Quick Aftershokz question

[RunBrianRun]

Does the aeropex model require me to bring my phone with me or can it store mp3s? I dislike running with a phone. Thanks

[Dexy5 10 Miles]

Hello Brian, the aftershokz link to your music using Bluetooth, so you need to take the item that holds your music or streaming service as well. mine links to my phone, and to be honest I always want to have a phone with me when I run anyway.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Dexy5]

Thanks Dexy. I’m exploring the mini mp3 option. 👍

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

I thought they all needed a phone (or bluetooth connected player of some sort - that could be a garmin watch that stores music), but may be wrong. I have the Trekz air and they definitely need my phone or my watch

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Ideally I’d upgrade to the 245 music but there’s nothing wrong with my 235 and those 245s are quite pricey.

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Right. I wasn't sure what you had. One day the 235 battery will begin to fade and you'll have an excuse 😄

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

😬 😅 I must admit it’s really tempting as a birthday treat for myself. 😊 You’re only 60 once eh 🤔😀

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Absolutely!!!

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Do remember using the music function cuts your battery life in half so short runs no issue but if you wanted to go long it can be an issue...

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I’ve just spotted that thanks Jo! I am using the Amazon app and my poor old iPhone battery is hot and wasted away already… 🥵 If I can get the music downloaded from my phone into a mobile MP3 player then that would be perfect. Is this even possible?

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Yes, absolutely 👍🏻😁

[nowster Metric Marathon]

I have the Aeropex. They're just Bluetooth headphones. No internal storage.

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

I have the Aftershokz Air (connect to my phone) - I love them!😍🙂

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

Thanks. I thought so. I’ve had these bought for me as a birthday present so I’d like to use them. 🤔 I’m a real techno phobe and really behind the times with all things music and phone related. So it seems I must take my phone with me if I wish to use these. I guess the next question is what are the pros and cons of streaming over mp3s and vice versa? I’ve never used a music streaming service. Is the quality ok and does it soak up your mobile data allowance and battery?

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

What do you usually like to listen to?

I usually download podcasts using a player app called Podcast Addict. (Some BBC podcasts can be downloaded using this app, too.)

The BBC Sounds app is totally free and can also download BBC radio programmes and podcasts to the phone for later listening.

I've not found Android's native Podcast app to be that reliable.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to nowster]

I don’t listen to music or the radio very much. That sounds terrible but it’s true. I have severe tinnitus and hearing loss so I’m wondering whether these are going to be a bit of a waste tbh. If they can be cranked up loud it might be ok. I’ll give it a try anyway. I like the idea of podcasts and I will try the BBC sounds app.

One more silly question. 😬 Where do you store your phone when you run? I’ve held mine in my hand on the few occasions I’ve taken it with me and it’s quite a pain tbh but better than jiggling around in a pocket somewhere.

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

I have a front pocket in my current warm weather shorts which works well, but I do have a separate running belt with two compartments in it. The phone goes in one and my keys in the other. I usually swing the phone compartment so it's flat against the middle of my back.

When I eventually change into my cooler weather kit that belt will come into play again.

I don't think much of the running belt that came with the Aeropex headphones themselves.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to nowster]

Thanks nowster what belt do you use?

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

It's one something like this one, except it was £7.98 when I got it 18 months ago.

amazon.co.uk/dp/B08P4WJ1QJ/

[misswobble Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

I hate carrying stuff so go minimal. I love an MP3 player Mine has wired headphones but I get by 🙂. No Bluetooth reqd.

I specifically buy gear that has pockets. The best pocketed stuff seems to be Decathlon and Ron Hill. My Evadict shorts have pockets and cubbies all over the place. I have a Ron Hill arm pocket too, which is very nice 🙂. A soft drinking flask is cool as it shrinks as you drink and fits in the pocket, or I stuff it down my front

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

The sounds app is good as you can download programs in advance over WiFi and save your data. My phone goes in my running vest usually.

[David_G Metric Marathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Hi Brian, I use either a Free Train vest (which keeps your phone in the centre of your chest) or otherwise I’ve got a number of (vaguely) colour-coordinated Flipbelts which you can stuff full of a surprising amount of stuff including keys, phone, tissues, gels etc. I hope that’s some help

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to David_G]

Thank you, David for this I shall investigate further.

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

Yes it uses your data allowance. Quality is not normally an issue. I use my own music in mp3 format stored on the watch

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thanks Jo. I’m still keen on running as light as possible so exploring options that don’t require a phone. 👍 I lost a lot of my CDs in a house move so I’ll be looking at downloading music and then transferring to a portable device if possible.

[Frizzbomb67 10 Miles]

You can usually download music to your phone so it doesn’t use your data. Download via home wifi. That gets over the quality issues as well. Quality is usually ok over Bluetooth. Try BBC sounds first before investing in a steaming service. There is a wealth of free music, podcasts and audio books on there. At 54 I still listen to the official chart show most weeks 😂. Again you can download to your phone to avoid using your data and no annoying adds! If you have Amazon prime that also includes the music streaming service Amazon Music. That has a massive amount of playlists for all tastes or you can make your own, again downloadable. I think one of the main advantages is the sheer amount of options you have. Enjoy those Aftershoks!

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Frizzbomb67]

I am subscribed to Amazon prime. I had no idea there was a music service.

[Frizzbomb67 10 Miles in reply to RunBrianRun]

Ooooo you have lots of music to explore then. Download the Amazon Music app and get going. Did you know that an Amazon Subscription also gives you movies and tv programs via Amazon Video and books for Kindle, all included in the price?

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Nope. Blimey. I feel like a right numpty 😅

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Can i download the songs from Amazon into an mp 3 player do you know?

[Frizzbomb67 10 Miles in reply to RunBrianRun]

I don’t think so as the music downloads to an app. If the player allows apps like an iPod touch ( which is basically a phone without connectivity) then it should let you. If it’s just a small mp3 that just plays music then I don’t think so. Someone please correct me if I’m wrong here. I think you can only download music you have bought to an MP3 player via a computer but they may have moved on since I had one.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Frizzbomb67]

This is the key for me. If I can download Amazon music to a device that doesn’t require Internet connection then in good to go

[Dexy5 10 Miles in reply to Frizzbomb67]

And we’ve made good use of watching sports events that aren’t on terrestrial tv, such as the US open, but I digress……..

[Hidden]

I have a very very small MP3 player with Bluetooth, you can clip this kind of MP3 player on your shirt or pants. It's really small and not a bother at all.

I prefer downloaded music over streaming because of the battery and cost. I prefer not using my phone for music as it tends to get hiccups because of the bumping and such.

I do carry my phone with me always, just in case of an emergency. I either put it in a waist-pack or a phone holder around my arm.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

That’s really interesting, thank you. Can you let me know the make of the mini player, belt and where you download your music from? Thanks!

[Hidden in reply to RunBrianRun]

It is a SanDisk Clip Sport Plus Bluetooth. Honestly don't know whether my version has Bluetooth (it's very old already). But the current ones have Bluetooth and it is really SMALL.

As for my music, I rip the CD's that I own to turn the songs into MP3's and put them on my player. I have not yet downloaded / bought music online, sorry.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for this. It’s very useful to know. I’m beginning to think I’m not going to be using these headphones.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Hidden]

My MP3 is a Sony and very small. I love it. I dropped it down the bog but it’s fine ☺️

[nowster Metric Marathon in reply to misswobble]

My previous phone survived a dunking in the loo (after being stored in a warm place with lots of silica gel desiccant bags round it).

The Heart Rate monitor unit survived a trip through the washing machine, as have some USB memory sticks.

[ForbiddenPlanet Half Marathon]

Very interesting topic! I also have a 235 and am currently very tempted to buy a 245 Music. I'm kicking myself for not buying it a couple of months ago when I saw it on offer for £210. Garmin currently have it on offer for £240. I nearly pressed the button on £250 @ Amazon as I have a load of vouchers - but then I saw it was not being sold by Amazon but a 3rd party ...

There is rumoured to be a 255 coming out this quarter, so I am hopeful that we may see that happen and the 245 stock being sold off at a discount, maybe during Black Friday etc. The 645 music is currently £180 @ Argos - but I would rather spend more to get the new generation tech (such as HR sensor) that is in the 245.

If you have hearing loss are the Aeropex really good as they use bone conduction? Am I right in thinking that is the tech used in some hearing aids?

Incidentally for anyone looking for good earbuds I just bought a pair of Earfun Air Pro 2. They are EQed like the old Loudness control which used to be on HiFi amplifiers, but really excellent for the money. Tried them out this morning on a run and no problems with them falling out of my ears and the "excited" sound was excellent for keeping me company on my run. ANC and IPX5 water resistance. MSRP is I think £70 but I paid £53 on offer.

I also have the Aeropex and I love them - but these "standard" earbuds are different and excellent vfm in their own way IMO.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon]

I think if I had a better phone (better battery and storage) these might be ok for me. But until now I’ve been fine with my phone. And I don’t want to be shelling out hundreds of pounds just to get some earphones working, aargh 😖

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

A small mp3 player doesn't need to cost a fortune, you could probably get one for under 50 pounds...

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

How do I get music from Amazon or BBC sounds onto it though Jo? I can’t seem to find the answer. 🤷‍♂️

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

I don't know how amazon's service works, sorry. For an mp3 player you hook it up to your pc or tablet with USB connectivity and drag and drop .mp3 files onto it. You can buy music online, most subscription services don't give you the .mp3 files to keep. I have all my cds on my pc in .mp3 format and buy audiobooks online in .mp3 format. There's lots of free, easy to find podcasts, music mixes etc out there but you do kind of need to know what you're looking for...If you want to use BBC sounds/amazon, you would be better off using the headphones with your phone but still download the content in the apps before you go out to save data.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thank you Jo, that’s very useful.

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon]

If you own the MP3 files (i.e. you've bought them online or ripped them from a CD) then you should be able to copy them onto your device (phone or music player).

If you're using a streaming service then you have to have their app installed on your device. I think that all streaming services will provide an app that will work on any modern phone. With most of them, you can download the music but that depends on the subscription that you have for the streaming service. For example, I use Deezer; it has a free version but, if you want to download music, you have to pay for a subscription.

To carry my phone, I use an armband. With some headphones, I've found that the Bluetooth breaks up if I carry my phone around my waist but it works fine with the armband. Most of the time, I use a cloth armband from E Tronic but I also have a neoprene one for when it's raining.

Hope that helps.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

That’s very useful 👍 thank you 😊 I am thinking of getting one of the chest strap phone holders. Hopefully that’ll be near enough to the headphones not to interfere with Bluetooth.I need to do more research on the player vs phone options. Ideally I’d subscribe to a service that allows me to download playlists and play the music offline on a cheap player, I.e, saving phone battery life, mobile data and weight. Does Deezer do this?

If such a service exists please, anyone, let me know. 🙏

[SkiMonday Ultramarathon in reply to RunBrianRun]

To work with downloads from a streaming service, you need to pick a music player that's compatible with that service. For example, I think that Garmin music watches will work with Spotify or Deezer.

From what I've seen, it seems that Spotify cover the widest range of devices. I went for Deezer because they have the biggest selection of music.

My Deezer subscription allows me to download music for offline playback so, if you buy a music player that's compatible with Deezer, you'll be able to download music. You'll also need to check that the player has a reasonable amount of storage space, I imagine that around 16GB would be sufficient.

[RunBrianRun Half Marathon in reply to SkiMonday]

That is SO useful to know! Thank you so much SkiMonday 👍

[ForbiddenPlanet Half Marathon]

Well I caved and bought the 245 Music from Amazon - although it was a 3rd party vendor, it was returnable, and when it arrived it was obviously brand new and the genuine article and I had a stack of vouchers which brought the price down. Of course now I've bought it, Garmin are bound to release a 255, and the 245s will be discounted everywhere!

My motivation was to run in shorts, which I've now been doing for the first time as I always ran in hiking trousers up until now. Even though the trousers have stretch panels the extra freedom of movement, and cooling, from wearing shorts is awesome, and - no doubt coincidence - my "Easy" pace (avg HR < 130) is suddenly 30 secs a min / km faster.

I have Spotify Premium and I can make Playlists on Spotify for phone or PC and the watch (which has Spotify and Deezer apps available on it) can download playlists from Spotify over WiFi. I think I could also transfer MP3 files from PC / Mac direct or via iTunes. I used to rip my CDs to PC and download the files to an MP3 player but I'd already stopped doing that long before I began running and Spotify has an awesome selection of tunes. (I will have to check out Deezer).

Although the watch was expensive, as a saving I don't need to buy fancy shorts or belts or harnesses to hold a phone, so I've bought a batch of £15 summer running shorts from Decathlon, which will probably see me through the winter, as I don't really feel the cold (to the extent that it gets cold in Southern England!). The shorts have a tiny key pocket inside, and a zipped rear pocket which I use for a credit card, inside a protector to keep sweat away from it.

My 235 is now my Hiking watch I as I aim to walk at 9 min / km and like to monitor that. I was always charging the watch before, but now I put the 245 on charge while it's downloading a playlist ready for tomorrow's run, and strap on the 235 to log my walking. 245 is very slick compared to the 235 - though that is not perhaps, in itself, a reason to upgrade!