GadgetsEveryday Life

Great News for Work-from-Home Folks! The nwm ONE Lets You Hear Your Family — and It’s Kid-Friendly Too

Working from home, headphones are surprisingly tricky. You want music to focus, but you also don’t want to miss it when your family talks to you.

What’s been getting a ton of use at our place lately is the nwm ONE, an open-ear headphone from NTT Sonority.

Official site: https://nwm.global Where to buy: See on Amazon Japan

Bottom line: as headphones for a quiet home, they’re really comfortable. They don’t cover your ears, so you can hear your family while you work, and even low volume sounds plenty good.

The more I used them, the more I thought, “Wouldn’t these be great for kids?” Now my daughter, who’s in third grade, uses them for computer class.

Doesn’t cover your ears, but still real headphones

The nwm ONE’s biggest feature: it leaves your ears open. NTT’s “PSZ” tech lets you enjoy music while still hearing what’s around you.
The nwm ONE’s biggest feature: it leaves your ears open. NTT’s “PSZ” tech lets you enjoy music while still hearing what’s around you.
At about 185 g, they’re light and super comfortable even for long stretches. For headphones you wear all day at home, that lightness is a big plus.

Hearing your family is more useful than you’d think

Even while I’m listening to music at work, I can hear it just fine when someone yells “Daddy!” I can talk without taking the headphones off.
Even while I’m listening to music at work, I can hear it just fine when someone yells “Daddy!” I can talk without taking the headphones off.
In a quiet room, a lower volume is plenty. The way I use them, sound leakage barely bothered me.

My third grader uses them too

Personally, I love how easy they are to let kids use. I worry about how closed-back and in-ear headphones affect kids’ ears, but the nwm works at low volume, which puts me at ease. My third-grade daughter even uses them for computer class now.

That said, what matters most for hearing isn’t the headphone style itself — it’s how loud and for how long you listen.

WHO and ITU set 75 dB for 40 hours a week as the reference sound exposure for “sensitive users” such as children.
WHO and ITU set 75 dB for 40 hours a week as the reference sound exposure for “sensitive users” such as children.
When my daughter uses them, the volume stays around half. Even so, she can hear fine in a quiet room, so **not having to crank the volume** is a big relief as a parent.

50% volume doesn’t mean 75 dB — actual sound pressure depends on the device, content, and more.

Honestly, not great on the train

In noisy places like trains, outside sound gets in and music is harder to hear.
In noisy places like trains, outside sound gets in and music is harder to hear.
Turn it up and then sound leakage becomes a concern, so on the train, I’d go with noise-canceling headphones.

Not great for lying down, either

Another weak spot: using them lying down. There’s a lot going on around the ear, so they get in the way when you’re on your side.
Another weak spot: using them lying down. There’s a lot going on around the ear, so they get in the way when you’re on your side.
Regular earbuds are more comfortable for that.

Just right for time with your family

I think the nwm ONE isn’t “headphones for being alone” — it’s **headphones for enjoying music while sharing a space with your family.**
I think the nwm ONE isn’t “headphones for being alone” — it’s **headphones for enjoying music while sharing a space with your family.**
You can hear your family even while working, and they’re easy to let kids use. On the other hand, they’re not for noisy trains or when you want total immersion.

That’s exactly why they’re a great match if you work from home or want headphones the whole family can use.

Leaving your ears open turned out to be way more comfortable than I expected.

As an Amazon Associate, Hidenori Kimura earns from qualifying purchases.

This story was originally published (in Japanese) on Yahoo! News Japan Expert.

Related

You might also like