Now testing the EX-2 bone conduction headphones for a personal experience.
Facebook status now saying the following:
"listening to Armin with max vibration on bone conduction headphones makes my head, tummy and feet feel slightly crazy! beyond amazing.... :D"
It is a very odd yet powerful and intense effect feeling the beat pulsing inside my own head. Accentuates the rhythm of the music very significantly. Often making my body tingle in response.
My body also instantly responded by creating what felt like an electrical pulse / minor shock almost 'flashing' in my stomach and my feet.
The powerful and energetic beat and bass of the electronic music I am listening to has now become like a life form, alive in my own head. There is also that feeling of being a 'part of' the music and wanting to react to it somehow. It also reminds me in a way, of the very high emotional effects of some of my most significant club experiences, such as when I went to Ministry of Sound to see Above and Beyond, and the Netherlands to see Armin Van Buuren.
There are only two drawbacks I can currently identify:
Firstly, is that the volume does need to be quite loud to get the bone conduction vibration to activate fully, despite the vibration settings on the headphones being at maximum. If the music volume is low, there is no real effect. So the listener would have to be prepared to listen to loud music to benefit from the full experience. Not a problem I suffer with of course, but this may not be suitable for everyone.
Secondly, the bass on the headphones is not actually very high, when you have the full effect of the vibration this clearly substitutes for the lack of bass, but without the volume and therefore the vibration working at 100%, the bass is slightly lacking in comparison to my very 'bass heavy' ear bud headphones.
So likely only to be noticed if you are used to strong levels of bass.
Final point:
It is clear that bone conduction in conjunction with music really does lend itself to music with a strong pulse, beat, rhythm. As well as precise and powerful bass. Basically, bone conduction seems to have been 'made' for electronic music. It is a perfect union.
**Conversation and reflection with Darren Veal, external collaborator**
ReplyDeleteRachel Dunscombe 10:41
how fucking weird, I can actually test the bone conduction vibration on different body parts by placing one of the earbuds against the skin
dazz-fitzwaryn 10:41
heh... that's a good idea...
Rachel Dunscombe 10:42
one bud in the ear so you can hear the music, then one bud against different parts of the body against the skin
very very powerful
10:42
and odd
10:43
wrist is bizarre, makes your whole arm feel.... pulsing
dazz-fitzwaryn 10:43
heheh
sounds interesting
Rachel Dunscombe 10:44
I like the centre of the palm too, inspires you to hand dance hand with a beat
dazz-fitzwaryn 10:44
ahhh... right
neat
Rachel Dunscombe 10:44
very much so, love this bone conduction thing it's amazing
10:45
will be interesting to see if the effects are as powerful on others, for example people who are less hugely passionate about the music than I am, do they feel as connected
dazz-fitzwaryn 10:51
hmmm.... interesting.... I suspect that as you say they won't be so good for non bass heavy music... so probably fine for meatal and heavy rock, not so good for pop-y stuff.... also, intersting on whether you try them on different people using the same piece of music, or let them choos their own to taste, as it were.
Rachel Dunscombe 10:52
agreed, maybe try both and see what the difference is
good god, that change of beat for a new song made me jump! very clear and precise short beat, produces a very precise and focused vibration..