How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-29 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones — biggest strength: a genuinely waterproof, IPX8-rated design that can handle total submersion and is built around swimming, with goggle loops and bone-conduction audio that keeps your ears open to your surroundings.
• H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's a single-purpose tool. It's tuned for water and works with an Apple Watch as the source, so it's not the pick for a couch-and-TV setup.
• Skyaudio Headphones — biggest strength: an over-ear wireless design with a USB transmitter for plug-and-play TV audio, positioned for clear dialogue and loud, comfortable late-night listening.
• Skyaudio Headphones — biggest trade-off: it's not waterproof and not built for sports. It's a home-listening product, not something you'd take in a pool.
• Who H2O Audio Interval is for: swimmers, triathletes and water-sports people who want audio while training and own an Apple Watch.
• Who Skyaudio is for: TV watchers, night owls and anyone who wants private, louder, clearer audio from their television — the description specifically calls out seniors.
The Interval is one of the few headphones I'd describe as genuinely purpose-built rather than adapted. It's IPX8 certified, which means it's rated to handle being fully submerged — the description puts that at up to about 12 feet (3 meters) of water. That's a different category from "sweat-resistant" or "splash-proof." If you're swimming laps, surfing, or doing any water sport, that rating is the whole point.
The design choices back that up. It's an open-ear, bone-conduction headphone, so it doesn't seal inside your ear canal — instead it sends sound through bone, leaving your ears open. For swimming that matters, because you keep some awareness of your surroundings and you're not fighting a wet seal. The earpieces are shaped to sit flush against the ear, which the brand says improves alignment, fit and reduces drag in the water. There are also integrated goggle loops, so the case clips directly onto your swim goggles and comes off just as easily. Five sizes of elastomer earplugs (XS through XL) are included to help dial in the fit.
Who should buy it: anyone who trains in water and uses an Apple Watch. Lap swimmers, open-water swimmers, triathletes, surfers. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a do-everything headphone for commuting, the gym and the couch. This is a specialist, and it's priced and built like one.
Skyaudio Headphones: Who It's For
The Skyaudio is the opposite kind of product: a home-first wireless over-ear headphone made for watching TV. The headline idea is private listening — you watch late-night movies or shows at whatever volume you like without waking the rest of the house. The brand leans hard into that use case, describing rich, balanced audio with crystal-clear vocals, tuned for dialogue-heavy shows as well as action films.
The connection method is the part that matters most. It ships with a USB transmitter and is designed as plug-and-play with no audio delay, so lip-sync stays tight — which is exactly what you need with TV. Wireless range is listed at 35 feet, which comfortably covers most living rooms and lets you walk to the kitchen without dropping the signal. The headphones themselves are over-ear with ABS and faux-leather construction in black, and the specs list 32 ohm impedance and 105 dB sensitivity. That combination — high sensitivity, moderate impedance — is a sign they'll play loud and be easy to drive, which lines up with the "louder and clearer" positioning.
Controls are physical buttons rather than touch, and there's no active noise cancellation listed. For a TV headphone that's usually fine: you're in a quiet room, and passive over-ear cups plus a private audio feed do most of the work. The brand's description also specifically frames these for seniors, which makes sense given the emphasis on volume, clarity and simple plug-and-play setup rather than app pairing or EQ tweaking.
Who should buy it: people who watch TV late, couples where one person stays up, anyone with mild hearing difficulty who wants clearer dialogue, and households where a simple wired-transmitter setup beats fiddling with Bluetooth menus. Who should skip it: swimmers, runners and gym users. There's no waterproofing here, and it isn't a sports product.
• Best for swimming and water sports → H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones. IPX8 submersion rating is the deciding spec, and the Skyaudio has none.
• Best for watching TV at night → Skyaudio Headphones. The USB transmitter, no-delay sync and over-ear design are all built around that.
• Best for Apple Watch users → H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones. It's explicitly designed to pair with and mount to an Apple Watch.
• Best for hearing dialogue clearly → Skyaudio Headphones. High sensitivity and a dialogue-focused acoustic tune, plus the brand's senior-oriented positioning.
• Best for wearing in and around water → H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones. Goggle loops, flush ear fit and five earplug sizes make it stay put while you move.
• Best for a simple, cable-free-at-the-couch setup → Skyaudio Headphones. Plug in the transmitter, put on the headphones, done.
• Best for open-ear awareness of your surroundings → H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones. Bone conduction leaves your ears unblocked.
• Best for a long session on one charge → H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones. Its listed battery life (6–7 hours) is the only battery figure given; the Skyaudio sheet lists none.
In my opinion, these two aren't really competing — they solve different problems, and the right answer comes down to where you'll wear them. If you swim and own an Apple Watch, I'd buy the H2O Audio Interval Swim Headphones. The IPX8 rating, goggle loops and bone-conduction design are exactly what a pool or open-water session needs, and few headphones are engineered for that at all. If your listening happens on the couch after dark, I'd buy the Skyaudio Headphones instead — the USB transmitter and no-delay audio are the features that make TV watching actually work. Don't buy the Interval for TV, and don't buy the Skyaudio for the pool.
Yes — they're rated IPX8, which covers full submersion, and the description puts that at up to roughly 12 feet (3 meters). That's a genuine swimming rating, not just splash resistance.
They connect through the included USB transmitter for plug-and-play use with no audio delay, and wireless range is listed at 35 feet. If your TV has a USB audio path available, that's the intended setup.
The design is centered on pairing with an Apple Watch, and the Interval is meant to be mounted on the watch and clipped to your goggles. It's Bluetooth 5, but the intended music source is the watch rather than direct iPhone use.
That depends entirely on your use case, not on a spec sheet — a swimming headphone and a TV headphone aren't interchangeable, so "value" only makes sense against what you'll actually do with them. Check the current price on Amazon for each and compare against how often you'd realistically use it.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: ACAGET USB C Headphone vs Generic Neckband Headphones, MINDBEAST Bass Amazing Sound vs Joysico Over Ear Earbuds, Awgvener PS5 vs HEGMUXCO Computer Speakers, MARLALL Soft Liquid Silicone vs Yistao Bone Conduction Headphones