OpenRock S2 Earbuds Review
not a one-size-fits-all
Purchase Price: $98.99
Disclaimer: OpenRock sent us a unit free of charge to review, but all thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are our own and were not discussed with the company prior to publishing.Out of the Box
The Openrock S2 presents a unique approach to earbud design, offering an open-air fit that fundamentally changes the user experience. This design choice has both significant benefits and notable drawbacks, particularly in terms of fit, sound quality, and overall functionality.
The Openrock S2 comes pretty basic out of the box as the company provides the case and the left and right earbud. That’s it. There's aren’t additional ear tip sizes as it's a one size fit all earpiece, and there’s also no charging cable included. The earpiece weighs a mere 7-grams and the case comes in at 42-grams. The case is a little bigger than what I’m normally accustomed to using as a direct result of the open-air design and how these earbuds fit onto your ears, but it's surprisingly light.
Battery Life
The case and earbuds combine for 32 hours of playtime
The battery life on the Openrock S2 has been pretty good, as I've just randomly charged it here and there without needing to rely on a regular charging schedule. It quickly charges the unit fully and the earbuds do last quite a while. 5 minutes of the plug is enough to add an entire 60 minutes of runtime.
I've never had to worry about it running out of juice throughout a long workday. OpenRock claims the unit can hit 32 hours of combined playtime when incorporating the charging case’s battery life, while holding 8 hours on a single charge in the earbuds.
Design and Fit
The most defining characteristic of the Openrock S2 is its one-size-fits-all, open-air design. Unlike traditional earbuds that seal inside the ear canal, the S2 uses an ear hook to anchor itself to the outer ear. The fit is a little awkward for me, being as my preference and familiarity revolve around standard in ear earbuds fitting snugly in my ear. The loop that fits behind my ear keeps the earbud connected on my ear, but it tends to move out of of my ear channel so I keep having issues with the volume levels pushing to me. Occasionally it does fit nicely and it stays on while I'm working out, but sometime when I'm walking around with it, it just straight up pops out on one side. Maybe my ears are too small to be able fit it properly as it is one size only, but there's no customizable options with ear tips here. This variability in fit means the user's experience can change moment to moment, from a perfect soundstage during a workout to a frustrating lack of volume while walking.
On the other hand, this approach does make the earbuds incredibly lightweight and comfortable for long-term use, as they exert minimal pressure on the ear regardless of how well they fit around the ear. Having a hook-like anchor on the back of my ear helps the cause because there isn’t too much pressure gripping onto the ear so this is a piece that I can wear for long periods without any issues. Comfort wise, they're pretty good since there's nothing situated inside of my ear. The 7-gram weight per earpiece is almost unnoticeable. For users who find in-ear designs uncomfortable or painful, this is a major selling point.
My girlfriend modeling the fit of the S2.
Sound and Functions
With the Openrock S2, the functions are pretty standard. There's a physical button at the end of the hook portion earbud that's customizable on the Openrock app. You can take a call, take a picture, etc using the physical button as the controller.
The app itself is straightforward, offering basic controls like EQ adjustments and a "ping" feature for finding misplaced earbuds. The fast pairing upon removal from the case is a highly convenient feature that enhances the overall user experience. Once I pull it out of the case, it truly does automatically connect to my phone. Unlike other earbuds, when I remove the earbuds, the music/audio continues and doesn’t automatically pause. The choice to omit an automatic pause feature when the earbuds are removed is a deliberate design decision, but it's a departure from most modern earbuds and might not be what users are accustomed to. While the lack of an included charging cable is a minor inconvenience, it's a trend seen with many modern tech products.
They're rated for IPX5 which is enough for a sweaty workout or light rainfall, but with that rating I couldn’t submerge it under water. Pretty standard no frills function for the Openrock S2 earbuds.
When the S2 did sit nicely in my ear, the audio was pretty on par with other earbuds I've used in this price range. The 12mm driver within the Openrock S2 is capable of producing a pretty clean sound quality. The ranges of frequencies displayed a somewhat accurate representation to their intent. Not unique to this specific product, but as you’d expect from an open ear design, the bass left a bit to be desired. The handful of different EQ sound profiles did help customize the audio dynamics I wanted to hear, but the true benefit of having something like this in your ear is that you can hear the surrounding noise while listening to audio. The slight sacrifice in quality is likely worth the tradeoff is this is an important aspect to your daily life. For commuters on foot in a city, I can see how this is beneficial and why you may choose this over a better sounding set of earbuds.
The overall sound issue with the audio was when it would pop out of my ear and with the default volume setting of audio. When I’d turn up the volume on my phone, the earbuds would immediately become way too loud for me. I kept having this volume issue with this device. I always had to keep the volume on the first level of my phone regardless if it fit in my ear or not. While the open-air design mitigates the risk of sudden, loud sound being funneled directly into the eardrum, this behavior is still jarring and annoying. This suggests to me that the hardware itself is competent but the potential core issue lies not with the speaker, but with the volume control and fit. Again, this is might be a personal issue I had with this particular pair of earbuds, but its not a unique experience either.
Verdict
The S2 is quite lightweight
The Openrock S2 is not a one-size-fits-all solution, despite its claim. Its open-air design provides exceptional comfort and lightness when it stays on the ear, making it an appealing option for users who prioritize long-term wearability over a secure, in-ear seal. The battery life is strong, and core functions like pairing are quick and reliable.
However, the very design that makes it comfortable also creates its most significant weakness: an inconsistent and unpredictable fit. I just don’t think this is an ideal product for users with smaller-sized ear. This issue directly impacts sound quality and volume, turning the listening experience into a frustrating game of constant adjustment. The default high volume upon connection is a clear usability flaw that can catch users off guard.
In conclusion, the Openrock S2 is a niche product best suited for individuals whose ear anatomy is compatible with the design. It is ideal for those who value comfort and an open listening environment and who are willing to overlook the potential for a fluctuating audio experience. For users seeking a secure, consistent fit and predictable volume control, this product is likely not the best choice.
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These earbuds with a unique trait made Martin realize this was something he never knew he needed in his life.