Jaybird Vista 2 ANC earbuds are the toughest around

Jaybird prides itself on making some of the toughest audio products out there, and the Jaybird Vista 2 raises the bar even higher. These true wireless active noise cancellation (ANC) earbuds are IP68 and MIL-STD-810G certified. You can fumble them in the lake, drop them into a bed of dirt and subject them to a lot of force and shock without damage. Even the case deserves an IP54 rating, which sets it apart from practically all other charging cases.

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Aside from being rugged, the Vista 2 is the company’s first noise-canceling headphones, making them even more versatile than the first-generation Vista. While we don’t yet know how the ANC is doing, it’s exciting to see a training headset company leave its wheelhouse. Jaybird also includes a transparency mode called SoundSense that amplifies your surroundings through the earbuds. This will keep you alert and can make for a more pleasant calling experience. If you don’t want to mess with this function, you can listen to both earphones in mono mode.

If you want the Vista 2 to sound something like the original Jaybird Vista, you can expect a fairly accurate frequency response that will suit most genres of music. The earbuds support SBC by default and only one high quality Bluetooth codec: AAC, which works well for iPhone owners but is unreliable on Android.

Jaybird has kept the original shape of the Vista with the Vista 2, but provided the headphones with fabric covers. Not only does this make it easier to grip and remove the earphones, it also reduces wind noise. It’s a smart way to improve call and sound quality. Automatic ear detection is another new and welcome feature. The earbuds detect when you remove them from your ears or insert them to automatically pause or play media.

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Although the Jaybird Vista 2 has noise cancellation – a power hungry technology – the earbuds last six hours on a single charge with ANC or SurroundSense enabled. Without activating an active sound mode, the earbuds last eight hours. The case also offers two charging cycles and can quickly charge the earphones. Just five minutes in the case results in 60 minutes of playback. A USB-C input is on the back of the case, but you have the option to place it on a wireless charging mat.

As with most Jaybird Bluetooth earbuds, you can customize Vista 2 in the Jaybird app (free for iOS and Android). This includes access to a custom EQ module, ANC and SoundSense customization, reconfigurable touch controls and a Find my ‘buds or case feature. The ability to locate your earbuds isn’t new to true wireless earbuds, but what’s new is the GPS chip in the Jaybird Vista 2 case. The “Find my earbuds” function only tells you when the earbuds were last connected to your device, but the GPS in the case tells you where the case (and probably the “headphones”) are. GPS tracking works as long as you are within 10 meters of the housing.

The Jaybird Vista 2 is available in different colors: Black, Nimbus Gray and Alloy Blue. You can purchase the earbuds from Jaybird’s website today for $ 199.99.