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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-01 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
• Pmjebe's biggest strength: a genuinely submersible design — IP68/IPX8 waterproofing rated for submersion up to 5 meters for up to 24 hours, plus a built-in 8GB MP3 player so you don't need a phone poolside.
• Pmjebe's biggest trade-off: no noise cancelling at all (the spec sheet lists noise control as "None"), and open-ear sound means you hear the world around you whether you want to or not.
• RICHJOY's biggest strength: active noise cancelling rated to reduce noise by up to 42dB with a 4-mic system, plus a transparency mode when you'd rather hear what's going on.
• RICHJOY's biggest trade-off: IPX4 water resistance only — that's splash and sweat protection, not swimming protection.
• Choose Pmjebe if you swim laps, run or ride and want your ears open and your audio phone-free.
• Choose RICHJOY if you want sealed-in sound, clear calls and noise cancellation for commuting, work and indoor training.
This is a niche product done properly. Pmjebe uses bone conduction drivers rather than speakers aimed into your ear canal, which means your ear stays completely open. The practical upshot: you hear traffic, voices and your surroundings while music plays. For road running, cycling and open-water swimming, that awareness is a safety feature, not a compromise.
The headline spec is the waterproofing. Pmjebe rates this headset IP68 and IPX8, and states it can be submerged in water up to 5 meters deep for up to 24 hours. That is the single most important line on the sheet, because it's the difference between "sweat-resistant" and "swim with it." Pair that with the built-in 8GB MP3 player — space for up to 3000 songs in M4A, MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC and FLAC — and you get the real appeal here: no phone, no Bluetooth dropouts, no bag on the pool deck. Load your music once, press play, swim.
The rest of the package is built for training. 10 hours of battery life covers a lot of laps. The frame is soft silicone and described as ultra-light, with an ergonomic shape meant to stay put through gym sessions and cycling. There's a 16mm driver and neodymium magnet unit behind the sound. When you do want Bluetooth, it's version 5.4 with a stated range of 33 feet, and controls are physical push buttons — which, in my opinion, is the right call for a wet product, since touch controls and water rarely get along.
RICHJOY Earbuds: Who It's For
RICHJOY goes the opposite direction: seal the ear, then erase the outside world. The 4-mic active noise cancelling system is rated to cut noise by up to 42dB, which is the kind of figure you associate with a commute, a shared office or a flight. A separate 2-mic ENC setup handles calls, isolating your voice and filtering background noise — useful when you're taking a call on a windy street.
Sound comes from 13mm dynamic drivers with a 20Hz–20,000Hz frequency range and 32 ohm impedance, tuned for a balanced profile with deep bass and clear vocals. There's also a Transparency Mode, so you can flip from full ANC to hearing announcements or traffic without pulling the buds out. That toggle is genuinely the most practical feature on the sheet.
Battery is handled in two layers: about 6 hours per charge from the 35mAh buds, and up to 35 hours total with the 300mAh case. The case charges over USB-C in roughly 1.5 hours, and it's made from a single block of zinc alloy with a gunmetal finish — a nicer material story than the usual plastic shells, and a detail that makes this pair read as gift-worthy rather than purely utilitarian.
Comfort is addressed with 3.8g buds and three sizes of silicone ear tips, and Bluetooth 6.0 handles the connection with low latency for video and gaming. The catch is the water rating: IPX4. That covers sweat and light splashes — which is exactly why the "waterproof headphones for the gym" crowd will be fine — but it does not mean you can swim in them. Treat IPX4 as "survives a workout," not "goes in the pool."
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming → Pmjebe Bone Conduction Swimming. IP68/IPX8 with submersion rated to 5 meters for up to 24 hours is in a different category from IPX4.
• Best for phone-free listening → Pmjebe. The 8GB internal player holds up to 3000 songs, so the pool, trail or gym doesn't need your phone at all.
• Best for calls → RICHJOY. Dedicated 2-mic ENC for voice isolation is something Pmjebe simply doesn't list.
• Best for battery endurance → RICHJOY on paper. Up to 35 hours total with the case versus 10 hours on a single Pmjebe charge — though Pmjebe's 10 hours is one continuous session without a case.
• Best for situational awareness → Pmjebe. Open-ear bone conduction keeps traffic and conversation audible; RICHJOY requires you to engage Transparency Mode.
• Best for commuting and office use → RICHJOY. ANC plus a zinc alloy charging case makes it the more polished everyday carry.
• Best for wet, high-sweat training → Pmjebe. Silicone frame, push-button controls, and a rating that assumes water rather than tolerating it.
If I'm buying for myself and my priority is swimming, I'd take the Pmjebe Bone Conduction Swimming. The IP68/IPX8 rating and the 8GB MP3 player are a combination you rarely find together, and they solve the actual problem: music in the water without a phone. If swimming isn't on your list and you want one pair for commuting, calls and the gym, I'd take the RICHJOY Earbuds — the ANC, the ENC call handling and the 35-hour total battery make it the stronger all-rounder. Neither is "better." They're aimed at different buyers, and the spec sheets make that plain.
can i wear waterproof headphones in the shower
Yes, and the Pmjebe pair is the one to do it with. It carries an IP68/IPX8 rating with submersion listed up to 5 meters for up to 24 hours, which comfortably covers shower use. The RICHJOY buds are IPX4, so they handle sweat and splashes but aren't designed for direct water exposure like that.
are headphones waterproof
Not automatically — "waterproof" and "water-resistant" are different claims, and the IP rating tells you which you're getting. Pmjebe states IP68 and IPX8, meaning it's rated for submersion. RICHJOY states IPX4, which covers sweat and light splashes only. Always match the rating to how wet the product will actually get.
No, and neither product offers it for that scenario. Pmjebe lists noise control as "None" and relies on open-ear bone conduction, which is intentional — you want to hear your surroundings in a pool or on a road. RICHJOY's 42dB ANC is built for commuting and offices, and its IPX4 rating keeps it out of the water anyway.
It depends on the job, not the spec count. Pmjebe gives you waterproofing plus an 8GB MP3 player, so you're paying for a swim-capable, phone-free setup. RICHJOY gives you ANC, ENC calls, a transparency mode and up to 35 hours of total battery. Since neither sheet lists a price, check the current price on Amazon and weigh it against the one feature you actually need.
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