Twelve South’s AirFly devices have been quite popular for a while now, providing users with various ways to connect their wireless audio devices in a range of situations, including flights, car rides and even gaming sessions.
The AirFly Pro 2 doesn’t necessarily reinvent the formula in terms of what it’s providing most users, but it feels like the essential option to pick up if you’re needing another one or grabbing one for the first time.
Design
The AirFly Pro 2 bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor in terms of overall design. That’s far from a bad thing, as the AirFly Pro 2 generally succeeds at being easy to use and set up.
There’s a dedicated on/off switch on the left of the device, and buttons on the top left side and top right side of the device that state Pair 1 and Pair 2, for pairing specific devices. Finally, there’s a TX/RX switch on the bottom right-hand side to allow users to switch between Transmit and Receive modes.
Finally, there are plus and minus symbols up front for volume control, and a USB-C charging port underneath. The device itself is attached to a 3.5mm jack via a small 2cm cable, which comes in handy as it rarely feels like it’s in the way. The device itself is relatively small at just 5.66 x 2.95 x 1.12cm, and weighing only 16.5g, making it a breeze to travel with.
In the box along with the AirFly Pro 2, you’ll get a user guide, a small USB-C to USB-A charging cable and a small carry pouch.
But most of the design improvements, while important, feel incredibly subtle. For example, the volume control buttons have been given a more textured feel compared to the rest of the device, which makes them easier to locate in a darker setting.
Overall, it’s a small, light and compact option that once again doesn’t reinvent the formula, but improves upon it where it counts.
Performance
With Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity and aptX support, things are going to sound great across the board, and I couldn’t find any inconsistencies even across a range of connected devices. Developed by Qualcomm, aptX simply compresses and decompresses audio more efficiently than standard SBC codecs, which is a huge plus.
You’ll also be able to connect two devices to the AirFly Pro 2 with ease, by utilising each of the pairing buttons on either side. This doesn’t seem to affect battery life in any meaningful way, but I still had a little trouble determining just how much this played a part. We shall touch on the battery life a little later.
It might sound like a strange feature to point out, but the AirFly Pro 2 now has a dedicated on/off switch. This boots the device directly into pairing mode, making connecting devices much easier than in previous AirFly models. Even then, you’ll only need to press the pairing button once for this to connect, before plugging it into your device of choice.
Using this in flights feels like the most practical and popular use, and in that regard, not much has changed. But the AirFly 2 Pro is actually both a transmitter and receiver, meaning you can also plug it into the AUX ports of older cars without Bluetooth capabilities, to be able to play your music through those car speakers. It makes investing in a model like this much more valuable, but it also depends on your situation.
Battery
The 25-hour battery life is certainly long enough for pretty much all international flights, but the battery life indicator still feels like a bit of an issue. By pressing the double-clicking the Volume Up button, you’ll be able to see the overall battery life of the device, with 4 amber blinks from the small light above the volume controls to indicate 100% battery, 3 amber blinks to indicate 75% battery life, 2 amber blinks to indicate 50% battery life and one blink to indicate 25% battery life or lower.
It goes without saying, but while there’s no easy way to translate this on the device without having an actual dedicated display, you simply can’t tell how accurate it is. Checking it once to see 3 blinks might give you some relief, but checking it 15 minutes later to see only 2 blinks feels like a kick in the gut when you thought you had 75% battery life only moments ago.
Verdict & Value
While the AirFly Pro 2 doesn’t redefine the current formula, it’s still the best one you can buy for a range of reasons. The small and lightweight design speaks for itself, but the ability to transmit and receive makes it a game-changer for not only flights, but also older cars and devices without Bluetooth, for example.
Even at A$89.95, it will soon feel like an essential item for those who are looking to travel on some longer flights, and are looking for an easy way to get the most out of their wireless devices, without ever getting in the way.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Never compromises on audio quality; Easy to set up and connect multiple devices; Sleek and lightweight design
Lowlights: It’s hard to tell exactly how much battery life you have at any given time
Manufacturer: Twelve South
Price: A$89.95
Available: Now
Review based on unit supplied by Twelve South and can be purchased at a range of leading hardware retailers, including Twelve South’s official website.
