ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The AirFly Professional 2 permits customers to hear wirelessly to historically wired-only techniques like in-flight leisure techniques.
- You need to use your favourite headphones with the AirFly Professional 2 and allow their particular audio options like noise cancellation and spatial audio.
- When you do not fly recurrently or do not want a Bluetooth dongle in your on a regular basis life, the $60 price ticket could also be a giant ask.
extra shopping for decisions
Flying for hours on finish is the bane of my existence. From sitting in a tiny seat for hours to the extremely communal restroom, I need to maintain myself distracted all through the flight to maintain from going loopy. I attempt my greatest to work, sleep, or learn the entire flight as a result of watching motion pictures on a airplane simply is not essentially the most luxurious expertise.
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However flying on an airplane is an apt alternative to make amends for your film watchlist, even when the airplane leisure system can thwart your plans. You’ve got two choices: use the airline-provided “headphones” and listen to every little thing on the airplane besides your film, or use your headphones and be tethered to the again of the individual in entrance of you.
To keep away from both state of affairs, I have been testing TwelveSouth’s newest Bluetooth adapter, the AirFly Professional 2 The corporate despatched me the newest AirFly adapter to check on my flight lately, and when you’re a frequent flyer and a film buff, this is my verdict after hours of use.
The unique AirFly was certainly one of Twelve South’s hottest merchandise, and for good purpose. It is a multi-use Bluetooth adapter that wirelessly connects headphones to airplane leisure techniques, fitness center tools, and gaming consoles, so long as the host units have a 3.5mm adapter.
The brand new AirFly Professional 2 has all essentially the most fascinating options from the earlier AirFly mannequin — twin headphone connection, bodily quantity buttons, a prolonged battery life, and auxiliary enter compatibility — and way more.
On my flight from Atlanta to New York final week, I tucked the AirFly Professional 2 into my private bag and plugged it into the airplane leisure system’s 3.5mm headphone jack. After turning it on, I put my Sonos Ace into pairing mode and watched “Moana 2.” You’ll be able to join two headphones to the AirFly Professional 2, so two individuals can watch the identical media on the in-flight leisure system.
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The film sounded terrific by my headphones. I turned on noise cancellation and spatial audio with head monitoring to drown out the airplane engine noises and improve my listening expertise. In wired mode, most wi-fi headphones cannot entry their wi-fi audio settings, permitting exterior noises to leak in. With the AirFly Professional 2, this wasn’t a problem.
Pairing the dongle was moderately easy. I pressed my headphones’ energy button till they entered pairing mode, then held the AirFly’s “Pair 1” button, and I used to be all set.
The AirFly Professional 2 has an upgraded Qualcomm chip inside, which improves audio high quality, supplies extra steady wi-fi connections, and reduces energy consumption.
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On the fitting facet of the dongle is a swap to toggle between transmit (TX) mode and receiver (RX) mode. In TX mode, the AirFly transmits audio from an analog supply, like an in-flight leisure system, to your headphones. RX mode receives audio out of your cellphone to play by the aux-in port of a automobile, boat, or stereo system.
With 25 hours of battery life, the AirFly Professional 2 can final you thru a round-trip journey throughout the US. And when it is advisable cost it, there is a useful USB-C port for that.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
The Twelve South AirFly Professional 2 is a superb journey companion for frequent flyers. It takes up little house in your bag and makes an in any other case unenjoyable listening and watching expertise a lot better. Though it is marketed for in-flight use, you may get your cash’s value with its aux-in compatibility with non-Bluetooth audio units and techniques.
When you’ll probably use this product typically, I like to recommend spending the $60 for a dependable and high-quality product. Nonetheless, if you need a less expensive choice, Twelve South gives the AirFly SE, however it would not have aux-in compatibility or twin headphone connectivity.
The latest US tariffs on imports from nations like China, Vietnam, and India purpose to spice up home manufacturing however are prone to drive up costs on shopper electronics. Merchandise like smartphones, laptops, and TVs could turn out to be dearer as firms rethink international provide chains and weigh the price of shifting manufacturing.
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Headphones and wearable units, that are predominantly manufactured in these areas, are actually topic to tariffs as excessive as 54% on Chinese language imports and 46% on Vietnamese items. In consequence, customers may even see worth will increase of roughly 20% on this stuff.
Producers are exploring choices like relocating manufacturing to nations with decrease tariffs, however such shifts are advanced and should not present fast aid. Within the quick time period, customers ought to anticipate increased prices for headphones and wearables as a consequence of these commerce insurance policies.
This text was initially printed on April 5, 2025, and was up to date on Could 7, 2025.
