Nank (Naenka) Runner Pro2 Bone Conduction Headphones Review – A Pilgrim’s Progress
Pro2 Bone ($99.99): If nothing else, Naenka is an optimistic gang—no matter how many less-than-glowing reviews of their bone conduction models we’ve published, they keep sending us new stuff. Likewise, you gotta give ‘em credit for truth in advertising—they actually state in their FAQs that “The sound quality of bone conduction headphones is not as good as that of earbud headphones due to the different ways in which sound is transmitted and produced.” (They also trumpet their phones’ “shocking sound” and “penetrating power,” which is perhaps a glitch in their Google Translator).
| Disclaimer: the Nank(Naenka) Runner Pro2 Bone Conduction Sports Headphones were sent my the company for my review and I thank them for that. You can get them here: https://www.naenka.com/products/runner-pro-swimming-headphone 15% Discount Code: Audioreviews |
In any event, the Pro2 Bone looks and feels a great deal like their prior Runner Pro and Runner Caller, with the same tiny, difficult-to-access controls, although the Pro2 adopts Bluetooth 5.3 for better connectivity and increases the battery life from a subpar 4-6 h to a more competitive 8 hrs. Curiously, the Pro2 lacks a microphone, which makes it unusable for calls and limits its utility. There is an MP3 mode which allows you to shed your phone and listen to stored files.
Tonally, the Pro2 is similar to its predecessors—warm, smooth and quite natural sounding, with very limited highend extension. However, unlike the original Pro, which had almost no low end, the Pro2 has discernible midbass thump and presence, albeit somewhat boomy and slow.
Overall clarity is pretty good—these work well for podcasts—and instrument placement and separation is surprisingly accurate, although soundstage is narrow and two-dimensional. Most significantly, in contrast to its forbearers volume is adequate with these (note that positioning the headshells over (as opposed to next to) your tragus markedly increases the output and bass depth, although somewhat belies the phone’s non-intrusive purpose.
Detail and resolution cannot compare to in-ear TWS models, or even to open designs like the excellent Oladance or Galaxy Wireless Live, both of which present fuller, tighter bass and a much crisper, more extended high end—drums and percussion on the Pro2 sounds veiled and soft and electric guitars lack bite, but are free from sharpness.
I’m not sure how you’d transcend the inherent limitations of the bone induction design—venting the headshells or adding more or bigger drivers would, I presume, compromise waterproofing and increase sound leakage or muck up the bone conduction technology.
That said, the Pro 2 has considerable appeal to its target no-penetration crowd—they’re comfortable and inoffensive-sounding, and I listened to them for four straight hours without feeling a need to take ‘em off.
By its very nature, the Pro 2 is a practical device and not an audiophile product, and we’re probably the wrong guys to be reviewing them. Yet purely from the standpoint of sound, Naenka is subtly but clearly evolving— unlike past models they’re more than merely background music and they convey a certain organic quality that’ll get you through your next decathalon very pleasantly. Keep up the good(ish) work.
