Bragi’s New Dash Pro Smart Headphones Presents the Future of Custom-Made Hearables

After having launched the first hearable device—a wearable computer fitted inside wireless headphones—Bragi is back again with a second generation device called the Dash Pro. Dash Pro will be available in two configurations, a standard Pro model as well as a custom-fitted model tailored by Starkey, a leading US manufacturer of hearing aids.

Equipped with 27 sensors and a 32-bit microprocessor, Dash Pro is created from 150 micro-components, Bragi said. These sensors work in conjunction with Bragi’s Kinetic UI, allowing to to turn your body, tap your cheek or nod to control the virtual 4D menu for a hands-free and/or voice-free experience.

Most of these features, however, are not new and have been available on the original Bragi Dash for some time. The Dash Pro fine tunes the experience, and the latest hearable ships with Bragi OS 3. The new OS delivers new skills and capabilities, making Dash Pro an even smarter wearable experience for your ears.

The new hearables come with iTranslate capabilities, which brings real-time face-to-face conversational language translation with support for 40 languages. The feature integrates with the iTranslate Pro app, which requires a separate subscription. It appears that the translation experience is iOS-only at this time.

Activity tracking while wearing Dash Pro is now automatic, so you don’t have to manually start tracking an activity. Dash Pro will automatically detect and log runs, bike rides and swims now. If you workout without carrying your phone, activity data can be stored offline and will automatically sync with the app once the earbuds are connected with your phone. The touch interface has been simplified. Dash Pro also supports better Bluetooth handling, making it easier to pair your Dash and use it with new devices. Additionally, Bragi has also made changes to improve audio fidelity and transparency with the Dash Pro.

Dash Pro Tailored by Starkey

After announcing a partnership with Starkey nearly a year and a half ago, the two have now unveiled the result of their collaboration: a custom-fitted Dash Pro model that’s designed for your ears. Rather than choosing from generic ear tips, the Starkey collaboration is only available through approximately 5,000 audiologists in the US and Canada.

At an audiologist office, an impression of your ear canals are created, and the Dash Pro Tailored by Starkey is made to fit your ears, which Bragi claims will deliver better clarity and detail without any loss of bass frequencies. Not only will the fit be more comfortable than an off-the-shelf earbud, but the Starkey collaboration also provides a better fit to help isolate outside noise when you’re listening to music.

Both models come with 4GB of internal storage, which can store about 1,000 songs. With this storage, you don’t need to carry your phone with you when you’re working out. If you do wish to stream music from your phone, the Dash Pro connects via Bluetooth LE. The Dash Pro comes with five hours of battery life, but you can drop the earbuds into the carrying case and recharge them that way. The case comes with its own battery, so you’ll be able to get a total of 30 hours of battery use on the go before you’ll need to plug into a wall outlet. The headphones are waterproof, and Bragi claims that you can use them to swim in up to three feet of fresh water.

If you’re a jogger in an urban environment, one of my favorite features about the original Dash is the audio transparency feature, which brings in background noise of your environment to keep you aware of your surrounding. Rather than canceling noise, you can now listen to music and still hear cars and the sounds of the city around you.

Availability and Pricing

The Dash Pro is available for $329. You can buy them now through Bragi’s online shop, and they’ll also be coming to Best Buy retail locations in the coming weeks.

If you want a custom fitted experience, the Dash Pro Tailored by Starkey is available for $499 at an audiologist’s office. Starkey and Bragi says that the Dash Pro is one of the most inexpensive custom-fitted in-ear headphones on the market today.