Bone conduction headphones promise the freedom to listen to music, an audiobook or a podcast while staying aware of your surroundings, and the Jabees 7Seven unit takes that concept underwater. And, with 32 GB of built-in storage, you can leave your phone at home for uninterrupted workouts.
The 7Seven’s full-silicone wrap design is soft but flexible, sitting comfortably on your cheekbones without pressing or slipping, even when you're moving through water and turning your head. The controls are also well designed – real buttons instead of touch panels – and respond to wet fingers, as you'd hope they would. And despite being just 38 g (less than one ounce), the set feels sturdy and able to take some rough handling. Naturally, being for swimming they're IP68-rated, however, they're not suited for salt water or diving, and submersion in freshwater is for up to 1.5 meters (4.9 ft).
If you're not yet familiar with bone-conduction audio, the 7Seven earbuds transmit sound through gentle vibrations on your cheekbones, bypassing the eardrums. While they don't shut out background noise as well as something blocking your ears, they do offer a surprisingly great alternative for people who can't wear buds or don't like large cups.
Some people can be disappointed with bone conduction audio, and where the technology sits right now, you're not going to get top-tier Bose over-ear headphone-quality sound. But I find them ideal for listening to media like podcast episodes while cycling, as the sound is clear while still allowing you to be aware of your surroundings. Here, the sound quality proved to be clear and balanced, with clean vocals and mid-range tones, and enough bass to keep a rhythm without distortion. Underwater performance inevitably loses some detail compared to traditional in-ear options, but the audio remains steady and coherent – ideal for pacing laps or long sessions where awareness and waterproofing matter more.
Setting up these headphones is also easy, simply turn on and connect to your file source, such as a laptop, with the included dedicated cable. Jabees claims the 7Seven can hold up to 8,000 songs, so you won't be running out of playlists anytime soon. Switching between Bluetooth and MP3 mode is also simple.
Battery life appears to land close to the claim – five hours (Bluetooth) and six hours (MP3) – however, we didn't track it exactly and, realistically, this is probably a stretch, given that these measures are when the volume is also kept at 60%. But they'll hold out for a few sessions nonetheless and charging from empty to full takes around two hours. Elsewhere, multipoint pairing keeps the headphones connected to two devices at once, and there’s a built-in mic for hands-free phone calls when used on land. Charging is straightforward, though as with any waterproof electronics, it's wise to make sure you dry them before plugging them in.
The Jabees 7Seven isn’t trying to reinvent swim audio, but it's a solid, comfortable and reliable way take your tunes – or talking heads – into the water. While the drag produced by an Olympic swimmer might be a bit much for the 7Seven's SportSecure grip to handle, the unit stays attached during casual laps and you soon forget that you're wearing them. On land, louder environments like running alongside traffic might compete a little too much with talking audio – noise-canceling earbuds or over-ear headphones are better in this setting.
However, if you're chasing audiophile quality or premium materials, you might opt for higher-priced competitors like Shokz or H2O Audio, but for most recreational swimmers or anyone wanting to test out this technology for the first time, the 7Seven delivers what’s promised. They're available in Black or Lime Navy for US$79.99 from Jabees, or from Amazon.
Product page: Jabees
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