I just tried the Shokz bone conduction earphones to listen to some podcasts while swimming. However, when I breathe out underwater, the air rushing by my ears is so loud that I can’t hear anything. What am I missing? I doubt that other swimmers using them hold their breath underwater or swim really slowly with their heads above water.
Do you crank up the sound super loud to overpower the water noise?
Are you using the earplugs? They work better with them in.
They give you earplugs for a reason, you definitely need them in the water or other noisy places.
Hey, the comments below have already mentioned earplugs, which I agree with.
I listen to audiobooks while swimming, and besides using earplugs, I also have to edit my MP3 files to boost the volume so every word is clear.
I use Ubuntu, so I just use the “lame” command line tool (link below) to do it, but if you’ve managed to get your podcasts into MP3 format for your Shokz, changing the volume shouldn’t be too hard for you.
https://askubuntu.com/questions/423742/command-for-increasing-the-volume-of-mp3-with-lame
Yes, I am using the earplugs they provided, but it didn’t make a big difference. I’ll try adjusting the sound settings, thanks for the tip!
Dell said:
Yes, I am using the earplugs they provided, but it didn’t make a big difference. I’ll try adjusting the sound settings, thanks for the tip!
Just so you know, when I change the volume, I usually do it by a factor of 2 to 4. When using regular speakers, it should be as loud as possible without causing too much distortion.
Dell said:
Yes, I am using the earplugs they provided, but it didn’t make a big difference. I’ll try adjusting the sound settings, thanks for the tip!
Did you switch the headphones to swimming mode? It changes the way different frequencies work better for swimming. The earplugs are still a must.
Earplugs and increasing the volume help, but maybe your expectations are a bit high.
I have tried Shokz and now use some generic bone conduction headphones. The Shokz might be better quality, but I wear them to help with the boredom of pool swimming, and I can’t say I notice much difference while swimming.
Your breathing is too loud to hear the Shokz? That’s not something I’ve experienced with them. Do you wear a swim cap?
Dawson said:
Your breathing is too loud to hear the Shokz? That’s not something I’ve experienced with them. Do you wear a swim cap?
Not yet, but I should give a cap a try.
Dawson said:
Your breathing is too loud to hear the Shokz? That’s not something I’ve experienced with them. Do you wear a swim cap?
Not yet, but I should give a cap a try.
Definitely try a cap! I recommend those bigger ones that cover your whole ear. I use that.
@Brogan
Do you have a link for the bigger ones? I’ve tried a few, but they all seem to be one size fits all.
Swim cap!
If I turn the volume all the way up, it distorts, but it’s way louder than my breathing.
Are you in water mode? There’s a button to switch between normal and water mode and it makes a big difference!
You really need to wear earplugs.