The H2O Audio TRI PRO Multi-Sport headphones may not be the usual earbuds you're used to, but they provide a unique alternative that caters to the rather niche market of open-ear devices.
More specifically, they are what's known as bone conduction headphones, which transmit sound waves through the bones of your skull directly to the inner ear, bypassing your eardrums in the process. This makes them ideal for sports and training, allowing users to remain aware of their surroundings without blocking their ear canals.
However, the TRI PRO Multi-Sports are not the only bone conduction headphones available, prompting the question of how they compare to some of the best on the market. In this review, I'll share my experiences using the headphones, covering their design, performance, and accompanying software, before giving my overall verdict and, crucially, answer to the aforementioned question.
So, if you're struggling to decide whether or not you need a set of open-ear headphones for your workouts, then read on as I run down all the reasons why or why you shouldn't invest in the H2O Audio TRI PRO Multi-Sports. Let's get into it...
Design
I had mixed feelings about bone conduction headphones going into this review. I wasn't 100% sure how they'd perform compared to my trusted Beats Studio Buds, nor was I convinced they'd be comfortable with their over-ear design that wraps around the back, especially during training.
Upon using the TRI PRO Multi-Sports though, I'm pleased to say some of my pre-existing concerns have been put to bed. Firstly, I found the headphones incredibly rugged and comfortable to wear for hours on end thanks, in part, to the fact nothing was blocking or bothering my ear canals. Being as light as they are also helped, aided by them being 5mm slimmer than their predecessors.
They provided a relatively secure fit by hooking over my ears, which eliminated the risk of them falling out like earbuds often do. However, while running, I experienced a few instances where the loop at the back slipped down. This didn't significantly affect the position of the sound pads, but I would have preferred if they remained in place more consistently.
Speaking of which, while the loop design of the headphones can provide a more secure fit during activities like running, cycling, and swimming, it posed some challenges during weight training. For instance, when I tried to rest my head against a weight bench, the entire set would move forward, making it difficult to perform push exercises like chest or shoulder press with them on. With a name including the term "Multi-Sport", I would've liked to have seen factors like this taken into account.
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Moving on to the onboard controls. They proved to be quite useful as they allowed me to play/pause my music, adjust the volume, and switch between Bluetooth and memory mode from the device itself. However, the buttons are small and not very user-friendly when wearing them. The LED indicator was useful though, particularly for indicating the current mode the device was in and its charging status.
My only other criticism of the design is about how you charge it. The headphones require a specific four-pin USB cable that plugs directly into the inner side of the device. While the cable is provided with the headphones, I feel that it would have been better if a more universal connection, such as USB-C, was used instead. Not a deal breaker as a replacement cable isn't expensive, but is still definitely something to bare in mind if you were to purchase a pair.
Performance
As far as performance goes, I have to commend the TRI PRO Multi-Sports on their sound quality considering their use of bone conduction technology. Connecting via Bluetooth was easy, and while I did notice the sound wasn't quite as good as it was using my comparably priced earbuds, the difference between the two was not as significant as I anticipated.
That said, I do have a couple of criticisms. When I increased the volume, the music sounded noticeably more "bass-heavy", and I also experienced slight tickling around my ears when the volume was set to around three-quarters to maximum (although this was much louder than necessary). Overall, I found the headphones to be more suitable for listening to podcasts than for playing certain types of music genres.
I was definitely struck by how much more conscious I became of my environment though. When I had music playing on my laptop at 30% volume, I could hear my own tunes as well as my laptop sound from around a metre away, which I couldn't achieve as effectively with earbuds. Despite the presence of background noise, the sound from the TRI PRO Multi-Sports was dominant, allowing me to stay focused on my own audio rather than distracting noise elsewhere.
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However, it's worth mentioning that while I was more aware of my surroundings, I couldn't help but notice how much sound was escaping from my headphones and potentially being heard by passers-by. Although some level of sound leakage is typical for open-ear headphones, I was surprised to discover that I could quite easily work out which song was being played through the headphones with the volume only set to around 25% on my phone while standing around one and a half metres away.
In terms of battery life, I found the headphones lasted between four to five hours, which aligns with their quoted battery life of five hours on the H2O Audio website. With no charging case, you're not able to use the TRI PRO Multi-Sports all day long, although this isn't as much of an issue if you're only using them during exercise. Interestingly, the headphones automatically switch off after five minutes of not playing anything to save the battery.
When it comes to water resistance, H2O Audio claim the headphones can withstand submersion to a depth of 3.6m for an unlimited amount of time thanks to their IPX8 waterproof rating. This wasn't something I was able to test, however, I can confirm the headphones work effectively in water when using them at home. They were also pretty resistant to sweat, which is definitely a huge tick considering they're designed for sports.
Software and other comments
In terms of software, the TRI PRO Multi-Sports can be used with the H2O Audio companion app, which is conveniently available for download through a QR code provided on the front of the box.
I found the app easy to use and particularly useful when it came to managing my pre-loaded music. In fact, that's one of the biggest upsides to the headphones. Their built-in 8GB storage allows you to play songs without the need to stream from a parent device. This is great for outdoor or pool-based activities as you don't need your phone nearby to enjoy your favourite tunes.
To load songs onto the TRI PRO Multi-Sports, you can connect the headphones to a PC via USB cable and transfer music, including iTunes .M4A files, by dragging and dropping them onto the device, similar to transferring a document onto a USB drive. Once the songs are loaded, you can organise them into folders and favourites from the app, much like on Apple Music or Spotify. I also used the app to update the device's software, check its charge level, and view its information.
The headphones also have a feature known as PLAYLIST+, which enables you to capture audio and save it to listen to when placed in memory mode. Simply record tracks by double-clicking the "+" button to start and stop, then the recordings will be saved for playback through the app.
This is a pretty smart feature as it allows you to stream audio without the need for a nearby parent device. The playback quality is impressive as well, although slightly quieter than the original audio. However, the process of starting and stopping a recording can be a bit fiddly due to the small buttons, and I'd imagine it's time-consuming if you plan to record an entire album, for instance, to listen to at a later time.
My final critique is a small one, but one I feel needs addressing. Whenever you turn on the headphones, a voice informs you of the battery percentage. While this was helpful initially, it soon became bothersome, particularly since I couldn't find an option to disable it (I think you can delete the audio file manually, but I didn't want to take any chances and damage the device).
This voice also lets you know when the battery is low. This is handy to know once. However, the voice repeated this information at regular intervals once the device dropped below 20%. Moreover, the voice's volume was significantly louder than the music I was listening to, which lead me to turn them off completely to avoid the persistent noise.
Verdict
On the whole, I'd say the H2O Audio TRI PRO Multi-Sports are good at what bone conduction headphones do best. However, they're definitely not without their faults.
Overall, I was impressed by their audio quality considering no sound is fed directly to your eardrum, and I was definitely more aware of my surroundings using them than I am using my current go-to budget wireless earbuds. How comfortable they are is another real triumph for H2O Audio.
However, the onboard controls are small and fiddly, they require a very specific cable to charge them, and, while PLAYLIST+ is a clever piece of technology, it's not something I could see myself using often. Ultimately, they're good, but they haven't completely sold me on the idea of bone conduction headphones yet, especially considering their retail price.
