We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-04 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want headphones you can actually swim and submerge with, choose H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport; if you need a wired USB-C headset with a microphone for calls and everyday workouts, choose MEE audio M6.
• H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport — biggest strength: IPX8 waterproofing rated for full submersion up to 12 ft (3 m), with five sets of sealing earplugs (XS–XL) and three sets of tree tips for a watertight fit.
• H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport — biggest trade-off: It's a wired 3.5 mm headphone with no microphone and no inline remote, so it's built for listening while you move, not for taking calls.
• MEE audio M6 — biggest strength: Adjustable memory-wire earhooks that lock the earpieces over your ears — a secure fit that resists falling out during running and gym work — plus an inline mic and 3-button remote.
• MEE audio M6 — biggest trade-off: IPX5 only resists sweat and splashes; it is not designed for swimming or submersion.
• For swimmers and watersports → H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport. For calls, USB-C devices and dry-land training → MEE audio M6.
The Surge is the specialist here. Its whole identity is water. The IPX8 rating means it's built to handle heavy perspiration, rain, and complete submersion, and H2O Audio rates it for depths up to 12 feet (3 m). That's a different category of protection from "sweat-resistant" — it's the difference between a headphone that survives a downpour and one you can wear through a lap set.
The fit is engineered around that job. You get five sets of earplugs from XS to XL plus three sets of tree tips, and the point of all those options is a watertight seal — without a proper seal, water gets in and the sound collapses. The speaker sits flush with the ear for alignment, and the dynamic drivers cover a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range with a bass-forward tuning H2O Audio describes as warm with amplified low end. Sound isolation is part of the design, which matters both underwater and in a noisy pool.
This is for the swimmer, the surfer, the paddle boarder, the runner who trains in any weather. It's wired with a 3.5 mm jack and a 3.6 ft cord, so you'll pair it with a device that still has a headphone jack or an adapter, and there's a one-year limited warranty behind it. Skip it if you need to take calls mid-run — there's no mic and no remote — or if all your devices are USB-C only and you don't want to deal with adapters. If you're a dry-land gym user who never gets near open water, you're paying for waterproofing you won't use.
The M6 is the all-rounder for people who train hard but stay dry. Its defining feature is the memory wire: a section of cable that bends around your ear and holds whatever shape you set, so the earpieces stay put no matter how much you move. Combine that with six sets of eartips and a cable cinch plus shirt clip, and you get a fit you can dial in properly rather than hope for.
It's also a genuine headset. The inline microphone and 3-button remote let you take calls, control playback, and adjust volume without pulling your phone out — something the Surge simply doesn't offer. The connector is USB-C, and MEE audio lists compatibility with iPhone 17 / 17 Pro / 16 / 16 Pro / 15 / 15 Pro, iPads, smartphones, tablets, MacBooks, laptops, and other USB-C audio devices. If you've already moved to a phone with no headphone jack, that's a real convenience.
Durability is IPX5: sweat- and water-resistant, enough to shrug off perspiration and the elements during outdoor sessions, but not built for the pool. The dynamic drivers are tuned for energetic sound with strong bass, vivid mids, and clear highs, with a 16-ohm impedance that's easy for phones and laptops to drive. It's also light at 2.08 ounces and backed by a one-year manufacturer's warranty. Buy it if you run, lift, or commute and want one wired headset that does music and calls. Skip it if you swim — IPX5 won't survive submersion.
• Best for swimming and submersion → H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport (IPX8, rated to 12 ft / 3 m).
• Best for sweat and rain only → MEE audio M6 (IPX5 handles perspiration and the elements, not the pool).
• Best for taking calls → MEE audio M6 (inline mic and 3-button remote; the Surge has neither).
• Best for the most secure over-ear fit → MEE audio M6 (adjustable memory wire plus six eartip sets).
• Best for a watertight in-ear seal → H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport (five earplug sizes XS–XL plus three tree-tip sets).
• Best for USB-C devices → MEE audio M6 (USB-C connector, no adapter needed).
• Best for older players and 3.5 mm gear → H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport (standard 3.5 mm jack).
• Best for cable control in the gym → MEE audio M6 (shirt clip and cable cinch included).
In my opinion, these two barely compete — they solve different problems. If water is the point, the H2O Audio Surge Waterproof Sport is the one I'd buy: IPX8 submersion protection and a five-size sealing system are things the M6 cannot match, and no amount of good fit changes that. If your workouts are dry and you want one wired headset for music and calls on a USB-C phone, I'd take the MEE audio M6 — the memory wire, mic, and remote make it the more useful everyday tool. Decide which of those two lives you actually live, and the choice makes itself.
Yes. The Surge carries an IPX8 rating with submersion to 12 ft (3 m), while the M6 is IPX5 — sweat- and splash-resistant only. For lap swimming, the Surge is the appropriate pick.
Does the MEE audio M6 have a microphone?
The M6 leans on adjustable memory-wire earhooks and six eartip sets for a locked over-ear fit. The Surge focuses on a watertight in-ear seal with five earplug sizes. Both offer serious fit customization; the M6's hook design is the more movement-oriented approach.
It depends on your port. The M6 uses USB-C and is listed as compatible with recent iPhone models, iPads, Android devices, MacBooks, and laptops with USB-C audio. The Surge uses a standard 3.5 mm jack, so it suits older players or devices with a headphone port. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit to either.
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