Features:

  • Bone conduction audio transmission amazingly clear sound in the water without the Use of ear buds
  • Supports MP3 and wma audio formats compatible with iTunes; listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts and more
  • 4GB of storage stores approximately up to 1000 songs or 60 hours of playback. Mac OS Users: Please empty the Trash on your computer before connecting the Duo to the USB
  • Integrated Clip design secures the device to goggle straps to rest on the cheekbones for a comfortable and streamlined fit
  • Waterproof Ipx8 to 3 meters and 30 minutes sound is clearest when submerged in water.Please refer user manual attached below for instructions and troubleshooting steps.
L.O.V.E. this player. Stays put.

I purchased the DUO underwater MP3 player to make swimming laps less boring. This was my 2nd attempt at music during laps. I did a lot of research and read a lot of reviews and first hand experiences for an MP3/Bluetooth/earplug/earphone option. The Duo is by far the most enjoyable solution to my issues. (I didn't need Bluetooth options, just some good music to swim laps to, so I didn't go one to find that feature.) The charging and loading procedures are pretty straightforward. If you've done any music file movement on a computer, you will be able to master this pretty quick. (I have a Mac and had to export the music in MP3.) The buttons are easy to find and maneuver. There are dual purpose buttons, so a little practice will master those in no time. I don't have enough face to wear the DUO on the jawbone without the water seeping into my goggles from the temples, so I moved it back on the goggle strap behind my ear so that it plays on the bottom of my skull. It works well - probably not as great as on the jawbone, but it stays put and that was important to me. Best sound is when your head is fully underwater, with earplugs. This player stays put. Period. It doesn't fall out of your ears. The wire drag doesn't effect the fit. It does what you want it to do: plays music for a workout. It just does it without sticking in your ears. I purchased a refurbished pair. It came in like new condition with all the necessary parts. It was clean and acceptable. I haven't had any issues with it to complain about, so I consider it a win. You will too.

Works like a charm

Works like a charm! Noticed a slightly better audio quality below water, but even above water with the phones positioned slightly forward of the ears, sounded great. I read a few of the previous reviews discussing the importance to use a paperclip to keep the phones properly positioned in the charger unit, however, mine came with embedded magnets that really sealed the connection tight and no need for additional pressure. Perhaps this was an upgrade that took care of this problem, not sure. See the little silver magnet disk on the charger in the picture I posted. That is attracted to something inside the earphone unit and keeps the metal prongs and four metal earphone charging contacts nice and tight. Getting the goggle straps into the phone rigid plastic groove took a few minutes to get them properly positioned and not accidentally adjust the length of my goggle strap, but no biggie. Just means that it’s a tight fit which is good so it doesn’t move around the water I guess. Have had two swims with them so far. One for one hour and the other for about 45 minutes. Took the monotony out of it, love this product!

A good device with improved functionality

Some of the reviewers seem astonished to find imperfections in a tiny device that allows a swimmer to hear music under water. I'm an early adopter of this technology (first one back in 2005, I think) and I remain awed that it is possible at all. I deducted one star for the decision to remove the playlist feature and having to worry about exposed electrodes, but added it back because of the other improvements. Finis? If you're listening, please do a firmware upgrade that allows playlists, and consider changing the design to have a removable rubber cover that could keep the electrodes dry. Of course we know we're supposed to dry the device and clean the electrodes after use, but the task will get neglected. The new charging dock has positive and negative aspects. It's good that there is no longer a capped USB plug hanging off the cable, just waiting to get caught in your suit straps. I have more confidence that the electrodes are dry before I connect them to the charger. But a magnetic dock is never ideal with a laptop; most of us move the computer around, dislodging the connection and getting that snitty computer message about improper disconnection. I checked with the company and was assured that wall charging is fine. I have a multi-slot charger that delivers the correct voltage, amperage and so forth, so I've used it, thereby solving the problem of having the device fall off the dock. For the people who said the device does not hold a charge, I wonder if they followed the instructions to charge for 24 hours before first use? One of my tech-savvy friends gave me the full lecture on that, complete with finger shaking, so I'm careful to do it. The new button configuration is more intuitive and operation is simplified. The old layout was on a vertical plane, making it hard to remember whether "up" was louder/advance or softer/back up. And now you can back up to a previous song as opposed to just going back to the beginning of a song that's playing. Instead of clips for goggle straps we now have a more complicated track into which the strap must be coaxed. Good news: this device is not going anywhere. Bad news: attaching takes some fiddling. So don't wait until you're standing poolside, blind without your glasses, and watching the lanes fill up while you curse. I'm leaving the device connected to the goggles for recharging. At least my goggles are getting washed more often. As for the reviews saying that the computer does not recognize the device or that songs won't play, I suspect the song problem lies in the encoding, and device recognition may be a user problem. I used the first model of the SwimP3 that came with an instruction manual clearly stating that the device was not Mac compatible, but I was able to work around it. I used Disk Utility to reformat it, which allowed recognition. And I had to convert all my songs to a more basic file type. So I have gotten used to a different music management system: instead of using iTunes, I keep a folder of songs that are properly encoded and use them when I want to change the music selection, although frankly the device holds so much music that I doubt I'll be making changes. Another word to the wise: the old devices did not recognize the removal of a song. You had to erase the device and then reload. I haven't had to do that yet, so I'm not sure, but if you get a message that the device is full, you may have to reformat. The Finis customer service people have been helpful to me-- I still feel guilty about getting a replacement unit because I insisted there was something wrong with my player and only later figured out it was my fault. Sometimes it feels like the sporting goods industry only recognizes cyclists and runners. Good job, Finis, and thanks for paying attention to those of us who swim for exercise.

Make my swim workouts fly by!

I really, really love these headphones. I had been swimming with the Finis Neptune model for over 4 years when they finally gave out. I wanted another pair of the Neptunes since that was what I was familiar with, but the price has skyrocketed after they were discontinued. I was skeptical about the Duo because the rating wasn't as good, but turns out, I actually like it better! I feel like the sound quality from my Duo is better than my old Neptune. But there are 2 big differences between the pairs that I had to get used to: 1) The Neptune headphones clipped to your goggle straps, but the Duo headphones don't have clips. They simply have a "groove" that your goggle straps can snap in and out of. I swim with a pair of Swim Elite goggles and the strap is extremely chunky. My first couple times of using the Duo I had a TERRIBLE time getting my goggle straps in and out of the grooves! I was afraid I was going to break my goggles. Then I realized, why am I taking them apart every time I swim? I now leave the player attached to my googles all the time and just rinse with fresh water after swimming to prevent chlorine buildup between the parts. 2) The Neptune had 2 headphones plus a display screen. The Duo has done away with the display screen. It's really not that big of a deal. Since the screen was on the back of your head, it was kind of pointless while you were swimming anyway. The only thing I liked having it for, was sometimes, I would choose to only play a certain artist instead of my entire playlist. That option is now gone. But, the pay off is less bulk on your head while you're swimming! All in all, these headphones are fantastic and really make my time in the pool so much more enjoyable!

Works as advertised

I've been using the Finis Duo for about 2 weeks now. Sound quality is as good as you can expect while underwater. I'm not an audiophile, but I'm very happy with sound quality. I use the duo while swimming stationary with a tether or against a current in a resistance pool. I find it easy to use and very comfortable. Charging with the magnetized charging cradle seems like it may have solved the charging issues reported in earlier versions, but I haven't had mine long enough to tell. Loading music has been easy. Just plug into your computer and drag your music onto the device. I tend to move my music around a bit depending on whether I want to listen to podcasts or music and I've had zero issues so far. My only suggested upgrade would be for audio cues to let you know what play mode you are in and the ability to play file types other than just mp3

Great swimming product - my tunes motivate me and I swim faster!

Another swimmer at the pool I swim at had recommended this music player. I have not been disappointed. After trying several other types, this bone conduction type is the way to go. One thing, purchase a good set of swimming ear plugs. Noise from the water will make it difficult to 'hear' the music through these headphones. They sound best underwater because the water helps conduct the sound to your bones. For ear plugs, I recommend the "WINOMO Ear Plugs 50 Pairs Corded Soft Silicone Reusable for Sleeping Hearing Protection Swimming" ASIN: B072LCHV2S. They are corded so you can tie them to your googles and prevent them from getting lost. Also, the soft silicone really seals out the water and ambient sound making the headphones much easier to hear. Mind you, it's not concert hall quality, but for a swimming workout, the sound is good

What they don't tell you...

I've used every SwiMP3 model Finis has come out with since the beginning. It's addicting in the sense that once you get introduced to this style of patent pended bone conduction audio, it's hard to imagine going back. And, with previous models, there have been many shortcomings as it relates to product durability and the infamous ability to connect your device to the computer much less a USB charging hub... Here is what they don't tell you because they probably don't even know- the contacts on the unit are prone to mineral build up- to the point of no longer being able to connect or charge the unit. I've had conversations with their tech support department and they have sent me replacement chargers and even issued a RMA for a replacement. NO NEED- if you are having connection issues- here is the ultimate tip I can share... Go to a hardware store and buy some CLR- the calcium, lime rust stuff you use for other things. Fill it in short glass just high enough to submerge the side with the contacts (only about 1/2 inch or so deep). Soak your unit for 4-6 hours and then rinse- the contacts are as good as new!!! I stumbled across this solution when I was using CLR to clean the spray nozzle of the kitchen that had a lot of build up- who knew. No more need for a RMA, and the unit connects to the dock (magnet or no magnet) every time (make sure it's dry of course). As for their rubbing alcohol method with a qtip- tried it- does not work. But think about it- you wouldn't use alcohol to remove your mineral build up on anything else, so why use it on your unit you are swimming with?! Other tips- loop just one of the 2 straps to the unit of your goggles that have double straps. That way- he unit is secure enough to be stable through flip turns but does not mess with your goggles leaking depending on how they are positioned on your head. In past versions and even in this one, my goggles are prone to leaking if I put both straps over the unit. I have done the infamous Big Shoulders 5k open water swim and the monster swims (100x 100s on set interval) with this unit and never had an issue following the tips I shared above. I swim masters and hit about 4-6 practices a week depending on if I'm doing doubles for part of the season.

the only swim mp3 that works

I have owned every generation of finis players and many other brands, being a lifetime swimmer - 60+ years in water. This model works and works great. I wear them behind my ears under a bathing cap to get the best sound. As they don't go in the ear, you can still hear what people say to you and they are not going to stop working just because water gets in - they work when they and you are wet. Easy to upload, charge and you can easily adjust volume and skip tracks while swimming. Sound quality is not like a dry-land mp3 but it is decent with good strong volume. Mainly you can even swim hard, flip turns - no problem. The one swim mp3 that really works and gives you the freedom to do what you want in water.

Much better than the Finis Neptune

I used to have the Finis Neptune V1 until the wire, over time, got bent and got exposed. I bought this liking the fact it doesn't have the unnecessary LCD display. It definitely works as advertised and seems to be louder than my older ones. I'm definitely putting Sugru on the wires to prevent it from getting damaged. I used to wear the Neptune over my ear (I wear a swim cap that covers my ears) because I didn't like how the sound would get quieter when I turned my head to breathe. With these, I did the same thing, but it was too loud so I moved it slightly away from my ears towards my temples and the combination of bone conduction and normal headphone sound made it perfect and the sound volume was consistent in and out of the water. My only complaint is that since it doesn't have clips, it doesn't seem practical to take them off the goggles, which I liked about my other ones. Over time, I could see my goggle straps getting damaged and it is a hassle if you have thicker straps. This was the case on one of my goggles where it also caused water to get into the goggles and into my eyes because of how it was positioned. This was fixed easily by just switching to a thinner strap goggle. All in all, I would recommend this to any swimmer who thinks swimming can get boring. I literally cannot swim without these headphones. And I personally don't think waterproof ear buds are comfortable for swimming.

Swimming 2.0

Wow! I cry when these aren't fully charged and I'm in the pool. Went from a mile of trudging thru the water to a mile and a half of pure bliss. I feel really sorry for all of the other swimmers around me without these. They take 6 to 10 swim to get just right. I have really huge barracuda googles with extra wide rubber head strap that sort of interferes witht the attaching mechanism these phones use. But with that said people who have "Normal" goggle straps have no problem. So the trick is to push them forwards and back to find the sweet spot between leaking goggles and sound. Again my goggles are huge! So their seating is somewhat critical, but the joy of swimming with great sound out weighs any inconvenience. You won't be disappointed!

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