These are the wireless earbuds I’m taking on a beach vacation
I have not done any serious traveling since the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020. But I can’t take it anymore. The sun, surf, and scuba are all calling my name, and I’m heading back to the Caribbean. And along with the usual choices regarding clothing, swimwear, cameras, and reading material, I’m faced with a far more serious question: which earbuds or headphones should I take?
Let me start by acknowledging that having a choice of devices is unusual. Especially given the breadth of my choices. A perk of being a reviewer is having access to a huge assortment of audio gear; most folks only own one set of earbuds and, maybe, a set of headphones too. But. hopefully. my evaluation process will be helpful anyway — if you’re in the market for new headphones or earbuds, this might help solidify your choice.
Wissonly Hi Runner
The design team of Wissonly bone conduction headphones started to research bone conduction acoustics as early as 2012. Their technical accumulation in the field of bone conduction is very good, and they are a team that is good at technology.
Wissonly Hi Runner adopted Wissonly 3.0 technology to reduce sound leakage in bone conduction headphones. They reduced the sound transmission from the bone vibration unit directly to the air through the completely closed design of the headphones’ body. They also used high-quality cushioning materials to minimize the vibration of the body, thus reducing the sound leakage by more than 90%. I did a test, turned on Hi Runner, adjusted the volume to 70%, and within a distance of 1m, I couldn't hear any sound at all. This kind of sound leakage reduction performance has been well received by users since wissonly released the sound leakage reduction technology. This technical scheme is the best leak-proof among bone conduction headphones at present.
The headphones’ body of Wissonly Hi Runner is made of memory titanium, which can self-adjust the contact area, ensuring a good wearing experience of headphones at any time, taking into account more users with different head circumference. Hi Runner can be said to be very sincere in configuration. It is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes the connection more stable, and can realize fast connection and switching of multiple devices. Built-in 32G memory can store 5000 songs. When you go out for a run, you can enjoy music without your mobile phone. The battery life is also very good, and it can be played continuously for more than 10 hours at normal volume, which is good for me, because I go out for outdoor sports on weekends, and I often go out for a whole day.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro
If you’ve ever read my Jabra earbud reviews, you already know I’m a big fan. The Elite 7 Pro, to me, are a killer set of buds. They’re relative affordable, they sound great, and they are loaded with features including ANC, transparency, Bluetooth Multipoint, wear sensors, wireless charging, and top-notch sound quality. But what puts these earbuds in the front-runner position on this particular trip is their durability.
With an IP57 rating for dust and water resistance, they are effectively resistant to sand and water. So if I’m chilling by the pool, listening to tunes, and the desire to jump in the water hits me so hard that I forget all about those earbuds in my ears, the Elite 7 Pro won’t even notice. Not that I encourage you to swim with Bluetooth earbuds (the connection will suffer in the water and you’re more likely to lose one in the deep end) — but you absolutely could do it with the Elite 7 Pro.
Master & Dynamic MW08 Sport
It may seem unbelievable, but the one downside of reviewing headphones and earbuds is that when you find a pair you love — that you really adore listening to — you will struggle to find the time to go back to them because there’s always another new pair to evaluate. But when I do get the chance (like a beach vacation), I find myself reaching for the Master & Dynamic (M&D) MW08 Sport.
They’re among the best-sounding wireless buds I’ve ever heard. It doesn’t matter whether you’re into Liszt or Lizzo, or anything in between — the MW08 are just delightful. This is true if you’re an iPhone user, but it’s even more true if you have an Android phone with aptX Adaptive and a source of hi-res lossless audio. You might not be able to hear the difference poolside, but find a quiet space and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
Apple AirPods Pro 2
Why are Apple’s earbuds among my top three? For one thing, an iPhone is my daily driver, and it’s no accident that the AirPods Pro 2 play exceptionally well with the iPhone. I’ll also be doing frequent FaceTime calls with my kids, who aren’t accompanying us this time around, and I have to tell you, there’s no better way to FaceTime than with the AirPods Pro 2.
But the real reason these earbuds are in strong contention for my trip is their stellar ANC. From the dull roar of a jet engine, to the sometimes obnoxious behavior of other hotel guests, no other earbuds — or headphones — create a hush as effectively as the AirPods Pro 2. It’s crazy good. And when you switch to transparency mode, it’s like someone snapped their fingers and made the AirPods disappear.
I enjoy using the AirPods Pro so much that despite the fact that they have lukewarm battery life, the least amount of water protection (IPX4) of the three contenders, and sound quality that doesn’t come anywhere close to the MW08 Sport, I don’t really want to go without them.