Jaybird specializes in sports-focused earbuds. Its Jaybird Run ($180) are one of my favorite truly wireless earbuds for running. Then there’sthe X4 ($130) and Tarah ($100), both of which are wireless neckbuds for those who want a cheaper alternative. Now, the company has added a fourth headphone to its lineup – the Tarah Pro ($160) – which are an elevated version of the Tarah headphones. And they are aimed for more serious athletes and long distance runners.
Even though the Tarah Pro headphones look very similar to the original Tarah headphones, there are a couple key differences to justify the $60 price bump. First, battery life. The Tarah Pro has a huge 14-hour battery life, which puts the 8-hour battery life of Jaybird’s cheaper options to shame. It supports fast charging, too, so a five-minute charge will give you two hours of play time.
Second, style and design. The Tarah Pro have a woven fabric neckband, instead of the cheaper plastic, and they have larger drivers that magnetically stick together, which is convenient when you just want them to hang around your neck. To preserve battery life, the Tarah Pro automatically pause your music when the earbuds are magnetically snapped together, and then they’ll restart again once pulled apart. If you forget to turn the headphones off and no music playing, they’ll automatically turn off after five minutes.
Third, there’s fit. The Tarah Pro features a design that Jaybird is calling “switch fit,” meaning the headphones can be worn as traditional neck buds, with the cord resting below your ears, or you can convert them into over-ear headphones, with the cord wrapped over and around the top of your ears. The latter method is supposed to give runners and athletes a tighter, more secure fit. It’s also good for preventing the cord from resting down the back of your neck.
Finally, the Jaybird app has always allowed runners to adjust the EQ settings of the audio, but the Tarah Pro unlocks something unique. Tarah Pro wears can create a way more personal listening experience, as the app can give them a personal hearing test, which takes a few minutes, and then it’ll create a personal EQ setting that adjusts the audio to your hearinng. I’ve seen some other headphones do this, like the Audeara A-01, and it actually makes a big difference.
As you’d expect, the Tarah Pro is water and sweat resistant (IPX7). It’s available in three different colorways: black/yellow, blue/green and grey/blue. You can purchase the headphones now on Jaybird’s website.
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