Ted Kritsonis is from the Android Central.
The best earbuds and headphones.
A workout is not the same for everyone. It's important to have the best headphones for your workout because you could be lifting in a gym, going for a long run, or riding a bike. All of these options are capable of inspiring you when you're pushing yourself. Here are some of the best headphones for working out.
Ted Kritsonis is from the Android Central.
The Jaybird Vista 2 is one of the best for audio and durability. The original Vista earbuds were a big step in this direction, but this second attempt gets a lot of the missing pieces right.
These are well suited to any run or workout because of their higher water and sweat resistance level. Jaybird considers them to be waterproof, crushproof, drop-proof, and sweatproof, so it's reasonable to expect them to sustain a certain level of punishment. Since they're not made for constant submersion, you may want to draw the line at swimming. Do you want to run in the rain? It's best to keep them out of the pool and tub. You should keep them clean after every exposure.
You'll want to keep going because there's a lot to like. Jaybird added active noise cancelation and improved passive isolation. The performance should be agreeable if the fit is ideal for your ears. The bass in the Vista 2 is enough to satisfy anyone looking for a little rumble in their tunes. You can expand on that through the Jaybird app.
The app has a lot of features and controls, but it also has a community of fellow users who create and contribute their own preset. You can sample and apply these to the earbuds at any time. If you like deeper bass to get pumped up in the gym, but prefer a more neutral sound signature, you can just select the preset to give you that. These earbuds are among the most customization available.
Good battery life is enough for working out or running. You can expect up to six hours with ANC on (eight hours when off), and the earbuds get closer to those numbers because the default volume is pretty loud. The case has its own rating. It does, giving it a certain level of resilience, including a lanyard built into it. You can use the app to track it. The earbuds have an additional two full charges because of the extra 16 hours in battery life. You can either lay them down on a wireless charging pad or quickly charge them.
The audio quality is good.
Audio can be tailored to your needs.
The fit is comfortable and rugged.
Decent ANC and ambient modes.
The battery life has improved.
The case is water resistant.
As before, it's still just as bulky.
aptX support would have been great.
Rugged comfort and convenience.
Jaybird's encore with the Vista 2 proves to be a success with the package it offers.
The source is Daniel Bader.
The Elite Active 75t and Elite 85t are still available, but they are not as feature-packed or ruggedized as these are. You get better comfort when working out. It is high enough to get you that extra bit of sweat and water resistance necessary to push harder while trying to meet a goal, and that is what the Elite 7 Active has.
The combination of fit, comfort, and audio quality makes them exceptional. The 85t had some design flaws that were addressed by Jabra. You could wear them for hours and not notice. You still get a smooth, bass-heavy audio profile by default. You can change the sound through the Sound+ app and also have your own profiles created for your tastes and moods.
ANC performance benefits from the excellent passive isolation you get from the snug fit. The idea is that you get a more personalized form of noise cancelation with ANC. If you're trying to drown out the background during a workout, it's pretty good. The onboard controls are not touch-sensitive. It makes a difference when you skip tracks or access a voice assistant.
The battery can last up to eight hours with ANC on. You can leave it off for 10 hours. There are three charges in the included case for a total of about 30 hours. Place them on a wireless charging point.
Excellent audio quality, including ANC.
It was a great fit and comfort.
Very durable.
The button controls are reliable.
Excellent color options.
Solid app support.
Call quality is not as good.
Don't put them in the water.
An active player.
Even if a couple of things aren't there, the Elite 7 Active have all the trappings you'd want in a pair of durable earbuds.
The source is Beats By Dre.
The Powerbeats are a good value because of their fit, comfort, and battery life. The ear hook design is great for stability because you don't want the earbuds to fall out at the wrong time. You get better comfort with stability, and the two do go well here.
The IPX4 rating is modest by water and sweat resistant standards, but their design makes it easier to manage and clean. You should have these playing for some time after you wipe them down. Apple's H1 chip is inside, and you don't derive any benefit from it, but that's okay. If you're looking for earbuds that stay in place while you work out or go for a run, these will do the trick.
If you're into heavier bass, you'll feel at home with the Beats-style audio quality. You can download the Beats app to see if there's anything worth using, but there are no special audio treatments beyond that. The amount of bass depends on which ear tip you use to seal it into your ears.
The battery life can last up to 15 hours per charge. It's unfortunate that they don't charge via the internet. A quick five-minute charge can get you up to 60 minutes of video.
The sound is heavy.
It was a comfortable fit.
Water resistance is modest.
The battery life is long.
There are good color options.
Not really wireless.
No ANC.
Uses lightning to charge.
Still going strong.
The battery life of the Powerbeats is something you don't worry about, because they still have a cable tying them together.
Ted Kritsonis is from the Android Central.
There are two things that JLab Audio got right. The ear hooks suggest that stability is as important to the overall design as comfort is. The number of ear tips in the box tries to cater to different ears.
It's hard to argue with the ability of ear hooks to maintain a good seal since the weight and pressure are mostly allocated to the hooks. Even if the fit doesn't feel right the first time, these are flexible enough to find a happy medium. Silicone tips are molded for taller inner ears. Medium sizes are doing the same thing. There's a CloudFoam pair included that will truly fit into your inner ear's proportions for the tightest seal yet.
You will want to be careful not to expose them to too much water, as they have a good level of durability from the start. You shouldn't have any issues with workouts if you keep them clean after you sweat all over them. It's a shame that the touch controls aren't as good as physical buttons, since they're more suited for dry or sweaty conditions.
The default sound signature is a good starting point if you want to listen to music with them. Whatever sound you're looking for, you can create your own preset. You can expect the battery to last a long time. The earbuds can play for up to 15 hours per charge, or 11 hours with it on. At this stage, those numbers are truly impressive. Depending on where ANC is set, the case adds another 55 or 44 hours.
The audio quality is good.
It is a very stable fit.
The battery life is ridiculous.
It's pretty good.
ANC mode is ok.
Good app support.
Touch controls need to be worked on.
Quality is not a priority for Mediocre.
The case is larger than most.
Ringing around your ears.
JLab did a good job of making them sound good and last a long time.
The source is Daniel Bader.
The right time was when it was time for the earbuds to be ruggedized. The combination of the features and the extraDurability that goes with it all makes these earbuds stand out in the crowd. The IPX7 rating is the highest of any earbuds to date, allowing you to get in a solid run or workout without much fuss.
These are the best ones for running or working out because of the design that takes a lot from previous models. They are small and quick, and have some extra girth to pack in ANC and other tech inside, plus more significant drivers to produce a bigger and clearer sound profile from the get-go. ANC has two settings to drown out background noise, and four Ambient mode settings, both of which can work together in unique ways.
If you need to talk to someone for any reason, Voice Detect lowers the volume of whatever you're listening to and turns up the Ambient mode once you start talking. The audio comes back after 15 seconds. If you want to change the sound of your music, the best option is to use the six preset equalizer in the app, even though there is no custom one.
You won't get a lot of battery life with that. If you keep ANC off, you can expect up to eight hours per charge. The included case gives you three additional charges, which you can use to charge your phone or computer. A quick five-minute charge can get you up to an hour of music.
Excellent sound.
Effective ANC.
Water and sweat resistance.
The design is comfortable.
The audio is spatial.
Reliable microphone quality.
Lower battery life.
Touch controls that are finicky.
Needs a custom EQ.
Buds without noise.
The Buds Pro were made to be durable enough to keep playing while you're active.
The source is Anker.
If you prefer over- ear headphones, then the Soundcore Life Q35 may be the one for you. They don't have a particular rating, but you can get away with using them while working out or being active. The larger earcups do a nice job of staying in place. They should stay in the gym, even if it's not ideal for runs.
The Soundcore Life Q30 is very similar to the Soundcore Life Q30, with the only difference being that they support the LDAC codec. They don't have an ambient mode, but they have an auto-pause feature that sets the Q35 apart. You can cut off the world around you and focus on the work you need to do with ANC on board. It's already good to be passive isolation, so the ability to drown out background noise is just a button away.
It doesn't matter that they sound good. The soundstage is vibrant and you can find it through the Soundcore app. You can use it to adjust the sound according to your needs, and it has over 20 preset to use on top of that. The ANC has three settings within the app, giving you more control over what the headphones can do.
You won't be charging them all the time. The headphones can be used for up to 40 hours when it's on. Plug them in for five minutes and you'll get up to four hours of music playing.
Excellent audio quality.
The battery life is outstanding.
The ANC supports it.
The companion app is great.
LDAC support.
The price is affordable.
There are limited touch controls.
The design is bulky.
It's not clear how long the long-term durability will be.
Playing nice for everyone.
When it's time to get active, the Soundcore Life Q35 is of great value.
Joe Maring is from the Android Central.
It's unique that Adidas made a pair of headphones, but even more so that they are good enough to be on this list. The headband and earcups are covered in fabric to give them a softer feel. The rubber headband and ear cushions are easy to remove, but it's difficult to put them back on, since they are not permanent. It's not often that you can take pieces off your headphones and clean them in this way.
Adidas doesn't engineer the best sound by default, but they do get loud, and there's plenty of bass, which is perfect if you're looking for that combination during a workout. The companion app has a bunch of preset you can choose from, as well as the ability to create your own sound. If you feel the sound is right, you can change the existing preset to make it sound better.
It's known that on- ear headphones aren't the most comfortable. If you only wear them while working out, you should be fine, but if you wear them for long periods, they may wear on your ears. If you work out for an hour or so, you won't notice.
You can get a good battery life of up to 40 hours per charge. You can charge via theusb-c for the odd time.
The fabric design is different.
IPX4 has water resistance.
Excellent controls for playing music.
Excellent audio with deep bass.
The battery life is long.
There is a charging device called ausb-c.
Prolonged use can make you feel uncomfortable.
The ear cushions can be difficult to remove.
It's for your ears.
Adidas may be better known for other things, but the RPT-01 proves they aren't a one-hit wonder.
There is a source of the Android Central.
If you're an Apple user looking for something sporty, start with the Powerbeats Pro. It's not just because Apple owns all things Beats; it's because these earbuds are better designed for activity. The ear hook design gives them an edge in practicality because you won't have to worry about them falling off. The more exposed AirPods have a more modest IPX4 rating, but they still have greater sweat and water resistance.
Better sound can be delivered by the secure fit. With multiple ear tip sizes and the hooks' stability, it should be easy to find a fit that creates a tighter seal to improve the audio further. These have a nice sound signature with richer and cleaner output once you do. It's even better if you find the right seal for bass.
If you have a charging cable for your phone, you can use it to charge the earbuds. It's not a small case, making it less portable than others, but there's a sizeable battery inside. You can expect up to nine hours per charge, with 24 hours coming from the case. You can squeeze out about 90 minutes with a five-minute charge.
The H1 chip inside is Apple-made, so you get super-fast pairing and always-on Siri for hands-free access. The onboard buttons can be used to control things with relative ease.
The audio quality is good.
It was a comfortable fit.
A rubberized finish.
The fit is stable with ear hooks.
Control buttons are responsive.
Excellent battery life.
No ANC.
The case was large.
Users of the mobile device get less integration.
The style is easy sporty.
If you want to be active with your earbuds in place, the Powerbeats Pro are a better option.
The source is Otium.
They're not true wireless earbuds, as you do have a cable connecting the two sides, but this affordable pair from Otium is all about value when you need to break a sweat. The IPX7 rating provides a higher level of sweat and water resistance than you might think, but they are meant to be sporty, so you shouldn't be concerned about working hard when wearing them.
As the tips nestle into your ears, Ear hooks ensure a snugger fit. The audio fidelity should be in your ears if the seal is tight. If you're into music that sounds better when there is some thump to it, you can definitely enjoy these because Otium made them with more of a bass-heavy sound profile.
Once you learn how to use the onboard controls, they stay consistent in doing what they're supposed to do. The battery life is good at up to eight hours per charge, but you'll have to use a Micro-USB cable to charge them up, which is one of the drawbacks you'll have to accept before you wear them for a run or workout.
The audio quality is good.
IPX7 water and sweat resistance.
It was easy to fit.
The onboard controls are consistent.
The price is affordable.
It might be too heavy.
Micro-USB charges.
It was nice to play for less.
The Otium headphones have good water resistance.
Shokz is the source.
Shokz changed its name to AfterShokz, so the OpenRun Pro is a successor of the previous Aeropex lineup and aimed at an active crowd. If you want to free your ears entirely, these are worth a look. You can hear audio through your jaw and skull if you wear bone conduction headphones. Shokz is a significant player in this category, and these are among the best.
It made these with good water and dust resistance so that you can stay active. The open design of the headphones makes it hard for runners to not wear them. They spread out across the entire pad to help the skull absorb some audio output, and Shokz added bass to give the OpenRun Pro a thicker sound. The Shokz app can be used to use the onboard EQ. It's often the toughest part of the audio spectrum to produce with bone conduction headphones, so be aware that you're not going to match what in- ear and over- ear headphones can do.
The battery can last up to 10 hours per charge. When it's time to play/pause or bring up Google Assistant, the onboard buttons are not bad. Shokz addressed the design of the buttons, making it easier to manage when turning them off or making a call.
It was a comfortable fit.
The audio quality is good.
The lower pad is vibrating.
It works with the assistant.
Solid battery life.
Water resistance.
Bass could use a boost.
It's not ideal if you want noise cancelation.
Don't listen to the sound.
Shokz gives you a different look and feel with the OpenRun Pro bone conduction headphones.
Finding a pair of headphones to wear when you don't want to work out or exercise is more difficult than finding a pair that you would like to use. They need to fit comfortably, and can't wiggle around too much. They need to repel as much sweat and water as possible.
This list has something for everyone. The Jaybird Vista 2 is our top recommendation for sheer balance. They aren't the best in every category, but when you look at the combination of physical design and audio performance with customization, it's hard to find that kind of value somewhere else. The Vista 2 are among the most ruggedized earbuds you can find and offer audio customization that few others can match.
The other options are still worthy. You can still find great performance and comfort when wearing the Jabra Elite 7 Active or the SAMSUNG GALAXY Buds Pro, so your options are varied and effective here.
The team worked on this guide.
Ted loves taking photos when there is an opportunity. He can be found tinkering with gadgets or enjoying a cigar.
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