nearphones are open-ear audio devices designed to rest near your ears
without sitting inside or covering them.
This unique design lets you enjoy your favorite audio while staying aware of your surroundings.
The name "nearphones" stems from their proximity to your ears and the unique convenience they offer compared to traditional earphones.
You can enjoy your listening while catching all the important sounds around you―whether it's traffic, station announcements, voices of family and pets, or the doorbell.
2
Ear-Friendly Comfort, All Day Long
nearphones offer such a natural and comfortable fit that you'll forget you're wearing them—ideal for extended use and continuous listening.
3
Allow Your Ears to Breathe
With a non-invasive fit, nearphones not only collect less earwax but also allow for excellent airflow helping to maintain cleanliness inside your ears.
4
Option for Ear-Sensitive Listeners
An open-ear design that reduces pressure and minimizes fatigue, making it a great option for those who find in-ear or over-ear devices uncomfortable.
Points to Consider
Limited Sound Isolation
nearphones don't block external noise, as your ear canals remain open, making them unsuitable for enjoying sounds with noise reduction or isolation, especially in noisy or crowded environments.
Less Focus on Deep Bass and Delicate Tones
They may not be the best choice for enjoying delicate sounds or deep bass because their open-ear design and lack of ear canal sealing make it challenging to create the acoustic pressure needed for rich, immersive audio.
Comparison
Fit
Earcuff style
Slim and light Hook
Pivot Motion Hook
Sturdy and confident Hook
Battery Life
earphone listening time
Up to 8h
Up to 9.5h
Up to 7.5h
Up to 7h
w/charging case
Up to 24h
Up to 38h
Up to 26h
Up to 17h
Instant Charging
10min. Charging = 60min.
10min. Charging = 70min.
15min. Charging = 70min.
15min. Charging = 70min.
Water Registant
IPX4
IPX4
IPX4
IPX4
Bluetooth®
Version
5.3
5.3
5.4
5.1
Multi-Point
Yes
Yes
-
-
Low Latency
Yes
Yes
-
-
App (JVC Headphones)
Yes
Yes
-
-
Color Variation
Coal Black/ Teal Blue/Maloon/ Ash Gray/Off White
Black/Pink/Green
Black/Blue/Green
Black/Blue/White
Development Story
The Beginning of nearphones
In November 2020, the nearphones series was born from a simple yet powerful idea by a product planner. With the rapid shift to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people started wearing earphones for extended periods. This brought a new realization—there was a growing need for earphones that put less strain on the ears.
The Value of Open-Ear Listening
As market research progressed, we noticed common concerns among earphones users:
To solve these issues, we focused on a new concept: earphones that deliver natural sound without blocking the ears. This vision became the foundation of nearphones.
Pursuing the Perfect Fit
While the concept was clear, the biggest challenge was determining the ideal design. Unlike in-ear models that rely on the ear canal for stability, an open-ear design required a completely different approach.
After much deliberation, we turned to the ear-hook style, widely used in sports earphones. This design offered both comfort and a secure fit. We then refined the speaker placement and angle to ensure sound was delivered naturally without compromising the listening experience.
Overcoming the Challenge of Sound Pressure
Since nearphones don’t sit in the ear canal, ensuring adequate sound pressure was tricky. Boosting bass distorted the sound, increasing volume led to sound leakage, and high output drained the battery.
Instead of focusing solely on high-fidelity sound, we made a clear decision: our priority was to create a balanced listening experience suited for everyday use.
After extensive fine-tuning, we found the ideal balance between sound pressure and battery life.
Developing a Secure and Comfortable Ear Hook
Another major challenge was creating a stable and comfortable ear hook. Market reviews revealed issues: discomfort, poor fit, but also praise for security.
Through internal testing—including impromptu 200m sprint trials outside our office in dress shoes—we perfected the fit for both daily use and exercise. (Yes, some of us nearly tripped, but it was all in the name of innovation!)
Recognizing Women’s Struggles
We originally designed nearphones for sports enthusiasts, but purchase trends revealed that many buyers were women. Their common frustrations included:
This led to an "aha!" moment. We had often noticed women commuters struggling with ill-fitting earphones—some barely managing to keep them in place. This realization inspired the earcuff-style nearphones, HA-NP1T, designed to offer a better fit for a wider audience.
Overcoming Internal Criticism
Many colleagues doubted nearphones:
Since nearphones had no direct predecessor, some critiques were based on misunderstanding the concept. Honestly, we often thought:"Then just use regular earphones!" "Do you even run with earphones? You’re not our target audience!"
But every new challenge faces resistance. We pushed forward with conviction, and when nearphones gained market acceptance, the perception within our company shifted dramatically.
The Evolution of nearphones
From the first model, HA-NP35T, we have continued refining the design based on user feedback:
HA-NP50T
Introduced a softer ear hook for a lighter, airy feel and a compact case.
HA-NP40T
Enhanced ear-hook structure for a secure fit during fitness.
HA-NP1T
Developed earcuff design, focusing on style and usability.
Our Mission with nearphones
Since the beginning of this nearphones journey, what we have always focused on and cherished is "the voice of our customers".
While closed-ear designs offer deep immersion, they can also bring a sense of isolation. nearphones offer a new choice: an open-ear experience that lets you stay connected to your surroundings while enjoying your favorite sounds.
By addressing needs people may not even realize they have, nearphones continue to bring effortless comfort and seamless listening—anytime, anywhere.
