Jaybird Vista 2
A substantial upgrade over their predecessor, the Jaybird Vista 2 are a pair of sports earbuds packing a lot of advanced technologies. Their clear, balanced sound, capable ANC, and (above all) solid build quality set them apart from other earbuds. With small size and a rugged look, they’re also a fashion statement.
Apple AirPods (3rd Generation)
A strong upgrade over the previous AirPods, the Apple AirPod 3rd Gen are truly a smash hit among Apple users. Their polished yet comfortable body, ease of use, and the H1 chip’s power in processing digital audio data are all fantastic. Unfortunately, they lack ANC and decent protection.
There are manyawesome truly wireless earbudsin the $100–150 range, but few have such a great fanbase as the two contenders we chose today. TheJaybird Vista 2are fantastic sports earbuds, and the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) are what many Apple users swear by. Let’s pit them against each other and see who wins.
Built like a tank, the Jaybird Vista 2s come with many hardware features that are actually hard. They can withstand the outdoors using military-grade protection and grip your ears using dedicated fins. The Apple AirPods do not boast such features but are astronomically better in audio processing and comfort. Both buds have their advantages and disadvantages, and choosing between them could be a headache, so we are here to help you decide.
Price, availability, and specs
As expected, both earbuds are available from their respective manufacturer’s websites. However, they are considerably more pricey there than on other online outlets like Amazon and Best Buy. The Vista 2s you can grab under 120 bucks, and the AirPods Gen 3s come in at about $150.
Design and fit
Undoubtedly, the Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds win this round fair and square. The fabric-covered rugged buds come with IP68-grade waterproofing, meaning you can drop them in your kiddie pool for half an hour or rub them in hot sand and still get complete functionality. They are also built with MIL-STD 810G freeze and shock protection, so they can withstand a lot. Even the case is IP57 protected. Outdoorsy people will love them.
What the Apple AirPods can’t do with muscle, they do with grace — these earbuds are sheer beauty; don’t think twice if you want to make a style statement. Their gracefully sleek and slender body is also IPX4-protected and capable of resisting some sweat. The gently curved lines on the softly contoured outer shell speak volumes about the designer’s class and look more like theAirPods Prosthan their 2nd-gen predecessors.
The Jaybird Vista 2s are built to stay secure in heavy workout sessions, and they do so spectacularly. They come with traditional ear tips but also include a hooking piece at one side to grab onto a fold of your ear. This makes them one of the most securely-fitted earbuds out there; once they are in, they are there to stay, even if you’re engaged in a “Tom and Jerry” style combat chase or hardcore parkour. However, that serious grip comes at a price: ear fatigue. You will start feeling it after a while, especially those with small ears.
And that’s when you will start wishing you bought the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) instead. These sleek beauties fit in your ear like an egg fits a hen. They are so comfortable that you may forget you are even wearing them. This is a bad thing since these buds don’t come with ear tips, and their ear grip is tenuous at best. Do NOT exercise above a light jog with these on.
Jaybird has opted for a physical button instead of touch controls to favor the busy sportsperson. The buttons feel spongy yet responsive, with a clearly perceptible actuation point to give you that satisfactory ‘click.’ Moreover, the companion app will let you reconfigure the controls as you prefer.
Apple has kept the traditional touch-capacitive sensors on the AirPods (3rd Gen). They respond superbly, with a little ‘click’ sound in your ears to let you know about registering the command. There’s no haptic feedback like their Pro brothers, but that’s fine, as you can touch or squeeze the stem to control your media and calls. Like the Vista 2s, the AirPods can’t control volume either.
Audio quality
Audio processing is where the Apple AirPods (3rd gen) truly shine above most other earbuds, including the Vista 2s. They are a significant upgrade over their 2nd gen predecessors in terms of sound quality, with drivers being custom-built, low-distortion units targeted to deliver a rich, warm, bass-heavy sound that is also clear on the mids and treble. All in all, the sound profile is somewhat akin to theJabra signature sound.
But even better is the special processing features these babies induce in the audio output. First, there’s the spatial audio — this places the music all around you and tracks your head movement in real-time to give you the feeling that the music is actually happening in the same room. Note that you don’t need an iPhone to use this feature; any Dolby Atmos-supporting phone with a spatial audio app should do.
And next comes the Adaptive EQ, which adjusts the sound to match the earbuds fit. This is done by the buds using an inner mic to pick up the sound from inside the ear canal. Then, a feedback loop system makes up for any lost sound data due to an improper fit. Complicated, but it works handsomely!
The AirPods are great at setting a wide soundstage and making each instrument heard discretely. Of course, they are not as good as audiophile-grade headphones, but the effect is charming for apps like Spotify and YouTube. All types of music, from bassy hip hops to vocal solos to classical chamber music, will sound nice and rich on these earbuds.
And what about the sound of the Jaybird Vista 2s? They are not as good at audio reproduction as the AirPods since there is little audio processing, resulting in a relatively flat reproduction of what came out of your phone. For a gym rat, the bass is good enough, though. (The bass makes new-age music sound better than it may actually be, and the trebles are clear.) The headphones also perform well with jazz and blues genres. Other than that, there’s not much to say. Still, you’re able to’t expect much more because these buds are targeted at durability rather than performance.
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC)
ANC is a feature we have come to expect in earbuds above $100, and the Jaybird Vista 2s don’t disappoint. They can block out most of the background noises in the gym (except sudden noises) and traffic noise. However, they are not good at blocking noises of the lower register, such as airplane rumbles. Nor can they block out wind noises very effectively. But for what it’s worth, we’ve seen worse in sports buds.
Much better is the SurroundSense mode, which is Jaybird’s take on ambient mode. This mode works the opposite way of ANC by amplifying outside noise in the ear, so you kinda hear like a dog. SurroundSense is nice for running or cycling in traffic because it makes you well aware of your surroundings. In the Vista 2s, this mode works very well except for being prone to picking up wind noise.
Unfortunately, the Apple AirPods do not have ANC or ambient mode.
Calls and Meetings
Although not something the Jaybird Vista 2s were targeted for, they dutifully perform their part in calls. These buds have four omnidirectional mics protected under WindGuard mesh to pick up your voice and filter out other noises. The voice sounds loud and clear at the other end, though sometimes wind noise can be heard. (Wind noise seems to be a weakness of these buds.)
For a set of general-purpose earbuds, Apple AirPods (3rd gen) perform quite admirably in this field. Through four mesh-covered mics, these buds have excellent incoming audio processing. They are far from professional microphones, but the other side hears clear and natural voices with almost all background noise filtered out, all thanks to the new AAC-ELD codec!
Apple users can combine spatial audio technology with this when FaceTiming multiple people in a meeting; doing so places people around you instead of the old way of jamming them all together. This feels wonderful when it actually works.
Let’s make it clear up front — most of the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) features are for iOS 15+ users and do not work outside the Apple ecosystem. The spatial audio, Adaptive EQ, head tracking, group call modification, etc., are all out of your reach if you’re an Android user (Dolby Atmos support is retained). Even simple controls like “next” and “previous” actions aren’t supported on Android. And as mentioned, the AirPods do not have features like ANC or ambient mode.
On the other hand, the Jaybird Vista 2s have ANC and ambient mode, and they work with all kinds of devices, not only Android. These features are built into buds and do not require operating system support. That said, we would have loved to see some of the astounding audio processing features the AirPods bring to the show.
Predictably, the AirPods come with always-on Siri support but do not support any other voice assistants. The Vista 2s do not have any always-on voice assistant support. There’s not even a button for that, so you will have to head into the companion app and assign a button to your choice of assistant — Bixby, Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. Plus, some apps, likeMaterialPods, will allow you to access other voice assistants on Android.
The AirPods are intelligent enough to sense whether they are in your ear, which means that taking a bud out of your ears will pause the playback. In the case of the Vista 2s, removing buds activates the mono mode.
Jaybird publishes a support app on both Apple and Android app stores. The app has handy features like finding the buds on the map, custom equalizers, discrete battery level indication, fit finding, community support, and more. In contrast, Apple does not need any such app for their system, and they have none for Android — though there may be a few third-party apps able to bring some of the Apple-centric functions of the AirPods into Android.
Connectivity
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) and Jaybird Vista 2s use Bluetooth 5.0 to connect to devices, which is a little disappointing at this price bracket. Anyway, the AirPods connect instantly with Apple devices but not so instantly with Android devices. In addition, the built-in H1 chip syncs the earbuds to your Apple iCloud account. The Vista 2s support Google Fast Pair; if your phone supports it, the connection is lightning-fast. Also, neither of the buds show any noticeable connection drops.
Connection via BT5.0 gets you support of AAC and SBC codecs, mainly sending 16-bit 44.1 kHz audio delivered at 320 kbps, which is less than one-fourth the quality that newer codecs (such as aptX or LDAC) can play. Both earbuds support the SBC and AAC codecs, but we were expecting more from Apple, seeing as their Apple Music streaming platform offers CD-quality audio (48 kHz/1400 kbps).
Battery life
For a pair of sports earbuds, the battery life of the Jaybird Vista 2s is pretty decent — much better than their predecessor, in fact. You get 8 hours of playtime on each full charge (6 hours with ANC on), plus two more charges from the case. That’s pretty decent compared to big boys in the same league, like Bose Sport, who give you only 5 hours or so.
The 3rd Gen AirPods are mostly the same but could be better. With 6 hours of playtime from the buds (minus spatial audio) and 30 hours with the case, they are not too bad and will last 4 hours straight on a meeting or group call. However, the spatial audio feature is especially battery hungry and will eat an hour of battery life alone.
Both earbuds cases support fast charging, giving you an hour of playtime for a five-minute juice-up. They also support wireless charging (provided you bought the correct case with the AirPods). But the Vista 2s support Qi-based charging while the AirPods take MagSafe only.
Which should you buy?
If audio quality is not a big deal for you, but you want something bulletproof for your workout sessions, choose the Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds. Their incredible build quality and unshakable fit make them great aural companions to people who push themselves to the extreme. However, ear fatigue and unimpressive audio signature could be a deterrent for some people.
Best for Android
Superb build quality and military-grade protection underline Jaybird Vista 2 earbuds' profile. With street-savvy audio signature and capable ANC, these buds can be your worthy aural companions all day long, no matter how rough you’re going.
With many excellent features like superb head-tracking audio effects, the Apple AirPods (3rd gen) are indeed a set of worthy earbuds for Apple users. The spatial audio and Adaptive EQ features are especially great! Yes, the buds are super for general-purpose use but not in rough, shaky, noisy environments. Luckily, there areplenty of cheaper earbuds available— but go for the AirPods if you have an Apple phone and want something classy and comfy.
Awesome audio effects
Classy and comfy, the beautifully designed Apple AirPods are best used with Apple phones to take advantage of their many features. The excellent spatial audio and sound reproduction are above par, and the graceful, sleek design fits in the ear like a charm. However, lack of ANC and loose fit mar the face of this otherwise beautiful moon.
