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Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Review updated Nov 11, 2020 at 02:25 pm
Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless Picture
7.3
Mixed Usage
7.2
Neutral Sound
7.6
Commute/Travel
8.4
Sports/Fitness
6.8
Office
5.7
Wireless Gaming
5.6
Wired Gaming
5.7
Phone Call
These headphones were replaced by the Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista are very versatile headphones that have a fairly well-balanced sound profile. They're great for sports thanks to their compact, portable, and breathable design. They also have stability fins to help you get a more secure fit. They're rated IPX7 for water resistance, and they have a feature-rich companion app. However, their microphone performance is quite poor, and their control scheme is limited. Otherwise, they're great for active people who are looking for a pair of true wireless earbuds that can also be used in day-to-day life.

Our Verdict

7.3 Mixed Usage

The Jaybird Vista are decent for mixed usage. Their sound profile is quite well-balanced, and their companion app features a parametric EQ. While they don't passively isolate against that much ambient noise in the bass range, they do a better job of blocking out higher-pitched background chatter. They're also great for sports thanks to their stable fit and breathable design. Unfortunately, they have high wireless latency and poor microphone recording quality.

Pros
  • Mostly well-balanced sound profile.
  • Stable, comfortable fit.
  • Impressive build quality.
Cons
  • Limited control scheme for music playback.
  • Poor microphone performance.
  • High wireless latency.
7.2 Neutral Sound

The Jaybird Vista are satisfactory for neutral sound. Their bass response yields adequate thump and rumble, while vocals and lead instruments sound full-bodied and clear thanks to their balanced mid-range. Unfortunately, their treble range is slightly uneven. Their companion app features audio presets as well as a parametric EQ.

Pros
  • Mostly well-balanced sound profile.
  • Paramteric EQ and audio presets in companion app.
Cons
  • Limited control scheme for music playback.
  • Closed-off soundstage.
7.6 Commute/Travel

The Jaybird Vista are good for commuting. While they struggle to filter out the deep rumble of a bus and plane engines, they should isolate you from the chatter of other commuters. They're very portable, and their battery life should be sufficient for your daily commute, though it might be a bit short for long flights. Their in-ear fit is also quite comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.

Pros
  • Compact, portable design.
  • Impressive build quality.
Cons
  • Limited control scheme for music playback.
8.4 Sports/Fitness

The Jaybird Vista are great for sports. They're small, breathable, and quite comfortable. They don’t move around thanks in part to their stability fins, meaning you’ll be able to put them in and work out without having to remove them. You can also easily use their controls while you're on a run or at the gym.

Pros
  • Stable, comfortable fit.
  • Compact, portable design.
  • Impressive build quality.
Cons
  • Limited control scheme for music playback.
6.8 Office

The Jaybird Vista are passable for office use. They block a decent amount of higher-pitched noises like coworker chatter and the hum of an A/C unit. They are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, but their battery life might not be long enough for you to use during a full workday. They don’t leak much audio, so you won’t bother nearby colleagues, but you can’t connect them to multiple devices, which could be a bit of a nuisance.

Pros
  • Stable, comfortable fit.
Cons
  • High wireless latency.
5.7 Wireless Gaming

The Jaybird Vista aren't suitable for wireless gaming due to their high Bluetooth latency and incompatibility with PS4 and Xbox One consoles.

5.6 Wired Gaming

The Jaybird Vista are wireless-only headphones and aren't suitable for this use.

5.7 Phone Call

The Jaybird Vista are middling for phone calls. They have poor microphone recording quality and struggle to isolate your voice from background noise. You may also struggle to hear what's being said if you're calling from a noisy environment.

Pros
  • Stable, comfortable fit.
Cons
  • Poor microphone performance.
  • 7.3 Mixed Usage
  • 7.2 Neutral Sound
  • 7.6 Commute/Travel
  • 8.4 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.8 Office
  • 5.7 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.6 Wired Gaming
  • 5.7 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 11, 2020: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  3. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  4. Updated Aug 30, 2019: Review published.
  5. Updated Aug 28, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Aug 28, 2019: Early access published.
  7. Updated Aug 26, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Aug 08, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Jaybird Vista come in a couple of different color schemes: 'Black', 'Nimbus Gray', 'Mineral Blue', and 'Planetary Green'. We tested the 'Black' model, but expect the other color variants to perform similarly overall.

If someone comes across a new variant of these headphones, let us know in the discussions so that we can update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

Comparison picture

The Jaybird Vista are great sports headphones that have a well-balanced sound profile, which can be easily adjusted to your preference. They might not offer as much battery life as other competing models, but they are very stable and well-designed for their intended use. See our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds, the best wireless earbuds for running, and the best earbuds and in-ear headphones.

Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless are the next generation of the Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless. The Vista 2 offer upgrades like upgrading their earbuds' dust and water resistance rating to IP68, though we don't currently test for this. They also have an ANC system, though it doesn't offer much better performance than their passive isolation performance.

Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better sports headphones, while the Sony WF-1000XM3 Truly Wireless are going to be more versatile headphones. The Jaybird are more stable and more comfortable, which is great for sports. They are also rated IPX7 for water resistance, while the Sony lack an official rating. On the other hand, the Sony have an ANC feature that does a passable job at blocking out ambient noise and have more battery life for you to use during the day. The Jaybird sound will be more customizable thanks to their great parametric EQ.

Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista and Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are very similar sports headphones, but the Vista are a slight improvement. They are a bit more comfortable, and their case is noticeably smaller, which makes it easier to slide it in your pockets. Their controls are easier to press, and they feel a bit better built, as well. They also offer a bit more battery life. On the other hand, the Run XT take less time to charge, and their fit isolates better against ambient noise.

Jabra Elite Active 65t Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless and the Jabra Elite Active 65t Truly Wireless are two great sports headphones but perform well for different reasons. The Jaybird design is more comfortable and more stable during physical activity. Their case is smaller and easier to carry around, and charges via USB-C. The Jabra are bulkier, but their fit isolates better against ambient noise and leaks less. Their treble is also more neutral out-of-the-box, but their app doesn’t offer a full parametric EQ like the Jaybird. On the other hand, the Jabra can connect to two devices simultaneously and have lower wireless latency.

Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better sports headphones than the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless. The Jaybird control scheme is easy to use and their stability fins offer a more secure fit than the bulky Bose. The Jaybird offer a slightly better battery life too, on top of having a great app. On the other hand, the Bose will be a better option for running outside due to their semi-open design, which is useful to stay aware of your surroundings. The wireless range is noticeably better on the Jaybird.

Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless

The Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless are similarly-performing truly wireless headphones as the Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless. The Jabra Elite 75t have more comprehensive controls, have a better noise isolation and microphone performance. On the other hand, the Jaybird Vista have a better case, a more stable fit, and a more feature-packed app with a parametric EQ.

Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better earbuds than the Bang & Olufsen E8 3.0 True Wireless. The Jaybird are designed for sport and while we don't test this, they have an IPX7 rating for water resistance while the Bang & Olufsen don't have an IP rating at all. However, if you take a lot of calls, the Bang & Olufsen have a better microphone. They also have a longer battery life, although they don't have an auto-off timer like the Jaybird.

Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better performing earbuds than the Monster Clarity 101 AirLinks. If you like running and working out, the Jaybirds are designed with stability in mind. Unlike the Monster, the Jaybird also have a companion app with a parametric EQ and presets to customize your sound profile. However, the Monsters are better suited for passive noise isolation.

Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are slightly better truly wireless earbuds for sports than the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless. They have added stability fins which helps them fit more securely than the Jabra. Their charging case is also better-suited for athletes on-the-go. However, the Jabra's microphone has a better recording quality, so your voice sounds better during phone calls. The Jabra have a longer continuous battery life as well.

Mpow Flame Pro Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better sports headphones than the Mpow Flame Pro Truly Wireless. The Jaybird have better controls, are smaller and more portable, have a better case, feel better built, have a more accurate sound profile, isolate background noise better, and have a dedicated companion app with EQ settings. On the other hand, the Mpow have a much longer battery life and a better microphone.

Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are closely matched to the Sony WF-SP800N Truly Wireless when it comes to sports and fitness. The Jaybird have a slightly more intuitive control scheme, a sturdier build, and a parametric EQ to give you greater control over how your music sounds. That said, the Sony have a better-integrated mic, last much longer off of a single charge, and block out slightly more ambient noise. The Sony also have a higher IP55 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don’t test for this.

Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better than the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport. The Jaybird are better-built, and they have a more comfortable and stable fit. Their sound profile is better-balanced, and they even have a parametric EQ and presets for customization. However, the Klipsch have a better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life. Their companion app also offers a graphic EQ and presets, which some users may prefer. 

JBL Endurance Peak II True Wireless

The Jaybird Vista Truly Wireless are better headphones for sports and fitness than the JBL Endurance Peak II True Wireless. The Jaybird are better-built and more comfortable. Their default sound profile is more neutral, and they have lots of sound customization options thanks to their parametric EQ and presets. However, the JBL have better noise isolation and they leak less sound.

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Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The Jaybird Vista have a fairly conservative design. They don’t protrude too much out of the ears, with a sleek construction and the Jaybird logo printed on both buds’ buttons. They have a sportier look when using the stability sleeves with fins. They come in 'Black', 'Nimbus Gray', 'Mineral Blue', and 'Planetary Green'.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.03 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The Jaybird Vista are comfortable in-ears. They're lightweight, don't enter your ear canal too deeply, and don’t apply too much pressure on your inner ear. While they don’t have that many ear tip sizes, you can remove their stability fins if you prefer. However, their in-ear fit might become tiring after a while. Pressing their control buttons might also push them a bit deeper into the ears, which can be uncomfortable.

7.4
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
N/A
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control N/A
Talk-Through
N/A
Additional Buttons N/A

These headphones have a decent control scheme, but it lacks functionality. You can play and pause media or answer calls with a press on either bud and skip tracks forward with a double-tap. However, both earbuds have the same controls, meaning you can’t go back to the previous track, which is disappointing. Holding down the left bud’s button reduces the volume while holding down the right one raises it. You can also map the controls inside their app but won’t be able to have all the controls available at the same time. The controls are easy to use and offer good tactile and audio feedback.

9.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C

Like most in-ear headphones, the Jaybird Vista don’t trap heat inside your ears, which makes them a suitable option for sports. You shouldn't notice a difference in temperature when wearing them or sweat more than usual.

9.6
Design
Portability
L 1.5"
W 1"
H 0.9"
Volume 1 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

Like most truly wireless headphones, these in-ears are very portable. The buds are very small and easily fit in pockets or a bag. Their case is pretty small and can be easily carried around.

8.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.8"
W 1.4"
H 1"
Volume 4 in³

The Jaybird Vista come with an excellent hard charging case. The case is very small and portable. It feels solid and holds about 10 additional hours of battery life. However, it doesn't have any battery indicator lights to show its current charge status and lacks wireless charging capability.

8.0
Design
Build Quality

The Jaybird Vista are very well-built true wireless headphones. The buds are small, dense, and should survive drops and bumps without too much damage. They're also rated IPX7 for water resistance, although we don’t currently test this. The case is also very robust and feels as high-end as the buds themselves.

8.0
Design
Stability

The Jaybird Vista are very stable sports headphones. Like the Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless, they come with a couple of differently-sized ear tips and stability fins to help you get a secure fit. They don’t move around too much and aren't likely to fall out of your ears, even during intense workouts.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Jaybird Vista headphones
  • Charging case
  • 3x ear tips and sleeve options
  • 3x stability fins
  • USB-C charging cable
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-0.12 dB
Treble Amount
-0.76 dB

The Jaybird Vista have a well-balanced sound profile. Their well-balanced bass response provides adequate thump and rumble in genres like EDM and hip-hop. Their neutral mid-range yields clear and present vocals and lead instruments. Unfortunately, their uneven treble range makes some higher notes alternatively dull and piercing. Fortunately, their companion app has a selection of audio presets as well as a parametric EQ to fine-tune your listening experience.

9.6
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.09 dB

The frequency response consistency is excellent. If you achieve a proper fit using the assortment of tips that come with the headphones, then you should be able to get consistent audio delivery every time you use them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
9.1
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.36 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
-0.61 dB
Mid-Bass
0.07 dB
High-Bass
2.3 dB

The Jaybird Vista's bass performance is outstanding. It follows our target curve very accurately, meaning that there's sufficient low-end thump and rumble. There’s a small bump in high-mid, which might add a bit of boominess to the overall mix, but it shouldn’t be too noticeable for most.

8.6
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.89 dB
Low-Mid
0.6 dB
Mid-Mid
-2.27 dB
High-Mid
1.41 dB

The Jaybird Vista's mid accuracy is excellent. Aside from a shallow dip in mid-mid, which slightly nudges vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix, the mid-range is amazingly well-reproduced, so vocals and lead instruments are present, clear, and detailed in the mix.

6.8
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.47 dB
Low-Treble
-0.9 dB
Mid-Treble
2.77 dB
High-Treble
-2.8 dB

The Jaybird Vista have okay treble accuracy. The response throughout the range is rather uneven. There’s a broad dip in low and mid-treble, which results in a lack of detail and brightness in higher frequencies. However, the response is overemphasized in higher frequencies, resulting in sharp and piercing sibilants. It should be noted that not everyone hears treble frequencies the same way, so your listening experience may vary.

6.4
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.41 dB
Dips
1.8 dB

The peaks and dips performance is mediocre. A slight bump in the high-bass range muddies some vocals and lead instruments while the dip in the mid-mids nudges them toward the back of the mix. A peak in the high-mid through low-treble range yields a somewhat honky and harsh quality to some mixes. There's a dip in the low-treble range that dulls the clarity of some instruments, while the following peak in the mid-treble range causes some higher notes to sound piercing and painful.

9.0
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.1
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.34
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
0.86
Weighted Phase Mismatch
8.55

The Jaybird Vista's stereo imaging is superb. Their weighted group delay falls well below the audibility threshold, ensuring tight bass and a transparent treble. Also, the L/R drivers are well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response. This is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects like voices and instruments in the stereo image. Note that these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.

1.0
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
3.5
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.5

The Jaybird Vista's passive soundstage is poor. This is because creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage is largely dependent on activating the resonances of the outer ear. In-ears such bypass any sort of outer-ear interaction. In addition, since these headphones have a closed-back enclosure, their soundstage isn't as open as that of open-back earbuds like the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, Google Pixel Buds 2020 Truly Wireless, or the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless.

7.9
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.240
WHD @ 100
0.108

The weighted harmonic distortion performance is very good. Aside from a slight bit of distortion in the low to early mid-treble range, the rest of the frequency spectrum falls within good limits, ensuring mostly clean and pure audio reproduction.

Isolation
6.4
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-15.71 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-8.66 dB
Mid
-13.46 dB
Treble
-25.37 dB

The Jaybird Vista's passive noise isolation performance is acceptable. They don’t isolate too well against low-end noises like the deep rumble of bus or plane engines. On the upside, they do a decent option against noises in the mid-range, like ambient chatter, and isolate even better against high-pitched sounds, such as the hum of an A/C system. If you want headphones with a better isolation performance, check out the Klipsch T5 II True Wireless Sport or the JBL Endurance Peak II True Wireless.

8.7
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
28.83 dB

The audio leakage performance is great. A significant portion of the leakage is in the treble range, which means that leaking audio is thin-sounding. The level of sound leakage isn’t too high, so you shouldn’t bother people nearby in a quiet setting while listening to music.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic Yes

The Jaybird Vista have an integrated microphone.

4.3
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
239.73 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.87 dB
HFE
2,313.87 Hz
Weighted THD
5,923.665
Gain
-37.26 dB

The microphone's recording quality is poor. Recorded speech sounds muffled and lacking in detail. The microphone also peaks easily and cuts out from time to time.

5.8
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
9.17 dB

This microphone doesn’t handle noise very well. It struggles to isolate speech from even moderate ambient noise, making these in-ears a poor choice for calls in environments like a busy street. The mic should be fine in quiet environments, however.

Active Features
6.3
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
5.5 hrs
Additional Charges
2
Total Battery Life
16.5 hrs
Charge Time
2.5 hrs
Power Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The Jaybird Vista have a mediocre battery performance. While their approximately five and a half hours of continuous battery life should be more than enough for workouts, they aren't likely to last a day at work. Worse still, they take over two hours to charge. On the upside, they can turn off automatically after 15 minutes of inactivity to save power. For sports earbuds with better battery performance, check out the Jabra Elite Active 75t Truly Wireless.

8.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name Jaybird MySound
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Parametric + Presets
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping Yes
Surround Sound N/A

The Jaybird MySound is a great app for iOS and Android that gives you access to a parametric equalizer as well as a community-oriented platform to share your presets and playlists. You can also use it to find the earbuds' last known location if you misplace them. It also offers functions for adjusting their auto-off timer and remapping their control scheme. While they lack some additional features like room effects and an in-app player, the app is a useful tool to personalize your listening experience. Note that the in-app media player is available only after linking your Spotify Premium account inside the app.

Connectivity
7.3
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line of Sight Range
313 ft
Default Latency
297 ms
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A

These truly wireless headphones support Bluetooth 5.0, but unfortunately can’t be connected to multiple devices simultaneously and don’t support NFC. On the upside, their pairing procedure is quick and easy.

The Jaybird Vista's latency is higher than the average Bluetooth headphones. However, some apps and devices compensate for latency, so your experience in the real world can vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A

The Jaybird Vista are Bluetooth-only headphones.

0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
N/A
USB Audio
N/A
Detachable N/A
Length N/A
Connection N/A
Wired Latency
N/A

These truly wireless headphones can’t be used with an audio cable. They come with a USB-C cable for charging their case.

Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
No
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No

These headphones can only connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs, not PS4 consoles. While they offer full microphone and audio compatibility with these systems, their latency is likely to be too high for gaming.

Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No

The Jaybird Vista aren't compatible with Xbox One consoles.

2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C

The Jaybird Vista come with a charging case that supplies roughly 10 additional hours of charge. The case doesn’t have any inputs other than the USB-C charging port.