H2O Audio Tri Pro Multi-Sport Review: Audio Submersion

Value When Reviewed

$159

Greatest Costs At present: H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport

$159.99

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 help 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 resembling operating and biking as ‘Multi-Sport’ suggests.  

Design and construct 

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

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

Because of this the arms of the headphones hook over your ears, with the audio system pressed towards 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 forms of headphones.  

There’s a pair of provided earplugs if you wish to block off exterior noise when within the pool, although that does imply that you simply received’t be as conscious to listen to any offended swimmers who you would possibly by chance be getting in the way in which 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.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

You’ve most likely guessed that these headphones have some strong waterproofing, with an IPX8 score and the flexibility to be submerged as much as 12 toes. They may also be utilized in each recent and salt water, do you have to favor wild swimming to your native pool or need to use these for different water sports activities resembling browsing.  

Controls for the H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport are restricted to simply 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 features resembling loading music and skipping folders.  

These buttons are small and onerous to press at instances, that means that it’s essential to dig in onerous to vary the quantity or pause your monitor, which could be annoying when 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 occurring.  

There may be 8GB of storage on the gadget, supplying 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 durations 
• Could be worn with a swim cap and goggles 

The H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport weigh 32g, in order that they by no means really feel heavy throughout use. Nonetheless, after lengthy durations of time, the audio system did depart the edges of my face feeling a bit sore.  

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

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 largely exhibiting, in order that the headphones are free. Don’t attempt carrying them below the swim cap, as in any other case the headphones will dig into your cranium. 

Outdoors of swimming, these headphones are nonetheless safe. I used to be ready to make use of them throughout a HIIT (excessive depth interval coaching) exercise, they usually 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 increased ranges largely 

While you received’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 basically clear. The bass is particularly punchy, and while that is nice for pop and indie tunes, having the quantity 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 preserve the quantity cranked up on some gentler tracks for the highest quality. In fact, that is to be anticipated with headphones with any such 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 could be very a lot drowned out – particularly in noisy environments just like the underground, so I wouldn’t advocate utilizing these as your fundamental pair of headphones.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

If you’d like a extra uninterrupted expertise, then it is best to 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 won’t work easily if you’re swimming. This isn’t a problem with the product, however fairly physics. The sort of connection doesn’t work when you’re submerged in water and your smartphone is poolside. In any other case, the 10m land vary signifies that it’s completely effective to be used throughout completely different storeys of your own home. 

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

App and usefulness  

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

You’ll be able to 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 gadget.  

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

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

In response to 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 problem, 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, it’s essential to play one thing all through first and have it on the quantity you’ll need to take heed to it, because the gadget is actually recording the songs/podcasts that you simply’re listening to. You’ll be able to 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 need to take heed to issues a number of instances.

The recording doesn’t routinely cut up tracks, so if you’d like these all as separate recordsdata (resembling on shuffle play) then you definitely’ll have to start out and cease the loading manually. The app doesn’t let you 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 gadget is powered off, after which drag and drop your recordsdata over to the gadgets’ reminiscence.  

Sadly, my first overview unit failed to connect with any PCs or laptops by way of USB, regardless of me following the troubleshooting guides. H2O Audio did present a alternative 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 essentially the most intuitive. Among the folders are complicated, with no clarification of what they’re. The manuals and web site clarify use the headphones, extra element and data within the app wouldn’t go amiss.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Battery life and charging

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

The headphones are purported to final for round 5 hours of playback, a declare that I discovered to be largely true. That is lots sufficient for a number of classes 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. Nonetheless, it solely offers the battery degree is in 25% increments – if you’d like a extra correct studying, join the gadget to your telephone and verify it by way of your paired gadgets.  

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

In case you depart the headphones on pause for greater than 5 minutes, then they are going to routinely energy off.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Value and availability 

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

Comparatively, that value is sweet towards rivals. The Shokz Openswim headphones retail for $149/£169, however these don’t provide 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 provide 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. Nonetheless, these don’t have the Playlist+ function, 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 provide a one-year guarantee on your piece of thoughts. In case you solely plan on utilizing Playlist+ to load your music, then the issues I had received’t matter an excessive amount of.

You too can learn up on our greatest headphones for operating, and the very best headphones general.  

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Verdict 

The H2O Audio Tri Professional Multi-Sport have been a welcome addition to my swimming classes. The audio is kind of spectacular within the water, particularly if you use the accompanying earplugs, and the battery life ought to final you many classes 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 durations of damage. The accompanying app may additionally do with clearer copy and instructions for customers.

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

Specs

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