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H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional: Two-minute overview
The H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional are probably the very best headphones for critical swimmers. They safe onto a scarf as an alternative of getting their very own (and are very steady when in place), making them distinctive amongst H2O Audio’s choices in addition to setting them other than the remainder of our best swimming headphones. Since Bluetooth connectivity has bother in water, H2O has added some options to get round that.
Nearly as good because the H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional are for swimmers, they’re in all probability among the many least attention-grabbing headphones for another objective. They solely sound good underwater – that is by design, after all – and it’s nonetheless not fairly an audiophile expertise. And that type issue may be very limiting. Whereas a few of our best running headphones listing use bone conduction expertise and can be utilized in water and on land, there are different choices, even from H2O Audio, that I choose for that objective, such because the H20 Audio Tri 2 Professional, rated our best bone conduction headphones total.
However for his or her meant objective, you’ll be hard-pressed to do higher than the H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional. With that in thoughts, let’s dive slightly deeper on why that’s.
Whereas I already had an thought of what to anticipate after I obtained these headphones, I used to be shocked by how small the field was – it’s not a lot greater than the field AirPods are available in – nor how small the soft-shell case inside was, which was mainly the identical measurement because the field.
The precise headphones got here contained in the case together with the folded up charging cable and a pair of waterproof earplugs. The headphones themselves, apart from being pretty small, are distinctive wanting as a result of they haven’t any headband of their very own, only a thick, blue cable that goes behind one’s head connecting the drivers to one another.
The bone conduction drivers are every in black housing with a clip on the surface and three management buttons – the left has the Mode (switches between Bluetooth Mode and utilizing inner storage in Reminiscence Mode), ahead and again, whereas the fitting has Play / Pause / Energy, and Quantity Up / Down.
Since these are made for swimming, they’ve an IPX8 ranking – about pretty much as good because it will get in any client product not meant for the Mariana Trench – so it may be underwater “as much as 12ft/3.6m” with none restriction. In case you’re contemplating these for critical diving, be warned the stress in deeper waters might have an effect on these headphones.
Additionally, because the H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional are made for swimming, they arrive with a pair options meant to avoid one of many greatest hurdles for utilizing headphones whereas swimming. Bluetooth connectivity tends to turn out to be extra intermittent the extra water is between the supply like a sensible telephone and headphones, so these headphones include a built-in MP3 participant with 8GB of storage.
Loading music onto these headphones then is paying homage to loading music onto a telephone as one may need executed ten years in the past, which isn’t probably the most handy, utilizing the included charging cable and connecting the headphones to a pc. That additionally signifies that you must have the music you need saved in playable type like MP3 in your laptop.
The H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional do have a further function to make this extra manageable that the non-Professional model doesn’t have, and that’s the Playlist+ function. This function lets the person load music onto the headphones wirelessly. Now, H2O Audio advertises this function as a approach to switch a playlist, however that overcomplicates what this function really does.
Consider the Playlist+ function like a tape recorder. Whether or not you do it by means of the headphones (you press the Quantity Up button twice to begin and cease recording) or the app, you mainly begin the recording course of, press play on no matter music or podcast you need, after which cease it when the track is completed. It gained’t cease by itself, so you might probably have a number of songs on one monitor. One factor that I do respect is that it’s going to learn the title and track title from the supply and mechanically title the file after it. It’s a pleasant work-around, if slightly inelegant. It’s actually a digital model of urgent ‘document’ on a boombox to make a mixtape.
No matter whether or not you’re streaming by means of Bluetooth or listening to an MP3 in Reminiscence Mode (aka the built-in MP3 participant), the sound high quality is similar. And it’s a bit unusual. The best way bone conduction headphones work impacts the sound high quality slightly, since what you’re listening to is vibrating by means of your cheekbones into the internal ear as an alternative of really passing by means of your ear. So, all the pieces sounds extra intelligible when additionally carrying the included earplugs.
It additionally sounds clearer when underwater. The listening expertise just isn’t fairly HiFi, nevertheless. I’ve listened to H2O Audio merchandise underwater earlier than and I don’t bear in mind them being as bass-heavy. Perhaps it’s intentional to make the music sound extra motivating however the low-end appears to be entrance and heart to the purpose the place a track like “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” seems like a bass solo and songs with 808 drums like hip-hop and EDM are considerably overpowered by the kick drum.
What’s unusual is that there’s no actual approach to EQ the headphones in a approach to offset it, particularly when you’re utilizing Reminiscence Mode (you may at all times use an EQ on the telephone for Bluetooth audio). That mentioned, the mids and highs are pretty clear when underwater, so if H2O Audio adjusted their app to have some form of EQ changes, I believe these headphones could be even simpler to suggest.
They’re nonetheless straightforward to suggest, regardless of that challenge with the low-end. I haven’t actually mentioned match but, and whilst you’re considerably on the mercy of no matter headband you utilize, when these slip on they’re extremely steady. They don’t transfer. They don’t jiggle. I discovered by struggling or thrashing my approach by means of a pair laps in an Olympic pool to see what would occur. This can be a massive cause why they’re among the many greatest swimming headphones.
There’s not else to write down residence about relating to the H20 companion app, aside from to say that it gives you a readout of battery life and allow you to navigate the songs saved on the gadget when in reminiscence mode. You may also begin the Playlist+ function right here.
Lastly, the 10-hour battery life doesn’t appear spectacular in comparison with what we see on the best wireless earbuds, particularly if you embrace the additional costs of their carrying case – one thing you don’t get with the tender shell case because it’s not an influence supply. However I believe it’s really an honest quantity of juice for a swimmer.
H20 Audio Sonar 2 Professional: Specs
|
Part |
H20 Audio Sonar 2 Professional |
|
Drivers |
Bone conduction |
|
Energetic noise cancellation |
No |
|
Battery life |
As much as 9 hours |
|
Weight |
1.0 oz (29 grams) |
|
Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
|
Frequency vary |
30Hz – 18kHz |
|
Waterproofing |
IPX8 |
|
Different options |
8GB storage and MP3 participant, Playlist+, App help |
H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional: Worth and availability
- How a lot does it price? $149.99 / £117.00 / AU$234.00
- When is it out there? Out there now
- The place are you able to get it? Out there within the US, UK, and Australia
The H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional aren’t low cost, however the worth may be very respectable at $149.99 / £117.00 / AU$234.00. Contemplating the function set and area of interest use, I might see the next worth (although I might hope H2O Audio would give extra management over the EQ earlier than that occurs).
Most of the swimming headphones and bone conduction headphones find yourself going for no less than the identical worth if no more. The Shokz OpenSwim Pro, for instance, go for a barely larger $179.95 / £169 / AU$299. In addition they have a built-in MP3 participant however don’t have something just like the Playlist+ function (which is a proprietary H2O function). In addition they have the extra typical type issue of a pair of bone conduction headphones with a sturdy however bendable headband.
Even the corporate’s personal H2O Audio Tri 2 Pro Multi-Sport has the next MSRP $199.99 / £155.68 (about AU$310). In fact, these are meant for a distinct objective. They’re sturdy and regular sufficient to swim in, however don’t clip in, as they’re meant simply as a lot to run in. They do include the Playlist+ function as properly.
|
Attributes |
Notes |
Ranking |
|---|---|---|
|
Worth |
The value tag for these headphones are fairly cheap as one might undoubtedly pay extra for swimming headphones. |
4 / 5 |
|
Design |
Although a distinct segment design, the H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional are perfect for swimmers because of how safe they’re. |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Efficiency |
The sound high quality, although a bit bass-heavy, is evident underwater. Plus, the battery life is greater than sufficient. |
4 / 5 |
|
Common ranking |
It might be area of interest, however swimmers needing headphones that clip in will likely be thrilled with these. |
4 / 5 |
Ought to I purchase the H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally take into account
How I examined
- Examined over a pair weeks
- Listened to completely different genres of music
- Examined all of the completely different options
I spent a few weeks testing the H2O Audio Sonar 2 Professional together with a pair laps in an Olympic measurement pool in addition to simply hanging out underwater to take heed to them. Whereas utilizing them, I listened to all kinds of genres from digital and hip-hop to rock and acoustic music to get an thought of how they sound. I additionally examined the assorted options, most notably the Playlist+ function.
After testing, it’s clear that these are perfect for critical swimmers, not solely from the bone conduction however the type issue, which signifies that they’re as safe as a pair of headphones will be throughout a swim. Take a look at our information to how bone conduction headphones work for extra particulars on how headphones like these work.
I’ve spent the previous couple of years reviewing audio tools and have spent even longer utilizing my vital ear as a listener and musician to know what does and doesn’t sound good.
- First reviewed November 2025
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