Who Owns Shokz And Where Are The Headphones Made?

If you've never worn a pair of bone conduction headphones, it's a pretty interesting experience. In lieu of traditional speaker drivers, bone conduction uses methodically placed nodes that rest along your jaw and facial bones. The nodes pulsate, and the vibrations travel up to your ears in the form of sound waves. It honestly seems to work like magic, and while there are several bone conduction brands to choose from these days, a company called Shokz (formerly AfterShokz) has been perfecting bone conduction tech for quite some time.

Shokz is owned by Shenzhen Voxtech Co., Ltd., a Chinese acoustic technology company. Most of the brand's headphone production takes place in Shenzhen, China, with a select few products being manufactured in Vietnam (confirmed on Reddit). The larger Voxtech parent company, founded in 2001, originally produced two-way radio headsets for the military, law enforcement, and sports broadcasters. It wouldn't be until 2012 that Voxtech, under its AfterShokz label, released its first consumer-grade product: the Shokz Bluez.

Shokz headphones are actually housed under a separate Voxtech sub-label: Shenzhen Shokz Co., Ltd. To make matters even more confusing, the AfterShokz consumer brand didn't surface until 2011, and in Syracuse, New York, of all places. This is where Shokz's headquarters used to be until relocating to Austin, Texas, in 2020.

As of 2026, Shokz is still commanded by its founders: Ken Chen, Chen Hao, and Qi Xin. Over the last several years, Shokz has become nearly synonymous with bone conduction tech and other open-ear audio devices. Some of the company's most popular products include the OpenFit Pro, OpenFit 2, and OpenRun Pro 2, none of which involve any type of in-ear fittings.

One of the main advantages of bone conduction headphones is that they allow you to hear ambient noise, because there's literally nothing to seal or cover your ears. This makes them a great choice for outdoor workouts, and models like the OpenRun Pro 2 even include dust and water resistance (they're IP55-certified). Many Shokz products also have built-in microphones for taking calls, which employ wind reduction and other noise isolation tech to keep your voice sounding crisp and clear.

Voxtech definitely started a movement. Nowadays, everyone from Bose and Raycon to even Walmart's Onn house brand makes one or several bone conduction and open-ear products. Speaking of which, if you're looking for a great pair of clip-on earbuds (meaning they literally clip onto your ear cartilage), look no further than the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.