Suunto launches its first audio product – Suunto Wing, a motion-positioned bone conduction headphone. Suunto Wing uses bone conduction as a sound generation method, and adds an LED light strip and charging case to enhance the outdoor sports experience. It also support Qualcomm aptX Adaptive technology, bringing a better listening experience.
Suunto Wing specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.2 with aptX Adaptive codec
- 10 hours playback of per charge
- Charging case can charge earbuds fully 2 times
- IP67 waterproof rating (rain and sweat resistant)
- Comes with charging case, charging cable, storage bag, user manual
- $199 – Check latest price on Amazon US or other Amazon countries
Appearance Design, Comfortable Fit and Battery Life
The appearance of Suunto Wing is the same as other bone conduction headphones, using an integrated design of earhook and neckband – but with an additional charging case. The charging case adopts the triangular design with two grooves inside. There are charging contacts in the groove on the right, corresponding to the bottom of the control area of the headphone.
There is a pickup microphone on the right sound cavity, and a multi-function button on the left. There is an LED light strip behind the earhooks on both sides, and an NFC tag is printed under the light strip for quick touch pairing.
In the right headphone control area, the charging contacts and control buttons of the headphone are concentrated, including the power button and volume +/- buttons.
When worn, the headphones will hang on the ears relying on the earhook structure. At this time, the sound cavity of the headphone rests on the mandible, and the sound is transmitted to the inner ear through the solid vibration of the bone.
Suunto Wing has a good wearing feel – the sound cavity on both sides have a moderate force on the cheeks, and are not too loose to cause shaking, nor are they too tight to compress the head. It has achieved a better balance between stability and comfortable.
The battery capacity of the charging case is 500mAh and the headphone is 170mAh. The single battery life is up to 10 hours, and the total battery life is up to 30 hours.
Connection – App Support – Controls
Suunto Wing uses Bluetooth 5.2 wireless connection technology – long press the “Power button/Volume +” for 3 seconds, and the headphone will turn on. At this time, select “Sunnto Wing” in the bluetooth device list of your phone to quickly connect.
Also, Suunto Wing supports multi-point connection and can connect mobile phone and computer at the same time.
Suunto Wing supports the Suunto App for Android and iOS – the headphone need to be controlled in the My Headphones section of the App’s My page. In the App, head movement control, sound mode, LED indicators and dual-device connection can be set.
Among them, the head movement control function allows users to answer/hang up calls and switch tracks by “nodding” and “shaking head”. The LED indicator setting can set the light strip to be always on or flashing – which can improve the safety of exercise for users who need to run at night or on the road.
The Suunto Wing’s control scheme includes multi-function button, volume buttons and head movements. The multi-function button on the left headphone can switch tracks, answer calls, etc. The volume buttons can adjust the volume and switch the indicator light.
Sound Description and Sound Leakage
Suunto Wing’s low-frequency performance is better – the low-frequency extension has a certain depth, and combined with the solid-state sound transmission method of the mandible, the performance of drum beats is relatively good. The mid-to-high frequencies are relatively balanced and have certain details. Also, it also support Qualcomm aptX Adaptive codec, bringing a better listening experience.
Of course, limited by solid-state sound transmission and no-in-ear sound generation principles – if you are a first-time user of bone conduction headphones, you may feel that the sound is far away from your ears and not transparent enough.
In terms of sound leakage and vibration, Suunto Wing also controls it better. The headphone will only cause vibration to the cheeks when the volume is above 90%.
Overall, although it has not yet broken away from the shackles of the bone conduction principle, the Suunto Wing’s hearing experience is already at a relatively good level among bone conduction headphones – there is no problem in meeting the listening needs of aerobic exercise and extreme sports.
Conclusion
As the first audio product of a professional sports equipment brand, Suunto Wing enters the audio market with bone conduction headphones, bringing users an excellent sports listening experience through charging case, LED light strips and aptX Adaptive technology.