Rather than pushing buds into the ear canal as you do with true wireless earphones, the soft rubber cushions of the latest wireless head gear from Orange rest on the facial bones just in front of the listener's ears for audio delivery. Orange Amps says the O Bones are also water resistant, carrying an IPX4 rating, which means they’re resistant to splashes of water from all directions. I’d say the headphones should hold up well against sweat and some rain. There’s not been a lot of rain to test them out in, but in the sweaty confines of a gym during tough running and rowing workouts, the O Bones have survived without issues. Features

Orange O Bones output decent bass, a harsh midrange, and a quiet treble. On the other hand, the sound feels very spacious. Orange O Bones have a stable Bluetooth connection with an above-average range (but some occasional stutters; more on that later). There’s also no audio lag when watching videos.Orange Amplification is delighted to add the O Bones® wireless headphones to its range. Using state-of-the-art bone conduction technology, they transmit audio waves via facial bones to deliver clear, clean mid and high pitch frequencies as well as deep, rich bass tones. Orange Amplification is delighted to add the O Bones ® wireless headphones to its range. Using state-of-the-art bone conduction technology, they transmit audio waves via facial bones to deliver clear, clean mid and high pitch frequencies as well as deep, rich bass tones. Orange Amplification is delighted to add the O Bones ® wireless headphones to its range. Using state-of-the-art bone conduction technology, they transmit audio waves via facial bones to deliver clear, clean mid and high pitch frequencies as well as deep, rich bass tones. Furthermore, O Bones charge via USB-C, unlike their competition Shokz, which insists on proprietary charging ports.

Even the indoor range is impressive, receiving the signal up to 60 feet (or 18.2 meters) in the distance.

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Though Orange recognizes that the 16-mm driver capsules in the 32-g (1.1-oz) O Bones won't be a match for the kind of audio quality delivered by over-ear headphones, users are promised bass they can feel as well as hear, crystal clear mids and sharp, well-defined highs – all at a "surprisingly loud volume." What’s even more impressive is how stable these headphones are. The design uses ear hooks to keep them in place, and it’s very successful at doing so. Orange O Bones offer a secure fit that doesn’t budge, even during intense workouts. To summarize all the facts, Orange O Bones (and all bone-conduction headphones in general) aren’t for those seeking audio quality. To that end, the O Bones support the AAC and SBC codecs, as well as the HFP V1.6, AVRCP V1.6, A2DP V1.2, DI V1.3, HSP V1.2 BlueTooth profiles, but do not feature multipoint connectivity. This does mean users will need a consistent audio source, but given the practicality of bone conduction headphones for users with active lifestyles, this is less of a concern than it would be for earphones meant for everyday usage. The true test though is how well that sound performs when you need to be aware of your surroundings. I’d say the mix of audio and environmental sound feels more weighted towards the latter. I found in even moderately noisy environments like running outside in the wind or next to traffic, in a gym battling music from speakers or on the train or bus, that exterior sound really wins the battle against hearing your own audio. It’s supposed to be balanced, but that’s just not the case here.

O Bones bone conduction headphones use Bluetooth 5.0, which is quite reliable. There are no random stutters when using the headphones close to your transmitting device. Orange O Bones are lightweight and distribute their weight nicely. As a result, you barely feel them (apart from feeling those vibrating drivers). Orange O Bones are incredibly comfortable and stable headphones that could’ve gotten the max score. However, the tingling drivers can be annoying. The overall sound profile is muddy and while they offer good top volume, those vibrations are more noticeable on bass-heavy music, which is characteristic you don’t like or expect to see on bone conduction headphones these days. Moving to the soundstage, it’s big, pushing sounds further out of your head. However, a big soundstage only works well when paired with good detail. In this case, it only makes you feel like you’re listening to music in an echoey hall. Sound quality isn’t bone conduction’s strength.But this head in question isn’t just any old Orange relic. Removing the cover revealed an early-manufacture OR120, also known as the Orange Graphic 120 — the model that has a decent claim to be the foundation stone of the Orange sound as we now recognise it, well into its sixth decade. Battery life is merely OK, and for the best audio you’ve really got to listen loud – at which point anyone nearby will be listening in as well. Ergonomics could also be a little better, and the competition promises better water resistance too. The soft rubber cushions of the O Bones® headphones are designed to sit on facial bones just in front of the user’s ears. The vibrations created by music, voices and other sounds are then gently transmitted through the bones rather than air movement. Bone conduction’s main purpose is to safely listen to music while jogging on the streets and not sonic fidelity.

USB-C port is covered with a flimsy rubber cover that could pinch off at any moment. What Bluetooth Codecs Do They Use? Battery life is quoted as being seven hours, but that clearly depends on how much you crank that volume up. I found from an hour’s listening outdoors at near top volume, which was necessary to get the best performance, the battery dropped 20% (100% to 80%). That would actually work out to about five hours and is short of the quoted seven hours.The tingling vibrations are most noticeable when listening in a quiet place. On the other hand, you can barely feel the vibrations when you walk or run. However, at that point, you also barely hear the bass. Adding high-quality codecs like an aptX wouldn’t make any sense and would only bring the cost up. Is There an Audio Lag? The built-in mic is positioned on the bottom of the right transducer, directly facing your mouth. However, it doesn’t offer the best quality. Even in a quiet room, O Bones make your voice somewhat muffled and compressed. The serial number dated this unit to 1974, barely five years after Orange was founded, and only two after the company began serious mass production with its first factory in Kent. The OR120 was a year-zero moment for Orange: a wholesale rejigging of the existing schematics, from which emerged a new tone that everybody would come to associate with the brand, with a design and sound that would influence the amp world, both Orange’s and other’s, ever since. And here was one of the beauties, right in front of us on the bench! BEGINNING OF A DESIGN EVOLUTION