How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a light, low-hassle pair of true wireless in-ears for gym sessions and sweaty runs, choose Sony WI-SP500; if you need headphones that survive full submersion in a pool and can play music without your phone, choose RR SPORTS IP68.
• Sony WI-SP500 biggest strength: an open-type driver design that deliberately lets ambient sound in, so you stay aware of traffic, gym noise and the people around you while you train.
• Sony WI-SP500 biggest trade-off: the IPX4 rating covers splashes and sweat only — it is not built for swimming or submersion, and battery life tops out around 8 hours.
• RR SPORTS IP68 biggest strength: a genuinely waterproof IP68 build rated for submersion up to 2 meters, plus 32GB of built-in storage so you can swim with music and no phone anywhere near the water.
• RR SPORTS IP68 biggest trade-off: it is bone conduction with no headphone jack at all, Bluetooth does not work underwater, and you have to switch to MP3 mode for swimming, which adds a step to every session.
• Who each is for: pick the Sony if you want simple Bluetooth in-ears for land workouts; pick the RR SPORTS if the pool, the shower or heavy rain is part of your routine.
The WI-SP500 is a classic sport in-ear built around one clear idea: stay connected, stay aware. Its open-type drivers are tuned to let outside sound leak in rather than seal you off, which is exactly what you want if you run on roads, cycle near traffic, or train in a busy gym where you still need to hear what's happening around you. Sony pairs that with Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC, so getting connected is quick and the wireless range reaches about 10 meters — enough to leave your phone in a bag or on a bench and move around freely.
Physically it is a lightweight plastic in-ear with a rounded tip shape and a secure-fitting design, and it ships with a Micro-USB cable, small and medium ear tips, and a carrying holder. The IPX4 rating means sweat and splashes are fine; a hard rainstorm or a swim is not. Battery life is listed at up to 8 hours of playback, with an 8-hour charge time, so it comfortably covers a week of short sessions if you top it up between uses. Touch controls handle media playback, and there is no active noise cancellation — which, given the open design, is consistent with the whole concept.
Who should skip it: swimmers, anyone who trains in heavy rain or sweat-soaked conditions for hours, and anyone who wants a sealed, bass-heavy in-ear fit. If you need music in the water, this is simply the wrong category of product.
RR SPORTS IP68: Who It's For
The RR SPORTS IP68 is a very different animal. It is a bone conduction, open-ear headphone built from soft silicone, which means nothing is jammed into your ear canal — the driver sits outside and transmits sound through bone while your ears stay completely open. That open-ear approach is the reason it works with swim caps and goggles, and it is also why it is safer than in-ears or over-ears for running and cycling: you hear everything around you, including cars.
The headline feature is the IP68 waterproofing. It is rated to withstand submersion in up to 2 meters of water, and the sealed construction plus a nano-hydrophobic coating is designed to keep sweat, rain and pool water out of the internals. That opens up use cases the Sony can't touch: lap swimming, surfing, showers, torrential-rain rides. The one catch is spelled out plainly — you must use MP3 mode when swimming, because Bluetooth does not transmit through water. That is normal physics, not a defect, but it does mean you plan your swim playlist in advance.
And that is where the 32GB of built-in memory earns its place. You can store roughly 7,000 songs across MP3, WMA, WAV and FLAC, transfer them from a computer with the included magnetic charging cable, and swim with zero devices nearby. For dry-land use, Bluetooth 6.0 (the spec sheet also lists Bluetooth 5.4 in the style field) gives strong interference resistance and a stable connection up to about 10 meters, with up to 7 hours of battery life and a 2-hour charge time. It works with iOS, Android and other devices.
Who should buy it: swimmers first and foremost, plus anyone who trains outdoors in weather that would kill ordinary earbuds. It is also a strong pick if you dislike things in your ears or want to protect your hearing over long sessions.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for swimming → RR SPORTS IP68. IP68 with 2-meter submersion and MP3 mode is the only one of the two that works in water.
• Best for battery life → Sony WI-SP500. Up to 8 hours versus up to 7 hours, and the Sony charges in the same window it plays.
• Best for heavy sweat and rain → RR SPORTS IP68. IP68 plus a nano-hydrophobic coating beats IPX4 splash-and-sweat protection.
• Best for phone-free workouts → RR SPORTS IP68. 32GB of internal storage for roughly 7,000 songs, no phone required.
• Best for simple everyday Bluetooth → Sony WI-SP500. Bluetooth 4.2 with NFC pairing is about as frictionless as it gets.
• Best for road running awareness → a tie, for different reasons. The Sony's open-type drivers let ambient sound in; the RR SPORTS' bone conduction keeps your ears fully open.
• Best for ear comfort over long sessions → RR SPORTS IP68. Soft silicone and an open-ear fit avoid the pressure of in-ear tips.
• Best for people who hate managing files → Sony WI-SP500. No MP3 transfers, no mode switching — just pair and play.
If I were buying for myself and my training happened mostly on land — gym, road, trail, treadmill — I would take the Sony WI-SP500. It is the simpler product: pair it, wear it, charge it, done, with 8 hours of playback and an open design that keeps me aware of my surroundings. But if any meaningful part of my routine involves water, I would buy the RR SPORTS IP68 without hesitating, because the Sony simply cannot follow me into a pool. In my opinion the deciding question is not sound or specs — it is whether you get wet. Check the current price on Amazon for whichever one matches your routine, and let that be the tiebreaker.
FAQ
how to use sports headphones
how to wear running headphones
For the Sony WI-SP500, fit the small or medium ear tips so the in-ear sits securely but not painfully, and rely on the secure-fitting lightweight design to keep it in place. For the RR SPORTS IP68, hook the open-ear silicone frame over your ears so the bone conduction driver rests against the bone in front of your ear — nothing goes inside the canal, and it stays put during intense activity.
how to charge impact sport headphones
Charging differs between these two. The Sony WI-SP500 charges over Micro-USB and is listed at an 8-hour charge time for up to 8 hours of playback. The RR SPORTS IP68 uses a magnetic charging cable and charges in about 2 hours for up to 7 hours of playback. That same magnetic cable on the RR SPORTS is also how you transfer audio files from a computer.
No. Its IPX4 rating covers splashes and sweat, not submersion, so pool laps would risk damaging it. If swimming is part of your training, the RR SPORTS IP68 is the one rated for it, with IP68 protection for submersion in up to 2 meters of water in MP3 mode.
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: Maxell True vs XIAOMI Redmi Buds 8, Logitech PRO X 2 vs Cooler Master CH351, VIKROM Reusable White Ear vs PATNRAB Ear Plugs Noise, Rulefiss Earbuds vs AIAUXAI Open Ear USB