The introduction of the new model comes two years after its initial launch on Indiegogo, complete with general improvements. The obvious advantage of the Relays Sport Wireless model is, as the name implies, that it is wireless, which is key for a headphone that is targeted at physically active users.
“Exercise and sports require much more from a headphone than listening at work does. We found every headphone out there had one or more shortfalls and customer complaints along with it,” Sol Republic co-founder Kevin Lee said in a statement. “We believe music is emotion and that if it sounds better, it feels better. That’s incredibly important for workouts. A great sounding pair of headphones can deliver the emotional energy from your music to help you work out harder or let the time pass faster.”
At the core of the entire Relays series is Sol Republic’s FreeFlex, which the company says secures the ear buds in the listener’s ear without the need for in-ear or over-ear hooks. A spongy, reflexive ring sits around the exterior, expanding in your ear to keep the Relays Sport in place, no matter how vigorously the user may be moving.
Many wireless in-ears will place the electronics and battery in one or both ear buds, especially lately. Sol Republic has taken a different approach, moving both the battery and other electronic components into water-resistant “pods” that fit around the listener’s neck.
“We moved the electronics out of your sweaty ear for better reliability, resulting in more room for a larger battery and better electronics that improved sound and Bluetooth connectivity. We even included a quick-charge circuit so if you forgot to charge your headphone, you can recharge it on your way to the gym for 10 minutes and get up to an hour of playtime,” Lee said.
The company’s approach seems to have pair off in terms of battery life. The Relays Sport Wireless offer a claimed playback time of up to eight hours. Sol Republic hasn’t provided an estimate of how long it takes to charge from completely drained to full, but it shouldn’t take long based on the company’s quick charge estimate.
The Relays Sport Wireless come in Black, Mint, and Yellow color varieties, and sell for $80. They are available now from Best Buy, Amazon, InMotion, and the Sol Republic website.
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