You can tell that Sony is trying hard in designing innovative audio products in recent years, and I must thank them for that, because it has become rather stale in the personal audio category, with new products looking no different from the other. Sony is certainly heading in the right direction by exploring earbuds that allow wearers to hear ambient sounds. First, they came up with a unique earbud design for the LinkBuds. Now they have the Float Run (WI-OE610).
Instead of bone conduction, which lacks the fidelity, the Float Run essentially positions the speaker drivers outside the ears so that the wearer can freely hear ambient sounds as well as music from the speakers. In terms of comfort, the Float Run offers similarly comfort as bone conductor headsets. You won’t feel any pressure inside the ear canals, but you might feel discomfort behind and around the ears where the Float Run applies clamping force to keep them steady. I find it more comfortable to use the Mu6 Ring which is also based on off-ear speaker design.
There are only three buttons to control the playback and volume. I find it rather challenging to press the right buttons but I just have to get used to the layout, as the buttons are longer than usual. The Float Run does not come with any smartphone apps to adjust EQ or other settings.
The audio quality should not be a major factor if you are getting Float Run. Delivering music through 16mm drivers from a distance from the ear canals will not deliver musical details, but you will be able to hear music generally. Midrange is at its forte because this frequency range is always easiest to travel. There is no deep bass impact, while the treble is rolled off but still has satisfactory air. I do enjoy the sound staging, making music sounding more open and natural, making the Float Run a good headphones to use even at home. At loud volumes, the Float Run masks sounds like human voices so you have to reduce the volume if you want a conversation. Comparatively, the Mu6 Ring lacks the volume to immerse in the music.
Conclusion
The Sony Float Run retails at S$179 in Singapore. They are a great pair of headphones to use when you need to enjoy personal audio while being aware of what’s around you. Apart from using it for runs, they are great for using at homes so that you can still keep your ears to things around the house. You can also benefit using them in office.
