Last Updated: February 6, 2020 (Refresh Now)
FINIS Duo Underwater Bone Conduction MP3 Player
Last Updated: February 6, 2020 (Refresh Now)
6.2
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
999
Old Reviews
588
Unverified
154
Spam Test
PASS
4096 GB
MEMORY
Yes
USB
118.11 meters
SIZE
Review Analysis - 257 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Water Resistance
85swim, pool, underwater, water, laps
+81%
-19%
" ... Feels like you can swim for ever. ... "
" ... Makes swimming much less boring. ... "
" ... The volume is excellent under water and I can also get pretty decent volume when my heads out of water resting between sets. ... "
" ... Love having music when I swim. ... "
" ... I was a bit skeptical that the sound would actually come through while swimming, but it's awesome. ... "
" ... I also listen when I am out of the pool and that works, too. ... "
" ... Great for swimming laps! ... "
" ... The most affordable way for me to swim laps and listen to music while doing it. ... My review is 4-8 months after using the device, swimming at least 4 days a week. ... "
Sound Quality
70swim, swimming, songs, finis, underwater
+81%
-19%
" ... For that purpose, the FINIS worked well to permit me to hear my podcasts without blocking out ambient sounds. ... "
" ... With the Finis Duo all I hear is the music I love in perfect clarity. ... "
" ... The sound on these is great, consistent and clear. ... "
" ... I'm not an audiophile, but I'm very happy with sound quality. ... "
" ... Best technology for listening to music while swimming. ... "
" ... The good: Uploading songs (once the computer recognized the player) was easy and the sound was OK. ... "
" ... The sound quality was good and made a mundane sport much more tolerable. ... "
" ... The volume is good and the music clear. ... "
Product Reliability
67stopped working, finis, duo, lasted, stopped
+25%
-75%
" ... I was a owner of swimp3 v2 for 6 years. ... They worked without any problems until recently they stopped working which was expected after so long. ... "
" ... Bought this underwater mp3 player last week with high hopes, despite a lot of negative reviews of unit failing within three to six months. ... "
" ... Here are my impressions after a little over a month (purchased September 24th, 2018): ... -I've also seen people have issues with it dying after a few months. ... "
" ... I used to have one of these and it died. ... Ordered this one and it didn't last long at all -- couple of months. ... "
" ... I wish this product would last more than a few months. ... For me to keep buying them every few months is way too expensive. ... "
" ... I contacted FINIS about my last SWIMP3 DUO that failed after 17 months and their response was disappointing. ... $5/month and decided not to go for the offer. ... "
" ... still doesn't work. ... "
" ... Out of 6 attempts to use it I used it 3 times. ... "
Charging
43charging, charged, hours, fully, finis
+40%
-60%
" ... It will then either NOT turn on or you won't be able to charge it. ... It looks like it is charging when you plug it in but unplug it and try to turn it on and it fails. ... "
" ... I thought I had just run down the charge so I charged them. ... "
" ... Then today, as I was about to charge the the Finis, I discovered the loose wires. ... "
" ... It now 2 years of infrequent use and I can't get it to charge at all. ... "
" ... They won't hold the charge at all. ... "
" ... Battery never charged. ... "
" ... Above all of this I got the device and spent all weekend with it on the charger waiting for it to indicate it was fully charged . ... Never showed fully charged, went swimming once with them and the batteries died after about 30 minutes. ... "
" ... It is difficult to set up and, after using it for a couple of months, it will no longer charge. ... "
Battery Life
35hours, charged, battery life, recharge, hold a charge
+26%
-74%
" ... 2) I fully charged the unit after I used it, but then didn't use it for a few days. ... I tested this a few times and it turns out that I have to charge it the night before I use it. ... "
" ... They won't hold the charge at all. ... "
" ... I used it for less than a month and now it will not recharge at all. ... "
" ... I thought I had just run down the charge so I charged them. ... "
" ... I used it about 5-6 times for a total of 3 hrs and the battery died. ... "
" ... It now 2 years of infrequent use and I can't get it to charge at all. ... "
" ... the battery was not long lasting and it was hard to fit into the goggles without water going in. ... "
" ... will not re-charge! ... "
Cables
31wires, finis, connecting, wire connecting, exposed
+16%
-84%
" ... This is my second Duo, and this is the second time the wires split at the place they connect to the earpieces. ... "
" ... Beware of wires coming loose on the earphones. ... And, a couple of days ago I noticed the wire connecting the ear pieces had actually split, prompting me to buy electrical tape. ... Then today, as I was about to charge the the Finis, I discovered the loose wires. ... "
" ... I've had two of these now and both of them died because the wire connecting to the right piece broke due to repeated flexing just past the mount point. ... It didn't completely disconnect, but it did wear down enough that the inside wire was exposed. ... I'm not sure how or why this happened, but since it happened twice and I was extra careful to not catch the wire under my goggle straps the second time around I have to think it's a design flaw (using too weak of a wire for the job). ... "
" ... On a second try of recharging, I noticed that there are cracks developing on both of the strain reliefs where the connector cord that joins both pads enters the pad housing. ... "
" ... After 2 months now, the left side wiring loom is pulling out of the cheekbone unit exposing bare wires and undoubtably causing the popping/electrical short noises on that side of the unit. ... "
" ... The cord is pulling away from the unit itself. ... I had to finagle the connector just right for it to show up. ... "
" ... They won't even give you tips to fix the connectors. ... "
" ... The wire, that is connected to the main ear of headphones braked. ... "
Comfort
28ear plugs, swim, goggle strap, googles, wire
+57%
-43%
" ... Feels like you can swim for ever. ... "
" ... Comfortable clipped onto my goggles. ... "
" ... Make sure your goggles are compatible with the head phones. ... "
" ... I workout harder, swim longer, and enjoy the experience ten times more because there's literally music to my ears! ... Pro tip: wear silicone ear plugs with these ... "
" ... Fits on the goggles all sorts of ways ( I wear it upside down, at the base of my skull behind each ear.) ... "
" ... Lets face it, swimming is fantastic for the mind and body but can get a little laborious lap after lap after lap. ... "
" ... Comfortable in the water. ... "
" ... I find it easy to use and very comfortable. ... "
Returns
21refund, finis, sent, send, replacement
+5%
-95%
" ... And now they won't let me return it. ... "
" ... Returned Finis Duo and just ordered a product similar in concept from different company. ... "
" ... After a lengthy ordeal with the manufacturer, they agreed to replace the unit. ... "
" ... I'm hoping they send me a replacement. ... "
" ... They agreed to replace but I had to pay for shipping to them. ... "
" ... Returning the unit isn’t possible as I’m in South Africa. ... "
" ... I would like to send this product back for a total refund. ... I do not have the return label sent with packaging. ... "
" ... Unfortunately I waited to long to try it and I was unable to return it . ... "
Build Quality
20wire, strap, goggle straps, exposing, connecting
+30%
-70%
" ... They won't even give you tips to fix the connectors. ... "
" ... The wires wear very stiff to began with so over time it just split. ... It's like they got the plastic to hot at some point. ... "
" ... The packaging was reused, scratches on the headphones, obvious wear. ... Big gouge on the black part, scuffs and abrasions on the "earphone" parts. ... "
" ... Because of how they change how the goggle straps lay against my head they make goggle leakage more common. ... I've had two of these now and both of them died because the wire connecting to the right piece broke due to repeated flexing just past the mount point. ... It didn't completely disconnect, but it did wear down enough that the inside wire was exposed. ... "
" ... The first time I have received a unit all scratched and the magnet re-glued, obviously used. ... "
" ... they fray/break quickly at the juncture to the earpiece.) ... "
" ... After 2 months now, the left side wiring loom is pulling out of the cheekbone unit exposing bare wires and undoubtably causing the popping/electrical short noises on that side of the unit. ... "
" ... Mine broke down approx. ... "
Fit
18sound quality, goggle straps, clips, wire, goggle
+61%
-39%
" ... I love that it doesn’t require headphones so I don’t worry about them falling out and I can still use my normal ear plugs. ... "
" ... Fits on the goggles all sorts of ways ( I wear it upside down, at the base of my skull behind each ear.) ... "
" ... Fits best on regular goggle straps. ... It does not fit as well on wider straps with ribs and quick-release feature like some Aqua Spheres. ... "
" ... These work great, particularly when I plug my ears with wax plugs. ... "
" ... With adjustment they fit each time. ... "
" ... I was very skeptical of the new goggle clips but they actually work very well once you get them figured out, much harder to remove / attach than the Neptune's clips but like most others I just ended up leaving them attached to my goggles permanently. ... "
" ... Holds more music than past MP3 players and was easy to load. ... "
" ... I like the sound quality of this and have ordered several in the past - the last one lasting 2 years before the clips finally broke off. ... "
Controls
17button, controls, songs, buttons, song
+35%
-65%
" ... 3) It is hard to change the volume. ... If you hold the button for not enough time you change the song. ... "
" ... It doesn't play any music either. ... "
" ... The random function is very poor, and it can only play songs. ... "
" ... One is that the buttons are poorly designed. ... "
" ... It is very hard to change volume or skip songs since it uses the same buttons ... "
" ... I was told that my batch may have a defective play button, kind of important. ... "
" ... You still press the button closest to the back of your head to skip to the next song while you hold the button closest to your face to increase the volume, seems really backwards to me but not a big deal at all once you get used to it. ... "
For Running
15music, workouts, training, workout, swims
+67%
-33%
" ... Just double check the players before leaving to the gym. ... "
" ... I swam a mile yesterday, while listening to bluegrass, rock and roll, and some Motown . ... "
" ... I strongly recommend these and have made swimming for exercise/weight loss something I'll stay with. ... "
" ... Now I get to totally rock out and enjoy my workouts sooo much more. ... "
" ... Bought the headphones a year ago and still love them!! ... "
" ... These swimming headphones are the BEST! ... "
" ... Let's me listen to music while swimming making my workouts enjoyable. ... "
" ... Music while doing laps. ... "
Ease of Use
15music, easy to use, controls, easy to load, use
+93%
-7%
" ... Easy to set-up, use. ... "
" ... It took some figuring to upload the music, but, the website tutorials made it easy to convert the music and get it uploaded and playing. ... "
" ... Holds more music than past MP3 players and was easy to load. ... "
" ... confusing but you adapt ... "
" ... Set up was easy. ... "
" ... Loading music has been easy. ... "
" ... Likes: easy to use the controls, less bulky, and somewhat better sound. ... "
" ... It sounds great, easy to use. ... "
Device Compatibility
10recognize, itunes, recognize the device, music, mp3
+30%
-70%
" ... Computer did not recognize. ... "
" ... Had I known it would be incompatible with apple products I would not have purchased this. ... "
" ... The first device didn't connect to my computer & had to be returned. ... 2nd device worked well for 2 months & then same issue - wouldn't connect to computer. ... "
" ... This would seem to be a flaw in the design with a weakness at the connection points. ... "
" ... The second time I plugged it in to my computer, the computer didn't recognize the devise or vice versa. ... "
" ... This device is not compatible with Apple products - I am on my third player - it causes my laptop to freeze and it's a huge pain. ... "
Marketplace
9days, amazon, time, sent, return policy
+44%
-56%
" ... They agreed to replace but I had to pay for shipping to them. ... "
" ... I ordered this two days ago from Amazon which is where I have a beef. ... So I'm sending it back to Amazon. ... "
" ... I bought this item in April of 2017. ... "
" ... Attempted again through their website's 'livechat' option. ... "
" ... Thanks to Amazons return policy I had another one in two days. ... "
Cleaning
9alcohol, keep the contacts, contacts, swim, scrub
+67%
-33%
" ... It is important to keep the contacts clean, but the large storage (1000 songs! ... "
" ... Clean charging area with cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol as suggested by the manufacturer. ... "
" ... using CLR to remove mineral deposits on the contacts). ... "
" ... Overtime you do need to keep the contacts clean. ... "
" ... I also clean the small charging plates on the phones as instructed about once a week. ... "
" ... Going forward it will remain to me seen how big of a hassle it is keeping the little contacts clean enough for recharge and media transfer. ... "
Volume
8water, loud, hear, pool, loud and clear
+63%
-38%
" ... what I like about them is that they’re stable and I can hear the music granted it’s not as loud but I can still hear it without having to manipulate my ear and stop to get the water out ... "
" ... The sound is good and I only need to charge them in my car on my way to the pool occasionally. ... "
" ... The volume is excellent under water and I can also get pretty decent volume when my heads out of water resting between sets. ... "
" ... I found that adjusting the volume can be tricky but once you get it set it works great. ... "
" ... The volume is good and the music clear. ... "
Price
8worth, price, bucks, year, waste
+50%
-50%
" ... I'll just take my money elsewhere. ... "
" ... A waste of a large amount of money. ... "
" ... I would have spent maybe 30-50 bucks on these but for a 130$ I expected way more than what I got. ... "
" ... Amortize that out and it is not a worthy investment. ... "
Water Usage
8rinse, help, earplugs, dry, contacts
+63%
-38%
" ... it keeps the water out for a more consistent sound. ... "
" ... I always rinse with fresh water, then blow the contacts dry. ... "
" ... I keep it clipped to my goggles all the time and just rinse everything with clear water and dry when I get out of the pool (same with all my gear) and have had no problems with charging or mineral deposits. ... "
" ... Sounds like the water is filled with music ... "
" ... Comfortable in the water. ... "
Headphones
8mp3, ear, player, earbuds, wires
+75%
-25%
" ... Compared to other mp3s it's far better because you don't have to deal with earbuds. ... "
" ... The sound is clear (could have better base) but keep in mind this is an underwater headset. ... "
" ... SO much better than my waterproof MP3 player with earbuds. ... "
" ... Better than any swimming in-ear mp3. ... "
" ... The finis headphones might look a little different but if you are a regular swimmer and want no-nonsense, plug and play music enjoyment . ... Again, don't waste time or money on other mp3 headphones. ... "
Setup
5usb drive, instructions, finis, connect
+60%
-40%
" ... Setup is a snap, no software to install it just shows up as a USB drive , and you copy your files to it. ... "
" ... Set up was easy. ... "
Codecs
5songs, mp3, itunes, formats, files
+80%
-20%
" ... After I figured out how to get music to MP3 format and load the music, these jewels are awesome! ... "
" ... I am fairly computer illiterate but converting unprotected songs to MP3 format and loading onto The Duo was pretty easy. ... "
" ... It easily reads the different formats of music and plays them without a delay between songs. ... "
" ... The player automatically compresses the sound files to the size necessary for the quality of music it can produce so there is a lot more space on the player than I initially thought. ... "
Drying
5water, swim, rinse, wash, always
+80%
-20%
" ... I always rinse with fresh water, then blow the contacts dry. ... "
" ... I keep it clipped to my goggles all the time and just rinse everything with clear water and dry when I get out of the pool (same with all my gear) and have had no problems with charging or mineral deposits. ... "
" ... Sound quality is not like a dry-land mp3 but it is decent with good strong volume. ... "
" ... Bonus: Helps keep swim cap on and hair a bit dryer, but that might just be me. ... "
Design
5looks, something, product, innovative, really
+100%
" ... Looks like I will have to spend more time looking for something better. ... "
" ... This 3rd generation desingn finally got the design nailed. ... "
" ... High quality design and construction. ... "
" ... The design is much more streamlined and It doesn't waggle around as much doing flip turns. ... "
Earbuds
4buds, wear, ear plugs, better, work
+75%
-25%
" ... Pro tip: wear silicone ear plugs with these ... "
" ... Better than trying to keep my ear buds in. ... "
" ... I love this design over ear buds because every time I took a stroke the ear bud popped out. ... "
Delivery
4product, time, day, clearly, bought
+50%
-50%
" ... Purchased on February 15th 2019. ... "
" ... I bought this product new and it arrived in packaging that had clearly already been opened. ... "
Call quality
4water, voice, ambient, sound quality, loud and clear
+75%
-25%
" ... 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. ... "
" ... Also, the soft silicone really seals out the water and ambient sound making the headphones much easier to hear. ... "
" ... For that purpose, the FINIS worked well to permit me to hear my podcasts without blocking out ambient sounds. ... "
For Kids
3son, loves
+67%
-33%
" ... Wife loves them! ... "
" ... Our daughter has a set (over a year now) and has never had any problems. ... "
Memory
3songs
+67%
-33%
" ... I have ~40 songs on it and still have a lot of memory left. ... "
" ... -Storage: plenty of space ... "
Bass
3bass, vocal, underwater, music, much
+67%
-33%
" ... The sound is clear (could have better base) but keep in mind this is an underwater headset. ... "
" ... The sound in air is dry without much bass. ... "
Software Platform
3update, load, gotten, finis, device
+33%
-67%
" ... So I try to load a song and it has an error . ... "
" ... I've gotten in touch with Finis helpline three times already in the past couple of days but have received error messages. ... "
Apps
3itunes, upload, unprotected, songs, playlist
+100%
" ... Been using for one month, upload of music was easy even in ITunes. ... "
" ... After I figured out how to get music to MP3 format and load the music, these jewels are awesome! ... "
" ... It is uncompatable with my iTunes/Apple collection of songs. ... "
Overall performance
3duo
+67%
-33%
" ... My Duo has worked flawlessly in every respect. ... "
" ... Pleased with performance. ... "
Defective Delivery
3bought, working, right, product, one
-100%
" ... Well I bought one anyway and it was defective right out of the box. ... "
" ... I order two and both were defective. ... "
" ... I bought this product new and it arrived in packaging that had clearly already been opened. ... "
Ports
3recognize, ports, usb drive, pins, however
+67%
-33%
" ... Setup is a snap, no software to install it just shows up as a USB drive , and you copy your files to it. ... "
" ... This one is magnetized like the Mac Power Cable, the old one with the pins had difficulty getting the right connection. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Size: 118.11 meters
Connectivity
USB: Yes
Memory
Memory: 4096 GB