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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-21 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
• AYI True Bone Conduction — biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing plus 32GB of built-in memory and an MP3 mode, so you can leave your phone on the pool deck and still listen underwater.
• AYI True Bone Conduction — biggest trade-off: Bone conduction sound trades bass depth for safety and openness, and the open-ear design means no noise cancelling at all.
• Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 — biggest strength: Dual-mode design (open-ear or ANC), Hi-Res/LDAC audio, 360° spatial audio, and a charging case that pushes total playtime to 34 hours.
• Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 — biggest trade-off: IP55 water resistance handles sweat and rain, not swimming, and the ANC mode drains the battery faster than open-ear mode.
• Pick AYI True Bone Conduction if your priority is water — swimming, showering, or training where your phone can't follow you.
• Pick Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 if your priority is all-day sound quality, calls and adaptability across work, travel and workouts.
The AYI True Bone Conduction is built around one idea: music that survives water. Its IPX8 rating means it's fully submersible, which is a genuinely different category from the "sweat-resistant" claims most sport earbuds make. If you swim laps, do open-water sessions, or just want something you can wear straight into the shower, this is the rare design that's actually rated for it.
The second thing that stands out is the 32GB of built-in memory and the MP3 player mode. You switch between Bluetooth 5.4 for wireless listening and MP3 mode for offline playback, and that built-in storage can hold thousands of songs. For swimmers this matters a lot — Bluetooth doesn't travel through water, so an offline mode is the only way to hear anything mid-stroke. A built-in screen shows battery, playback mode and volume, and the bone conduction driver (140 ohm, 20Hz–20,000Hz) pushes sound through your cheekbones, leaving your ears completely open. At roughly 0.07 pounds, it's designed to feel unburdened rather than clamped on. Battery is rated at up to 8 hours with fast charging.
Who should buy it: swimmers first and foremost, plus runners and cyclists who want full situational awareness, and anyone who wants to leave their phone behind at the gym or on the trail. Who should skip it: if you care about deep bass, immersive detail or silencing a noisy commute, this isn't the tool. Open-ear bone conduction is inherently about awareness over isolation, and there's no noise cancelling here to fall back on.
The AeroFit 2 Pro is the opposite philosophy: one pair that morphs to fit your day. In open-ear mode you get awareness for outdoor runs and office chatter; flip to semi-in-ear active noise cancelling and you get focus for the subway or a busy gym. That dual-mode flexibility is the whole pitch, and it's backed by real hardware — 11.8mm dynamic drivers, Hi-Res Audio, LDAC support and 360° spatial audio with dynamic head tracking.
Comfort is clearly a design priority. Soft liquid silicone and adjustable ear hooks are meant to make these disappear on your head, rated at 7 hours per charge in open-ear mode and 34 hours total with the charging case. There's a caveat worth knowing: switch to ANC and you're looking at 5 hours per charge (24 with the case), and with LDAC enabled that drops to 6 hours open-ear or 3 hours in ANC. A 10-minute quick charge adds up to 3.5 hours, which softens the blow. Four mics with AI clear-call processing handle phone calls, and button controls cover playback and mode switching. The case supports wireless charging and is shaped so the buds drop in at any of their five hook positions without resetting the angle first.
The fit note matters: Anker says these suit most people with an ear diameter over 16mm, and there's a 30-day money-back window if you're unsure. Water resistance is IP55 — fine for sweat, splashes and rain, not for swimming. So: buy these if you want premium sound, calls and adaptability across work and workouts. Skip them if swimming is your main sport, or if you know you need maximum passive isolation rather than semi-in-ear ANC.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming and showering → AYI True Bone Conduction. IPX8 is the deciding spec; the AeroFit 2's IP55 can't go in the pool.
• Best for phone calls and meetings → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. Four mics with AI call processing and button controls are built for it; the AYI is a music-first design.
• Best for listening without your phone → AYI True Bone Conduction. 32GB of storage and MP3 mode mean no Bluetooth and no device needed.
• Best for noise control → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. Selectable active noise cancelling versus none on the AYI.
• Best for long sessions → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 on total time (34 hours with the case), but AYI wins on single-charge simplicity at 8 hours with no case to carry.
• Best for situational awareness → both, in open-ear mode. The AYI is open by design at all times; the AeroFit 2 lets you choose.
• Best for travel and commuting → Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2. A compact charging case, wireless charging and ANC make it the more flexible daily companion.
In my opinion, the Anker Soundcore AeroFit 2 is the better buy for most people, because it does more jobs well: adaptive ANC, Hi-Res/LDAC audio, spatial sound, clear calls and 34 hours of total battery in one pair. But if water is your sport, that recommendation flips completely — the AYI True Bone Conduction is the only one of the two rated IPX8, and its 32GB offline mode solves the exact problem swimmers face when Bluetooth can't reach them. Buy for your primary use, not the spec sheet's length. Either way, check the current price on Amazon before deciding, since that's the one variable I can't speak to here.
Yes. The AYI carries an IPX8 rating, meaning it's fully submersible, while the AeroFit 2 is IP55 — sweat and splash resistant but not built for pool or open-water swimming.
No. The AeroFit 2 is a Bluetooth-only design with a 10-meter wireless range. The AYI adds 32GB of built-in memory and an MP3 mode, so it can play stored music with no device at all.
On paper, the AeroFit 2: 11.8mm dynamic drivers with Hi-Res Audio, LDAC and 360° spatial audio versus the AYI's 140-ohm bone conduction driver. Bone conduction prioritizes open-ear awareness over bass and detail.
The AYI is rated up to 8 hours per charge with fast charging. The AeroFit 2 gives 7 hours per charge (34 with the case) in open-ear mode, dropping to 5 hours (24 with the case) with ANC on.
The AeroFit 2 is designed around that with soft liquid silicone and adjustable hooks, and Anker notes it fits most people with an ear diameter over 16mm. The AYI is light at about 0.07 pounds and keeps your ears open, which many find comfortable for long sessions too.
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