H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro review: Extreme comfort at the expense of sound quality
Introduction
Being an avid user of the gym or a swimmer, you probably understand the headache of getting headphones that can withstand water and sweat damage but also be able to play your tunes during such sessions. For lovers of deep dives, these gadgets are ideal since they allow usage while in water, thus keeping one entertained during training.
However, before making a purchase, it is worth considering what features matter most to you. Is comfort more important than audio quality to you? How deep are you going in with those headphones? What's your budget, of course?
H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro headphones have a pretty light weight of 1.12 ounces. These headphones ensure a perfect fit, and thus it will never let them fall out during any water activity, like swimming.
While the most important similarity between the two is perhaps the option to store music offline, this is pretty convenient in case one does not want to carry their phones with them during workout sessions. The headphones come with an IPX8 classification for waterproofing, enabling users to dive as low as 3.6 meters deep for an extended duration without fears of damage from water ingress. No more excuses to cut that swimming session short!
Of course, this comes at a cost. You might compromise a little bit on choosing them above with regard to their features, namely sound and capacity, priced at ₹16,500. They're decent, but let's get deeply into what you get with the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro.
Price and availability
The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro launched during autumn in 2024 with a more budget model given the title of Tri 2.
While the former would retail at ₹16,500, the latter would be slightly cheaper at ₹14,800. Both H2O Audio models are directly available on the website in either black or blue color options. In comparison, other leading brands like Shokz OpenSwim Pro and Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 retail for around ₹14,700, making the pricing quite competitive.
Design and Comfort
In terms of design, the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro harbors a great upgrade from its predecessor, the Tri Pro; it mostly kept many elements but brought them to a new level of comfort and functionality. Thus, the over-ear hooks are in ergonomically designed ways to keep securely around your ears. Also, behind the head, it is a flexible yet durable band that connects.
These would be made of a combination of plastic, titanium, and silicon. Hence, they would have a considerable balance of strength with flexibility, which would make them resistant to hard physical training either in running, swimming, or even high-impact workouts in the gym.
Additionally, resistance from these materials will also be resistant to wear and tear and thus longer use even under harsh conditions, such as saltwater or chlorine. However, for users with smaller heads, this band may appear a bit too big and could lead to minor discomfort after one uses it for some time. The design is comfortable and snug for most of the users. The bone transmission technology, which transmits the sound through your cheekbones, is poised symmetrically in front of your ears.
Although it's a bit heavier compared to the Shokz OpenSwim Pro, the build of Tri 2 Pro will ensure your headphones won't go anywhere by doing laps in the pool or bouncy jumps around while doing jumping jacks. In fact, they did not budge, even when underwater, and wear a swimming cap for more security if needed. These earplugs just further enhance the experience of swimming that is added to comfort and sound clarity.
Controls and App
The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro control scheme is as simple as it is effective, with three tactile buttons along the right ear hook that control functions such as music playback and volume adjustment for recording or offline listening. This design is intuitive to navigate so that even in the water, a user could easily find these controls without fumbling. Whether one is swimming or running, the buttons have just enough resistance to them so as not to enormously accidentally trigger, should the need arise for rapid changes: they remain responsive.
The app accompanying it, H2O Audio Pro, is available on iOS and Android; it features an easy-to-use interface through which you get to handle your device. While it lacks as many customization options as more complex apps, it does cover everything necessary.
Using the application, one can sync music for listening offline, update the firmware of headphones for getting newer features, and set up a timer for the music loading that extends up to four hours. Assuredly, these perks will make it easy to keep your music library updated and your headphones also with the latest software.
It offers simplicity, for instance, in application. A pleasant thought, this one, since users who go for no-fuss but have the essential functionalities, such as offline music management and firmware updates, may enjoy its favor. In respect to that, it enhances the procedure for swimmers or runners that would rather not have their phones mounted on them while they are training.
Connectivity and Storage
The Tri 2 Pro operates on Bluetooth 5.3 for painless pairing with both smartphones or laptops. In my testing, it paired without any hiccups with the Google Pixel 7 Pro and MacBook Air M2. However, the killer feature of these headphones is that they have Playlist+, whereby you could directly store music offline on the headphones themselves. With onboard storage of 8GB, you may count on storing about 2,000 songs in different formats onto it for playback during your workout sessions.
That said, loading music onto the Tri 2 Pro can be very time-consuming. You double-click the "+" button to start recording the media that's playing over Bluetooth, but you have to leave the headphones connected to your device for hours while the music transfers. The volume you're listening to is also the volume that will be recorded, which can make it all pretty tedious.
The competitors, such as the Shokz OpenSwim Pro with their 32GB of storage, would be even more fit for those with huge music libraries.
Sound and Performance
Since these are bone conduction headphones-one variant, the Tri 2 Pro-the audio quality is just not on par with in-ear wireless earbuds. By design, these headphones keep you very aware of your surroundings, which by definition results in some sound leakage.
While H2O Audio claims it has used from the best bone conduction acoustics available, personally, I felt this pair sounded average at its best and really struggled with bass-heavy tracks. Songs with pretty jacked-up levels of bass, such as from System of a Down or IDLES, sounded hollow and lacked most of any richness you'd get from other higher-end headphones.
High pitched tracks, such as those by Icon for Hire, suffered just as badly. When volumes were cranked to full, tracks sounded flat, and the vibrations can be uncomfortable at times painful during extended listening sessions. Underwater, the sound quality is somewhat improved listening to tracks with well-balanced vocals and smooth instrumentals.
However, for someone who requires high-quality sound and especially enjoys playing around with EQ presets, the Shokz OpenSwim Pro is a better choice.
Battery Life
Battery performance-when it comes to choosing any wireless device-is quite good with the Tri 2 Pro. On a single charge, users can get as many as nine hours of playback via Bluetooth, which will surely be welcomed during workouts or long sessions in the swimmers.
Using internal storage offline decreases battery life to about six hours, though still well within many users' threshold. Results from real-world usage tests were near that figure: over eight hours of Bluetooth streaming and close to six hours offline.
Meanwhile, charging the Tri 2 Pro is also quite easy and simple: The headphones have a proprietary magnetic charger that will provide both secure charging and the waterproof integrity of the device. Although it takes around two hours to charge fully from zero to one hundred percent, this is pretty standard for devices of such a class and thus convenient for users who rely on them every day in extensive periods of activity.
Conclusion
These H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro headphones are quite specialized, focusing their sights on swimmers and fitness enthusiasts who would want this combination of durability, lightweight material, and waterproof capability. With the rating at IPX8, they would be able to withstand very well extended water immersion, thus being perfect for water sports. The features of Playlist+ allow offline music playback, giving users the freedom to enjoy their favorite tunes even with no Bluetooth connection.
While these headphones excel at durability and comfort, they can leave something to be desired in terms of sound quality or storage capacity. Measured against other models such as Shokz OpenSwim Pro, the Tri 2 Pro's audio performance blows. Even with those possible downsides, the Tri 2 Pro is one heck of a decent option for people whose main priorities are comfort and water-resistant features. For those who want better audio quality and higher storage, though, there are other options available that can be more capable.
FAQs
1. What's the difference between the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro and other bone conduction headphones?
It is different from any other bone conduction headphones by the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro through its state-of-the-art design and unmatched features. Yet another feature distinguishing it from the rest is its IPX8 waterproof rating; it's suitable for underwater use at depths of up to 3.6 meters.
It, therefore, remains one of the best choices for swimmers, divers, and water sports professionals who need to be fitted with toughened and reliable audio gear in performing their duties. Yet another killer feature is the Playlist+ function, which will let users of these headphones store music offline directly onto the headphones.
Moreover, this feature provides the ability to listen to his favorite tracks without a phone or any other device and adds a good deal of convenience in water sports. Secondly, the internal storage of the Tri 2 Pro allows users to store up to 8 GB of audio, estimated at approximately 2,000 songs. These combined features make it fittingly versatile for both athletes and fitness enthusiasts on the lookout for something strong and reliable enough for all-terrain headphones.
2. Can you swim with an H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro?
Yes, you can swim with the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro. With an IPX8 rating, these headphones continue to work perfectly in water up to 3.6 meters. Whether one is just swimming laps in the pool or competing in open-water training for TRI. For all aquatic sports, these headphones have great performance and are built to maintain their functionality even under extended submersion.
The secure-fit design keeps the headphones fitted, even through vigorous movements, and should be perfect for swimmers with a need for music to accompany their work in and out of water. With the feature Playlist+, which can store music in offline mode, you won't have any complaints about connectivity problems underwater or other related hindrances to a smooth swimming experience.
This makes the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro a very suitable option for those seeking durable and reliable headphones for water activities.
3. How long does the battery last?
Generally speaking, the H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro did pretty well in battery performance, which makes it suitable for a number of activities. If you are streaming via Bluetooth, it can last nine hours, thus sufficient for prolonged workouts, long swims, or even the whole day exposure outside. However, playing with the built-in storage to have music offline, an excellent feature for swimmers, reduces the battery life to six hours. It would still be enough for most every athletic or recreational activity.
The battery life in the Tri 2 Pro is not different from any other in-category bone conduction headphones, hence making it suitable for users that need something durable and waterproof and with enough power to keep running for sessions over sessions without them needing to constantly recharge. Whether one is using it during a marathon swim or all-day training, Tri 2 provides consistent battery life to meet your needs.
4. Does it get good enough for everyday use?
The H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro sounds decently average, considering it's a bone conduction headphone, but impresses not quite enough for the audiophile or for one who wants high-class sound performance. By definition, the principle of bone conduction has several weaknesses compared with traditional headphones. Mainly, it lacks bass response and noise insulation.
While the Tri 2 Pro handles daily stuff like running, cycling, and swimming well enough, there is some noticeable leakage in audio, which means people may hear one's music in quieter environments. Second, clarity goes down somewhat underwater.
If class-leading sound quality is what you seek, you may want to look elsewhere, perhaps at high-end traditional or in-ear headphones. For athletes and fitness enthusiasts, though, the trade-off to waterproof functionality may be a good price to pay against sound quality, particularly for water activities. Theiaux.
5. How much storage is on the headphones, the Tri 2 Pro?
Coming with 8GB of internal storage, the Tri 2 Pro can store up to 2,000 songs on the device itself. This is, however, great convenience for those who would not want to rely on an external device like a phone or music player, especially in activities where carrying extra devices is a hassle, like swimming or running.
Though the 8GB is already relatively ample for any casual user, some competitor models-including the Shokz Open Swim Pro-already offer larger storage options, reaching as high as 32GB and capable of holding roughly 8,000 songs. The significant limiting factor for users who need access to an enormous music library is the Tri 2 Pro storage capacity. In any case, for most fitness enthusiasts or swimmers, its capacity should be enough for a few workout playlists and favorite tracks.
