These days, we’re all familiar with earphones designed for everyday use, such as the Huawei FreeBuds 6i and others. Some brands, such as OneOdio, have chosen to offer devices adapted to sportsmen and women, as is the case with the model tested today, the new OpenRock X.
In my opinion, they are best suited to sporting activities such as outdoor running, not least because of their ergonomic design. The flexible arm fitted to the earphones enables them to be held in place around your ears. Let’s take a look at what these are worth.
Design and packaging
I confess I’m happy to be testing headphones that are a little out of the ordinary, because their design doesn’t have much in common with the lambdas we’re used to seeing on the street or elsewhere for that matter.
The OneOdio OpenRock X feature a similar design to the Shure Aonic 215 True Wireless Gen 2, which are also earphones designed for sports users. The model received by the editors is black in color, although a few details contrast with this, as we shall see.
Before I start, I’d like to endorse the fact that the packaging is very well thought-out, and it was a pleasure to unpack the OpenRock X for this reason. Inside, however, it was more cardboard than anything else. I could only make out the earphones with their case, as well as a charging cable and a few instructions.
I can therefore begin to describe the aesthetics of these “Open-Ear” headphones. This term refers to the fact that the earcups don’t penetrate your ears, but rather actually sit on top of them, avoiding any risk of discomfort or possible pain, as I experienced with the SoundPeats Air 4 Lite.
The speakers are identical, with an oval shape. The front panel bears the inscription “OpenRock”, recalling the product model. The bottom side features a small button, which allows you to perform various actions depending on what you’ve selected on the dedicated application, which I’ll talk about later.
Alongside the button in question, OneOdio decided to add a small microphone for each device, allowing you to be heard during a phone call. Apart from these elements, there’s not much else to add.
The surface next to your ears features the magnetized charging ports on one side and the sound output on the other. The latter has been positioned so as to be right in your ears, which gives an excellent rendering, as I’ll explain a little later.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning the support arms. They’re black too, and have been fitted with a silicone material that feels very soft against the skin. The tips are wider for better grip, adapted to all ear shapes.
What’s more, the transducer end is equipped with a rotation system that allows the earpieces to be rotated by a small margin. All this is to enable you to position the sound outputs in front of your ear openings, depending on how you’ve put the OneOdio OpenRock X on your ears.
As for the casing, it’s equally well thought-out and quite original. It’s similar to that found on the Creative Outlier Pro. In other words, it’s a rectangular container; to access the earphones, simply press the top surface, which activates a click and the case opens.
OneOdio OpenRock X specifications
| Model | OneOdio OpenRock X |
| Type of earphones | Over-ear |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Codec | AAC, SBC |
| Waterproofing | IPX5 |
| Speaker size | 14.2 millimeters |
| Headphone autonomy | Over 12 hours / 48 hours with charging case |
| Fast charging | Yes, 5 min charge for 1 hour use |
| Controls | Pressure |
OneOdio OpenRock X sound quality
You’d think that the fact that the earpieces don’t fit directly into your ears would result in a loss of sound quality. However, I didn’t find this to be the case. The brand has designed the OneOdio OpenRock X so that the sound outputs are perfectly positioned.
Indeed, the listening sensation is the same as for some in-ear devices, except that here there’s no risk of discomfort. Fatally, the sound is much less muffled, given the space available for the transducers. When the transducer has more air, its performance is much better, and the sound output is much wider.
The sound profile is perfectly balanced, with the bass not taking over, which is appreciable. It will always be possible to increase them via the application. They add dynamism to the music listened to, without drowning out the other frequencies.
As for the volume flow offered by the OpenRock X, it’s also very good. I couldn’t turn the volume all the way up for fear of losing my hearing. It’s true that I’m exaggerating a little, but what I mean is that you won’t be forced to turn up the volume too much to enjoy your music.
Comfort of use
When you buy headphones for any kind of sporting activity, you want them to be comfortable, so you can almost forget what’s on your ears. Unlike in-ear headphones, OneOdio OpenRock X headphones don’t fit in your ears, so they’re immediately more comfortable.
The transducers rest on your ears, without exerting too much pressure, which is appreciable, and will make you sweat less at the same time. As I said in the design section of this review, the material of the temples is very soft against the skin, so I hardly felt them at all.
What’s more, the OpenRock Xs are lightweight, which means they can be attached to your ears without a hitch. Personally, mine are quite small, so I was a bit worried about this, but since they can be tightened, I didn’t have any problems.
OneOdio OpenRock X features
Unlike the Nothing Ear, the OneOdio OpenRock X doesn’t offer an ANC (active noise reduction) mode, or a transparency mode for that matter, which is regrettable. But this is logical, given the shape of the earphones.
This is not to say that they are totally devoid of interesting features. In fact, a visit to the “OpenRock” application reveals a number of them, which I shall now present. Firstly, there’s a maximum volume limiter, so that you don’t exceed a certain level.
The OneOdio OpenRock X are also equipped with a spatial sound function, to give the perception of listening from the room you’re in. It’s quite successful, although I’m not a fan of this mode.
Finally, the earphones’ packaging informs us that they feature a multipoint connection mode. This means you can connect several Bluetooth devices simultaneously. However, I’m not aware of the maximum number of devices supported.
OneOdio OpenRock X battery life
Autonomy is a point on which I confess I was rather surprised concerning the OneOdio OpenRock X. After an hour’s listening with them, they didn’t lose 1% of battery, which is pretty impressive. This will undoubtedly ensure smooth sports sessions in terms of music.
The expected battery life of the earphones has not been communicated, although I can assure you that they will last all day without any problem. So I have nothing to say, except that you won’t need to recharge the OpenRock X case every day, which is a luxury.
OpenRock application
Now it’s time to introduce you to the OneOdio OpenRock X application. It’s called “OpenRock”, and is available for download on iPhone and Android, completely free of charge.
Once downloaded, you won’t even be asked to create an account, as is the case with most other software of this type. After a long press on the pairing button on the box, the application will automatically detect the earphones.
You can then start enjoying the options offered by OneOdio. First, you’ll be presented with the battery status of the earphones and headset, so you can see how much time is left before recharging.
I found the traditional sound equalizer, which offers several listening presets to suit your preferences. These include a “Rock” mode, a “Boom” mode, a “Relax” mode, and the option of customizing frequencies yourself.
Of course, the features I mentioned earlier are also available, such as the maximum volume limiter and spatial sound. An extended wear reminder is also available, to activate a sound command informing you that you’ve been wearing the headphones for so many minutes.
Finally, it will be possible to manage the pressure controls with your fingers, to assign specific actions to them. Another very practical feature is the ability to find your earphones if you lose them, thanks to a geolocation system.
OneOdio OpenRock X: Reviews
OneOdio OpenRock X are headphones designed for sports enthusiasts, and it shows. Whether in terms of design, comfort or autonomy, OneOdio has thought of everything to ensure your sessions go as smoothly as possible.
Sound performance is top-notch, and the app that accompanies the OpenRock allows you to customize the settings to suit your tastes, which is a nice touch. As an athlete myself, I’m hesitant to opt for these earphones!