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06
Jul
Jul
On general request… my AfterShokz Aeropex vs AfterShokz Trekz Air article. In this article I will highlight the differences between two high-quality headphones and I will share my personal opinion. Is the Aeropex worth the extra money? Do the enhancements add true value? Which one will suit you the best? On each of those questions I will try to provide a clear answer. Headphones on… here we go!
Table of Contents
The looks Air vs Aeropex
Unpacking the Aeropex box, I immediately noticed the enhanced transducers. They are smaller and rounded off. Not like the Air ones, which have a cubist appearance. Yeah, I like the looks! They give the headphones a more elegant appearance. Just like the Air, the Aeropex is available in four colors. The forest green (Air) has been taken out though and has been replaced by a cosmic black version. Other colors in the Aeropex collection are Lunar Grey, Blue Eclipse and Solar Red. The front of the bleu and red frame are a lighter blue and red than the back of the frame. At the lunar grey version, it’s the other way around. It does add to the looks. The 4 AfterShokz Air versions were made of one and the same color for the whole frame.
The smaller size of the transducer and controller part (see next paragraph) also adds to the overall look of the AfterShokz Aeropex. AfterShokz Aeropex vs AfterShokz Trekz Air wise the Aeropex looks simpler and more streamlined. I do prefer the streamlined look, with no LeakSlayer holes anymore, over the cubist form of the Air transducers. But that’s a personal thing of course. From a pure frame perspective there are little or no differences, except for the charging part and the smaller controller part on the frame, between the Trekz Air and the Aeropex.
Get your Aeropex via the below link. Exclusive www.bone-conduction.com offer + free shipping on the bone-conduction.com orders.
Smaller size, bigger sound
Combining the reinvented bone conduction technology and state of the art Qualcomm chip 3024, Aeropex is 30 % smaller in overall size and 15% lighter than the AfterShokz Trekz Air. Do I feel the lower weight? Putting the two headphones next to each other and placing them on the palm of my hand I did notice the smaller size but do I really feel the lower weight… not really. The frame is the same size at the back of the head which has been a positive evolution the past years. Remember, the AfterShokz Trekz Titanium still had two versions; the normal one and the mini… to fit everyone’s head. The AfterShokz Trekz Air only had one and the overall frame length was shorter which added to the stability. The Aeropex frame looks like once again a bit shorter! Nevertheless, when I put the two frames on top of each other I barely see a difference. So, I might get that feeling due to the smaller transducers and the smaller controller part (I will double check with AfterShokz on the exact frame size). But since the Trekz Air already had an exceptional wearing comfort (can never be matched by in ear buds or over ear headphones) I haven’t felt a big difference yet between the two headsets. Maybe when you wear them day in day out…
Louder sound, less vibrations
Aeropex is also louder, even though the transducer is 50% smaller compared to the Air transducer, thanks to higher utilisation of the magnetic field. As an outdoor sportsman I believe this is a big pro. Not only because it is louder, but also because the mid to high frequency range is now very smooth. Vocal sound quality is par or even better than traditional earbuds. You will read in the final conclusion that the enhanced quality of sound for me is one of the main reasons to go for the AfterShokz Aeropex.
Louder sound in this case doesn’t mean more vibrations. Because that was a little fear of me when reading about the differences between the Air vs the Aeropex. While you still felt tiny vibrations with the Air, especially at higher volumes, there are barely no vibrations with the Aeropex. Since bass causes vibration, AfterShokz has been limiting bass to reduce vibrations to a comfortable level. One of the criticisms of AfterShokz bone conduction headphones in the past, has been its lack of bass. Reading my older reviews of the AfterShokz Trekz Air & AfterShokz Trekz Titanium, you will notice it has also always been one of my personal criticisms. Nevertheless, baby step wise AfterShokz managed to enhance the bass but to my opinion not to acceptable levels… until now. The AfterShokz Aeropex is a significant improvement in the bass domain. The underlying reason is the new position of the transducer. While the Air had a transducer placed against the face, the Aeropex transducer is tilted against the face at 30 degrees. This allows more movement, i.e. more bass, whilst causing a reduced sensation of vibration. And yes, this is not just theory, but I can confirm it is an exceptional enhancement also in real life.
Louder sound, lower sound leakage
Sound leakage is one of the most annoying aspects of many bone conduction headphones and sunglasses. Companies like Zungle, Conduit, Vidonn and so on have always been struggling with this clear bone conduction downside. Sound leakage means the people next to you can hear what you hear. It’s not only damaging your privacy, but it can also be very annoying for the people around you. Together with the enhanced sound quality, the decreased sound leakage is the main reason to go for the Aeropex. AfterShokz promises a 50% reduced sound leakage compared to the Trekz Air. And although it’s difficult (read impossible) to test this as a normal user, me and my wife, did notice a clear improvement from the first moment we played a song. We tested the sound leakage at the highest volume in several situations and with several people and the results were astonishing. These headphones have barely no sound leakage anymore. At the highest volume you do hear a buzzing sound but overall a big benefit and an extraordinary enhancement! Well done AfterShokz!
IP67 Waterproof
Sweat resistance is a big issue for sports headphones. It can cause numerous quality issues. It is one of the reasons that a lot of sports headphones are poorly reviewed on big sites like Amazon. AfterShokz has long been working hard to tackle the issue. Perfect example in the battle against sweat and rain are the Titanium and the Air. Extensively using the AfterShokz Trekz Air for about almost one year and half now, sweat and rain have so far not influenced the sound quality, the charging or any other aspect. And when we sport… it’s always sweat, blood, and tears…
So AfterShokz decided to go the extra mile with the Aeropex and made it IP67 waterproof. The LeakSlayer holes, which were visible on the Air, have disappeared. And according to AfterShokz every Aeropex is tested on the assembly line to ensure it can be submerg-sed in up to 1 meter of water for as long as half an hour. Being a stubborn reviewer, I took this to the test myself. Half an hour submersed later my Aeropex was still working as expected and the sound was still crystal clear.
So, is it an enhancement AfterShokz Aeropex vs AfterShokz Trekz Air? Yes, it is.
Is it a true value add? For me personally, no. The Air has so far done an excellent job to resist rain and sweat & the fact you can only use it for max 30 minutes submersed in up to 1 meter of water, doesn’t make it a swimming headset. For the swimming part, I am looking forward to the AfterShokz Xtrainerz.
One nice additional feature is the sweat sensitive charging alarm. This alarm informs you when the charging area is still too wet to be used for charging.
Smaller battery, longer battery life
Albeit smaller in size, the Aeropex transducer is more powerful than the Trekz Air whilst consuming less power. And less power means a longer battery life. The extended battery life is also reached by implementing the latest Qualcomm chip 3024. This chip greatly reduces the Bluetooth power consumption. So, whilst the battery life is reduced to 145 mah from 180 mah at the Air, the battery life is extended to 8 hours at the Aeropex from 6 hours at the Air. Of course, I took the test and my Aeropex managed to continuously play music 8 hours and 21 minutes in a row. And a full charge took me only 1 hours and 56 minutes. AfterShokz clearly fulfilled their promises on this one and it is a significant improvement for those people who would define themselves as long term athletes.
One thing I love is the little but clear LED light on the side of the AfterShokz Aeropex. I know… this light was also available on previous versions but this time they have increased its visibility being on the side of the controller part on the frame.
Accessories AfterShokz Aeropex vs AfterShokz Trekz Air
Last but not least, I am taking a look at the accessories. No big differences within this area. The storage bag has changed from a zipper bag to a magnetic closure bag. I don’t really mind but my wife prefers the zipper of the AfterShokz Trekz Air. For some reason, my Aeropex was delivered with two charging cables. No idea though if this was on purpose or if this was a human error. The rest of the accessories matches the accessories of the Air: ear plugs and a manual
The Price
Get your Aeropex via the below link. Exclusive www.bone-conduction.com offer + free shipping on the bone-conduction.com orders.
Summary AfterShokz Aeropex vs AfterShokz Trekz Air
- The Aeropex comes with 50% reduced sound leakage vs Air
- Aeropex: more dynamic bass, louder sound and less vibrations (equals in ear buds) vs Air
- 30% smaller: the Aeropex has smaller transducers and controller part. The frame length is the same.
- Weight: 26 grams (Aeropex) vs 30 grams (Air) – 15% lighter
- IP67 Waterproof (Aeropex) vs IP55 Sweat / Rain resistant (Air)
- 8 hours continuous play (Aeropex) vs 6 hours continuous play (Air)
- 2 hours full charge (Aeropex) vs 1,5 hours full charge (Air)
- Zipper storage bag (Air) vs magnetic closure bag (Aeropex)
- Both headphones come with a 2 year-warranty
- Different colors
- Price: $159.95 (Aeropex) vs $119.95 (Air)
Conclusion: is it worth the money?
For me personally, it is worth the money. Why? Because it is the first time a bone conduction brand has not only and mainly focused on the bone conduction part but also on the sound quality part. The result is an open ear headset which can easily compete with its in-ear brothers and sisters. Additionally, there is little to no sound leakage even at high volumes. Two aspects “sound quality” and “sound leakage” which I have always believed to be impossible to enhance. AfterShokz did it though!
It does have a lower weight and a smaller size than the Trekz Air… but 30 grams vs 26 grams… does that make a difference? It does feel a bit more comfortable… but the air already had an exceptional wearing comfort. It is indeed waterproof… but for real swimming I would wait for the AfterShokz Xtrainerz. No, the real reason you should go for the AfterShokz Aeropex vs the AfterShokz Trekz Air is the more dynamic sound, the enhanced bass, the decreased sound leakage and the decreased vibrations.
If the safety aspect combined with decent sound and exceptional wearing comfort is good enough for you, you should go for the AfterShokz Trekz Air.
If the safety aspect combined with exceptional sound, exceptional wearing comfort and some additional enhanced features like the waterproof aspect and the longer battery life your desire, you should go for the AfterShokz Aeropex.
UK Citizens
For UK visitors: Currently the AfterShokz Aeropex and Air are for sale via the below official UK AfterShokz Amazon page.
Buy the AfterShokz Aeropex Here (UK) Buy the AfterShokz Trekz Air here (UK)
Wim Styleman is a content writer, translator, reviewer and bone conduction fanatic. Interested in the wonderful world of bone conduction since 2016. Driven by a desire to get everyone submerged into this wonderful technology, but critical and honest when he has to be as a reviewer. Only the best is good enough. He has traveled around the globe and visited various CES events. When he isn’t busy testing bone conduction devices or writing freelance translations, he is at his bike somewhere on the Belgian roads or on his touring skis somewhere in the Austrian or French Alps.
Amazing Review, thanks!
Thanks a lot, covered everything I was looking for in a review.
Nice marketing style review- (something that AfterShokz should have done on their homepage). One of the big bummers with the Aeropex is the charger, which was deliberately left out from this review. Having to care about special cables due to non-standardised connectivity is the main reason, which turns me away from purchasing the aeropex for my family. (Despite the fact that two cables are included, I simply do not want to hunt down cables or have them sitting around uselessly).
Really looking forward to see AfterShokz implementation of wireless charging via the headband. I imagine that they could implement a “roll-up”-feature that also makes them fit into a bag more conveniently. While it closes a circuit that allows for fast QI-charging. – Keeping my fingers crossed for the next generation that is expected for the 2020 winter season.
But maybe we can expect a spectacle-attachable, or faceshield/mask-integrated Covid-19 variant, where standardised charging might find its way back more easily?!
Hi Bop, thanks for your extended reaction. It is not intended to be a commercial but just an honest review. Aftershokz doesn’t work with an affiliate program… so negative or positive review… it won’t matter to me. Having tested tens of bone conduction headphones the past years there is unfortunately not a single brand at the moment which can compete with the quality of AfterShokz. I hope this will change in the near future to give us some more options. I must agree wireless charging would be a big pro and I sincerely hope it will also be included in their next release. I believe AfterShokz has chosen this unique charging mechanism on purpose to create a plug -on mechanism and not a plug-in mechanism which is much more sensitive for dirt and sweat. Just my two cents…
Great detailed review. Exactly hit the points I was looking for.
Just getting back to running, but due to Covid doing this outdoor and at night, so I just went for the air to save £50 quid, right decision after your review. I have my Sony wf-1000mx3 as normal in ear for gym …when it’s open again.
Probably picking up the Areopex on 2020 Black Friday for the improve sound.
What about if you factor in ease of charging from anywhere? As I understand it, the Air can be charged with almost any standard cable and the Aeroplex needs a special charger. I’m considering whether it might be wiser to have something I can charge in the car, on the road, and with any cable. Thoughts?
Hi Andrew, thanks for your message. I understand your concern and I fully agree it is a pity the Aeropex doesn’t have a standard charging cable. The good thing though is that the Aeropex is delivered with 2 charging cables which allows you to leave one at home and to put one for example in the car. So, for me that’s sufficient. Regards, Wim
Andrew and Wim,
Also one has to take into consideration the charging cable is what gives it the water proofing. While inconvenient it does provide the extra protection. Plus 8 hrs of better life. Ordering them now
Thank you.