampen down, if not fully eliminate background noise.
While on the subject of sound, you don’t want your calls being overheard by others, which is why Shokz created LeakSlayer 3.0 to help keep conversations private. This technology helps to prevent sound from leaking at the source thereby enhancing the privacy of your calls.
Power To Spare
The Shokz Openmeet wireless headset can be used all day, and even well into the second. The battery is robust, and provides ample talk and listening times. Here are the battery specifics:
- Talk Time: Up to 14 hours
- Listening Time: Up to 15 hours
- 5 minute charges provides up to 2 hours of talk time
- A full charge takes 90 minutes
While it’s true that you can find Bluetooth headsets that provide more talk and listening times, it’s also true that the battery in the Shokz Openmeet is ample to meet the demands of any kind of daily workload without having to recharge. 14 hours of talk time arguably could last two full workdays before a charge would be needed. Bottom line is there’s plenty of juice to power you through your busiest of days.
Buttons
The buttons on the Shokz Openmeet are located on the right hand side of the headset and provides these features:
Multi-function button - This allows you to:
- Power up, and power down the headset
- Pair the headset
- Pause/Play media
- Volume up / Volume down
- Call Control button - Used for answering and ending calls
- Microphone Mute - Turns the microphone on / off
No Headset Is Perfect
Realizing there isn’t such a thing as the perfect headset, where does the Shokz Openmeet come up short?
Here are a few things that some might see as shortcomings of this new headset.
Audio quality. Though the quality of audio has been vastly improved, it doesn’t reach the level of a great sounding headset. In large part, this is soley due to its design and technology. It's hard to compete with high fidelity 40mm loudspeakers found on other headsets. In spite of this shortcoming, you'll find the audio on the Openmeet to be more than adequate if using it for business calls, and casual listening.
No sidetone adjustment. This is a feature that interests a lot of people, and one you won’t find on the Openmeet. Personally, the absence of this feature wouldn’t alter my decision to buy it or not because sidetone isn’t a feature I pay much attention to. Though I do admit that there are others that find this feature to be of high importance.
No USB wired connectivity. These days, it’s becoming more common for Bluetooth wireless headsets to double as a wired model, giving you the ability to use it in either form. That versatility isn’t available on the Shokz Openmeet. Is this a feature a lot of people place value on when shopping for a wireless headset? Hard to say for sure, but I’d imagine some do.
Can't mute by raising mic boom. Another increasingly common feature on today’s business headsets is the ability to mute the microphone by raising the microphone boom arm. This isn’t available on the Shokz Openmeet, though muting is easily done by pressing the dedicated mute button thoughtfully located at the end of the microphone boom. That’s a logical place to put this button, and it’s easy to find when needed.
No Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). With good reason this feature isn’t available on the Shokz Openmeet. That’s because both ears are uncovered when using the headset, making ANC completely ineffective.
Summary
There’s no arguing that there’s no shortage of headset choices available today. The internet is plastered with choices from a slew of providers. So who would be the ideal person that would benefit from this Shokz Openmeet wireless headset?
- Someone who needs connectivity to a Smartphone, or to a Smartphone and Computer
- Someone who can’t wear headband and earpiece style headsets due to discomfort, and fit
- Someone who’s hearing impaired (as Bone Conduction bypasses the ear drum)
- Someone who prefers to have their ears uncovered to hear their surroundings
- Someone who doesn’t need Sidetone, ANC, and Audiophile level sound quality
- Someone who’s looking for a professional, business grade headset for work calls
If this sounds like you, then the Shokz Openmeet may be the perfect solution to your communication needs.
You’ll appreciate how lightweight and comfortable it is, as well as being able to hear your background with your ears uncovered. The microphone provides excellent sound quality to keep you sounding professional when on calls. The dual connectivity allows you to toggle between computer and mobile devices, and the battery will keep you talking all day, and into the next before a recharge is needed.
Though the design changed from previous models, such as the Opencomm series that are worn behind the neck, the Openmeet took the traditional path by being worn over the head. But when you take its weight, padding, and overall design, you’ll find this to be a highly comfortable, and versatile headset that’s very comfortable at work, or play.
Have Background Noise Challenges?
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Have Questions, Or Need Some Help?
Headset Advisor has been assisting businesses with their communication needs since 1994. If you have questions, or need some help, let one of our Advisors provide you with answers. We’re fast, friendly, and professional and can tailor a compatible solution that’s perfect for your situation. Contact us today, and we’ll be happy to help.
