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Comparison of Jaybird Vista 2 vs. Apple AirPods Pro.
If you seek your next workout companion with a durable build and highly customizable app, Jaybird Vista 2 are a better choice.
On the other hand, frequent commuters and Apple users who seek excellent active noise cancellation might want to check AirPods Pro instead.
While both share similar features, some are working better than others.
On paper, Apple AirPods Pro easily wins. However, if you use Android, Jaybird Vista 2 offer much more.
Check our detailed comparison below to find which ones are better for you.
Quick Comparison
Both models:
- Offer the same level of comfort
- Have a similar Bluetooth range
- Use a proximity sensor to automatically pause playback
Jaybird Vista 2
Are more stable thanks to ear fins
Have better passive isolation
Ambient mode is only okay
8h / charge + 16h in case
IP68 – waterproof (earbuds) / IP54 – sweatproof (case)
A fully customizable app that works on both iOS and Android
Customizable physical controls
Onboard volume controls
Smooth, V-shaped sound with good bass control
Apple AirPods Pro
Are slightly more comfortable and lightweight
Have superior active noise cancellation
More realistic ambient mode
5h / charge + 20h in case
IPX4 – sweatproof
H1 chip for seamless integration with Apple devices
Pressure-sensitive stems
Support for Dolby Atmos and fit measuring feature
More balanced, slightly bright sound for clean vocals
Specifications
| Jaybird Vista 2 | Apple AirPods Pro | |
| Type: | In-ear | In-ear |
| Connection: | Wireless | Wireless |
| Back-design: | Closed-back | Closed-back |
| Driver size: | 6mm | n/a |
| Frequency range: | 20Hz – 20,000Hz | n/a |
| Impedance: | 23 Ohm | n/a |
| Weight: | 12g both buds | 11g both buds, 35g case |
| Microphone & controls: | Built-in | Built-in |
| Water-protection: | IP68 (waterproof) | IPX4 (sweatproof) |
| Bluetooth: | version 5.0 | version 5.0 + H1 chip |
| Battery life: | 8h per charge | 5h per charge |
| Charging time: | 2h full charge – 5min for 1h | 2h full charge – 5min for 1h |
| Active noise-cancelling: | Yes | Yes |
| Charging cable: | USB-C to USB | Lightning to USB |
| Bluetooth codecs: | SBC, AAC | SBC, AAC |
| Wireless range: | 33ft (10m) | 33ft (10m) |
| Type: | Digital MEMS | Built-in |
| Mic design: | Omnidirectional | n/a |
| Mutable: | No | No |
What’s in the Box?
Jaybird Vista 2 unboxed
Apple AirPods Pro unboxed
Both come with similar contents:
- True wireless earbuds
- Charging case
- Vista 2: 3 pairs of silicone eargels (1, 2, 3), AirPods Pro: 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S, M, L)
- Vista 2: USB-C charging cable, AirPods Pro: Lightning charging cable
- User manual
Comfort & Fit
Jaybird Vista 2 are both comfortable and stable thanks to ear fins, whereas Apple AirPods Pro only excel at comfort while falling short on stability.
Vista 2 share a similar housing design as their predecessor, with detachable ear gels (ear tip & ear fin combo).
They fit in your ears comfortably and are suitable for long listening sessions.
Ear tips are slightly bigger than your ear canal, so they rest in front of it. Ear gels only differ in fin sizes, while tips remain the same.
Speaking of fins, they do an excellent job fixing earbuds in place during movement. You can shake your head without earbuds flying out of your ears.
AirPods Pro also offer impressive comfort. They’re super lightweight, so you barely feel them in your ears.
However, the fit, while better than on the original Apple AirPods, can be problematic. Especially if you plan to use them for working out.
The sweat makes original Apple ear tips slippery. You can feel earbuds slipping out of your ears, so you have to readjust them constantly.
Foam tips are a great solution, but you have to buy them separately.
Noise Isolation
Despite relying on deeper insertion, AirPods Pro offer a slightly worse passive isolation than Vista 2. In contrast, Apple’s earbuds provide better ambient mode.
Vista 2’s “one size fits all” silicone ear tips seem to work very well. They only rest in front of the ear canal yet block a significant amount of background noise.
Still, AirPods Pro also do a respectable job with passive noise isolation, as long as you choose the correct tip size.
If you aren’t sure about the fit, earbuds use external microphones and unique coding to measure the seal.
Both true wireless earbuds have an ambient sound mode: Jaybird has SurroundSense, whereas Apple has Transparency mode.
The AirPods Pro implementation of the Transparency feature is far superior, boosting outside noise more realistically.
Jaybird Vista 2 only amplify midrange, which doesn’t sound as natural.
Noise Cancellation
Jaybird Vista 2 are far behind the excellent active noise canceling performance of the Apple AirPods Pro.
New Jaybird earbuds now come with active noise cancellation, which isn’t typical for sport-oriented truly wireless earbuds.
It does a good job of eliminating most of the lower frequencies, like engine noises on public transport.
However, the ANC doesn’t even try to block higher frequencies such as human speech.
On the other hand, AirPods Pro reduce a much broader frequency spectrum. That makes them more usable in various situations, not just for commuting.
They can even reduce speech, which comes in handy in cafeterias or loud offices.
Bluetooth
While both provide a similar Bluetooth range, Vista 2 can experience random stutters. Apple’s H1 chip gives AirPods Pro support for multipoint that only works on iOS.
Bluetooth range is about average on both, extending up to the second wall where the signal starts cutting off.
Strangely, Vista 2 can start stuttering even when you carry your smartphone in a pocket. AirPods Pro don’t have this issue.
Both earbuds enter a pairing mode by holding the charging case button. However, Apple has a trick up their sleeves. AirPods Pro offer instant pairing for other Apple devices.
Thanks to the H1 chip, the earbuds connect with your iPhone as soon as you open the charging case.
The same H1 chip is also responsible for seamless transitions between Apple gadgets (quick switching between an iPhone and MacBook). Sadly, this multipoint feature doesn’t work on Android.
Vista 2 can remember up to 8 devices, but they don’t support multipoint. Therefore, you have to switch between them manually.
To get the most out of the Vistas, you have to connect them with the Jaybird app.
The latter can be a bit frustrating at first, with the companion app not recognizing earbuds right away. However, once paired, you shouldn’t experience any more pairing problems.
Both earbuds support SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs, with similarly good results regarding audio lag in videos. The delay is unnoticeable to the human eye.
Battery
Both earbuds share similar charging features, but Jaybird Vista 2 provide 1 more hour of battery life (6 hours compared to 5 hours on AirPods Pro).
If you care about every minute, Vista 2 are a better pick. In our test, they lasted 5 hours and 57 minutes on a single charge with ANC (8 hours with ANC off), with extra 16 hours waiting in the charging case.
AirPods Pro don’t lag far behind, giving you 5 hours and 10 minutes long battery life with ANC. Their wireless charging case provides an additional 19 hours of charge.
You get Qi wireless charging and fast charging support on both.
- A 5-minute charge gives another hour of battery life.
The most significant difference is that Vista 2 uses USB-C, whereas AirPods Pro come with the Lightning port.
Related: How to fix AirPods not charging
How to fix AirPods not having sound
Durability
With an IP68 rating on the buds and IP54 on the case, there are hardly any true wireless earbuds that could beat Jaybird Vista 2 in durability. AirPods Pro only have an IPX4 rating.
If you seek ultimate durability, Jaybird Vista 2 are the best in the category.
Earbuds are made from rigid plastic that is dressed in rubbery ear gels. The latter act as a cushion if they accidentally drop on the floor.
With an IP68 rating, you can submerge them in water up to 5ft (1.5m) deep. Buds are also shockproof, meeting the military standard MIL-STD-810G.
Even the charging case is protected this time around. An IP54 rating protects it from dust and light splashes of water.
In contrast, Apple AirPods Pro are less resistant against all elements.
The best they can do is an IPX4 rating, which only protects against light splashes of water and rain.
Their case is left unprotected, with a somewhat cheap-feeling lid.
Of course, you can use both for everyday activities, even exercising. Complete water resistance is nice to have, but you rarely need it.
Features
It depends on what operating system you use. AirPods Pro perform better on iOS, whereas Vista 2 are a clear winner on Android.
Here are some of the features present on both earbuds:
- Built-in microphone for making phone calls or summoning voice assistant
- Proximity sensor for play-pause feature
- Personalized EQ, although they take a different approach to measure it. (AirPods Pro do it automatically, whereas you have to click which frequencies you hear on Vista 2 manually.)
Apple AirPods Pro are providing an overall better experience on iOS.
Their integration with Apple devices enables some features that lack support on Android.
One of them is Dolby Atmos, which enhances soundstage perception when watching videos or listening to music. Earbuds even posses head-tracking tech, giving you better positional accuracy.
Instead of forcing you only to use one OS, Jaybird Vista 2’s app works on both operating systems.
In the Jaybird app, you find some features that AirPods Pro lack, such as a custom equalizer to further tweak the frequency response.
The app also lets you customize a variety of commands, which are permanently cemented on AirPods Pro.
Speaking of controls, Vista 2 use a physical button on each side and a double-tap feature.
Both methods are comfortable to use since they don’t push earbuds further in your ears.
On the other hand, AirPods Pro have pressure-sensitive stems. You have to squeeze them to register a command.
Strangely, for volume control, you have to summon Siri, which can be awkward if there are other people around you.
Microphone quality goes to the AirPods, with overall cleaner voice pickup. It’s the main reason why many business people use them daily.
Jaybird Vista 2
Apple AirPods Pro
While Vista 2 have the most flexible and customizable experience, there are some problems with firmware updates not installing.
There’s a guide on how to fix those issues in our main Jaybird Vista 2 review.
Sound
The Jaybirds have a slightly V-shaped sound profile with smooth midrange and treble, while AirPods Pro opt for a more balanced tuning.
Like many sound profiles from sport-oriented earbuds, Vista 2 emphasize their bass. Thankfully, it remains controlled and doesn’t bleed into the midrange.
The latter is slightly recessed and relatively smooth, which makes it easy to listen to. There’s some elevation at 9kHz, which makes vocals more apparent.
The treble has sparkly characteristics and is reasonably detailed.
AirPods Pro are noticeably more balanced in comparison, with very little sub-bass. A hump in the lower midrange adds a smidge of warmth.
They’re overall very polite and play well with all genres of music. Vocals sound particularly good with Pros.
Both earbuds provide EQ presets and personalized EQ to spice their audio quality up.
However, only Vista 2 have a custom equalizer. With it, you can bring them very close to neutral. You can also choose from EQ presets made by the Jaybird community.
In summary, if you seek good bass and energetic sound signature, Jaybird Vista 2 are the way to go. They have overall superior sound.
In contrast, Apple AirPods Pro are a better pick if you care more about accuracy. They deliver good sound, but it can feel a bit lacking.
Should You Get Jaybird Vista 2 vs. Apple AirPods Pro?
Both wireless buds have a lot going for them. While they share similar features, there’s no denying that Apple AirPods Pro do them better.
They’re a clear champ regarding active noise canceling feature, transparency mode, call quality, and seamless integration for Apple users.
However, the latter is also their biggest disadvantage. User experience on Android OS is inferior, taking away features like Dolby Atmos, secure fit checker, and personal EQ.
Jaybird Vista 2 are much more flexible. Their mobile app works on both operating systems, so you don’t lose any features.
They’re also more robust with waterproof and shockproof housing and a water-resistant charging case. Let’s not forget better battery life as well.
In conclusion, both are excellent true wireless earbuds that are made for different purposes.
Apple AirPods Pro are for commuters who appreciate excellent ANC and make phone calls in noisy environments.
Jaybird Vista 2 are a much better workout companion, with excellent stability, better sound quality, and customizability inside the app.
More similar comparisons:
Bose Sport Earbuds vs. Apple AirPods Pro
Apple AirPods Pro vs. Jaybird Vista
From a childhood fascination with sound, Peter’s passion has evolved into a relentless pursuit of the finest headphones. He’s an audio expert with over 5 years of experience in testing both audiophile and consumer-grade headphones. Quote: “After many years, I can confidently tell which headphones are good and which are terrible.” Find his honest opinion in his reviews.
1 Comment
juice
Vista 2 audio quality is so much better, but they malfunction constantly. I cannot get through one workout without having to put them in the case to reset them. Jaybird sent me a second pair — same issue. Airpods Pro 2 are the opposite. They connect flawlessly and sound like crap. Both are perfect if you’re looking to not get pumped up for a workout.