Review of the Sanag B33S bone conduction headset

About four years ago, I tried a bone-conduction headset that was very similar to the Sanag B33S. Back then, these devices cost not just twice as much, but around five times more, and their features felt far less refined. By that logic, the Sanag B33S should be an easy recommendation. However, it comes with one unexpected and rather frustrating drawback that significantly affects my overall impression.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Price and package contents

Let’s start with the basics: the price. The Sanag B33S sells for around $31 or €30, putting it firmly in the entry-level range. For comparison, the bone-conduction headset I used a few years ago cost close to $97.

The included accessories with the Sanag B33S are a bit unusual. Inside the box you’ll find the headset itself, a user manual, a pair of orange earplugs, and a rubber cord with holes at both ends. I’m not entirely sure what the cord is meant for – it’s the first time I’ve seen one included, and the manual doesn’t explain its purpose. There’s also a 4-pin magnetic USB charging cable, which you’ll want to keep safe. I’ll explain why that matters later.

Appearance of the Sanag B33S

The design of the headset follows the standard template for bone-conduction models. It uses a wraparound band that sits on the lower back of the head, with two hooks and two symmetrical bulges where the drivers are housed.

One of the bulges houses the four magnetic charging contacts along with the physical control buttons.

At the ends of the hooks are oval-shaped sound emitters. These press against the bone just in front of the ear, slightly away from the ear canal, transmitting sound through vibrations rather than traditional speakers.

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Advantages of the format

What does this design offer? For one, the headset is rated IPX8, meaning it can withstand full submersion in water without damage. That’s possible because there’s no exposed speaker diaphragm or open Type-C port where water could get in. As long as you wipe the metal charging contacts dry afterward, it should keep working without issue.

Second, there’s no passive noise isolation at all – the ear canal remains completely open. You could even wear a small in-ear TWS headset inside your ears at the same time, like the Sanag J20S. This makes the B33S a good option for anyone who spends a lot of time outdoors, wants to stay aware of their surroundings, or needs to hear alerts while still listening to music.

And yes, since there’s no sound isolation, people nearby will hear your music quite loudly. This isn’t exactly a drawback – it’s just how bone-conduction acoustics work. Another benefit is that you can’t damage your hearing the way you might with traditional headphones, because the eardrum isn’t directly exposed to sound. In other words, you could listen to the Sanag B33S at maximum volume continuously without harming your ears.

Improvements

What’s changed in the new model compared to the one from four years ago? The Bluetooth version has been upgraded from 4.0 to 6.0. In fact, the Sanag B33S is the first Bluetooth 6.0 headset I’ve personally handled. While I won’t be able to take full advantage of the latest version on my Motorola Edge 50 Ultra, which only supports Bluetooth 5.4, it’s a solid preparation for future devices.

Sanag B33S Battery life

The manufacturer claims up to eight hours of playback on a single charge, an hour longer than my old headset. However, that doesn’t account for the fact that the B33S naturally plays much louder. Compared to its predecessor, which I often had to boost through software – draining the battery in just 20 minutes – the B33S delivers higher volume without extra strain on the battery.

Feeling from use

Another aspect worth noting is the control layout. There are three buttons, all rubberized and highly tactile. The power button sits in the center, with volume controls positioned on either side.

The 32GB built-in MP3 player remains unchanged. You connect the Sanag B33S to a computer using the included cable, transfer MP3, FLAC, WMA, or APE files, and can switch between offline playback and Bluetooth headset mode.

Sanag also highlights a collaboration with DeepSeek, but the headset does not support their software, so this likely refers only to microphone quality. Additionally, you can trigger a voice assistant by holding the central button for two seconds. Switching between MP3 player mode and Bluetooth headset mode is done with a double press.

Drawback

Now, about the drawback I mentioned earlier. Sanag has made the 4-pin charging port proprietary. How do I know this? With my previous bone-conduction headset, I bought two spare 4-pin cables from AliExpress, from different sellers and at different times. Both worked perfectly with my old headset, so when the original cable was lost, either of the non-original cables fit without issue.

The Sanag B33S does not support these spare cables. Its original cable also has four pins and the spacing between them is identical – but the contact depth is different. As a result, a non-original cable can physically connect, but the headset won’t recognize it for charging or PC connection. Only the original cable works.

And this is a major issue, because one of the biggest drawbacks of bone-conduction headsets is the cables. They’re easy to lose, and without a cable, the headset is essentially unusable, since not every manufacturer even sells replacements online. This is why standardization exists – something Sanag has clearly ignored. Whether by oversight or design, the company chose not to follow it.

Conclusions

This headset is a clear example of how much bone-conduction technology has improved since I first tried it. The Sanag B33S is cheaper, louder, more reliable, and more versatile than I expected, all without significant changes to the form factor. If it weren’t for the proprietary charging cable issue, I would consider the B33S an almost perfect option.