Tozo OpenReal Review – Simple But Effective Open Ear Headphones
I’m someone who really doesn’t like the feel of earbuds inside my ears, so I was excited to fully test and review the Tozo OpenReal open ear headphones…..
What we like about the Tozo OpenReal headphones: Great value for money; awesome sound for the price; great for phone calls; long battery life
What we don’t like about the Tozo OpenReal headphones: No battery indicator; a little tight fitting around my huge bonce!
As wireless headphones continue to grow in popularity, a new subset of open-ear headphones has emerged. These headphones sit lightly over the ear, leaving the ear canal open to allow you to hear your surroundings. This means you can listen to music or take calls while also hearing ambient noise like a big truck about to crush you from behind!
Recently I bought a pair of the Tozo OpenReal open ear headphones. These are fairly inexpensive open ear headphones which have the left and right earphone drivers connected by a silicone-covered titanium band rather than using separate left and right earphone pods. As someone who loves listening to music and podcasts on the go but also wants to stay alert, especially when walking or running near traffic, these definitely caught my attention.
Over the past six months or so, I’ve put the Tozo OpenReal headphones through their paces, using them in a variety of locations on my daily walks. This review offers an unbiased assessment based on my hands-on experience using them day-to-day.
Before diving into the specifics, it may be helpful to understand what sets open-ear headphones like the Tozo OpenReal apart from traditional closed-back headphones. As the name suggests, open-ear headphones sit outside the ear canal, allowing ambient noise to pass through while also playing audio directly into your ears. This gives you situational awareness to hear cars, bicycles, and other potential hazards nearby. Closed-back headphones block external noise, creating isolation that some find unnerving when outdoors.
Another key difference is sound quality and volume. Open-ear headphones deliver a more focused, concert-like sound since audio is directed right into your ears. However, volume is capped at moderate levels to avoid drowning out ambient noises. Closed-back headphones can play at higher volumes with booming bass but may lack nuance.
With those basics covered, let’s dig into the specifics of the Tozo OpenReal and how they performed for me over several monthsof testing. I’ll break down the design, features, audio quality, battery life, and ease of use. By the end, you should know whether these innovative open-ear headphones are a good fit for you.
Tozo OpenReal headphones – Key Features
The Tozo OpenReal headphones stand out by using an innovative open-ear design that sits lightly over your ears. This means that sound from them gets directed in to your ears while allowing ambient noise to also pass through. This over-ear approach provides an immersive audio experience while allowing you to maintain situational awareness of your surroundings.
The headphones themselves are compact ovals which are connected by a shaped silicone-covered titanium band which enables the drivers to sit over your ears. The band incorporates a couple of lightly sprung grip sections which hold the headphones to your head – these grips also include the main controls which allow you to turn on the headphones and control your music and phone calls. They also incorporate a magnetic charge point here which uses a proprietary connector.
The OpenReal headphones are really light and easy to wear for long periods. each, making them incredibly lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear. The matte black construction feels durable, and after six months of use has shown no signs of wear and tear. I definitely feel like they can withstand sweat, light rain, and dust.
Each earpiece contains a 16.2mm dynamic driver positioned to beam audio directly into your ear canal when worn. The drivers are tuned to deliver crisp mids and highs with punchy bass despite the open design. Bluetooth 5.3 provides a reliable wireless connection to devices up to 10 meters away – I had no problems connecting to either an Android phone or an iPhone.
Comfort
Rather than ear tips or buds, the OpenReal relies on the springiness of the titanium band to hold the headphones in place above your ears. Despite the featherlight feel, they stayed firmly in place for me. I really like this design because I find that separate earphones using conventional in-ear buds often fall out of my ears – I must have big lugs!
For controls, the right side earpiece contains an integrated button to manage music, calls, volume and track skipping etc. I found the buttons fairly easy to locate by touch and responsive when pressed. The intuitive controls made it simple to operate the headphones on the go without reaching for my phone.
Tozo claims an impressive 16 hours of continuous battery life per charge, letting you listen from morning to night, but there is no simple way of knowing how much battery is left – I wish it would tell you when they power up, but sadly there is only a sound effect to tell you that they’re on. Unfortunately this sounds exactly the same when you turn them off, so it’s a bit difficult to know if they’re on or off! That being said, I’ve had excellent battery life out of these headphones and feel like they live up to the manufacturer’s claims.
Charging
The headphones must be charged with a magnetic connector which comes with them – this has USB-A on one end (which can be plugged into a standard USB charger or computer). The other end uses a proprietary connector which simply clips on to the headphones by magnetic force. It works well with a charge time of about an hour – I think I’d prefer a simple USB-C though – not sure why they used the connector that they have – potentially to keep the headphones more waterproof.
Call quality is great because the Tozo OpenReal uses dual beamforming microphones in each earpiece that reduce background noise for clear voice pickup. Yes that’s right, these offer noise cancelling capability for the voice on phone calls. To be honest, I’m not sure how well this works because there’s no way to turn it on or off. All I can say is that callers reported my voice sounded crisp and easy to understand in noisy environments.
Tozo OpenReal headphones – In Use
Based on my testing over the past six months or so, I found the Tozo OpenReal headphones deliver excellent sound quality and comfort for prolonged wear. The open-ear design provides an immersive listening experience while allowing good awareness of your surroundings. You don’t get that feeling of isolation you experience with some of the in-ear alternatives.
In terms of audio, the soundstage is expansive with crisp treble and what I would call adequate bass. I was impressed by the dynamic range and clarity, especially for the price. Music and podcasts came through with nuance and detail. Volume levels are surprisingly good and mean that you can easily hear the spoken word when walking alongside traffic – this is a must for me.
Comfort-wise, the Tozo OpenReal headphones are lightweight and stayed securely in place even during intense workouts (well as intense as I can manage at my age). I wore them for hours at a time without fatigue or ear soreness because they’re literally just clinging to your ears and head. I could jog, cycle and hit the gym without worrying about the headphones falling off. One thing I would say is that the band is a little tight around my big head, but I doubt that this will be a problem for most people – I just have a very big head!
Connectivity was quick and painless with my Android phone. Bluetooth pairing was instant, and the wireless connection remained stable at distances up to 10 meters from my phone. I encountered no dropouts or interference.
For calls, the dual-mic noise reduction worked well to isolate my voice from ambient sounds. Callers reported I came through loud and clear whether indoors or on a busy street. Wind noise was minimal outdoors.
In terms of drawbacks, the lack of a battery level indicator on the device itself or via a software voice was a bit annoying. You need to check the app to see remaining charge. I also found the proprietary charging cable a bit inconvenient rather than standardized USB-C.
Overall Verdict
I’ve been really impressed with the Tozo Openreal headphones and can confidently recommend them for those seeking decent audio with the ability to hear your surroundings. They are great for cycling, running or simply walking and don’t cause any ear pain at all which I often get with in-ear headphones.
The open-ear design deliver top sound for not alot of expenditure. I was really surprised and impressed!
As noted above, the main downsides are the lack of a battery indicator and the proprietary charging cable rather than USB-C. However, these are minor quibbles given the overall performance.
Overall, the Tozo OpenReal delivered excellent wireless audio and call quality in a comfortable open-ear design. The situational awareness provided by the openness gave me confidence to safely listen while commuting or exercising near traffic. If you want immersive sound without total isolation, I highly recommend giving the Tozo OpenReal a try.
FAQs
Q: How is the sound quality on the Tozo OpenReal headphones?
A: The sound quality is excellent, with crisp highs, reasonable bass, and clear mids. The 16.2mm dynamic drivers deliver immersive, expansive audio with strong dynamic range.
Q: Do the Tozo OpenReal headphones stay in place during exercise or activity?
A: Yes, the angled stem design nestles securely in the contours of your outer ear to keep the OpenReal firmly in place even during intense workouts or runs. The lightweight build ensures long-wearing comfort.
Q: Can you hear ambient noise and your surroundings with the OpenReal?
A: Absolutely. The open-ear design allows situational awareness so you can hear ambient noises around you even while listening to audio. This makes them ideal for situational awareness while exercising near traffic.
Q: How is call quality on the Tozo OpenReal?
A: Call quality is crystal clear thanks to dual beamforming microphones that actively reduce background noise for excellent voice pickup. Callers reported my voice sounded crisp whether indoors or on noisy streets.
Q: How long does the battery last on a single charge?
A: Battery life is an impressive 16 hours of continuous playback on a single charge. The magnetic charging cable works well but I wish it was simple USB-C.
Q: What Bluetooth version do the Tozo OpenReal use?
A: The Tozo OpenReal utilize the latest Bluetooth 5.3 standard for quick pairing, stable connectivity and low latency. The wireless range is 10 meters from your device.
Q: Do the Tozo OpenReal headphones have onboard controls?
A: Yes, the right side of the headphones contains an integrated panel to control music playback, calls, volume and voice assistants. The controls are intuitive and responsive.
