Suunto Sonic – Review

The sports watch brand launched the Suunto Sonic Wing last year and has now introduced Sonic as its second-pair of open-ear headphones designed for outdoor use. But, the market for open-ear headphones has intense competition these days.

Design

The Sonic has the same bone conduction headphone look that was previously seen in the company’s Wing headphones. A mix of silicone and titanium alloy has been used to make the neckband frame. The use of silicone means that you can wear the headphones comfortably for long periods. It is available in yellow and black and the arms are slimmed down because Sunnto has opted to remove the LED lights it added on the first pair of headphones.

Therefore, the Sonic weigh just 31g and will not cause any kind of discomfort. You will come across physical buttons, with a large multifunction button and a volume rocker on the left and right arm, respectively. The former can be used to skip tracks, play and pause audio, or for call rejection. Dual microphones have been added and a noise cancelling algorithm is used as well. You can use the buttons easily when you are on the move due to their positioning.

Unlike the Wing, the Sonic does not come with a portable charger, which might be a bit disappointing. Sunnto has added a proprietary charging cable to power your headphones and there is also a bag to store them. You will also find some earplugs for some sound isolation, if needed.

Features

You can connect the Sunnto Sonic with your phone, or other devices via Bluetooth 5.2. The companion app also boasts a dual connection mode. This allows you to pair the headphones with two devices simultaneously. As for battery, a single charge gives you about 10 hours of use. The headphones can fully charge in less than an hour. There is also a quick charging mode that can give you 3 hours in just 10 minutes. The call quality remains clear, even in windy conditions.

Sound Quality

While the market has seen a rise in air conduction headphones, Suunto has chosen to go with bone conduction. You can get a better open-ear experience and you can stay in tune with your surroundings. According to Suunto, it has opted to use a new transducer for delivering sound. This can reduce noise leakage and gives bass performance a boost.

You can find two sound modes in the app. First, there is a Normal mode that you can use in most scenarios, while the Outdoor mode is designed to offer you better sound in noisier environments. In the former, Sonic gives a reasonably balanced sound and the clarity is not, but not exceptional. This mode is best used when you are indoors. The Outdoor mode is best for outdoors obviously, with higher volume and better bass performance.