Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 Review

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Sleepbuds 2 excel at masking noise that disrupts sleep, which is one of the reasons why we named them the best headphones for sleeping. A small size and soft material make them barely noticeable, even when side sleeping. Many fans also like their high-tech features, including the ability to track sleep stages and scan their environment for sleep disruptors.

Sleepbuds 2 are by Ozlo, a company three former Bose engineers founded in 2022 after garnering support and funding through Kickstarter and Indiegogo. The flagship Ozlo Sleepbuds enjoyed immense popularity upon their release, and the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 are a new and improved second generation of the same product. 

I hand-tested this newest iteration of Sleepbuds at home for a week. Keep reading to learn how the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 performed for me, and how unique features, like noise masking, sleep tracking, and environment sensing can enhance your sleep experience.

What Do the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 Do?

Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 differ from traditional earbuds because they are specifically designed to promote sound sleep. They are Bluetooth compatible, allowing you to stream whatever you would like to listen to as you wind down. Sleep tracking sensors enable the Sleepbuds 2 to identify when you’ve fallen asleep and switch from streaming songs or podcasts to sounds that mask specific noises in your environment.

An upgraded battery carries a 14-hour charge, so the Sleepbuds 2 can remain active all night. If you choose, they can also wake you up with an in-ear alarm. While you set the alarm from your phone, it will still go off even if your phone battery dies. You can snooze the alarm or shut it off completely from the Sleepbuds 2 Smart Case, rather than your phone. 

Once you’re awake, you can check the app to see how long you slept, how much time was spent in each sleep stage, and what environmental disturbances may have disrupted your sleep.

Sleep Sounds

Most sleep headphones are Bluetooth compatible these days, allowing you to stream whatever you would like from your phone. What makes the Ozlo Earbuds 2 stand out from competitors is their ability to not only stream whatever you’d like, but also automatically stop streaming after they’ve detected that you’ve fallen asleep and mask background noises with soothing sounds at a matching frequency. 

The noise-masking feature is different from traditional active noise cancellation (ANC) technology. ANC can be very helpful at reducing external sounds, but it works best at canceling continual noise. Irregular or sudden sounds, like a barking dog or car door slam, may still break through. In contrast, frequency- matched noise masking is tuned to drown out sudden noises.

When I had the Sleepbuds 2 set to “auto” mode and the Sleep Sounds turned on automatically after I’d fallen asleep, I didn’t even remember noticing the transition. I fell asleep listening to the music I’d selected, then woke up the next morning to my in-ear alarm after a good night’s sleep, which is how the tech is designed to work. Noisy neighbors sometimes wake me up at night, but that didn’t happen while I was wearing the Sleepbuds 2.

That said, I did peruse the Sleep Sounds library while awake to explore my options. The sleep sounds available felt more realistic to my ears than sounds I’ve heard from other comparable apps and devices. Air Waves brought me back to the comfort of falling asleep to a box fan in my open window as a child. Fireglow evoked a comforting fireplace crackling on a winter night. I also enjoyed Window Rain, Ocean Tide, and Soar, which mimics the hum of an airplane cabin. The library contains a total of 65 sleep sounds, so there’s something for everyone. 

Sleep Tracking

Another stand-out feature offered by the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 is sleep tracking, or “Sleep Patterns.” The Sleep Patterns feature tracks the following information: 

• Sleep duration and quality: How long you slept, how consistently you slept across multiple nights, and how much of your time in bed was spent sleeping
• Sleep goals: Custom targets for your bedtime, wake time, and how much sleep you get
• Sleep stages: Time spent in light sleep, deep sleep, rapid eye movement (REM), and wakefulness
• Audio tracking: Spikes in sound volume and timestamps of noise disruptions
• Environmental sensing: Room temperature, light levels, and barometric pressure
• Daytime tracking: Nap tracking (when you’re wearing the Sleepbuds 2)

The Sleepbuds 2 contain sensors called accelerometers that track micromovements and changes in breathing. Using that data, the Sleepbuds 2 estimate when you fell asleep and woke up, and when you were in light, deep, or rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stages. They track patterns over time, which helps with monitoring progress on sleep goals related to duration, consistency, and efficiency.

Other sleep tech that tracks sleep, like wearables, usually focuses on the body. But, the Sleepbuds 2 Smart Case also monitors the sleep environment. I’ve tested many sleep products, so I didn’t expect to be wowed, but these features impressed me. In addition to the record of my nighttime awakenings, the Smart Case’s sensors allowed me to see changes in my surroundings. These included new sounds, increased light exposure, changes in temperature, and even changes in barometric pressure.

I suspect that, for many people, the environmental sensing piece of the puzzle could be a game-changer by revealing what external factors may be disrupting their sleep. Remember how I said noisy neighbors often wake me up during the night? The environmental sensing data helped me confirm the Sleepbuds 2 were indeed protecting me from that noise. Data showed that there were loud sounds at the time of night I often hear them — except this time, the Sleepbuds 2 masked them and I didn’t wake up.

Smart Case with Bedside Controls

The Smart Case offers additional features beyond environmental sensing. As someone who is continually trying to spend less time looking at screens, especially near my bedtime and after I first wake up in the morning, I appreciate the Smart Case’s Bedside Controls. 

A physical button on top of the Smart Case lets you pause audio, switch from streaming to Sleep Sounds, or snooze your morning alarm. By controlling these functions through the Smart Case, I was able to avoid sleep-disrupting blue light, not to mention the temptation of a late-night or early-morning scroll session.

You can also use the Smart Case as a portable power bank, which may be helpful when you’re traveling. It holds about four charges, so you can use it to recharge your Sleepbuds 2 multiple times without needing to use an outlet.

How Do the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 Look and Feel?

The Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 look small and feel lightweight. Instead of simply functioning like earbuds or sleep headphones, they genuinely work like earplugs, too, which is why we also named them the best earplugs for sleep. 

The Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 weigh 1.6 grams each. In comparison, leading earbuds from competing brands can weigh more than three times as much. The Sleepbuds 2 are also more compact than much of the competition. 

Personally, I found the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 as comfortable as a small, soft set of earplugs. They sit flat within the ear with no stem sticking out, so they do not create pressure points. They are encased in ultra-flexible silicone, rather than hard plastic. Thanks to their small size, they don’t interfere with side sleeping. Their silicone wing, a small piece that tucks into the upper ear, keeps them in place even if you frequently change positions during sleep.

Unlike many other earbuds and sleep headphones, the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 tend to stay cool instead of heating up, even after hours of use. This is thanks in part to the Smart Case, which acts as a Bluetooth “bridge,” relaying the stronger Bluetooth signal from your phone as a lighter Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) signal. In addition to keeping the Sleepbuds 2 from heating up, the BLE bridge setup also allows them to be so compact.

Here’s at-a-glance info on the look, feel, and design of the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2:

• Sleepbud 2 weight: 1.6 grams each
• Sleepbud 2 dimensions: 11mm height, 17mm width, 12mm depth, and 8mm profile
• Shape: Low-profile design that sits flat inside the ear with no protruding stems
• Materials: Stiff core wrapped in soft, flexible, medical-grade silicone
• Fit: Four interchangeable silicone tips in XS, S, M, and L. Silicone wings hold the Sleepbuds in place
• Thermal performance: Stays at room temperature thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy tech

Buying the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2

Here’s everything you need to know about buying Ozlo Sleepbuds 2:

The Bottom Line

The Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 are some of the most comfortable and effective sleep headphones on the market. They are smaller than most of their competitors and sit flat in the ear, which is remarkable, given the level of technology they contain. People who want to mask noises in their environment and identify sleep disruptors may especially benefit from the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2. 

Shoppers on a budget may not appreciate the price tag. The detailed sleep tracking may also feel redundant if you already use another wearable device. Ultimately, whether to buy the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 depends on your personal situation. If you are watching your budget or already satisfied with your sleep tracker, these might not be for you. But if you’re plagued by nighttime noise or uncomfortable sleep headphones, the Sleepbuds 2 are well worth a try.

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