The review of the OneOdio OpenRock S TWS headset was planned to be short, and consist mainly of a comparison of my experience and – my same experience but with another open-type TWS. However, given HOW big the difference turned out to be, and how many experiences I picked up along the way…. The review was more than I expected. Which is good – because you’ll have more information.
Market positioning and price
OpenRock S is an open-ended headset for $90. And it’s not the only one in OneOdio’s arsenal, and it’s not even the most expensive one. In general, we have a lot of reviews of this particular brand, and after reading them, you’ll realise that it focuses mainly on wired models, and TWS-headsets are a novelty for it.
That said, there is a more expensive model, the OpenRock Pro, which is slightly better in all aspects, from autonomy to codec support. Which, as you will see further on, is a very solid bonus, as OpenRock S is cool too.
Complete set and appearance
In the box with the headset comes some instructions and a USB cable. There are several instructions, because there is a quick one that explains the basic way to put the hooks on your ear, and there is a detailed one with instructions and specifications.
OpenRock S is as different from its predecessor as Apple’s wired headphones are from Knowledge Zenith. Not in sound quality, but in format – despite the fact that both OpenRocks and its predecessors have exactly the same format.
The headphones are almost flat, made in the shape of a comma, and almost do not allow you to change their shape. They feel more on the ears and, most likely, in hot weather can cause skin irritation, and more than its predecessor, because the contact area is larger. And the speaker module is not directed inside the ear lobe, but simply overhangs over the opening.
On the case are two large microphones, a metal speaker perforation and charging contacts. On the outside of the case, tentatively labelled OpenRock, are the touch control areas.
The case is huge. Three times the size of a simple TWS headset case. And twice the size of its predecessor. And yet, it doesn’t include a wireless charging module.
In general, despite its size, it is high-quality, elegant and functional – in addition to USB Type-C on the back, we have an LED indicator of the charge level exactly the case. Inside there is also a button to join and, if necessary, reset settings.
Briefly about characteristics and control
The OneOdio OpenRock S features 16.2mm drivers with a frequency response of 20 to 20,000Hz, AAC and SBC codec support, Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and up to 19 hours of battery life on a single charge, plus just over 40 hours with the case. The headset is IPX5 splash-proof and weighs 12g per earpiece, for a total weight with case of 132g.
Its controls are more convenient than those of its predecessor, thanks to the fact that the headset is operated by double rather than single presses. On the one hand, there’s no way to change the volume, but on the other hand, there are two inbuilt EQ presets, the standard Rock and the drier Relax. The headphones can also be switched off and on manually with a long press.
OneOdio OpenRock S sound quality
Here I’ll start with a moment of general enlightenment. You and I are going to look together at the marketing material that talks about the sound frequencies in OpenRock S. See for yourself, the manufacturer boasts that its proprietary TrueBass technology improves the bass in the headset.
It doesn’t improve the volume, it improves it – and yes, the bass in the headset is nice. As good as bass can be in an open headset without “integrating” the earpiece inside your ear. That would be the end of it, if it weren’t for the illustration to this point.
Firstly, it shows exactly the increase in volume, twice as much. Secondly, it shows an increase not in bass, but in midrange. Because bass is considered to be frequencies up to and including 400 MHz, then from 400 to 3000 MHz, or 4000 MHz, are midrange frequencies, and then high frequencies.
That is, the illustration shows a doubling of the midrange volume. This is generally not a bad thing when you want to give the headset an emphasis on vocals, because the human voice is exactly in the frequencies between 2000 and 2500 MHz. But the illustration itself is misleading.
Overall, I like the sound of the OpenRock S, it has a great three-dimensional stage, clarity of instruments and vocals. There is only one drawback. It’s volume, which is half as loud as the model from the previous review. The disadvantage stems from the fact that the OpenRock S is structurally much less flexible and the driver is not directed inside the ear.
Operational experience
The OneOdio OpenRock S were more comfortable than I expected, as I didn’t expect much from such a rigid design. And indeed, they fit less securely in the ear than their predecessor, and when, for example, changing clothes, they come off more actively. But they still fit stably when doing sports, and feel much nicer on the ear overall.
Due to the complete absence of sharp corners and the presence of soft-touch, you will need to correct them much less often, as irritation is almost non-existent.
I would also like to point out that although OpenRock S does not support parallel connection with two devices, this model can be alternately “introduced” with, say, a smartphone and a PC. Then manually “click” the headset through the Bluetooth menu. And after 8-10 seconds the headset will disconnect from its predecessor and connect to the device that “calls” it.
Oddly enough, I like this mode of operation much better, because the sound on the first device is not interrupted every time there is a signal – say, a message sound – on the second device.
Sleeping with this headset is also more comfortable than I thought. But it is advisable to keep your pillow fresh, because the earpiece reacts to even the slightest moisture as if it were a touch.
Disadvantage
In my opinion, the headset has the only one. It is the constant desire of OpenRock S to enter standby mode and then switch off altogether. If you put music on pause and there is no sound coming from the signal source at all – the headset will constantly beep periodically, signalling “standby mode”. After that, first one earphone may switch off, and after 5-10 minutes – both earphones may switch off too.
I call it the “EMUI syndrome.” Both there and here, the power saving mode is too aggressive, and in both cases is not customisable in any way. The OpenRock S doesn’t support a single smartphone app, although this would be extremely useful just for the ability to switch off standby mode altogether. Fortunately, I only noticed this problem when connected to a PC.
Results
I’m very happy to see manufacturers experimenting in terms of TWS open-type headsets, and very happy when such experiments pleasantly surprise me. The OneOdio OpenRock S was better than I expected, and although it doesn’t make the best first impression – but the combination of unreal battery life, sound quality, convenience and features makes it an extremely easy recommendation.
OneOdio OpenRock S video review
The headset can be viewed here:
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