Design and features:The Endurance DIVE has an integrated microphone and touch sensitive volume, music player, and call connect/disconnect controls for use with paired Bluetooth devices. Additional features include a built-in mp3 player. This model is claimed by the manufacturer to be waterproof to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes and to be suitable for swimming, and has a touch control lockout function to prevent inadvertent control operation. It comes with three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes, one pair of ear bowl supports, a USB charging/data cable, and a carrying case.
Sound quality: We found the Endurance DIVE delivers sound quality that falls in the Very Good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks. The overall sound can be summarized as boomy and sizzly. Bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is prominent and boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is somewhat thin, hazy, and grainy. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is fairly extended, but is prominent and sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). The sound has a good sense of liveliness and is somewhat open (sound-wise it almost seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears). It also does a decent job of recovering the room ambience of a recording (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded). The sound quality was the same regardless of whether the audio was received via Bluetooth or played from its internal MP3 music player.
Comfort: As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some. Users with small ear bowls will find that it fits securely even during vigorous head movement, but might find that the supplied ear bowl supports feel too large. Users with medium and larger sized ear bowls will probably find that this model fits and stays in place even during vigorous head movement. The ear hooks may increase the sense of stability for some users with medium or larger ears but may not do much for users with smaller ears. Uses with larger necks may find the neck band feels restrictive and is not long enough to let the earphones seat properly in the ears. Incidental contact with the touch controls on the right earphone can cause unintentional playing or pausing, track skipping, or volume level changes.
