As a glasses wearer, these nifty wireless clip-on earbuds really appeal – but there's a catch...

As someone who has to wear glasses every waking moment in order to have the foggiest idea what’s going on, it can be quite the task to find a pair of headphones or wireless earbuds that don't interfere with my specs or my listening experience.

Even though my preferred type is usually over-ear headphones, it’s always a little uncomfortable to balance the arm of the glasses under the cups without them digging in.

That’s why one of Beyerdynamic’s latest headphone offerings at this year’s IFA in Berlin especially caught my eye.

Enter the Amiron Zero, the German brand’s open true wireless clip-on earbuds, which it claims provide “serious sound and outstanding wearing comfort".

With a petite C-shaped design, they wrap around the side of the ear to deliver “impressive sound quality". Each earbud only weighs six grams in an attempt to limit the amount of strain on the ear canal, so they hopefully you'll barely even remember you're wearing them after a time.

They will also set you back £129 (around $176 / AU$265), which isn't a ridiculous outlay for a pair of wireless buds. The sports-oriented, in-ear Sony LinkBuds Fit, for instance, clock in at around the same price of around £149 / $179, although cost a bit more in Australia (AU$348).

This is far from the first time we have seen this type of design on the market, of course.

One of the most notable models to stand out in recent testing are the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, which we gave a four-star rating for their entertaining sound performance and comfortable, forward-looking fit.

You wear them slightly differently to the Amiron Zero, as you hook the earbud in the bottom of your concha (the bowl-like section of your outer ear), then wrap the band around the back of your ear and allow the battery cylinder to help clamp the earbud in place. Still, the specs-friendly design is very much present.

Huawei also gave the 'clip-on' configuration a go with its FreeClip buds from early 2024, and while they left a lot to be desired on the sound front, we were impressed by how well implemented their innovative design proved to be.

Even though these aforementioned earbuds offer a much-needed alternative for the glasses wearers among us, there is often a fair amount of compromise made with such designs.

Clip on earbuds don’t usually deliver as good sound quality as ones that fit more securely into your ear. That’s because the lack of a seal means they don’t tend to sound as punchy or dynamic, especially when they are suppose to allow the user to be more aware of their surroundings. More traditional designs tend to offer you more bass weight, too, thanks to the presence of a proper in-ear seal.

That said, we've tested 'open' buds which have impressed us in our test rooms. The Sony LinkBuds Open and Apple's AirPods 4 impressed with their decent sound balance, and both earned respective four-star reviews, even if price-comparable in-ear alternatives still tend to offer a bit more in the sound department.

We haven't heard the Amiron Zero in action yet, so we're not certain whether this will be the case for these latest buds, but I'm excited to see what the future holds for these type of designs as someone who struggles with traditional earbuds.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Open certainly demonstrated that open, clip-on designs could blend performance and comfort, so I'm hoping Beyerdynamic picks up the mantle at a more affordable price point.

It's a tough balance to strike between a secure yet unobstructive fit and good sound quality, so I'm curious how the category will develop. If the Amiron Zero can really nail their sonic performance while making good on their promise of better usability and comfort for glasses wearers and non-glasses wearers alike, I could be certainly tempted to try a pair for myself.

MORE:

Read our review of the five-star Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro X over-ears

And our full review of the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds

Check out the best wireless earbuds you can buy