H2O Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport review

While many headphones include some extent of water resistance, not many can be appropriate for a correct dip within the pool. For that, you’ll want some devoted swimming audio gear, just like the H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport.

These headphones assist each offline listening for music streaming providers and MP3 tracks in addition to Bluetooth connectivity, although the latter isn’t simple swimming. Nonetheless, you could possibly additionally use these for different types of train reminiscent of operating and biking as ‘Multi-Sport’ suggests.  

Design and construct 

• Bone conduction design
• IPX8 score with submersion of as much as 12 ft 
• Appropriate for swimming pools, contemporary water and the ocean

The H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport has a bone conduction design, a standard construct for sports-based audio gear reminiscent of headphones from Shokz.  

Which means the arms of the headphones hook over your ears, with the audio system pressed in opposition to your cheekbones in order that music vibrates by to your ear canal. Your ears are left free, so you may keep conscious of your environment. Naturally, this diminishes the sound high quality considerably in comparison with conventional varieties of headphones.  

There’s a pair of equipped earplugs if you wish to block off outdoors noise when within the pool, although that does imply that you simply gained’t be as conscious to listen to any indignant swimmers who you would possibly by accident be getting in the best way of (sorry, Bob).  

Total, the construct high quality is strong and durable. They don’t really feel premium like a pair of wi-fi buds or over-the-ear headphones do, however they’re discreet sufficient and may stand a couple of knocks or drops, ought to they come up.  

You’ve in all probability guessed that these headphones have some strong waterproofing, with an IPX8 score and the power to be submerged as much as 12 ft. They may also be utilized in each contemporary and salt water, must you favor wild swimming to your native pool or need to use these for different water sports activities reminiscent of browsing.  

Controls for the H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport are restricted to only three buttons on the right-hand facet. One is for energy, enjoying/pausing and switching the mode between offline play and Bluetooth mode. The opposite two are for quantity, skipping between tracks and extra capabilities reminiscent of loading music and skipping folders.  

These buttons are small and onerous to press at instances, that means that you have to dig in onerous to vary the amount or pause your monitor, which might be annoying in case you’re within the swing of your exercise.  

This part additionally consists of an LED gentle, which signifies the battery standing and mode – turning blue when the Bluetooth connection is on, and white when offline playback is going on.  

There’s 8GB of storage on the system, providing you with loads of room for songs and long-form content material.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Consolation and match 

• Safe for a number of strokes 
• Barely uncomfortable after lengthy intervals 
• May be worn with a swim cap and goggles 

The H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport weigh 32g, so that they by no means really feel heavy throughout use. Nevertheless, after lengthy intervals of time, the audio system did go away the perimeters of my face feeling a bit sore.  

Within the water, I examined these headphones with breaststroke, entrance crawl and backstroke each with and and not using a swim cap, and the headphones stayed safe. With out a cap, the headphones did briefly slip after I set off moderately vigorously, however a minor adjustment solved the problem.  

The field features a rubber band if you wish to safe the headphones to your goggles.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

The corporate advises you to put on your cap along with your ears principally displaying, in order that the headphones are free. Don’t attempt sporting them beneath the swim cap, as in any other case the headphones will dig into your cranium. 

Exterior of swimming, these headphones are nonetheless safe. I used to be in a position to make use of them throughout a HIIT (excessive depth interval coaching) exercise, and so they stayed in place even with me leaping across the room.

Sound high quality and efficiency 

• High quality at its greatest with earplugs 
• Punchy bass
• Quantity wanted at larger ranges principally 

While you gained’t get the identical high quality as you’d with in-ear wi-fi buds or over ear headphones, the audio on the H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport is essentially clear. The bass is very punchy, and while that is nice for pop and indie tunes, having the amount at max sounds overpowering on heavier tracks.  

Mids and vocals are additionally clear, although some highs and finer particulars are misplaced, and I needed to maintain the amount cranked up on some gentler tracks for the very best quality. In fact, that is to be anticipated with headphones with this sort of design.

Going out and in of the water, there’s a distinction within the audio. I didn’t count on songs to sound much more highly effective underwater. On land, audio may be very a lot drowned out – particularly in noisy environments just like the underground, so I wouldn’t suggest utilizing these as your important pair of headphones.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

If you would like a extra uninterrupted expertise, then you must don the accompanying waterproof earplugs, because it vastly improves the readability and energy of the audio. While I’m more than pleased to equip these for a dip, I’m not a fan of getting earplugs in in addition to headphones after I’m wandering across the metropolis. 

Bluetooth is not going to work easily once you’re swimming. This isn’t a difficulty with the product, however moderately physics. Any such connection doesn’t work in case you’re submerged in water and your smartphone is poolside. In any other case, the 10m land vary signifies that it’s completely fantastic to be used throughout completely different storeys of your property. 

H2O Audio does promote a clip for your Apple Watch which you can connect to your swimming cap, so you could possibly in concept stream offline music and podcasts which can be loaded onto your wearable. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t be snug swimming with a really costly smartwatch clipped to my noggin. 

App and value  

• Accompanying app for loaded music 
• Bluetooth connectivity  
• MP3 and Playlist+ for offline listening  

You possibly can load tracks on Playlist+ and MP3 downloads utilizing the accompanying H2O Audio app. The app shows the battery degree of the H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport, in addition to all of the music you’ve loaded onto the system.  

The important thing distinction between this product and the Tri Multi-Sport headphones is that this consists of the Playlist+ characteristic. This implies which you can retailer music and podcasts from Spotify, Apple Music and extra in your headphones and use them for offline playback, moderately than simply counting on what you have got purchased as an MP3 file.

That is particularly helpful for issues like long-form podcasts, which I historically solely hearken to by way of Spotify.

In keeping with H2O Audio, if customers have obtained their music by way of streaming app that they’ve paid for, then it doesn’t current a copyright situation, offering that they’re simply listening to songs for non-commercial or private use. The identical sentiment applies to MP3 audio – ie songs that customers have bought.  

Hannah Cowton / Foundry

To load music, you have to play one thing all over first and have it on the quantity you’ll need to hearken to it, because the system is basically recording the songs/podcasts that you simply’re listening to. You possibly can then identify your recordsdata within the app and add them to your playlists. 

That is long-winded, so I like to recommend leaving the headset loading while you’re employed so that you don’t must hearken to issues a number of instances.

The recording doesn’t mechanically break up tracks, so in order for you these all as separate recordsdata (reminiscent of on shuffle play) you then’ll have to start out and cease the loading manually. The app doesn’t mean you can edit any loaded recordings. 

MP3 recordsdata are faster so as to add to the headset – you merely join it to your PC utilizing the accompanying USB charging cable while the system is powered off, after which drag and drop your recordsdata over to the units’ reminiscence.  

Sadly, my first evaluation unit failed to hook up with any PCs or laptops by way of USB, regardless of me following the troubleshooting guides. H2O Audio did present a substitute which labored efficiently, however some digging from on-line critiques present that this downside has occurred on different merchandise from the model.

Total, the app isn’t probably the most intuitive. Among the folders are complicated, with no rationalization of what they’re. The manuals and web site clarify find out how to use the headphones, extra element and data within the app wouldn’t go amiss.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

See also  Sony SRS-XB100 review

Battery life and charging

• 5 hours of playback 
• Round one hour to cost from flat to full 

The headphones are alleged to final for round 5 hours of playback, a declare that I discovered to be largely true. That is loads sufficient for a number of periods within the pool (offering you’re not an elite athlete or doing a channel crossing).

Each time you activate the headphones, the voice tells you the way a lot juice is left. Nevertheless, it solely offers the battery degree is in 25% increments – in order for you a extra correct studying, join the system to your telephone and test it by way of your paired units.  

The headphones use a customized pin charging cable, which might cost them from flat to full in round an hour.  

In case you go away the headphones on pause for greater than 5 minutes, then they’ll mechanically energy off.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Worth and availability 

The H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport is priced at $159/£148, although they’re presently discounted on the time of writing. You should buy them on the H2O Audio web site and Amazon within the US.

Comparatively, that value is nice in opposition to rivals. The Shokz Openswim headphones retail for $149/£169, however these don’t supply any Bluetooth playback – solely MP3 downloads. For one thing nearer in value (and with Bluetooth), there’s additionally the Naenka Runner Diver headphones for $149.99/£119, however these are barely chunkier and don’t supply Playlist+.  

If you wish to avoid wasting cash, then you could possibly additionally go for the Tri Multi-Sport model for $149/£124 (additionally discounted on the time of writing).

This gives the identical degree of waterproofing because the Professional mannequin, in addition to each Bluetooth connectivity and MP3 downloads. Nevertheless, these don’t have the Playlist+ characteristic, and have a barely thicker construct and older audio system. 

The technical points I encountered with the headset and cable when loading MP3 tracks are a disgrace – although the corporate does supply a one-year guarantee in your piece of thoughts. In case you solely plan on utilizing Playlist+ to load your music, then the issues I had gained’t matter an excessive amount of.

You may as well learn up on our greatest headphones for operating, and the most effective headphones total.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Verdict 

The H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport have been a welcome addition to my swimming periods. The audio is sort of spectacular within the water, particularly once you use the accompanying earplugs, and the battery life ought to final you many periods within the pool.  

There are faults although. The audio is barely actually appropriate for train, the controls are fiddly and the headphones can really feel barely uncomfortable after lengthy intervals of damage. The accompanying app might additionally do with clearer copy and instructions for customers.

Nevertheless, for one thing that gives a Bluetooth connection, can obtain MP3 recordsdata and the power to play content material from the likes of Spotify and Apple Music offline as nicely, it is a good value – offering you don’t have any technical points.  

Specs

• 32g
• Bone conduction audio system
• IPX8 score (submersion as much as 12 ft)
• Useable in swimming pools, contemporary water and salt water
• 8GB reminiscence
• Playlist+ for offline streaming
• MP3 loading obtainable
• Bluetooth connection
• Makes use of the H2O Audio app