TOP 9 waterproof players

If the expression “like a duck to water” applies to you, then you will not deny yourself the pleasure of swimming in the sea, river, or often visiting the pool. Naturally, with musical accompaniment everything is much more fun and interesting, because not only the muscles work, but also the head. Good music will motivate you to new achievements, give you a second wind, and help you overcome fatigue and muscle pain.

Hence, it is time to choose a waterproof player. Knowledgeable people argue that it is necessary to decide on the following mandatory parameters:

Player mount;
Memory;
Working hours;
Display (when swimming, of course, it is useless, but finding the desired track on land will be easier);
Convenient keys – switch without looking.

The players have an IP protection class. The classification is in accordance with international standards for the protection of electrical and electrical equipment from harmful environmental influences. Following the letters IP, in accordance with the above standard, there are two numbers. The first indicates the degree of protection of the device from mechanical damage, and the second – from moisture penetration. If there is an x symbol instead of a number, then protection is not provided. The protection class must be indicated in the instructions; the player must be selected in accordance with its purpose.

IPx8 is suitable for long-term use in water, for diving to a depth of more than 1 m, and IPx7 is suitable for diving up to 1 m.

Sony NWZ-WS610 Series

This series of players is designed for swimming and sports in fresh water.

The lightweight arch is designed to fit snugly and stay still even during intense use;
Memory capacity: 4 GB for the NWZ-WS613 model, 16 GB for the NWZ-WS615 - this is about 4000 songs;
Battery life 7 hours;
Fast charging. After 3 minutes of charging, the player will work for an hour;
Full charge in 1.5 hours;
Works at depths up to 2 m;
Compact waterproof remote control, attaches to your finger or bracelet to quickly change tracks;
Broadcast from a smartphone using SongPal;
Easy connection via BLUETOOTH, NFC;
Transferring audio files is possible via a USB connection. It is enough to place the headphones in the docking station;
When heading to the pool, attach the ear pads for swimming. Unlike standard ones, these are covered with a thin membrane, which prevents them from being damaged by water;
Walkman mode makes it easy to change your playlist and shuffle tracks as you listen;
Weight-37 g;
Color design: black, blue, light green;
SoundMix on land automatically reduces the volume when listening to music and using programs at the same time.

About the product

Obviously, the primary purpose of waterproof players is to play music while swimming. Despite the availability of a number of modern smartphones, which are declared by manufacturers to be resistant to any type of impact, including water, their operation directly while in water is impossible. This fact is due to the inability of the headset to work correctly in such conditions. Manufacturers of waterproof devices have rid their products of the above-mentioned shortcomings by combining the player and headphones in one sealed structure, which can eliminate the risk of equipment breakdown due to water getting inside the mechanism.

A high-quality device of this type of device, as a rule, implies the use by manufacturers of WAT technology (absolute protection of the player from moisture penetration into the structure) and “Twist & Lock” (long-term protection of the player from possible corrosion of functional elements). In addition, all waterproof devices must meet the high requirements of the IPX standard, which allows you not only to expose the outer surface of the player to water, but also to dive to a depth of 3-5 meters.

It is also worth noting that due to its compactness and thoughtful ergonomic design, the use of this type of equipment is possible not only when swimming “for pleasure,” but also by professional athletes during training and preparation for competitions.

In addition to the obvious advantage of waterproof players, which is resistance to external moisture, a number of advantages usually also include:

stylish design of the vast majority of devices;
compactness;
long battery life;
well-thought-out arrangement of functional buttons for convenient control of the gadget;
ability to work in “Headset” mode;
the presence of additional options, for example, radio, timer, and so on.

Of course, there is no ideal technology, and the device in the segment discussed in the article also has a number of disadvantages that can cause some discomfort to the user. This is about:

insufficient sound power;
inaccuracies in the transmission of the frequency range of the reproduced audio stream;
the cost of truly high-quality models is usually higher than average;
the impossibility or high cost of replacing a separate functional element of the mechanism.

Qumo Sprint 4Gb

On a treadmill, it will count steps, and when swimming, it will count the number of strokes. There is a display.

Fastening – clip;
Memory – 4 GB;
Operating time – maximum 12 hours;
USB port 2.0;
Supports audio formats – MP3, WMA;
Body color green or yellow.
Powered by its own Li-Pol element;
Dimensions – 66.4×45.5×25 mm;
Weight – 31 g;
It has the highest moisture protection class – IPx8.

The mounting method and relatively large size of this player make it not very convenient for the pool. Ideal for the gym.

Qumo Freestyle

The player in a plastic case with an OLED screen with a diagonal of 1.10″ and a resolution of 128x64 counts steps and strokes, is equipped with a radio receiver and an FM tuner. Available for sale in three colors: red, light green and blue. The connection to the computer is via USB 2.0, and the battery is charged in the same way.

Attaching to clothing – clip;
Memory – 4 GB
Operating time – maximum 18 hours;
Audio format support – MP3, WMA;
Battery – Li-Pol;
Dimensions – 65x46x25.6 mm;
Weight 34 g;
Moisture protection class – IPx8.

By the way, this player does not sink, although it is small, but it is a plus in its favor. But the ergonomics are not very comfortable. It’s not always possible to press the right button without hitting the next one the first time. There is a microphone and FM radio. Works stably. For swimmers, it is somehow a little streamlined; its size is confusing.

Waterproof MP3 Player for Pool (IPX8)

To keep in shape, I go to the pool - I like swimming, it doesn’t strain my joints, it’s a real benefit. One “but” - just making circles around the track back and forth is boring. At the same time, gigabytes of unlistened audiobooks are accumulating on the phone, for which there is no time. It was decided to solve these two problems in one fell swoop.

An inexpensive waterproof MP3 player with declared IPX8 water permeability was found on Ali - i.e. allowing long-term immersion in water. The lot description promised “Original IPX8 Waterproof Headphones Bluetooth Headset Swimming Diving Sports Earphonrs FM Radio For iPhone 6x Xiaomi MP3 Player”

, there were plenty of photographs of pools and different body color options.

I ordered the player in white, with 8Gb of memory. The goods reached me in a parcel with an honest track number, it reached the capital in four weeks.

At the post office I received a slightly dented, but overall decent-looking square flat box with a transparent window. The kit included the headphones themselves, a couple of pages with instructions in English (for a four-piece) and a USB-A male-to-female adapter about 10 cm long.

The instructions explain that the central part with the MP3 player is removed from the arm and the exposed USB connector can be inserted into a computer port - directly or through an adapter:

The mate of the USB connector is built into the shackle. Thus, the MP3 player uses the same 4 pins for USB and for audio output to the right and left earbuds.

The whole device gives the impression of an original Chinese, diligent, but basement development. Apparently, since the developers needed to implement this scheme with a “dual-use USB”, they had to do a lot themselves from scratch. The result is rather strange behavior of the device, rather strange controls and MP3 functionality that seems straight out of 1999.

What catches your eye is the inscription “Open” upside down and the direction of the “play” button mixed up:

The standard rubber ear pads turned out to be so oak that I had to immediately throw them out, wipe the blood from my ears and take similar ones from the bins. The bow wraps tightly around your neck and even puts a little pressure on the external carotid artery, which is a little uncomfortable, but tolerable.

During operation, a problem emerged - due to the flexibility of the bow, the electrical contact was lost with any movement, the sound became dull or disappeared completely. I had to unscrew it, lift the contacts in the connector, slipping a piece of insulation from a thin wire under them.

I wrapped the bow with a ring of thick heat shrink, because... the only standard screw held the structure poorly. At the same time, I covered the wires with a layer of varnish, since the soldering points to the connector were not really protected from corrosion. Result of modifications:

Bluetooth in the device, of course, does not smell. The radio works somehow, but I don’t need it - I haven’t tested it much. I was primarily interested in the functionality of the MP3 player. It's not fun with him.

Loading files into the device was quite an adventure - firstly, the device easily warps, whether in the computer’s USB port or in the standard extension cable, the contact disappears. I still didn’t understand the mode indication with a single red LED - so I did dances with a tambourine every time I connected it. Thank God, the audio output of an MP3 player cannot do anything with the security of the computer's USB port.

With swearing, I loaded a couple of audiobooks onto the device (the recording speed, by eye, is the same as that of a cheap Class 4 SD card), and then another surprise came out - the player didn’t care about folders and file numbering - it played the tracks in the order they were recorded in the file system. I solved this problem using the utility www.anerty.net/software/file/DriveSort/?lang=en, which rewrites the order of files in the table of contents of the FAT32 partition as you need without having to re-upload the files.

If you thought that this was all over, then you are mistaken. It turns out that the device does not yet remember the track where playback stopped. This makes listening to audiobooks especially fun. In addition, the length of the wires makes it impossible to see the buttons, so you have to feel them on the back of the neck blindly.

The sound quality is expectedly poor for headphones that do not have an external channel for air, however, against the background of the gurgling of one’s own exhalations into the water, this is not important. The speaker's speech can be heard clearly, although the granularity of the volume settings is not enough.

Now, actually, about operation in the pool. Despite the narrow arch, swimming in them is normal, turning your head does not interfere. The device survives immersion in water normally; it has already floated for several hours in total. However, I did not tempt fate and did not dive to the very bottom with him. I don’t see any traces of corrosion on the connectors - however, I just generously spray them with an anti-fog agent for swimming goggles, in theory, it should create a protective film. I don’t have a USB doctor, so I have nothing to estimate the battery capacity with. However, since each time you need to disassemble it and blow out and dry the connector, you can charge it.

Summary - the device is oak, it requires finishing the drink and considerable patience. I definitely cannot recommend it.

However, there are no alternatives in its price category. There are branded options from Adidas (only on Amazon, the average rating is two stars out of five), there is a Sony Walkman NWZW273S for two hundred (!) bucks, or “ears” that work on the principle of bone conduction (for example, these, but in IPX8 you can believe it with labor).

Audiobooks in the pool go well - I only listen to non-fiction in English, in transport or while driving I couldn’t concentrate on the content, but here there’s nothing to be distracted by, everything is absorbed well.
You can easily swim for an hour and a half while listening to the text. The goods were purchased with my own money

Qumo Float

Fastening – clip;
Memory – 4 GB;
Charging time – 2 hours via USB;
Power supply – Li-Pol battery;
Operating time – 4 hours;
Dimensions – 59x31x25 mm;
Weight – 20 g;
Moisture protection – IPX8;
Color – orange, black;
Frequency range – 20-20000 Hz;
The body is plastic.

The player does not have a display, but is more compact than its brothers Freestyle and Sprint. The body is rubberized, easy to hold in your hands. Convenient push-button control. This model should not be neglected.

Digma Deep 4Gb

The role of fastening is performed by “crocodiles” on the headphone wires. There is no screen.

Memory 4 GB;
Supports audio formats – MP3, WMA;
Power supply – own Li-Ion element;
Operating time – maximum 8 hours;
Charges via USB and connects to a computer;
Dimensions – 40x26x9 mm.

Diving enthusiasts are better off using other options designed for greater diving depths. Consumers complain about headphones.

ALcom WP-400

This waterproof player is made in a sporty style, has a plastic body, and is built into the headphones themselves; there are no wires at all; control is via buttons on the headphones. The battery is recharged and files are downloaded via a USB 2.0 port. Naturally, the model did not receive a display.

Built-in memory – 4 GB;
Operating time – 10 hours;
Audio format support – MP3, WMA;
Power supply: Li-Ion battery.

Good in the shower, swimming and pool, jogging in the rain, kayaking. But it breaks easily when carried.

Swim to music: Aftershokz XTrainerz headphones-player for swimming

This year, Aftershokz is outright star-studded.

Firstly, they became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: it was with the help of the Trekz AIR model (the flagship at that time) that Mysterio launched drones and gave commands in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

No, seriously, we ourselves didn’t believe it at first, but then as we brought it closer, it just took pride: it’s not otherwise that the guys from Marvel read our reviews on IXBT... (smiley).

Secondly, 3 new products were presented, two of which were released. The “cinema” AIRs were replaced by the improved Aeropex model. And thirdly, we got a new category of users - swimming enthusiasts, because we got a new product - the XTrainerz waterproof player. I wanted to talk about him.

The trick is basically that Aeropex and XTrainerz are cast from the same mold, and are essentially the same model with slightly different characteristics. The main difference is the water resistance index and the presence/absence of Bluetooth.

XTrainerz is a player with built-in memory of 4 GB , and it cannot connect to a smartphone.

Whether this is good or bad, I don’t have a definite answer. On the one hand, it doesn’t matter, because Bluetooth won’t work in water anyway. On the other hand, it’s bad because it’s not just water. Finally, this may be a good thing, considering the following. Previous generations of Aftershokz versions were criticized for their sound, part of the problems with which were precisely Bluetooth compression and an insufficiently modern codec.

Here we don’t seem to depend on any compression, but the supported formats are: MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC, FLAC. I went on vacation with the XTrainerz, and over the course of a few weeks I was able to listen to them, swim in them, and listen to them while swimming. I will share my observations.

Ease of use

Despite the fact that the body can be said to be inherited from the previous model - AIR - the speaker has been redesigned quite smartly.

This affected the fact that, firstly, it fits tighter and better to the head, and, secondly, it affected the overall weight of the headphones: they became even less noticeable on the head, so there are no complaints about the fit, and the headphones can be find it convenient. The body is designed according to the same “titanium” model: the headband arc is flexible and strong.

In terms of size, they are universal and, as they would say on the market, “stretch” perfectly.

In my scenario - lying on the water with a mask - there were no problems either. The model gets along well with other devices on the head.

But I didn’t really manage to dive into them. From the experience that I had, nothing illogical is observed: if you jump with a “bomb”, the headphones will be knocked off your head. If you jump as a fish from a height somewhere on the side of the pool, then your ears become an obstacle, and XTrainerz holds on.

Headphones on the beach

One of the questions I asked myself sounded quite simple: is it necessary? Here it is appropriate to divide the use of such gadgets into salt water and fresh water. During my stay on the coast, I saw a lot of people with players, others - damn them - with portable speakers, etc. In general, a person’s need for musical accompaniment seemed to have emerged, and I’m sure that if all players were waterproof , then vacationers would not take them off in the water.

As for XTrainerz as headphones for the pool, then you should ask the professionals: in general, motivating music is probably appropriate at a distance, as well as during running. And the same Wordstat shows some interest and need. Swimming headphones:

Pool Headphones:

What does the new model sound like?

New models are praised for their sound. As a not very experienced person, I don’t feel much difference at all between, say, XTrainerz and regular headphones.

A number of reviews describe the new speakers as capable of "crystal clear highs and mids with real bass." This is explained, among other things, by the fact that we ourselves can now hear better: the new speakers fit tightly and completely flat to the skull, which distributes sound evenly and fully.

At the same time, the headphones sound louder than their predecessor. This moment, by the way, is interesting. The fact is that in the AIR model the sound was slightly artificially reduced due to the fact that users were outraged by the vibration. Reducing the volume made it possible to significantly reduce this figure.

In XTrainerz, we have even less noticeable vibration with louder sound, and it was really noticeable! The second “moment” of the new speakers that is worth noting is sound leakage. If in previous versions the sound leakage was compensated by antiphase from special holes, here there are no holes on the body. At the same time, the sound is hardly audible to a stranger at a volume that is comfortable for you.

In general, both sound and leakage are, of course, important issues, but controversial. Firstly, how many people will actually make audiophile demands on headphones in the water while swimming? And how many people will be afraid of being “overheard” during a swim? In my opinion (rumor), Aftershokz did it well in this version.

Open ears on/underwater

The main feature of bone conduction is that the ears remain open. From the point of view of water safety, this may be logical: both in the pool and in open water on a common beach, for example, you can bump into someone, not hear someone, a trainer/instructor/lifeguard. That is, there seems to be no need to completely lose coordination.

Another thing is that some waterproof plugs will additionally protect you from water leakage. Here we can only note that the XTrainerz comes with a pair of silicone earplugs.

Controls

Since this is an independent player, the controls have changed slightly. For example, for this reason we lost the call answer button on one of the speakers.

The main buttons are located on the battery: power-on-volume-tracks.

Also in this version we got one additional button - something like an equalizer, which slightly changes the sound: you can change the mode depending on how deep underwater you plan to listen to music.

Autonomy

The headphones last a long time. With new ones out of the box, the situation is generally excellent: I turned it on at noon and turned it off at midnight. With continuous playback - initially 12 hours - this is the normal life cycle of the battery.

That is, if you use them during swims and training, they will last for a long time. In this version, by the way, the charging method has changed: now the model is charged from its “dock”.

The docking station itself is powered by a Micro USB cable. The charging connectors look like this:

Brief summary

The XTrainerz model, like the entire Aftershokz range, is positioned as a sports model, but this time it is aimed at a new audience: swimmers should join the ranks of runners and cyclists.

My experience was positive: they satisfy me in terms of sound, in terms of comfort and “compatibility” with the mask, too, and listening to music out of boredom while you swim, even for 15-20 minutes, is a pretty good bonus.

What I was missing was Bluetooth, because I would like a much more versatile device, and not just a player with water protection. Such a device is the Aeropex model, which, by the way, loses in only one IP point: Aeropex IP67 protection versus IP68 from XTrainerz.

More information about XTrainerz can be found on our website. We have additionally placed the entire Aftershokz assortment on a separate website.

OLT UnderWater

Waterproof player in a metal case, without screen. Equipped with a convenient and reliable mount, designed so that the player body and headphone cord are attached to the strap of a mask or swimming goggles. The swimmer will be free to move. If it accidentally catches on a wire, disconnection will not work, since it is connected using a thread. Headphones with a special membrane design. The player buttons are reliably protected by rubber inserts. It has five body colors to choose from: red, orange, silver, blue, black. Uploads files and charges the battery via USB 2.0.

Memory – 4 GB;
Operating time: maximum 7 hours;
Audio format support – WMA, MP3;
Powered by Li-Ion battery;
IPx7 moisture protection standard.

Simple, convenient for active people. But you can’t dive according to the standard with it. The headphone cord is a bit long.

How to choose

It is almost impossible to choose a worthy gadget without analyzing its technical characteristics. It is for this reason that we strongly recommend that a potential buyer of a waterproof player first familiarize himself with the following list of defining technical characteristics of the desired device.

Battery life. The duration of correct music playback by the device when operating on battery power directly depends on the capacity of its battery. The optimal time indicator in this case is considered to be 8 – 10 hours of possible operation of the gadget without “recharging”.
Permissible immersion depth. High-quality players that allow their users not only to come into contact with water during use, but also to dive to a depth of an average of 3-5 meters, should objectively become “favorites” in choosing the ideal waterproof player among similar products in the segment under consideration.
Frequency range. Scientists have proven that correct perception of sound by the human ear is possible only if it “enters” the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Accordingly, when choosing a player for listening to music while swimming, you should also give preference to models with the above frequency range.
Impedance. The resistance of a device is one of the main characteristics that determines the maximum volume and “purity” of audio content playback. For the best sound quality, we recommend choosing players with a declared impedance of 16 - 32 Ohms.
Memory. The amount of built-in storage for downloaded files is also important when analyzing the presented range of waterproof players. Considering the fact that it is impossible to use a memory card in this type of technology, you should pay attention exclusively to players with a memory of at least 4 - 8 GB. In this case, you can download a sufficient number of tracks to the device storage.
Fastening. Due to the likely use of water-resistant devices during vigorous physical activity, it would be advisable to pay attention to how it is attached. The design of the vast majority of models is a headphone with a built-in player mechanism, located directly in the user’s ear. In other cases, before purchasing, it is advisable to make sure that there is a special clip for correct fastening of the device or its functional wires.

To make it easier for the buyer to decide on purchasing a specific player model for listening to music while exercising in the pool, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the following list of the best waterproof MP3 devices that are among the top most popular gadgets for swimming in 2022.

NU Dolphin TOUCH Pro

The player is made of black material that is scratch-resistant. Equipped with a monochrome LCD screen with a resolution of 96x24, a radio receiver, and an FM tuner. Player control via touch panel. USB port version 2.0 is used for connecting to a computer and charging the battery.

Attaching to glasses with clips;
Memory – 4 GB;
Operating time – maximum 13 hours;
Audio format support – MP3, WMA;
Own battery – Li-Ion;
Dimensions – 66.4x21x21 mm;
Weight 30 g;
IPx8 waterproof rating.

The high price and terrible touch keys will not allow it to take a leading position in the rating, despite this, the player is wonderful.

AEG MMS-4218

The AEG MMS4218 4 player has a high build quality. The durable polymer material of the case makes it easy to withstand heat, humid air, shock and falls from low heights. The model does not have a screen. The battery is charged via USB 2.0.

Memory – 4 GB;
Operating time – maximum 10 hours;
Audio format support – WMA, MP3;
Battery – Li-Ion.

In water, headphones sometimes fall off; they are bulky and do not fit under a cap.

Most modern devices:

have a reliable, long-lasting battery, and it is recharged via a USB cable, which is included in the kit, along with the charger.
Support many different audio formats
do not require software and are fully compatible with Windows OS.

You can buy a swimming player directly in our online store. By ordering a device, you can be sure that you will receive a product of the highest quality, and we will promptly deliver this modern miracle of technology to the address specified in the application.

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