STACK #213 July 2022

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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Jabra Elite 4 Active ANC True Wireless The Elite 4 Actives combine great, customisable sound with an IP57 rating to protect them against sweat. The real trump card here is Active Noise

Invest in a good pair of earbuds or headphones from a reputable brand, and they will keep up with whatever workout you throw at them. Here are our picks to get you moving.

Cancellation (ANC). Why is ANC a big deal? It’s rare to find the technology in a pair of earbuds at this price point. There are seven hours of battery life in the buds and then a further 28 hours in the charging case.

At a glance Colours: Black, Mint and Navy Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 Noise Cancelling: Yes IP Rating: IP57 Battery life: 7 hours Charge in box: 28 hours Charging: USB-C

MID RANGE

At a glance Colours: Black Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Noise cancelling: Yes IP Rating: IP66 Battery life: 15 hours Charge in box: 55 hours Charging: USB-A

JLab Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless In-Ear Headphones

Another option for runners is the Epic Air Sports – these wrap around the back of the ear for a good fit. Active noise cancellation is included, and a vast EQ suite in the JLab app is perfect for tweaking controls and audio. Battery is boss here – there are 15 hours in the headphones sans ANC and a whopping 55 hours in the box!

Top Shelf

Bose Sports True Wireless

Sony WF-SP800N True Wireless Sports Available in four different colours, the WF-SP800Ns offer a lot of value for the price. Rated to IP55, you’re good for dust, sweat, and some rain protection. The earbuds come with noise cancelling and the all-important ambient sound for road runs. If you don’t like the sound from out of the box (big on bass), there are decent customisable options through the EQ on the Sony app, and the earbuds support 360 Reality, Sony’s spatial audio technology.

Sennheiser Sport True Wireless A trusted name in audio brings its reputation to a pair of earbuds explicitly designed for sport. While ANC is absent, there’s not much else in this class that can compete on the audio front. Simply put, the sound here is outstanding and adjustable through an EQ. The earbuds use a technology called Adaptable Acoustics, where swappable ear adaptors in

Earbuds Comfortable to wear over

long periods, all the controls here are on the touch panel, including smart assist, should you need to know the weather report before going on a run. Talking

of which, these are rated IPX4, so they’re suitable for sweat and rain. Most sports earbuds lean heavily into the bass, but that’s not the case here – these deliver a well-balanced soundscape.

conjunction with the app produce ‘focus’ and ‘aware’ modes for use indoors and out.

At a glance Colours: Triple Black, Glacier White and Baltic Blue Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Noise cancelling: No IP Rating: IPX4 Battery life: 5 hours Charge in box: 10 hours Charging: USB-C

At a glance Colours: Black, White, Blue, Orange Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 Noise cancelling: Yes IP Rating: IP55

At a glance Colours: Black Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2 Noise cancelling: No IP Rating: IP54 Battery life: 9 hours Charge in box: 27 hours Charging: USB-C

Battery life: 13 hours Charge in box: 26 hours Charging: USB-C

Shokz OpenRun Pro The excellent OpenRun Pros use bone conduction technology where soundwaves are transmitted through your cheekbones. This means that ear canals are left open so environmental awareness, essential when running or cycling, is second to none. These headphones are lightweight, water resistant to IP67, and have good battery life and a super quick recharge option. While it’s hard for bone-conducting headphones to compete with earbuds where the sound is piped directly down the ear canal, the OpenRuns use a tech called Premium Pitch 2.0 to maximise bass and reduce sound leakage, and the results are impressive.

At a glance Colours: Black Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.1 Noise Cancelling: No IP Rating: IP67

OUTSIDE THE BOX

Battery life : 8 hours Charging: Proprietary magnetic charger

20 JULY 2022

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