Spot Reviews: Listen to Music Without Tuning Out the World With the Shokz OpenDots 2

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(SPOT.ph) Let's be real here: who doesn't listen to some tunes during a long and grueling commute? Plenty of commuters are armed with a (fully charged, because we can't have them dying in the middle of a good bridge) pair of earbuds. Some of us even bring an additional wired one, just in case.

Granted, wearing noise-cancelling ones, while good for blocking out distractions and listening indoors, can be risky when you're out and about. Being too busy jamming to hard-hitting verses makes you miss a lot of things—important announcements or, worse, an accident or something bad happening on the streets. In these cases, a pair of open-ear earbuds like the OpenDots 2 from Shokz will bridge the gap between enjoying a tune only you can hear and still being fully aware of the world around you. It's the Chinese tech brand's latest open-ear offering that hits all the right boxes, and we got to test it out for a couple of weeks. Here are our takes.

Also read: Everything We Know About OpenFit Pro, Shokz's Latest Open-Ear Headphones

Open-ear earbuds have changed the way we listen to music. The design innovation not only allows for more situational awareness but also comfort, as they don't jam themselves into the ear canal like traditional earbuds and earphones. They rest just outside of it. Among the pioneers of open-ear devices is Shokz.

The open-ear style first drew attention in the 2010s, particularly from runners and cyclists, since they need to be fully aware of their surroundings when they're out—but that shouldn't mean they couldn't enjoy some music or a podcast as they do their thing. Shokz launched its first open-ear headphones in 2011, and the open-ear audio devices became their trademark.

Shokz has a wide range of open-ear offerings, from wraparound sport bands and bone conduction types to true wireless earbuds alike: the flagship OpenFit, OpenRun, OpenSwim, and, of course, OpenDots. The first of its series was released last year.

Released in the Philippines last July 23, the OpenDots 2 earbuds are as much of a commute essential as they are stylish. It keeps you connected to the world despite being in your own music-filled bubble. The transition is light (both literally and figuratively) and seamless, whether you're getting off the train to the desk, from the desk to your workout evening sessions, and everything in between.

The OpenDots 2 are clip-on earbuds. They are like an ear cuff on your outer ear—like a very big piercing without the pain and more music—that you can take on and off whenever you want. The OpenDots 2 is light at 6.4 grams per bud, feeling barely there, and is available in three versatile colorways: pearl and gold white, understated grey, and timeless black.

Small and light as they are, they can play heavy ballads and crime podcasts for up to 40 hours. Despite not being as immersive as noise-cancelling buds, it still delivers solid audio, courtesy of the Shokz Bassphere 2.0 tech with dual 11.8mm drivers equivalent to 16mm speakers.

The openness of the silhouette doesn't let everyone know you're listening to a cheesy audiobook. The Shokz DirectPitch tech uses reverse sound waves that guide the audio into your ear, instead of to your seatmate on the bus.

The first question that came to mind was: How do I put this on? How do I put it back? I'm no stranger to strange packaging and tech gimmicks, but it was my first time having clip-on open-ear earbuds. Before opening the actual device, there's a note that reminds you to be careful with stretching or bending the earbuds.

The buds were curled up in a fetal position. I plucked them out of the case, slowly and slightly opened them apart, and cuffed them around my outer ear. It rests there in the middle, and comfortably so, but it takes a bit of getting used to, especially if you're an earbuds loyalist. The Pearl White colorway is versatile and elegant with its soft, pearlescent sheen.

Our OpenDots 2 came with an accessories pack: two white flower cuffs with rose gold accents that you clip on the silicone bridge and a little white bag to hold the earbuds inside its case. For the cord, it came with a type-C connector.

Connecting the buds to devices was easy; just a simple press of the button on the case, and a few seconds later, you're good to go. If you have the Shokz App, it would even show you how to properly wear the device. Thanks to the not-so-sensitive gesture controls—which are a few pinches to the base and taps on the silicone bridge—there were no accidental pauses or skips on the playlist. You can modify the controls per bud through the application. In our case, one pinch was play or pause as well as answer or end a call; two pinches to skip tracks and reject calls; and pinch and hold to adjust the volume.

Multipoint pairing is also available through the application. This allowed us to connect the buds to two devices and seamlessly transition to each one and vice versa. In the worst-case scenario, the buds drop from your ear, and you cannot find them; you can ping the buds, too, granted that they're paired with a device.

For richer, thumping bass, we enabled Dolby Audio through the application. This is a game-changer. The audio is more immersive, full, and loud. Again, with the open style, it's easy to be conscious of whether other people can hear it, but if you're not standing side-by-side with a stranger in a quiet room, they won't hear it that much.

The accessories are a separate purchase. It contains a little bag and two cute clip-ons. Yep, flower clip-ons for the clip-on earbuds. You attach it on the silicone band, and it will look like you're wearing a pair pretty earrings when you have the open-ears on. The only thing is, when you're putting the buds back with the attachment, they won't fit in the case. We had to remove them again and find some place else to store them because they don't fit in the bag either.

For someone like me who easily loses things—especially those as small as earrings—it was a challenge trying to bring the accessories along as I wasn't sure if I would be wearing the earbuds throughout events. Granted, one can just rock the OpenDots 2 all the time. You won't feel it as much, only remembering it as soon as you tuck your hair behind your ear because it will get caught, as it did for me during the review.

That said, wearing masks can be a hassle, too; the cuffs will get caught in them when you take them off. No problems for regular earrings—big dangling ones might be, though. If you're the type to go for motorcycle-hailing rides, there'll be a nagging feeling at the back of your head that will have you checking if the earbuds are still in place every five minutes, especially with the accessory and a hairnet.

In the past three weeks of using it, we've only charged the device thrice. And each charging session lasted more or less twenty minutes. I always had it on during the hour-long commutes, in the office, and even at home. You can always check the Shokz App for the battery percentage.

We know commuting is bearable with some good melodies. And we get the need and want to tune out the chaos and live in your own bubble, but it shouldn't compromise your safety when you're out and about.

The OpenDots 2 won't be an obstacle to anything. Ear sizes? Doesn't matter. Talking to people while listening to music? You absolutely can... if you want to, that is. Beyond the basic function of playing tracks, it also doubles as a cute accessory with the add-ons. You don't have to tune out the whole world to enjoy your music—not with Shokz's OpenDots 2.

Shokz OpenDots 2 retails at P12,990 at Power Mac Center branches and The Loop stores nationwide. You can check out more of Shokz's offerings through the PMC website as well as on PMC's official Lazada and Shopee pages. Shokz also has its official Lazada and Shopee pages. Power Mac Center also has branches nationwide. We also spotted it on Digital Walker's website.

See list of Power Mac Center branches. See list of The Loop branches. For more information, check out Shokz Philippines' Instagram page. You can also check out Power Mac Center's Facebook and Instagram pages.

Also read: Spot Reviews: The New NOTHING Headphones Prove That Pretty Things Can Perform, Too

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