Open-ear speakers are the defining audio feature of smart glasses — you hear your content without blocking the world. But out of the box, the audio experience has two frustrating limitations: sound leaks to people around you, and in noisy environments, you struggle to hear your own audio clearly. Here's how to improve both.
The leakage problem
Open-ear speakers work by vibrating air near your ear canal without sealing it. The sound that reaches your ear also radiates outward — and in quiet environments (offices, trains, waiting rooms), the person next to you can hear your music, your podcast, or worse, both sides of your phone call.
The leakage is worst on phone calls because the speaker has to push enough volume for voice clarity. Music at low volume is less noticeable, but any volume level that's comfortable for you in a quiet room is audible to someone sitting three feet away.
The fix: Sound directing
For Ray-Ban Meta owners, SGG CHANNEL ($19.99) is a silicone tube that fits over the speaker section and funnels audio toward your ear canal. It doesn't make the sound louder — it makes it more directional. More of your audio reaches you, and less escapes sideways.
The practical effect: calls become usable in offices and cafés. Music leakage drops to nearly inaudible at normal listening volumes. The improvement is immediate — you'll notice it on the first call.
For other brands (Oakley Meta, Echo Frames), there's no model-specific sound directing accessory currently available. Tips for improving audio on those platforms:
- Lower the volume and move your ear closer. Sounds obvious, but tilting the temple arm slightly inward (if the frame allows flex) directs more sound toward your ear.
- Use EQ settings. Boost mid-range frequencies (voice range: 1–4 kHz) in your phone's equalizer settings. This improves voice clarity without increasing overall volume.
- Choose your environment. Open-ear speakers work best in moderate noise — not silent rooms (where leakage is noticeable) and not very loud spaces (where you can't hear them). Coffee shops and outdoor walks are the sweet spot.
When to accept the limitation
Open-ear speakers will never match sealed earbuds for privacy or noise isolation. That's by design — awareness is the point. If you need total privacy on a call, earbuds are the right tool. If you need awareness and decent audio, smart glasses with a sound directing accessory get you 80% of the way there.
The combination of Ray-Ban Meta + SGG CHANNEL is currently the best open-ear audio experience in smart glasses — clear enough for work calls, private enough for shared spaces, and aware enough that you hear the world around you.