Technology is being added to just about everything in one way or another these days. With music being one of our favourite pastimes, it’s no surprise audio technology is cropping up in more products. Our Lucyd LOUD review takes a look at a pair of glasses which use bone conduction speakers to deliver hi-fi audio for music, voice assistant and phone calls, without obstructing your hearing.
Specifications
The Lucyd LOUD glasses have the following features and specifications:
Lucyd LOUD’s bone conduction speakers deliver hi-fi audio for music, voice assistant and phone calls, without obstructing your hearing- Prescription adaptable
- Bluetooth: v4.0
- Bluetooth Chip: CSR8635
- Bluetooth Mode: Headset, Hands-free A2DP
- Transmission Distance: 10-15m
- Transmission Class: Lossless Transmission
- Frequency: 2.4GHz
- Phone-call time: 5h
- Music Time: 5h
- Charging Time: 2h
- Charging Input: DC 5V Max 1A (Micro-USB)
- Lens Width: 52
- Bridge: 17
- Temple: 143
- Net weight: 45g
What’s in the box
- Lucyd LOUD glasses
- Micro-USB to USB-A charging cable
Micro fibre cleaning cloth- Glasses Case
- Earplugs
- Quick Start Guide
Design
When I was offered up a pair of Lucyd LOUD to review, I headed over to the website and “tried” them on using their online tool. Pleased with how they looked, I jumped in and ordered a prescription pair which was comped with a coupon code.
When the glasses arrived, my first impression was that they were huge. When compared to the online tool, they are quite a bit bigger. I do get that they are marketed as sunglasses first and foremost, but given the various lens options (discussed shortly), they are pretty big looking on my face. The main issue I have with the design is the height of the lenses which clocks in at just over two inches (including the frame). As far as the width, temple, and arm lengths are concerned, the fit rather nicely.
As for the actual design, the Lucyd LOUD have a slightly thicker black frame that is finished in a soft matte black colour and material. The frame itself is about 1/8″ thick on the bottom of the lenses and about 3/16″ thick above.
The arms themselves are about 3/8″ thick (outside to inside) and are about 1/4″ tall near the lenses and getting a bit wider to about 5/8″ midway through. After this, they taper off into your typical skinnier frame and are curved to fit around your ears. On the right arm, near the front of the frame, is a small glossy black piece with the Lucyd logo on it. While you can’t see it, the middle portion of the left arm has a
On the underside of the arms, there are five vent holes just underneath the midpoint where it is thickest and starts to taper off. On the right arm you’ll find a volume toggle and Micro-USB charging port.
On the inside of the arms, you’ll find a small circular pad. This is where bone conduction technology comes into play. With bone conduction, an electromechanical transducer converts electric signals into mechanical vibrations, sending sound to your internal ear via your cranial bones. More on that in the Sound section below. On the right arm, an LED indicator is located just before the bone conduction pad.
As far as lens options go, with no prescription you can get clear or sunglass at no additional charge. For an extra charge of $US45 to 55, you can get polarized gray sunglass, transitional, silver mirror, or blue light blocking lenses. On the prescription side, there are different options which we’ll cover below in the Prescription section. That being said, depending on your preference or needs, you shouldn’t have an issue getting a lens that you like.
Ease of Use
As with most Bluetooth devices, pairing is simple. Turn on the glasses by holding the + button down for about three seconds. If the LED light isn’t blinking red and blue once they’re on, press the – button for about three seconds. Once it’s flashing red and blue, select G1 on your smartphone or other streaming device and you’ll be paired.
Once paired, you can start streaming music. Touching the touchpad will play/pause your music or answer. Long pressing it for about three seconds will invoke your Google Assistant or Siri. The tapping/long pressing worked flawlessly during our testing.
You can also lightly swipe forward on the touchpad to go back to the beginning of your current track or go to the previous track. You can also lightly swipe backwards on the touchpad to go to the next track. This swiping gesture can also be used to decline or hang up a call (forward) or to hang up the current call and switch to a new incoming call (backward). However, swiping was sketchy at best and the majority of the time, swiping resulted in playing or pausing the music currently playing.
Sound Quality
I was super curious to experience bone conduction audio. Sadly, given the size of the glasses, the bone conduction pads sit a few millimeters from my temple. That’s not to say you can’t hear the music, because you can (as can others around you but not clearly). As experienced, the Lucyd LOUD are very clear when worn although there’s not much bass. On that note, when you are listening to songs with bass, the glasses will vibrate a bit and that definitely takes some getting used to. As mentioned, others can hear the audio as well depending on how loud you have the volume turned up but at best it’s a low din and not clear to them.
Now, when I pressed the arms tight against my temple (which resulted in slight pressure and a bit of annoying pain behind my ears), the audio drastically improved due to the bone conduction technology. It’s unfortunate they didn’t fit properly because you can really notice the difference in audio when the pads are touching your temple. Looking at the design, the company could have extended the bone conduction pads a bit more to accomodate more head shapes.
Reception/Call Quality
As far as reception is concerned, the glasses held a connection for about 40 feet before starting to cut out. On the call quality side, while we could hear the other party with not issues, we did have to speak a bit louder in order for the other party to hear us clearly.
Battery Life
According to the product description, the Lucyd LOUD glasses should last about 5 hours on a single charge. Oddly enough, through multiple tests, we were getting about two 8-hour work days of use at 80-90% volume. During this time we streamed some music, took a call or two, and used Google Assistant a few times. Fantastic if you ask me. During a straight streaming music battery test, we managed to get just over 12 hours of battery life with Android indicating 60% battery life left on the LOUD.
Once depleted, the glasses take about two hours to recharge via a Micro-USB to USB-A cable and USB adapter plugged into a wall socket.
Prescription
When ordering glasses online, the biggest unknown can be if they’ll actually match up your prescription. If you, like me, require a prescription for wearing glasses, you can upload your prescription when ordering your Lucyd LOUD speaker glasses. With your prescription, you’ll have to make sure to add your PD (Pupillary Distance) and ADD+ for progressives as well.
On that note, as with any new pair of glasses, when I received them and tried them on they did feel a bit weird on the prescription side. However, after a few hours of wearing them and subsequent wearing sessions, my vision is what I expected with the prescription. As a check, I did take them to my local optician and they verified the prescription was correct.
As far as prescriptions go, there are plenty of options with, of course, added cost. As of the time of this review, Single Rx options are priced from $35 for clear to $74 for high index transitional or sunglass. Other options include sunglass, polarized sunglass, transitional, high index clear, blue light blocking, and high index blue light. All the options are anti-reflective, UV blocking, and scratch-resistant.
On the Progressive Rx side, you’ll be looking at an extra $110 to $135. Options include clear, sunglass, polarized sunglass, photochromic, high index clear, and high index transitional. Progressive lenses are all anti-reflective. As a final note, double PD costs and extra $10 as well.
Accessories
The Lucyd LOUD includes all the accessories you need. The ear plugs were a bit of a weird inclusion but we used them briefly during testing to verify the bone conduction technology was working as it should (and it was). Aside from the usual cable and microfibre cloth inclusion, a hard folding glasses case is also included.
The case is very thin when folded. When unfolded, it forms a long triangular prism suitable for storing your glasses in. The top folds over and attaches magnetically. The case is on the harder side, and while it feels like cardboard with a nice black outer and soft black inner finish, it is sturdy enough to protect your Lucyd LOUD from most jostling or accidental drops. I definitely wouldn’t count on the case from keeping the glasses protected should a heavier object like a book or even a laptop in a backpack be dropped on it or squished against it on a consistent basis.
Price/Value
Starting at US$99, the Lucyd LOUD
However, the style was a bit big and
Wrap-up
Audio technology has come a long way over the years. If you’re looking for an audio option that doesn’t require earbuds or headphones and won’t annoy your co-workers, the Lucyd LOUD with its bone conduction technology works well — assuming the pads touch your temples like they are supposed to. Either way, the audio is still acceptable if they don’t.
Comfortable and with long lasting battery life, Lucyd LOUD are a fun pair of glasses which provide audio features while allowing you to stay tuned to the outside world.
*We were sent a sample of the Lucyd LOUD glasses with Single Rx lenses for the purposes of this review.
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Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
