Buying guide for Best audio sunglasses
If you’ve never heard of audio sunglasses, you’re not alone. People who remember Google Glass might be forgiven if they assume that smart glasses had gone away or turned into VR headsets. But the fact is audio sunglasses are here, and they’re not as niche as you might think.
Audio sunglasses include technology that plays sound. Typically, they have embedded speaker drivers in the temples, or arms. They connect to an audio source, such as a smartphone, via Bluetooth, and are powered by built-in rechargeable batteries. With these sunglasses, you can listen to audio without headphones or earbuds. And like ordinary sunglasses, the tinted lenses shield your eyes.
In a world of ubiquitous earbuds and cheap shades, audio sunglasses might seem like a solution in search of a problem, but people who use them like not having something blocking their ears, so they can also hear the outside world. And there’s an undeniable coolness factor to making calls and listening to music without anything visible in your ear. A shopping guide and recommendations can point out the features to look for while you shop.
How to buy the best audio sunglasses
Size
Sunglasses need to fit your head, and audio sunglasses are no different. Head sizes vary, and some glasses simply won’t fit you as well as others. Audio sunglasses, with the additional electronics in the arms, are less flexible than standard glasses, so it’s important to know your facial measurements. And, like regular glasses, they have three basic measurements (in millimeters): lens width, bridge width, and temple length.
- Lens width refers to the width of each lens.
- Bridge width refers to the shortest distance between the lenses.
- Temple length refers to the length of each arm from screw to tip.
Audio sunglasses give you a couple more measurements: temple width and weight.
- Temple width refers to the thickness of the arms at the location of the speakers.
- Weight tells you how heavy the glasses are, since they weigh a little more than ordinary glasses.
What do you listen to?
You can use audio sunglasses to listen to any audio on your paired device, including music, audiobooks, and soundtracks to videos, but the design of these sunglasses is better suited to some types of audio rather than others. Speech, such as telephone calls and audiobooks sounds okay, but music won’t sound as good as music heard through headphones or earbuds. Still, if listening to music discreetly is what you’re going for, audio sunglasses can deliver that reasonably well.
Where do you do your listening?
The selling feature of these sunglasses is open-ear audio. It allows you to listen to audio without anything covering your ears. You can hear ambient noises from your surroundings while also listening to music or speech. That makes these sunglasses great for situations where that is important, such as running or walking outdoors or driving a car. Keep in mind that most audio sunglasses will leak a little sound in a quiet environment, and being able to hear the outside world means loud noises will drown out your audio.
What’s your style?
Like standard sunglasses, audio sunglasses are fashionable as well as functional and can help you express your style or mood. Manufacturers know how important the look of sunglasses is, and they offer different styles and designs to suit different tastes, moods, and outfits. Some brands offer customizable or even swappable frames.
Did You Know?
Bone conduction audio transmits sound through the bones of your jaw, bypassing the ear altogether. It’s a boon for athletes, especially swimmers, but it doesn’t reproduce sound quite the way the ear hears it.
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Features of audio sunglasses
Lenses
Like standard sunglasses, audio sunglasses have lenses that shade the eyes from bright sunlight and glare. These lenses might be tinted, UV-blocking, and/or polarized. You can also swap lenses on many models or get prescription lenses. Not many of these sunglasses come with photochromic lenses, though.
Speakers
Audio sunglasses transmit open-ear audio via speakers or bone-conduction transducers. The speakers are embedded in the arms and direct the audio toward the ears. The size and technology of the speaker drivers determine the loudness and quality of the audio.
Microphone
A microphone enables you to make calls on your audio sunglasses as well as interact with a digital assistant. These sunglasses use beamforming microphones, which means they’re better able to pick up the sound coming from your mouth despite being located in the frames.
Bluetooth
Audio sunglasses wirelessly connect to an audio source like a smartphone over Bluetooth. The more updated the Bluetooth protocol the sunglasses use, the better the quality and strength of the connection, preferably at least Bluetooth 4.0 and ideally Bluetooth 5.0 or higher. Some audio sunglasses advertise low-latency connections, which means they respond faster to signals than competitors. This is usually associated with gaming performance.
Good audio sunglasses work with the digital assistants used on smartphones and other devices, such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant. Some models have a built-in digital assistant. These sunglasses also work with streaming audio and audiobook apps.
Power
Audio sunglasses run on built-in rechargeable batteries. Five hours is a good minimum battery life duration. They generally recharge via USB ports, either micro USB or USB-C, or via a charging case, although some models use spring-loaded pin cables. Recharge time varies from brand to brand and model to model.
Water resistance
Audio sunglasses can get exposed to moisture in the form of sweat or rain. Water resistance allows them to withstand this exposure without damaging the speakers and electronics. Water resistance is indicated with IPXX ratings, such as IP4 or IP5, which are common ratings for these sunglasses, meaning they can withstand splashes and some exposure but not soaking or immersion.
Clip-on speakers attach to the arms of your existing glasses frames as an alternative to audio sunglasses. They are more versatile but don’t look quite as attractive.
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Accessories for audio sunglasses
Case
If your audio sunglasses don’t come with a protective case, consider getting one. Third-party cases protect eyewear from bumps, scratches, and crushing.
Cleaning cloth
A good lens cloth or lint-free microfiber cloth is recommended for polishing lenses and generally cleaning any electronics.
Charging cable
If your audio sunglasses don’t come with a charging cable (or even if they do) purchasing a good third-party USB charging cable with micro USB or USB-C plugs is always a good idea.
How much do audio sunglasses cost?
Inexpensive
The least expensive audio sunglasses cost $30 to $100. You won’t find many well-known brands at the low end of this range, although models may advertise the same features as higher-priced competitors. These sunglasses can give you a taste of what audio sunglasses can do, but dependability, product support, and long-term performance are questionable.
Mid-range
These audio sunglasses cost $100 to $250 and come from established and reputable electronics brands like Bose, Anker, and Amazon. They offer all the features you expect from these products, including good build quality and support, as well as lots of fashion and style choices. Audio sunglasses from these brands might be significantly discounted from their list prices, temporarily dipping into the inexpensive range from time to time.
Expensive
These audio sunglasses cost $250 to $400. Notable in this price range are smart glasses from fashion and optical brands such as Ray-Ban (with Meta) that not only include audio listening but also image and video capture. These models boast the kind of style and materials common to their non-audio counterparts, often distinguishable only by wider arms.
Staff Tip
Trying on audio sunglasses can be a challenge. Some brands have apps or websites that allow you to try them on virtually. In this instance, a good return policy is a buyer’s best friend.
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Tips
- Know your face shape. Just like regular glasses, the right audio sunglasses should flatter and fit the shape of your face. Round faces look better with more angular frames, and angular faces with rounded frames.
- Order lenses in your prescription. Most good audio sunglasses from well-known brands can be easily modified with prescription lenses via online services, and some can be ordered with prescription lenses.
- Check the operating system. Some audio sunglasses come with apps that are only compatible with iOS or Android, although this refers to control apps. You should still be able to connect to any Bluetooth audio source.
FAQ
Q. Are sunglasses with speakers worth the cost?
A. Whether audio sunglasses are worth the price depends on how much benefit you get from them. The open-ear audio provided by these sunglasses can be very helpful for keeping you in touch with your environment while still being able to listen to music or other audio, and the glasses are more comfortable for some people than heavy headphones or intrusive earbuds. However, you might get as good or better results using wireless earbuds and regular sunglasses. Only you can determine if the benefits are worth the cost.
Q. Can other people hear the audio from these sunglasses?
A. Yes, but only if the volume is turned up and the area is quiet. Most audio sunglasses that use speakers make sure they are directed at the ears and shouldn’t be easily overheard in casual circumstances. Some models project noise-canceling sound waves to cancel out any audio leakage.
Q. Can audio sunglasses pair with a smartwatch?
A. They can pair with most popular smartwatches, such as the Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch, via Bluetooth, but in general they can only use these watches as an audio source.
