H20 Audio Tri 2 Pro Review
Pros
- More comfortable design than Tri Pro
- Improved open-ear sound
- Strong waterproof rating
Cons
- A still slightly baffling Playlist+ mode
- Doesn’t better sound performance of rivals
- Pricier than the competition
Key Features
-
Review Price: £188
-
IPX8 rating Can handle being in up to 1m of water for 30 minutes
-
Playlist+ Store audio on the headphones from music services
-
Battery 9 hours of total battery life
Introduction
The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro is the update to H20 Audio’s most expensive waterproof bone conduction headphones that offers both Bluetooth and music player streaming, making them fit for use on land and in the water.
For the new Pro we’re getting the promise of better open-ear sound, bigger battery life and a more convenient way to use H20 Audio’s intriguing Playlist+ mode that lets you record and store audio from streaming services like Spotify.
There’s only a small number of really standout waterproof headphones to grab right now, so does the Tri 2 Pro join that pack and are these the best to take for a swim? I’ve been heading to the pool to find out.
Availability
The H20 Audio Tri 2 launched in August 2024 and is available to buy directly from H20 Audio and third party retailers like Amazon.
They currently remain at their £188 launch price, which does mean they come in higher than the first gen Audio Tri Pro headphones (£169), which have since dropped below £100.
In terms of the competition, it’s mainly going up against the Shokz OpenSwim Pro, which are cheaper at £169. You’re also looking at the likes of the Nank Runner Diver 2 Pro (£153.95), which are again, cheaper than both the Tri 2 Pro and the OpenSwim Pro.
Design
- Neckband, open-ear design
- Includes physical controls
- IPX8 waterproof rating
The Tri 2 Pro doesn’t deviate much from the Tri Pro, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s still a neckband-style headphone that’s available in an all-black matte look. It’s covered in a soft silicone to make sure it’s not putting plastic in contact in and around your head.
You’ll find a single LED notification light and three physical buttons on the underside of one of the arms, which is pretty much the go-to spot that most neckband headphones opt to position those physical buttons. Those buttons let you skip tracks, music folders and toggle between the Bluetooth and music player modes.
On the inside of the right arm you’ll find the magnetic charging port where you’ll connect the proprietary cable. That port and cable is slightly larger than the one used on the Tri Pro, though doesn’t appear to offer any noticeable difference in what the Tri 2 Pro are like to wear and charge.
The level of waterproofing remains an IPX8, which means they can be submerged in water up to 3.6 metres for an unlimited amount of time. You’re also getting a set of ear plugs with an optional hard charging case that costs an extra £50 / $50. Along with charging it can also be used when using the Playlist+ audio recording mode.
In terms of fit, I’d say it’s an improvement on the Tri Pro. I had issues getting the first Pro in the optimal position for swims with or without a swim cap. Things have been a lot better this time and while they don’t disappear when they’re on, they have been pretty comfortable and secure to wear in the water and out of it. I do still find I can occasionally accidentally skip music folders when reaching for the buttons during swims, so it might have been a good move to offer a bit more space between those buttons.
Features
- Baffling Playlist+ streaming feature
- Slightly improved battery life
To listen to audio you have two options. There’s Bluetooth streaming, and I’ve had no problems using that method out of the water pairing them to an iPhone, Android phone or a MacBook. When it’s time to get into the water, you’ll need to make use of the onboard music player, which offers 8GB of storage, or room for 2,000 songs. That’s the same amount of storage available on the Tri Pro. File formats supported are MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC and AAC.
To get that audio on, you can either plug the headphones into a computer and drag and drop them onto the headphones or load it on from the companion smartphone app. The other option is H20 Audio’s intriguing Playlist+ mode, which offers a way to store audio from music streaming services.
It does that by essentially recording the sound that H20 Audio likens to recording off the radio with cassette tapes. Its execution is a bit archaic. You can start recording from the headphones directly as music is being streamed or doing it through the companion smartphone app.
In terms of battery life, music player streaming drains the battery quicker than Bluetooth streaming, though that’s pretty typical of headphones like this. You can expect up to 9 hours in Bluetooth streaming mode and up to 6 hours with music player streaming. That’s an improvement on its predecessor and I’d say the battery has been fine but maybe not as strong as H20 Audio suggests.
After 40 minutes of swimming the battery dropped by 20%. That would suggest a much lower music streaming battery performance. When using the Bluetooth streaming, a 30-minute workout saw the battery drop by 20%. Again, that doesn’t seem to work out to that promised 9 hours. Listening volume obviously plays its part here, but that feels quite short of that stated battery.
Sound Quality
- Good, swim-friendly sound
The Tri 2 Pro delivers sound from an open-ear design and uses bone conduction as opposed to air conduction, which I’m seeing embraced by more headphone makers.
Bone conduction does seem to be the best solution right now for listening underwater and that’s likely why there hasn’t been an air conduction equivalent.
H20 Audio says it’s introduced a new bone conduction acoustics design and that the Tri 2 are its best-sounding bone conduction headphones and I’d be inclined to agree. Are they the best for sound I’ve tested? I’d say no, but these punch out much more likeable sound than the Tri Pro.
There’s no EQ modes or presets to tinker with the sound so it’s all about what they deliver out of the box. That sound is distinctly bolder than it was on the Tri Pro and there’s an overall lift in warmth. It leans more to upping the bass over offering an exceptionally balanced sound profile like rival headphones, which is going to make them fine for many, but for those looking for a touch more open-ear finesse, possibly not.
On a track like Massive Attack’s Unfinished Sympathy, that not so balanced profile is quite noticeable. It strives to deliver meatier bass and also let those vocals come out nice and clear. The result feels a bit muddled. Bass comes out a bit woolly, mids are edging into the smooth realm but don’t quite reach it, while trebles have a more grainy feel. It’s a similar story on The Avalanches’ Since I Left You.
There’s some reduction in the bone conduction tickle I experienced on the first Pros, which is a big positive. While it hasn’t entirely gone away at louder volumes, it’s definitely not as severe. A louder, bass-heavy track like Jamie XX’s Gosh is a good showcase that the tickle does remain.
When I switched to podcasts and audiobooks, there’s plenty of volume to elevate voices and while I wouldn’t say these are the clearest-sound open-ear headphones I’ve used, they’re certainly not the worst offenders and it makes listening to voices perfectly palatable.
Where it really matters is in the water of course, and I’ve found the Tri 2 Pro more than up to the task. It’s power and bass before everything else, but I found the sound performance well equipped for swims. Especially if you opt for more up tempo, bassier sounds. I listen to a lot of drum and bass for harder swimming sessions so I was content with the more bass-centric approach.
Should you buy it?
You want waterproof headphones with strong water protection
The Tri 2 Pro doesn’t put a time limit on the time they can stay in the water like other swimming headphones, which gives them the upper hand for use during pool and open water use
You want the best sounding waterproof headphones
While the Tri 2 Pro has better open-ear sound than its predecessor, they don’t quite match or better what you get from the Shokz OpenSwim Pro.
Final Thoughts
The Tri 2 Pro are finally a set of waterproof headphones from H20 Audio that I would happily grab for swims, which hasn’t been the case previously. They fit better than the previous version and importantly, sound better.
The problem here is the price and while it’s arguably giving you a better level of water protection than rival waterproof headphones and that extra Playlist+ mode (I can’t entirely get on board with), you can spend less on the Shokz OpenSwim Pro and still get a great pair of swimming-friendly headphones, which is the problem for the Tri 2 Pro.
Trusted Score
How we test
We test every pair of headphones we review thoroughly over an extended period of time. We use industry-standard tests to compare features properly. We’ll always tell you what we find. We never, ever, accept money to review a product.
Find out more about how we test in our ethics policy.
- Tested with real world use
- Battery drain carried out
FAQs
There’s around 8GB of storage to save your music to when you’re swimming.
Full Specs
| H20 Audio Tri 2 Pro Review | |
|---|---|
| UK RRP | £188 |
| USA RRP | $199.99 |
| Manufacturer | – |
| IP rating | IPX8 |
| Battery Hours | 9 |
| ASIN | B0DFQK6Q8R |
| Release Date | 2024 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Colours | Black |
| Frequency Range | – Hz |
| Headphone Type | On-ear (Open) |
The post H20 Audio Tri 2 Pro Review appeared first on Trusted Reviews.
Source Trusted Reviews ,Home Appliances Reviews
About Products Reviews
No comments