TechAudioHeadphonesI tried the Hakii Mix smart headband headphones with ‘Air Conduction Technology’Can the Hakii Mix headband replace bone-conduction headphones for running?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechAudioHeadphonesI tried the Hakii Mix smart headband headphones with ‘Air Conduction Technology’Can the Hakii Mix headband replace bone-conduction headphones for running?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Can the Hakii Mix headband replace bone-conduction headphones for running?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Being the proud curator of T3’sbest running headphonesguide, I came across and reviewed quite a few earbuds and headphones, but the Hakii Mix was the first smart headband headphones I’ve tried as far as I can remember. These “game changer” wearables use Air Conduction Technology to transfer sound to your ears and come with a range of accessories, stickers and other goodies included in the box.
The Hakii Mix is more akin to bone-conduction headphones than traditional in-ear buds, thanks to its open-ear construction. But unlike those, the Hakii Mix doesn’t resonate the cheekbones to create sound; it merely plays music through the speakers placed near the ears. The sound is directional, but others will also be able to hear it if they are close to the speakers. This isn’t the case with bone-conduction headphones.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The sound coming from the Hakii Mix, albeit not loud, is clear enough; it’s akin to listening to music via a quiet speaker. You can still hear it, even if you’re outside, but you’ll have to crank up the volume to the maximum, especially if traffic is around. Again, listening to music via bone-conduction headphones is a similar experience, but those will sound a bit better due to the way they deliver sound.
As for comfort, I expected the Hakii Mix to be slightly cumbersome to wear for longer, but surprisingly, the silicone band, which weighs only 90 grams, wasn’t at all uncomfortable. I wore itover my capfor running and just as is at home (no one needs to see how I looked then), and on both occasions, I didn’t wish the Hakii Mix off my head.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Better still, thanks to the headband nature of the headphones, they also work as sweat blockers, something other headphones definitely can’t do. The front of the band can be detached and washed, and the silicone part is IPX5-rated for sweat and water resistance, so it’s safe to assume the Hakii Mix won’t turn unusable after a few running sessions.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Should you buy the Hakii Mix smart headband headphones? It’s an interesting concept, but I doubt I’ll be ditching myJabra Elite 7 Activeor theBeats Fit Profor it, despite the otherwise decent 8-hour battery life and dual noise-cancelling microphones. If you fancy trying them, head toHakiitoday to learn more about availability and price.
If you ever needed proof that cassette players are back, this is itWe Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
We Are Rewind has made a portable tape deck so retro it should appear from nowhere in a DeLorean
PS5 could finally be getting Gears of War and Halo after game-changing decisionThe age of exclusives is coming to an end
The age of exclusives is coming to an end
