Top Best 7 Sweatproof Headphones in December 2021

Wow!! These are the best headphones I have ever had in my 44 years! I got them days before the official release. The Bass is amazing, the active sound cancelation works great. I love the style, the color, the look, the feel, the buttons. I have been looking for the right over ear headphones to replace a set used for over 10 years! I looked at equivalent options from, Sony, Bose, Beats, Skull Candy, and Apple. Those are all really great companies with excellent products, and quality. None were just right for me, and my intended uses. When I came across a social media post from DJ letting everyone know these were about to be released. I was very excited! Apparently DJ and I have a similar hairstyle. Lol. I couod tell just from his picture of him wearing them, that they would fit me perfectly too! I somehow found a way to get them early! This set from JBL has blown my mind! It's hard to explain how they fit so perfectly. Like a good pair of sneakers or like some perfect fitting lifting gloves, but for your head. Trying to run or workout with over ear type headphones has always sucked. They always shift, or move, or bounce, get too sweaty, or some other irritating downsides. I can tell just by putting them on, that they won't do any of that. They are super snug, but they don't hurt like others at all. They even have a 3.5 headphone jack for those who prefer to also have the direct plug in option. Somehow JBL and The Rock have found the perfectly balanced fit!

The sound is beyond words for me. Absolutely incredible!

I'm sending a HUGE thank you to JBL, and DJ for putting in the WORK, and making this an Absolute home run of a Product!

I almost forgot to mention. They even come with a nice case, with triangular carabiner! The headphones fold to fit inside.

My advice to anyone looking at these. I didn't even try them before buying them. Buy them. You will be very happy like me.

I've tried just about every mainstream headphones out there sold by bestbuy and the like. These are hands down the best and even beats some if the more expensive brands.

The volume is pretty decently loud with some seriously good bass compared to others in its class.

The fit and feel is super comfortable and I can workout in them running/weight lifting and they stay fit secured.

Battery life is true. The JBL app definitely helps get the sou d we all beg for. The Rock EQ is a nice touch too, def makes a big diff in the sound.

The case is nice and hard shelled seems very durable. Love the buttons and functionality of the headphones themselves. The right ear bull logo doubles as a functioning button as well for ANC, ambient noise, and talk thru.

Plain and simple, best headphones period.

Ok so right off the bat let me just say that before buying these headphones. I started off using over the ear noise canceling headphones with the Bose QC II then jumped years after to the SONY WH-1000XM3 and later upgraded to the WH-1000XM4 which are the kings of noise canceling and quality, but my biggest issue was that I could never use them to go to the gym or for my home workout or at least if so I'd have to buy extra covers from ebay to do so. After buying the project rock wireless over the ear headphones I can definitely say these are headphones that I'm in love with everything from durability to features to having physical buttons again, and of course the option that I can use these to do as many workouts and just wash the cushion which is detachable. Also my biggest issue with Sony's headphones were that the touch controls weren't exactly as responsive as I'd wish, with these new under armour rock headphones you have all the physical buttons oh and also almost 5-10 more of battery time which in my book is huge. The less time I have to spend charging devices the better. Also the noise canceling on these headphones yes are weaker then Sony's headphones but I actually appreciate it more due that I can actually take these with more when running or walking and can still be aware in the most minimum when cars are passing by. Apart from that all the major features are still there, pairing these to my laptop, phone etc was super easy, I can connect to two devices at once is awesome. Also they look amazing with the brama bull all over the place. I can't say enough amazing things of these headphones. They truly are amazing.

I usually don't write reviews unless the item is really bad or really good. These are probably the best wireless headphones I have tried and I have tried many that include the Bose 700,Quiet Comfort 35 and 45, Sony WH-1000XM3 &4, Sennheiser Momentum 3, B&W and B&O line, Panda THX as well as many others. These are not audiophile headphones but are super fun and have a little emphasis on bass but not at the expense of other frequencies. Vocals are clear, highs are crisp and clean with no sibilance or shoutiness. The BT connection is solid and I have not had a drop out yet. They pair easily and comfort is good, not great but these sound so good you will forget about it. Earcups are a little small but still fit over my ears but people with big ears may find these are more of an on ear. I have my wired audiophile headphones for home use. I wanted a wireless headphone that still can keep some of those qualities and this is it. A very full, powerful sounding headphone that maintains clarity. Noise cancellation is very good and only affects sound a little. Most headphones lose bass and sound a little off when NC

is on but not these. The hard case is a nice extra and these look great. I would recommend these easily over other wireless headphones, even some wired headphones.

These are my first pair of over-the-ear headphones and so far I have not been disappointed. I have the off white version and love how the brahma bull stands out in gold (we'll see how clean they stay over time). The cushions are soft and very comfortable. The headphones are light enough for me to run and secure enough that they don't fall off. Sound has been great however I do not consider myself as an audiophile. Connecting the headphones with my Galaxy Note 20 was easy once I downloaded the app. The app itself has not been all that great and not too user friendly. Overall the headphones do help me stay focus because they drown out a lot of background noise.

I am not easily astonished, and yet here I am, absolutely astonished at the quality of the sound cancelling ability of these headphones. On top of that, they pair effortlessly with my iPhone, and deliver incredible clarity of sound. Good layout of controls and the construction seems to be robust. Great fit and finish.

Expensive? Yes.........but it appears to be well worth the expenditure. Absolutely love these headphones.

Excellent sound, excellent sound dampening. I used these on a flight, headphones did a great job allowing me to hear my music and videos without the noise of the plane. A little tight on my head after wearing them for a whole day, but I have a big head.

What to say I switched from skullcandy crusher ANC to these and thought id miss the extreme bass rumble. I was wrong the sound profile is top notch and with the rock eq setting the bass is definitely heard. I listen to all types of genres of music and each one sounds amazing. The no slip grip does wonders in the gym along with the integrated voice assistant.

Wow!! These are the best headphones I have ever had in my 44 years! I got them days before the official release. The Bass is amazing, the active sound cancelation works great. I love the style, the color, the look, the feel, the buttons. I have been looking for the right over ear headphones to replace a set used for over 10 years! I looked at equivalent options from, Sony, Bose, Beats, Skull Candy, and Apple. Those are all really great companies with excellent products, and quality. None were just right for me, and my intended uses. When I came across a social media post from DJ letting everyone know these were about to be released. I was very excited! Apparently DJ and I have a similar hairstyle. Lol. I couod tell just from his picture of him wearing them, that they would fit me perfectly too! I somehow found a way to get them early! This set from JBL has blown my mind! It's hard to explain how they fit so perfectly. Like a good pair of sneakers or like some perfect fitting lifting gloves, but for your head. Trying to run or workout with over ear type headphones has always sucked. They always shift, or move, or bounce, get too sweaty, or some other irritating downsides. I can tell just by putting them on, that they won't do any of that. They are super snug, but they don't hurt like others at all. They even have a 3.5 headphone jack for those who prefer to also have the direct plug in option. Somehow JBL and The Rock have found the perfectly balanced fit!

The sound is beyond words for me. Absolutely incredible!

I'm sending a HUGE thank you to JBL, and DJ for putting in the WORK, and making this an Absolute home run of a Product!

I almost forgot to mention. They even come with a nice case, with triangular carabiner! The headphones fold to fit inside.

My advice to anyone looking at these. I didn't even try them before buying them. Buy them. You will be very happy like me.

I've tried just about every mainstream headphones out there sold by bestbuy and the like. These are hands down the best and even beats some if the more expensive brands.

The volume is pretty decently loud with some seriously good bass compared to others in its class.

The fit and feel is super comfortable and I can workout in them running/weight lifting and they stay fit secured.

Battery life is true. The JBL app definitely helps get the sou d we all beg for. The Rock EQ is a nice touch too, def makes a big diff in the sound.

The case is nice and hard shelled seems very durable. Love the buttons and functionality of the headphones themselves. The right ear bull logo doubles as a functioning button as well for ANC, ambient noise, and talk thru.

Plain and simple, best headphones period.

Ok so right off the bat let me just say that before buying these headphones. I started off using over the ear noise canceling headphones with the Bose QC II then jumped years after to the SONY WH-1000XM3 and later upgraded to the WH-1000XM4 which are the kings of noise canceling and quality, but my biggest issue was that I could never use them to go to the gym or for my home workout or at least if so I'd have to buy extra covers from ebay to do so. After buying the project rock wireless over the ear headphones I can definitely say these are headphones that I'm in love with everything from durability to features to having physical buttons again, and of course the option that I can use these to do as many workouts and just wash the cushion which is detachable. Also my biggest issue with Sony's headphones were that the touch controls weren't exactly as responsive as I'd wish, with these new under armour rock headphones you have all the physical buttons oh and also almost 5-10 more of battery time which in my book is huge. The less time I have to spend charging devices the better. Also the noise canceling on these headphones yes are weaker then Sony's headphones but I actually appreciate it more due that I can actually take these with more when running or walking and can still be aware in the most minimum when cars are passing by. Apart from that all the major features are still there, pairing these to my laptop, phone etc was super easy, I can connect to two devices at once is awesome. Also they look amazing with the brama bull all over the place. I can't say enough amazing things of these headphones. They truly are amazing.

These are my first pair of over-the-ear headphones and so far I have not been disappointed. I have the off white version and love how the brahma bull stands out in gold (we'll see how clean they stay over time). The cushions are soft and very comfortable. The headphones are light enough for me to run and secure enough that they don't fall off. Sound has been great however I do not consider myself as an audiophile. Connecting the headphones with my Galaxy Note 20 was easy once I downloaded the app. The app itself has not been all that great and not too user friendly. Overall the headphones do help me stay focus because they drown out a lot of background noise.

I am not easily astonished, and yet here I am, absolutely astonished at the quality of the sound cancelling ability of these headphones. On top of that, they pair effortlessly with my iPhone, and deliver incredible clarity of sound. Good layout of controls and the construction seems to be robust. Great fit and finish.

Expensive? Yes.........but it appears to be well worth the expenditure. Absolutely love these headphones.

What to say I switched from skullcandy crusher ANC to these and thought id miss the extreme bass rumble. I was wrong the sound profile is top notch and with the rock eq setting the bass is definitely heard. I listen to all types of genres of music and each one sounds amazing. The no slip grip does wonders in the gym along with the integrated voice assistant.

Great product! Last approximately 9 days without charging using it 2 hours a day. After day 9 it kept dropping bluetooth connection around the 35% battery life. The JBL app you need to download is useful and helps with bass and sound quality while using the headphones.

These are just plain awesome! Excellent sound quality and comfort is great. Noise cancellation isn’t the best, but it gets the job done and, along with the music, will cancel out any outside noise. Totally recommend for daily drivers and workout headphones!

These earbuds are an excellent mid-range cost option with high quality features. The earbuds come with 5 different sizes of inserts to find the most comfortable fit and I have not had any discomfort while wearing them, or any trouble with them staying in place. The battery life seems to be very good. I did not charge the earbuds when I first received them, and I still have yet to, with an average use of about 1-2 hours per day for the past 6 days. To me the sound quality is very good, and although these are not noise blocking, they are very effective at blocking out other sounds. The mics on these are pretty decent as well. I took a few phone calls with them and had no complaints on my sound quality. I also used these with both my iphone and Android phone and had no issues connecting with either.

The carrying case is fairly petite and perfect for keeping in a purse, small bag, or even a pocket. One feature of these that would be a big deciding factor in whether I would purchase these on my own is the ability to use only one earbud at a time, and you can with these. (I prefer to only use one earbud when I go for runs outside.) Each earbud has a control button which is touch sensitive. This is a nice upgrade to some of my previous earbuds which are press buttons. The touch buttons respond very well, and only take a bit of time to learn their functionalities.

Overall all, great mid-range cost option with a variety of features - very happy with these so far.

THE BREAKDOWN:

The life Note E True Wireless earbuds are indeed a budget friendly earbud comparable to high end models and delivers on most of their features as well.

The earbuds come with a charging case, USB-C to USB-A cable, some extra earbud tips in sizes: XS, S, M, L and XL and a quick start guide.

First thing is to fully charge the case and earbuds. Next, the setup was a simple as pressing the button on the case and pairing with your desired device. One note to remember is that these earbuds can only connect to one device at time. For example, if you are listening to music on your phone then you want to listen to Netflix on your iPad then you must disconnect them from your phone and pair then to your iPad. For me this is a little annoying because I do have devices that connect to multiple devices. You can also just use one earbud which I found to be very nice. These earbuds do use Bluetooth 5.2. They are also IPX5 Waterproof, and they weigh about 0.16oz. I do not notice any ear fatigue while wearing them for extended periods of time.

Battery Life was really good coming in at about 8 hours per charge and an additional 3 charges in the case for a total of 32 hours of time.

These earbuds have 3 EQ modes which are default, Bass Booster and Podcast. To change between them all you have to do is quickly tap on the right earbud 3 times. I found the earbuds to have a great sound, and this could be due to the fact they have an oversized triple layer 10mm driver. The full and rich sound was very surprising to me at the price point. Also, while making calls I had no issue with sound on my end or the other end of the call.

PRO’s:

-3 EQ Modes

- Light and compact

- IPX5 Waterproof rating

- 32 hours of playtime (with the charging case fully charged)

CON’s:

-Can only connect to one device at a time

SUMMARY:

Overall, this product worked as intended, and I would recommend this to a friend if they are in the market for device like this that is portable and gets the job done.

These are a pretty good set of earbuds and easy to get them to seal up in your ear canal and stay in. They fit in the cup of your ear. They have six pairs of tips so you should be able to find a size that fits snug without making your ear canal tender for extended use. Tenderness is not uncommon for this type of earbuds that rely on friction to stay on your ears. My wife tried these and she really likes them because they fit in her ears and stayed in. One of only two earbuds she has ever used that has out of a total of ten over the past 10 years.

When I got the buds snugly in my ears they sounded Flat and kinda dead. I cycled through the 3 preset EQ settings to find the one I thought was best for music and stuck with it as it was the only setting that had any bass to it at all. Bass was low and solid. Not muddy or hollow. Highs were clean but high mids were harsh at almost any volume. Very noticeable to me when listening to vocal harmonies. Examples would be ABBA, Beatles, Beachboys, Steely Dan, Little River Band, Eagles, Ect… As I said about the JVC earbuds I reviewed, “Don’t expect the type of frequency response and sound you would get with the Master and Dynamic earbuds I reviewed a couple of years ago.” For the price they’re Ok but those harsh high mids I don’t like.

Do keep in mind that these are not active noise cancelling earbuds. That is there's no DSP (Digital Signal Processing) to remove / cancel ambient noise. Filtering out the noise is how tight you get them to fit in your ears like ear plugs. Also known as passive noise cancelling.

As others have said, Call quality leaves a bit to be desired. These buds are supposed to have an AI (Artificial Intelligence) Algorithm to enhance your voice on calls. My wife assists me on some of my reviews and we both agree that when using these buds the person you’re talking to may have a hard time hearing and understanding you. We used my Sony WF-SP800N earbuds, I reviewed last year, as a reference as the other buds we talked to when testing the Life Note E. They will also pick up some road noise when used in a car.

The instructions do a good job of telling you how to pair the earbuds by removing a plastic sticker on the stalk of the buds. Then replace them back in the charging box to put them into pairing mode. To pair with another device you put them back in the case with the lid open, press and hold the button on the case for 3 seconds until the LEDS on the front of the case flashes. This worked well for pairing to both phones. Note: They only pair from the charging box.

Like other earbuds I have reviewed, there are no tactile switches on the buds. It’s all done by touch. The little booklet explains the functions. Might want to take a photo of it with your phone until you have used them a bit and remember what does what. When doing the multi touches to select the EQ modes it was hit and miss every time. You do however get a confirmation beep when something is selected. There is no app available for the Life Note E. The extra ear tips cannot be stored in the charging storage case. So don’t lose em!

The buds come in the charging box and a USB A to USB C cable. You will need to provide a charger and almost any modern cellphone charger will do. It just needs to provide 5 VDC at 500 mA or more. Battery life is rated at 8 hours and 32 with the recharging case. I pretty much got a bit over 8 hours and a half before they started cutting out and off. Build quality seems good for the price. The 18 month warranty is better than average too. As I post this review the Life Note E earbuds are still not listed or shown on the Soundcore website.

Conclusion is that these are pretty good earbuds for the price. Not quite up to my standards for music but I've been spoiled with high end gear for decades plus I’m a musician. Bass response is great but I don’t like those harsh high mids. But that is somewhat subjective and someone else might not notice it. But the call quality of the microphones leaves a lot to be desired. You’ll hear the person you’re talking to ok, but they won’t hear you near as well. I only barely recommend these earbuds and that's just for listening to music. Would have given 4 stars if they had performed better on phone calls.

These Anker Life note Es were a pleasant surprise! My top favorites about these are:

-- AMAZING battery life. Didn't need to charge them until after nearly a week using them everyday for at least an hour

–Three different settings: podcast, bass booster,, and Soundcore signature, all of which help customize your sound experience. The podcast feature increased my vocal output which helps with my actual podcast recordings. Just tap the R button three times for these.

-- Earbuds work together and as individuals

-- case is magnetic close, and has a USBC charging port (the box comes with a USBC to USBA charging cable)

My only two slight complaint, were that the AI noise cancellation wasn't the best I've had, but it does do the job. The second was that the buds didn't stay in my ears that well, and nothing is more frustrating that having to continually readjust my earbuds.

Overall, these are an excellent mid-level option for earbuds that is comparable to the much more expensive ones from "you know who".

Life Note E True Wireless earbuds is a budget friendly ultracompact Bluetooth earbud in the market that delivers most of the features that airpods delivers for a cheaper price with big bass.

What’s is in the box: Soundcore Life Note E ear buds, Charging Case, ear tips (XS/S/M/L/XL), USB C to USB A cable, Quick Start Guide.

Setting up is simple. Once connected, this mini bud sounds great for its size even on the phone calls. Thanks to the AI noise reduction. Has great battery life of 8 hours on single charge and the charging case holds around 4 times capacity to recharge (32hours in total). Its ultra-compact makes it easy to carry around. It has got 10mm drivers for a deep bass. For the price point it has got 3 different EQ modes and has IPX5 water resistant.

Overall, if you are looking for ultra-compact wireless earbuds that won’t break your bank with the AI noise reduction for clear calls and for listening music on the go then this product won’t disappoint you.

Another Great product from Anker, at a price point of $49.99 you would think that the sound wouldn’t be that great, but it is. Anker has added 3 equalizer modes, Signature, Bass Boost and Podcast. It has 10mm drivers to deliver powerful sound with bass thumping abilities. The earbuds have 2 mics with AI-enhanced noise reduction. This is great for making calls in a busy location or outside with a lot of background noise. You can use the ear buds in tandem or separately, which is a great feature when you want to hear what’s going on around you but still be able to take calls or listen to your music. The Case/Charger when fully charged will charge the earbuds 4 times, before it needs to be charged and can give you 1 hour of listening to a 10 minute charge. The earbuds are classified as Waterproof (IPX5) so don’t go swimming in them, but you can go for a run in the rain and not cause any damage.

Anker Soundcore Life Note E True Wireless In-Ear Headphones, model A3943Z11, $50 and a Best Buy exclusive, are near the bottom of the price and feature matrix from the manufacturer. Yet, these buds have the latest, Bluetooth 5.2. Does that mean inferior performance and a lack of features? Let’s see!

**WHAT’S IN THE BOX**

• Life Note E Earphones with charging case – 8 hours battery life, a total of 32 hours with the case

• USB-C to USB-A charging cable – 24”

• Documentation with warranty

10 mm triple layer dynamic drivers

Charge for 10 minutes, listen for 1 hour

IPX5 waterproof for resistance against small water jets projected at low pressure. In other words, I think this means sweatproof and OK for use in light rain.

The Soundcore app is not designed to work with this product.

The AI enhancement uses the two microphones for uplink noise reduction that may reduce the sound volume received to the other end of the conversation.

**THE SETUP**

ALWAYS charge first, read documentation and then pair with devices.

Now it is time to . . .

**PUT IT TO THE TEST**

The headphones are comfortable to wear with silicone tips to fit any ear size.

Pairing was easy with one device following pairing instructions. Adding a second device involves placing the buds back in their case, pressing a button on the case to enter pairing mode and then pairing with another device. Only one device at a time can be actively paired. To alternate between paired devices, the first one must be ignored in device settings, the buds must be placed in the case for about a minute, and then one removed. Once removed, the alternate device should see the availability of the Life Note E for connection.

Battery life per charge is impressive and may be at or near best-in-class, especially at this attractively low price point.

It’s time to listen to music. Ah, sweet music.

Accessing the three Sound Modes – Soundcore Signature, Bass Booster, Podcast – by tapping the R bud three times to change sound mode. All three modes were effective and did a good job with pleasing results.

Press the L or R bud twice for play/pause

Press and hold L or R for two seconds to back up or advance a track

Press the L or R bud twice to make a call

Press and hold the L or R bud for two seconds to answer or end a call

Press the L bud three times to summon the voice assistant

Making and receiving calls was easy. The quality of the calls was disappointing insofar as those calling me or receiving my calls often commented on the somewhat distant nature of my voice. Local background noise, such as the car radio and ambient sounds at home were all heard loud and clear, unfortunately. I am not sold on the implementation of the AI nor of its benefits in this product. However, let’s bear in mind the low cost of this product.

**CONCLUSION**

Long battery life, ease of use, three sound modes and very good audio quality for music and podcast playback contribute to these true wireless earbuds/headphones earning high marks.

The sound quality of calls was a bit disappointing, but can be almost forgiven if the purchase of Life Note E is not for calling, which, I suspect, will be the case.

Recommended? Yes, with the above caveats.

**WARRANTY**

Comes with manufacturer’s 18-month warranty. Most competitive products come with only a one year warranty. Thank you, Anker.

Anker is one of the companies out there that is slowly creeping into the brands of electronic products that are household names. It just used to be a decent and less expensive brand you saw on Amazon, and now they area common at places like Best Buy and other retailers.

This was the first Anker product that I tried other than a battery pack. I have a lot of ear buds, and I know what I like. I am not a fan of earbuds that are what I call ear plug style. The Soundcore Life Note E earbuds fall into that category. But to be honest, after trying they I immediately added them into my rotation.

They are really good looking to start. They are well made, substancial and they just look like a high end product. At the price point, they are FAR beyond what you would expect. Anything under $50 you don’t really think are going to be any better than “okay” at best. But these break the mold.

They are very small, and they don’t stick out far from your ears. They come with a variety of options for the range of ear sizes, so you will find one that works for you most likely. And they are so so so light, and they seal your ear for a noise cancellation

The case is one of the best parts. It is equally small, and fits the buds perfectly. They allow for about 32 hours of playtime, which for their size is very remarkable. The buds alone allow for 8 hours of play if you don’t use the case to recharge it. And of course it goes without saying, the case charges the earbuds.

So I ride motorcycles whenever I can. As a Harley fan, I like my loud pipes but I am aware it is not the best for my hearing. And on top of that, like to listen to my tunes while I ride. Some of my friends use earplugs to protect their hearing, which is great if that is your thing. These earbuds to a great job of plugging my ears enough that it helps block out the loud notices, but I can listen to my tunes. However, most of the time I will only use one at a time, because they really block out sound. For me, I like to hear what is going on around me (horns, sirens, etc), and I cannot hear that sort of thing with them both in. They REALLY cancel out sound. BUT, in other situations this is just the sort of thing you want to cancel out all the noises around you and I know they could be put to good use in that respect.

So, how do they sound? The sound good. They don’t sound amazing or great. But they don’t sound fair. They are good and you get what you are paying for in that respect. You cannot do too much adjustment to the sound, but they do have three options. The standard or “signature” mode is their balanced default setting. It is not bad, but lacks bass and depth in your highs. Bass booster is my preference, and although the highs and mids get overlooked a bit, the bass increase goes better with my preference in music. Then the podcast mode is for spoken word. I have not tried that one yet, but I have tried it in their signature mode and it was great for me. I do really like them for phone calls when my kids are playing in the house. I get that isolation I need to focus on the call and they block out my four year old that can spontaiously break into a song at any given second whenever the moment moves her.

When you take a look at the whole picture here, you are really getting a lot for your price point. If your like earbuds that cancel out noise, and you more on the thrifty side these are a winner. If you don’t like wearing earplugs, you may still like these given the comfort of the soft rubber (or silicone, I am not sure of the material they are made of) tips are pretty comfortable. I have not worn them for more than about two hours, but they were comfortable that whole time for me. I would definitely recommend these earbuds and I will say it one last time. You are getting much more than what you are paying for, and you cannot go wrong with that.

I really like these Soundcore Life Dot 2S earbuds because of the quality and capabilities that Soundcore has built into them. There are a lot of companies offering very similar earbuds but Soundcore differentiates their products with the Soundcore mobile app that makes these earbuds stand out.

Fit and Function

The Life Dot 2S sit in the ear and use ear wings to help hold them in place. I prefer this type of earbud because its not as noticeable and its stable enough to use when jogging or working out. Soundcore includes three different size ear wings as well as three different size tips so its pretty easy to get a good solid fit. With the proper size tips and wings I can cut out most of the ambient room noise which is nice since these earbuds do not support Noise Reduction. The earbuds are IPX-7 rated so they will handle moisture and sweat. The earbuds are configured so that you can operate them singularly which I prefer for taking phone calls or as a pair. Note that they do not auto pause when an earbud is taken out which is a missing feature. The earbuds can last up to 10 hours on a single charge and the case holds 3 more charges. When powering up the earbuds they tell you their power level and the case power level is displayed via LEDs on the front of the case. You can also see the earbud power level in the Soundcore mobile app. The case can be charged wirelessly or with a USB-C cable which is included. I like the wireless charging feature because it allows me to charge the case when my phone is not on the wireless charger. Using the Soundcore mobile app you can assign control functions to each earbud’s button. You can assign volume up/down, next/previous, play/pause and voice assistant to the earbud buttons when you use a Single Tap, Double Tap and Hold for 1 second. This gives you total flexibility when it comes to setting up the earbud control. On the downside, the earbud buttons are mechanical which means you actually have to push the button to engage the function and this can be problematic if you have sensitive ears. I paired these earbuds to my iphone, ipad and windows laptop without any issues.

Sound Quality

I think the sound quality of these earbuds are in line with others at this price range. They produce good midrange and highs that sound crisp and undistorted. The bass is typical of what you get with earbuds. What makes these earbuds sound better however is the Soundcore mobile app which allows you to choose from 22 preselected Equalizer settings as well as the ability to create two additional custom equalizer settings. The equalize also has 8 reference points which gives you good flexibility when creating your personal settings. So whether you like music or pod cast its easy to find a preset equalizer setting to meet your needs. When taking calls on these earbuds I found the audio quality to be good and the caller said I sounded good as well.

Pros

- 22 pre-configured and two customizable Equalizer settings in the Soundcore app

- Wireless charging for the case and 10 hours per charge on the earbuds

- IPX-7 rating

- Ear wing and buds = great fit

- Configurable Earbud controls

- Soundcore Mobile App one of the best available

Cons

- Mechanical buttons on the earbuds

- No Auto pause on earbud removal

Anker Soundcore Life Dot 25

Anker is one of those companies who’s demonstrated impressive momentum to grow their business by expanding into many other areas outside their core competence.

Creating new earbuds today in a crowded market is a mighty tall order these days. The market is already flooded with a plethora of options, emphasizing different characteristics, be is sound quality (Shure/Sennheizer), active noise cancellation (Bose), comfortably, convenience, etc.

The Soundcore Life Dot 25 by Anker addresses the cost conscious segment of the market, imho.

For this review I compared the Soundcore Life Dot 25 with Apple’s popular standard long stem AirPods (gen 1), as well as the much more costly AirPods Pro.

My results were mixed. Considering comfort the Life Dot 25 were far more comfortable and fit better than the standard AirPods. They form a tight seal (though there are different plug liners) and were nearly as comfortable as the reference AirPods Pro. One downside to a tight fit is when walking it creates ear pressure for me. This could probably be resolved with different tips.

There is an advantage to this however, that although Anker’s offering lacks ANC active noise cancellation with a microphone array to cancel external noise, the nice fit effectively acts as passive noise cancellation.

With respect to sound quality, the Life Dot 25 sound far better than 1st gen standard AirPods. The sound is however not nearly as crisp and refined as the reference AirPods Pro. For example, listening to the Spoon Solo in Soundgarden’s Spoonman, there was very little definition with the Life Dot 25. Had I not known what to listen for I might have missed it or mistaken the artists intent. AirPods Pro experience night and day with respect to clarity.

Pros

+ build quality

+ pleasant design

+ comfortable fit

+ connects quickly

+ IPX-7 water-resistant

+ 8mm drivers w/ bass

+ 10 hours playtime

+ 40 hours charge in case

+ 2 hours charge in 10 minutes

+ wireless charging

Cons

-no ANC, but passive noise cancellation

-super snug fit, creates ear pressure walking

-sound quality lacking, good bass less mid and highs

-hard to establish market share in crowded space

Conclusion

Don’t get me wrong, I like these. If you’re on a budget there’s not much to dislike, however if you’re willing top quality you’ll have to spend more on competing products, therefore I would not personally recommend to a friend.

Recommended conditional buy

The Anker Life Dot 2S are good earbuds with great sound in a small footprint. These earbuds are not really expensive and they perform very well. They are tiny but produce great sound and deep bass. They don't have noise cancelling but they can mask the outside noise very well. These tiny buds have a button in the center that can be mapped to do different tasks such as play/pause, next, previous, volume up and down. You can also set a button to trigger the voice assistance on your phone. Unfortunately you cannot answer calls using the buttons, very strange. Hopefully they can fix that with a firmware update.

There are some other good perks you get with this earbud like the wireless charging case. The earbuds are rated for 10hrs of playtime and 40hrs charging with the case. They are magnetically secure to the case and the case can be charged with USBC. They are also IPX7 water resistant. The charging case size is relatively small compared to my other more expensive earbuds. On the outside of the case you have three lights that will indicate the charge percentage. Pairing these earbuds to my Android phone was very easy, just go to the bluetooth settings and pair them. I wish they worked like my other earbuds, they automatically popup on your screen to be paired.

Like I said before they do sound extremely well and they are loud. The calls sound quality was also good. People on the other end were able to hear me loud and clear and vice versa. If you use the Soundcore software you can change your listening mode from a large selection. My favorite one was the “Acoustic” . In my opinion it was the best balance of all. These earbuds fit nicely and secure and they won't come off. However because of the ear tips they are not foam gels sometimes it feels like you have ear plugs. You may also have to change the ear wings and ear tips depending on your ear size so it can fit properly. In my case I had to change the ear wings to small with medium tips.

Overall these earbuds produce great sound, they are tiny, water resistant and come with a 40hrs wireless charging case at a reasonable price. In the box you get the Dot 2S earbuds, charging case, sets of ear wings and ear tips, USBC cable and manuals.

The Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2S exceeded my expectations in sound quality. I have heard that Anker wireless earbuds and headphones had good sound but I had no idea that they would rival and even surpass some of my more expensive headphones and true wireless earbuds in sound quality. For the price of these True-Wireless Earbuds, they are without a doubt the best I have heard for the price. Additionally, when you download the app and switch to custom it immediately improves the sound signature and adds clarity to phone calls for some reason even if you switch back to the Soundcore Signature the clarity and overall sound stage remains greatly improved. However, the improvements do not stop there I have been fighting with volume boosters and equalizers for my wireless earbuds and headphones to increase the volume and gain sound stage improvements and clarity for years. Back when I could easily root my phones and use Viper4Android it was not a problem but since most manufacturers really locked down on their bootloaders preventing root and custom roms it has been an issue. That is until now with the Equalizer built into the Soundcore app increasing the sliders upward actually increases the volume as well and works very well in letting you shape the sound just how you want it and as loud as you can stand it and or as loud as the earbuds or headphones your using can handle. However, even with these Life Dot 2S True-Wireless Earbuds for the first time in a long time, I can listen to music as loud and clear as I want to and still have additional volume overhead if needed. This is coming from an audiophile that builds car stereo systems and has high-end home and car stereo equipment. I have one Anker Bluetooth speaker but this is my first set of Anker Earbuds or Headphones. The Anker Soundcore Life Dot 2S True-Wireless Earbuds come with an impressive array of earbud sizes so you can be sure to find a size that fits your ears. I am very impressed with the sound quality of these Earbuds no matter what you are listening to and for phone calls the sound quality is great. Now that I have discovered these I want some over-the-ear Anker Headphones. I definitely would recommend these and other Anker Earbuds and Headphones. I have used Anker accessories for a while and I knew they were good but I had no idea how good their audio equipment could be!

For every day use when you don't need noise cancellation these are very good sounding earbuds.

I really like the little ear fins that you can put on for a more secure fit, so even without an over the ear piece these have stayed in my ears very well when hot and sweaty working out in the yard.

The recharge case is compact and has a built in charging cable and optionally can be charged wirelessly on a charge pad.

They pair very easily with my iPhone and the IPX5 Protection makes the earbuds water-resistant so you can keep on listening in the rain if ya want to, so sweat is no problem but I wouldn't shower or even think of swimming with them.

The features, quality and durability offered by these headphones are way above I would expect at this price point. Customizable buttons, fully adjustable equalizer and a comfortable fit during any type of use. I’ve had zero concerns about having one fall out during a long run or during any exercise where I was sweating more than usual. And the play time is outstanding. And I have only had to charge these maybe once every 3 days.

Again, the value for dollar for these is incredible and I highly recommend them.

I'm always looking for versatile, go anywhere do anything, earbuds. The Life Dot 2S is a stellar cross between quality and versatility.

In the box are ear buds, charging case, USB-C charging cable, different sized wings and ear tips. Setup was not at straight forward as expected with my Samsung Galaxy android phone, it took a few attempts to pair after installing the Soundcore app. I fixed this by attempting to pair a few times, and eventually the process worked as expected.

Once paired I had no issues with controls or staying connected. As far as features: 1. the battery indicators are visible on both the ear buds as well as the case, 2. range from device is good at 38' through at least one wall, 3. controls, play / pause / previous / next / volume / answer / disconnect / assistant are on each ear piece. Overall a nice set of offerings that provide a good user experience. I find that the mechanical controls are slightly more cumbersome than I'd like, as I feel like I'm pressing the ear bud into my ear to get the button to activate. The upside is that the app allows for customization of the button functionality.

Build quality is better than expected for the price point. The charging case has a slightly wider hinge than most, so the lid does not feel flimsy or will like it will break after a few months of use. The earbuds are somewhat unique in that each ear bud has a wing that will help lock it into your ear. I think this makes a huge difference for runners and doing physical work while wearing. I have zero concern of these falling out during a long run. Another nice feature for runners is that these are waterproof, so I'm not worried about sweating on them or cleaning them.

The sound quality is as expected, the Soundcore app has Equalizer settings, there are 22 different preselected profile options as well as the ability to customize. The range is average, with clear high ranges, and little distortion at the low end (pending eq options). For calling, I had no issues hearing and the other person said there was limited background noise on my end. Overall performance for sound is exactly what I expect, not super high end, but not junk. I was able to get 4 days of usage between charges which aligns with the claims of 10 hours play time.

Overall, get these for your athletes, your picky wearers who struggle with fit, and your teen because these are a unique look that will not be mixed up with everyone else's ear buds. I'm a fan of the design, build quality and sound options available through the app.

These earbuds took some trial and error with the different ear tip sizes that were included for me to find the incredible sound I was missing the entire time. I almost gave this product a 3 star review. I've been working out with these earbuds a lot. I do a lot of rowing, running, weightlifting, and jump roping. Up until recently, I wasn't impressed with the sound. It was a shame because I was very impressed with the build quality and absolutely loved the case and earbud design. I also love that they stay put and don't fall out regardless of the exercise I'm doing. I consider myself to have average sized ears and have always used the medium sized earbuds that come pre-installed by most manufacturers earbuds to get the best seal/sound. So when I received these earbuds, naturally I did just that. The sound signature sounded somewhat tinny and most disappointingly, the bass was almost non-existent. Downloading the soundcore app and messing with the equalizer didnt seem to help that much. As a last ditch effort I decided to try different ear tip sizes to see if anything would change (I kept the ear wings the same as they seemed to lock into place very well and fit comfortable). I went with the next size up in ear tips. Presto!! The difference was night and day.

I must have not been getting a good enough seal with the medium sized earbuds likely causing a significant amount of sound leakage. If you find your bass to be lacking or the sound signature to be tinny, try different earbud sizes to ensure you're getting the proper seal and fit. It completely changed the sound signature for me. Very crisp mids and highs and very punchy and tight bass. The genres I listen to are Techno, Electronic, Dance, Hip Hop, and Metal. They all sounded great. These buds are not going to replace a pair of high end over the hear headphones but for the price segment they come in at, they punch way above their weight. Easily one of the best wireless earbuds I've heard. I am a big fan of the compact pill shaped case. It feels like very high quality matted plastic. The charging case provides about 30 hours of listening and the earbuds alone provide about 10. The earbuds are light and feel high quality as well. The seal that you get from these are incredible. They're also sweatproof. These are a runner's or a rower's dream. The soundcore app was a worthwhile download for me. Very lightweight application that allows you to use a very functional EQ and set EQ profiles depending on the music you listen to. I have a Techno, Hip Hop, and Metal profile and I love that I can switch between them on the fly. Anker also gives you a ton of interchangeable ear tips and ear wings. I've always been a fan of Anker's battery and USB peripherals, and now I'm a fan of their audio products!

This was for my husband and it’s hard to say how love they will last. He’s on the go a lot and outside in the heat and gets very sweaty. So hopping these will last awhile. Not sure yet if will recommend until some time has passed with no issues.

The battery life was only 6.5 hours. I needed a longer time. So I sent them back. Other then that they are pretty good!

It fits well in you ear and it does tno hurt the sound is good but the microphone picks up a lot of background noise so not very good for driving and talking on the phone. after a year of daily use the plastic cover for the buttons gave up and fell off. I guess you can buy it if you think one year of use is good for the money.

They get the job done. The left ear does not consistently stay in, despite trying multiple sizes of attachments.

This was a gift for my husband. I know he can hear me good when I call, because he is not saying, "what you say?" The conversation is ongoing, now he say, " I got to go, honey. Talk to you later. He gives the ear pieces a four, I give them a five. He can hear through these ear pieces, so they are not ear plugs, but hear me.

I was very happy with the purchase. I wanted a wireless headset at a reasonable price. This was it.

Love these JVC Ear Clip Bluetooth Wireless Sport Headphones. Fits well enough so they don't pop off and comes with 3 sizes of ear buds (S, M. L). Good sale price for great earphones.

So far, so good. I like them. I wanted earbuds that would stay in my eats and didn’t cost as much as a pair of speakers.

My current set of earbuds is the jabra 75t. So my review will be a short comparison of the 2 because they also, are very close in price and features.

Fit. The Vista 2 fit my ears better. I think the fins help this. When I'm at the gym, I will have to adjust my jabra's a few times, never had to do this with the Vista. Always stayed in place. Both where light and comfortable as well. The case on both are a good size, but the Vista 2's case was a tad smaller and the exterior felt better. The Jabra's case was thicker and smoother so you didn't always feel like you had a good grip on it. The Vista's case was easier and more comfortable in my jean pocket and my fanny pack. It had a better grip as well.

Looks. They both come in different colors, but I don't care about those things. The jabra's are bit smaller and because of the shape looks better and less noticeable imo. The Vista 2 protrudes out more.

Function. Both have pus button controls but the Vista 2 has a light double tap features which switches the anc and the hear through feature which was great. The Vista 2 buttons also was easier to push and felt a lot nicer. Both had similar controls except, with the vista 2, you have only an option of volume up/down as one of the controls or pulling up Google assistance. You can't do both. That was a real bummer. On the jabra you can have volume and google assistance.

ANC. Both did a good job. Not Bose level, but enough, where I didn't have to turn the volume to max at the gym.

Call sounds. The call sounds on both where good, but the jabra did a better job of canceling background noise. This was from the person on the other line. I had no issues speaking or hearing them on either set of earbuds.

App. The Vista 2's app wins this easily. The app was easy to navigate and had many more features than the jabra's. The most important being the eq feature. The many presets available to the customization makes it just kills the jabra.

Sound. Here is where the Vista loses me. The sounds on the vista is at best average. Nothing exciting. It just sounds average. The Jabra, with it's perfect, imo, bass levels and highs, was just so much better. When I'm working out, I listen to every genre of music, and certain songs has a point. A point that makes you feel alive. Be it when the bass hits on electronic dance or hip hop. Or the symbols on a classical song, a high note by an opera singer. It just makes you feel good. The Vista 2 never gave me this on any song. It never made my head bob up and down. LOL.

So for me, I will continue to use my Jabra 75t. Although the Vista 2's did many things better, the sound quality was just not there. Especially at this level.

These are some really nice earbuds. I am a small woman and have small ears. I always have an issue with earbuds really hurting my ears, not fitting or falling out and generally being too big for my ears. These fit nicely and seem to stay in my ears well. I haven't used them at the gym yet so I'm not sure if they'll hold up to that. There are 3 sizes of earbuds adapters to allow you to choose the right fit. You want the fit to be snug to give you the best sound and fit but not so tight as they hurt your ears.

Out of the box, I liked how small the charging case was compared to the pair I use currently. They have a matte finish and the outside where you press for the controls feels like speaker fabric. You can customize what the controls do for each earbuds, which is a super nice feature.

As I opened the case, they immediately started the process to connect with my phone, which was right next to me. The process was easy, which is great because some things I've tried to Bluetooth to can be trying.

The app is very intuitive.

One thing that always drives me nuts with earbuds is that when I run, walk, chew, etc, the sound really amplifies into my ear. I don't want to hear myself, I want to hear my music. These earbuds have a setting called Surround Sense. It lets the ambient noise in. When I used this setting, I didn't hear myself but I could tell what was going on around me without it overpowering the audio. This is great for times when you are out in public.

There is also a setting called Active Noise Canceling or ANC. This setting gives you the noise canceling that is so great when you just want to lose yourself in the audio.

These earbuds have 8 preset sound settings. With these, the equalizer levels are preset to various preferred settings. You can adjust the different levels in those presets to fine tune them to what you like or you can create your own presets. This is a great feature because none of the presets were quite right for me but they were easily tweaked.

These earbuds are rated IP68 waterproof rating but they aren't to use for swimming or bathing.

I would recommend these earbuds. I'm not sure that they are worth the selling price but that is the going price for higher end earbuds.

Tested with Galaxy Note 20 device.

I was a little skeptical with the JayBird VISTA 2’s as my RUN XT’s from a few years back I found sub-par; however, JayBird I think has done an excellent job with the VISTA 2’s and they are definitely an upgrade in their product line.

FITMENT

The biggest upgrade is that they stay in my ear! JayBird did some heavy advertising in this department to promote their ruggedness; I just wasn’t sure if that would translate to staying in place, but thankfully it does!

Honestly, the transition from the RUN XT’s to falling out sitting still to the VISTA 2’s putting up with washing a car on a super hot day and never needing to be readjusted is a major feat! Bending over a lot to pick up something out of the bucket never even gave me pause that the earbud might fall out. I don’t move slowly, so any workout routine with some up-downs, burpees, running, etc, I feel will retain the same experience I have had.

I would say that your ear design would be a major contributing factor here too. This relies on the “fin” being able to “lock” into position in the Concha Cymba. The buds are nicely balanced so that aids their ability to stay put and the designs spreads out more than the RUN XT’s so that they can fit more in the Concha Cavum and Intertragic notch. There are three ear gels included 1-2-3 sizes, with size 2 being the unboxed size installed. Size 1 does not have the “fin” which I think is a shame because I prefer the ear bud canal size of the 1 over the 2.

The buds do have a bit of weight to them and I did notice after about 2 hours of use I had some soreness, so there seems that there will be a “break-in” period. I think this is also do to the fact they are designed to sit a little deeper in the ear canal.

AUDIO/VOLUME/SOFTWARE

Audio Clarity is both loud and clear, with a nice balance of high’s, mid’s, and low’s. Call audio is good on both ends and the buds can be used independently.

Noise Cancellation works extremely well, and I think it is where the JayBird software aims to please. The SoundSense (ambient noise pass-through) works extremely well when other people are talking to you, to the point that you don’t even know the buds are in your ear. I was extremely impressed with the level of clarity as I wasn’t even sure if the feature was on because the sound is so natural.

However, the feature falls a little flat when media is playing at any volume level and also when the wearer is talking, as it does not transmit the sound through the buds so you still end up talking loudly like you are wearing ear plugs. (UPDATE below, the short of it is that there is a hidden settings menu allowing more adjustment).

Also, when you start a phone call the software automatically goes into Active Noise Cancelling mode. In the companion app it does not register this change and when the call is finished it goes back to the SoundSense mode.

The companion app is quite extensive (even more than I first knew) and there is the ability to reprogram the button taps to perform different tasks. There are also equalizer settings that can be set for different activity types that can also be Edited. Volume level is also controlled independently of the mobile device volume.

When I first was testing the buds, I was concerned how low the volume was when my mobile device was at max volume. Once I started learning the button taps for the various settings, I noticed the volume level is not synced with the mobile device but independent.

NAVIGATION

The VISTA 2’s are designed with both physical and a capacitive button called “press” and “tap” respectively in the settings. The “tap” can only be programmed for one feature, where the “press” has single, double, and press and hold programming sequences. I do find the “tap” takes a few tries to get it to register, but when it does there is an audible chime so you know the setting change was registered.

By default the “tap” is set to for Sound Management which changes from either SoundSense or Active Noise Cancelling on both buds, however, there is no way to have both features OFF; one or the other will always be ON...OR SO I THOUGHT!

In the companion app for the Sound Management section that has both these features listed, there is also a “Settings” to the far right. I just assumed this was Title Heading as it didn’t look like a button. ANC does not have any settings to change, but SoundSense can change the level of pass-through, level of wind noise cancellation. Also, there is a setting for the Switch (tap) and ANC, SoundSense, or OFF can be selected or removed from the possible options. Selecting OFF, then shows it on the dashboard under the Sound Management section.

CHARGING CASE

A quick word about the charging case is that it is very light and compact and one my absolute favorites from the different ear buds I have tested across many brands. I am glad to see it is equipped with USB-C charging and somehow they crammed wireless charging into this little case. It takes twice as long to wireless charge (4 hours) compared to wired (2 Hours) when the case battery is fully depleted.

The companion app can also show the case battery level on the dashboard. I did find it wasn’t always so easy to get it to register in the app though. Typically upon initial use each time it will show up, but if the earbuds have been connected/in use for some time that is when it was hard to get the case to connect too.

The case itself is a little grip to it. The lid magnets are pretty strong and the seam is tight. It would be quite difficult for the case to open accidentally. Which also can make for opening the case intentionally a little tricky given the size of the case, but I’ll take that over a more bulky case.

I do wish the USB-C port had a silicone plug, seeing as the amount of advertising for these buds are for the rugged, I feel that it is the weakest point for the case and maybe the whole product. I have had other earbuds that became useless because the charging port died, but the buds themselves were fine. Wireless charging is a nice backup, but hardly one I would want to rely on.

So, should you throw down your cash for this set? I think if you are an active person, do not like the ear-clip style of other brands, and want a true-wireless headphone, it is hard not to consider the Jaybird VISTA 2’s.

There are cheaper options available and I have tested most of them and they come with their short comings, but it follows the mantra “You get what you pay for''. The VISTA 2’s are a bit pricey, but I truly think they deliver what they claim. When I had the RUN XT”s I could not recommend the brand at all, but with the VISTA 2’s I have done a 180 in that regard.

I can easily recommend based on their quality and features for those looking to use for an active lifestyle.

Jaybird’s Vista 2 True Wireless Sport Headphones (Nimbus Gray) are purposely built to accompany an exercise regime and provide a soundtrack to go along with it. They are IPX68 rated (waterproof, sweat proof and dustproof) and have a military spec certification, ensuring a high level of ruggedness. Their simple design, very light weight, and comfortable fit removes any irritations. And the music reproduction can be fully modified to meet my idea of accuracy as well as my desire for either solitude or inclusion in my surroundings. These are great performers.

SOUND: It’s pretty much pointless to talk about sound quality when there is so much fine tuning built into these earbuds. The Vista 2 already start with a baseline of smooth and balanced sound with a very wide frequency range. Detail is wonderful and the bass is super, IF you get a good fit. YOU are in complete control of every aspect of the sound, building on this solid baseline. Jaybird’s APP offers a really wide collection of pre-set calibrations, including some truly awful ones, and a a much bigger selection of very useful ones. Better yet, you can create and save your own favorite sound modifications. You will discover you can mimic any other earbuds you’ve ever tried on. But, these Jaybirds are probably less expensive and more robust. Pump up the bass, slope the treble up or down. Have fun. The Jaybirds have another great feature: You can create a personal EQ which is employs a multi-frequency tone generator and, based on your unique hearing curve, creates an EQ that should correct for your hearing deficiencies. I had no luck on my first attempt. I wondered if I was deaf. I had complete success the next day and ever since. Be patient and persistent. The Jaybirds have first-use quirks which seem to sort themselves out pretty quickly.

FEATURES / SETUP: Initial setup was frustrating for me using my iPhone 12. Jaybird can do better with their instructions. Attempting to pair the earbuds with my phone and adding the App as directed did not work. Instead, once I installed the App and had it running in the background, pairing the earbuds with Bluetooth from scratch (I had cleared the device from Bluetooth), allowed the App to immediately find the earbuds.

Subsequent cycles of turning the Jaybirds off by placing them in the case, recharging and putting them into use was trouble-free.

When the APP did have trouble connecting my earbuds, placing the earbuds into the case, if only for a few seconds, and then removing them triggered a re-connect.

It seems only fair to describe the Jaybird Vista 2s as a bit fussy (at least in my test with my iPhone 12).

Battery charging requires the provided case which adds another16 hours of re-charging on top of the 8 hours the earbuds’s offer. I didn’t test this.

<> The Jaybird My Sound App is loaded with features. It provides pre-configured equalization curves, or lets you create your own and save them. The APP can locate your Jaybird Earbuds if you enable this feature. It’s in the App that you choose whether to allow ambient sound or even enhance it. It’s here that you choose to employ noise cancellation and just how much to use.

<> Clear Voice uses 4 Mics with the WindDefense Fabric in an effort to improve calls. My environments aren’t terribly challenging, so my experience was great.

<> There are 3 sizes of eartips (2 with integrated wings). Select for comfort but you should realize a good seal is required for good bass and noise control. (There are no foam choices which I prefer for comfort.)

<> The carry case is quite small and very attractive. It has a strong magnet to keep the earbuds from falling out when it’s open and an equally strong magnet to keep it closed. Slightly too strong for my liking but if Jaybird provided a fingernail slot to assist grip, I’d be OK.

SUMMARY: Jaybird’s Vista 2 True Wireless Earbuds have a huge suite of useful features, although a couple are not as reliable as I’d hope. The Vista 2 have a wonderful build quality for sport’s enthusiasts and it was very easy to find a comfortable fit. But, I’m a gym person, so my demands are limited. If you’re bicycling or running out in a more hostile environment, you’ll have more stringent requirements which I can’t fully address. Sound quality is exceptional and so easy to modify into any sound profile you prefer. Connectivity was not up to my expectations but, then, your experience might be better or worse. Because of all the positive and unique qualities, I’d recommend these Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds to anyone.

Jaybird Vista 2 is a strong contender in the noise cancellation in-earbuds category.

Pros:

• Connects fast

• Sounds great with amble bass and accuracy

• No issues popping out of ear

• Custom EQs can dial you in

Cons:

• Wind noise is noticeable if you’re biking

• Noise cancellation is meh

• SurroundSense is meh

• Not the greatest for phone calls

For full transparency, I’m an iPhone user and own a pair of Apple AirPods Pro. I will be comparing my experience of the Jaybird Vista 2 with the AirPods Pro.

Jaybird Vista 2 vs AirPods Pro

Sound:

Winner goes to Jaybirds. Only by a small margin. Both pairs sounds great out of the box but the ability to customize the EQ and use EQ created by other users is what pushes the Jaybirds to the top. You don’t need to download the Jaybird phone app to use these but doing so will unlock the sound potential. Bass on the Jaybirds is great and doesn’t overwhelm the highs and mid. It’s not audiophile quality but more than fantastic for active lifestyles.

Fitment:

Winner goes to Jaybirds. Archille’ heel of the AirPods Pro is the fitment. Any kind of physical activity and the AirPods will work themselves out of your ear. This is where the Jaybird Vista 2 shines. Their in-ear wing tip design works great on keeping the buds in your ears. They both come with S-M-L fitments but the Jaybirds design stays in the ear better. I know you can get aftermarket AirPod attachments to make them fit better but this is an out-of-the-box straight comparison.

Noise Cancellation and Surround Sense:

Winner goes to AirPods Pro. With a fan running on full blast in my office, I can barely hear the fan with my AirPods but can hear them with the Jaybirds. Surround sense or “transparency mode” is also much better on the AirPods. AirPods on that mode sounds like I don’t have the buds in my ear. I can talk and walk around with one bud in and not be thrown off. Surround Sense on the Jaybirds sounds very artificial and not the most natural. Also worth noting is that the Jaybirds stick out further out of my ear than the AirPod Pros do. This is probably why I hear a ton of wind noise with the Jaybirds than I do with the AirPods while I’m biking. No amount of ANC will cancel out that wind noise.

Phone Calls:

Winner goes to AirPods Pro. People on the other end can barely hear my background noise where they can with the Jaybirds. Although in the quietest of all rooms, my voice sounds the best with the Jaybirds and a bit tinny with the AirPods Pro. It’s also worth noting that phone calls with one earbud with the Jaybirds is awful. It places the one earbud you have in the ear with ANC and talking with one earbud with ANC is unpleasant. Also an issue when im trying to use the Jaybirds for a “Teams” meeting on my work laptop. The left and right earbuds are mysteriously out of sync.

In Summary, I do like the Jaybird Vista 2 but it’s not nearly as good as the AirPod Pro. They are both very close in price and the AirPods are a no-brainer for iPhone users. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t be disappointed with the Vista 2…..just know that there are better options out there. But if fitment straight out of the box for your active lifestyle is more important than getting AirPods with aftermarket attachments, which also increases the price difference, then the Jaybirds is a clear winner. But the most well rounded earbud award goes to AirPod Pro.

--- SETUP ---

The Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds are quick to set up. They come pre-charged with enough power to start using them. As soon as you pull them out of the charging case, they will be in pairing mode. Download the Jaybird app to pair and start using them right away.

--- FEATURES ---

IP68 Waterproof, sweatproof and dustproof. MIL-STD 810G freeze, shock and impact resistant. 24 hours battery life (8 hours on the buds + 16 hours charging in case). 5 minute charge gives you 1 hour charge. Portable charging case. 4 embedded mics for phone calls and 3 interchangeable eargels for comfort and secure fit.

--- PERFORMANCE ---

These Jarbird Vista 2 earbuds are definitely top of the line. There are 8 sound presets to try (flat, Signature, Timothy Olson, Rory Bosio, Bring the Bass, Extended Listening, Warmth, and RB JAms). Your sound can be customized for your liking and be saved in your own preset. This can be done manually or it can be done by taking a personal EQ test that sounds a lot like taking a hearing test. I love this feature because even if you don’t know what the difference between low, mid, and high ranges are or can do, you can do the test and get a sound customized to your hearing. After customizing my sound, I was satisfied with the result and took off to the gym.

--- EXPECTATIONS ---

These earbuds definitely stay secure on your ears regardless of your activity. If you are running, lying down on a bench, or jumping, they will not fall off your ears. The pre-installed eargels were definitely secured on my ear but uncomfortable. I switched eargels to the smallest provided option and I still felt the security of them in my ears but now they were comfortable.

Personally, I don’t like when earbuds have one button that does multiple actions because sometimes, those multiple button presses aren’t intuitive. Through the app, you can customize what each single or multiple button press does. For example, I rarely change the volume on my earbuds. I removed the volume and replaced it with powering off when I press and hold. I set a double press to rewind a track and a double tap to turn noise canceling on and off. Now, the single button does what feels natural to me.

The noise canceling works well and can be turned off when needed. They are easy to clean because they are waterproof. The storage case which, also serves as a rechargeable battery, is small and has a lanyard you can use to tie to your gym or hiking backpack. The case magnetically closes securely and frankly, just looks cool.

--- VALUE ---

These earbuds are worth the investment due to its sound quality out of the box and the endless level of customization for both sound and control.

--- APPROVAL ---

These earbuds are perfect for the active user, the road trip taker, or the house lounger. Truly the one-size-meets-all-needs of earbuds.

Overall the headphones themselves are good it's nice to have different settings for your EQ depending on if you're working out or just listening to music while you're at work. My issue is the charging cases seems to be very cheaply made, after being dropped on the carpet it just broke in half.

I was excited when I saw the name. Vista, then 2. I knew these were going to be special. What I didn't expect, was the amazing sounds from such small earbuds.It's a trade off when it comes to earbuds and headphone, but the Jaybird Vista 2s are very thoughtfully made. They have taken everything that made the Vista(1st edition) great and added a more rugged nature ready, sound sensitive and all around comfortablly fitting pair of must have earphones. I love the fabric that covers the earbuds and the actual buttons, in lue of touch sensitive buttons on a lot of earbuds. Listening to music is a joy to the ears. The highs, mids and lows come out far more clearly than I would've imagined true wireless or any standard earbuds could muster. You're not supposed to get this much bass from earbuds, but ooh boy, do you get it. I love the charging case design. Small enough to just slide into the pocket and just large enough to be noticed. Obviously, they're water resistant( you could actually swim with these on, but use caution with anything in your lobes while swimming). They can withstand drops from pretty high up , but again, I don't recommend you drop testing a pair $200 earbuds all willy nilly. Just rest assured that they will survive a few mishaps and butter finger slip-ups with a hitch. Pairing is super easy, as long as you've the excellently designed Jaybird app. I got a a prompt to pair them right out of the box, simply by opening the case. They aren't slipping out of the case without some effort. The magnets keeps a firm grip on the buds while the caseid open. And I haven't even talked about well they fit in the ears. Bless those beautiful fins. There are a 2 other colors ( black & nimbas gray) but I really love the midnight blue. That color just pops.Each earbud can be used indivdually and the ANC feature works like that also. 8 hours of power with 2 extra full charges with the case(24 hours, if you're doing the math) more than enough listening time, plus they can be wirelessly charged on any charging pad or power sharing phone you may have, to keep the case topped off. There's really so much to love with these, but there's only one issue I've come across. That's the static feedback that I personally can hear on my end of call or just while they're in my ears with no calls or music on. that little crackle just takes me out of the dream of perfection that I perceive to be leaning towards. All that being said, these still some of the best true wireless earbuds I have ever used. I haev to recommend these to everyone.

The sound is really good even with the small bud covers it is hard to keep them in my ears

Definitely worth the buy. Needed Bluetooth with a mic and remote. Itz loud enough too

I bought these for my wife because she has tiny ears, these things work wonders, fit in nice and snug during workouts and they are comfy and high quality. Just for more information she uses them while she's dripping sweat on that peloton! (when she's not listening to instructors but jamming out to music in the zone)

Bought for my teenage son who was wanting bluetooth headphones, but he wanted completely wireless, such as Ipods.

bought these to connect to my Samsung galaxy smartwatch and wouldn't! These work great on all other devices except my watch which was a bummer. I originally had two pairs of the Samsung galaxy earbuds+ in which the first pair worked for almost 4 months (left wouldn't connect) luckily I had bought the extended warranty. So I tried the 2nd pair and after the 3rd day same issue right wouldn't connect. Taking these back because I can't use these. Already ordered the new Samsung galaxy buds lives.

I have a hard time finding ear buds that fit in my ears. These have worked the best for me

It's ok for the price just not a fan of tge wired ok ones

Comfortable ear buds and great sound, and easy to use.