Finally, open-ear headphones that sound great and fit me comfortably

Of all the types of earbuds I’ve reviewed, the open-ear concept has been my least favorite. There are three reasons I find them less viable than standard earbud or headphone formats:

• They’re bulkier than earbuds.
• They don’t always stay in position when running.
• They don’t allow air to get into the ears, and can get sweaty. 

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Part of my problem is that I sweat profusely when exercising. Because of that, I cannot wear traditional earbuds and open-ear earbuds allow sweat to collect in my ear canals (which is not only uncomfortable, but can also disrupt my hearing). 

So, when I receive open-ear earbuds to review, I’m always skeptical. That is, until I tried the EarFun OpenJump earbuds.

EarFun has impressed me this past year with some very affordable earbuds that sound much better than their prices would indicate. These earbuds sell for $79 on Amazon, and they are worth it. 

Also: One of my favorite open-ear headphones just hit an all-time low price

Although the sound they produce out of the box won’t blow you away, the comfort is seriously impressive. These are “wear all day” earbuds (thanks to both comfort and battery life), and because you can customize the EQ with the EarFun app (Android/iOS), you can achieve a sound that best fits your taste. 

My experience

When I first paired the OpenJump earbuds to my Pixel 9 Pro, I played my usual first test song, “Analog Kid,” by Rush, and was instantly underwhelmed. There was an odd mix in the low end that made everything sound muddy, with zero separation between the low frequencies. 

Because of this, I opened the EarFun app and went directly to the custom EQ settings. From there, you can select from an impressive number of pre-sets, such as Country, R&B, Classical, Jazz, and more: over 20 in total. The biggest collection of pre-set EQ curves I’ve seen in an app, by far. 

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Even better, the EarFun app allows you to create a profile specific to your hearing. I decided to start with a bit of ’90s-era Ozzy with “Thunder Underground,” and was surprised that the OpenJump soundstage was far wider than I would have thought. I went through all of the preset EQ options and found none of them were as good as my custom, so I stuck with it. 

I will say that the highs weren’t quite as crisp as I typically like them, but for earbuds I’d use for exercise, the sound is just what I need. Going down my playlist, Dio’s “Last In Line” begins with a gentle bit of guitar that was clear as a bell and the highs were slightly improved over Ozzy’s numbers. When the song really kicked in, it was Ronnie’s voice that took center stage (just how it should be). 

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My only complaint about the OpenJump earbuds is that getting the mids just right is tricky. I found myself having to constantly go back to the custom EQ to fine-tune the midrange. Once I got them right, however, it was a different story, and mids were just fine

ZDNET’s buying advice

If you’ve been hesitant with the open-ear concept, trust me when I tell you that the OpenJump earbuds from EarFun will change your mind. Because this form factor is geared specifically for those who are active, getting audiophile sound takes a back seat to a clarity suited for outdoor activity, comfort, and long battery life. The tradeoff is worth it, however, and the OpenJump earbuds check all of the right boxes. 

Priced at just $79, the OpenJump earbuds are a steal. They certainly won’t best high-end earbuds for sound quality, but with a bit of work on the custom EQ within the app, you can get some pretty impressive sound from these über-comfortable earbuds. 

EarFun OpenJump tech specs

• Drivers – 14.2mm wool composite with BassSurge.
• <50ms ultra-low latency.
• High-res audio certification.
• 3D surround.
• AI algorithm with four mics for clear calls.
• 11 hours of playtime with 42 total using the charging case.
• Google Fast Pair support.
• Dual-device connectivity.
• IPX7 waterproof rating with SweatSheild for durability against water and sweat.