BEING a bit of a gym user...well, going three times a week....er, or twice if the weather's bad...Bluetooth earphones are a great accessory.
If I had a pound for every time my running arm action had pulled my headphone jack out of my music player, well, I'd have about £17 by now.
JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds
So I've been using a connected set of Bluetooth earphones via a wire that goes round the back of your neck, and they're great. But even these move a bit and flap on the nape when running fast...ahem... so I was keen to try these wireless earbuds.
The short answer: Very impressed for a pair of budget earphones. Good clear sound, with a choice of three EQ settings depending on your preferred bass/treble/mid-range settings.
It's a decent fit too. Like any earphones, twiddling is the operative word but after a few minutes I found a comfortable fit without fear of them falling out and which provided me with a required full sound. If a workout gets a bit sweaty or the rain catches you out on a run then the earbuds have IP55 sweat resistance.
So what's in the box? Well, two ear buds, which take a second or two to connect to one another. Then it's a case of connecting to your mobile phone via your Bluetooth settings and then you're good to go. From taking the buds out of the box - which incidentally carries a handy quick set-up and operation guide on its magnetic snap-open inside cover - I was listening to music within a couple of minutes.
JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds
The earbuds' batteries deliver 3-4 hours of music - but, and here's the thing - unlike my other earphones, the earbuds come with their own pocket-sized charger box which, when fully charged add a further ten hours of life to the buds. Lights on the outside of the box indicate how much power you have left before your next charge.
My only minor criticism is that the charging box's built-in USB lead is only very short and so I had to prop it up on a box to reach the wall plug charger. Charging via a laptop/desktop computer eliminates this issue.
Automatically turning on and connecting to each other and your phone right out of the case, the earbuds' functions are accessed via click buttons on the outside of each earbud.
Volume and track up and down are achieved with a click and a click and hold respectively, and a double click left will pause the track, while a double click right allows you to use the in-built microphone to access Siri or Google commands. A triple click allows you to toggle between the three EQ settings.
JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds
There are handy voice prompts which tell you the battery and Bluetooth status, and a 'goodbye' to reassure that you've correctly switched the earbuds off (click and hold for five seconds).
The buds also come with a manual, a pair of Cush Fins for a comfortable fit, some extra gel cushion tips and a JLab two-year warranty.
The JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds are available from John Lewis for £49.99
SPECIFICATIONS
JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds
AUDIO
Speaker: Φ8mm Dynamic, Neodymium Magnet, 20Hz-20kHz, 32 Ω
Output: 103±3db
Microphone: Right ear only, MEMS, - 38dB ±3dB
BATTERY
Battery Life: 3-4 hours in each earbud
JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds
Input Power: DC 5V, 50mA
Earbud Battery: 60 mAh lithium polymer
Earbud Charge Time: 1.5 Hours
Rapid Charge: 15 min charging = 1 hour playtime
Charging Case Battery: 500mAh lithium polymer rechargeable
Case Charge Time: 2 Hours
BLUETOOTH
Version: Bluetooth 5
Range: 30+ ft.
Support Protocols: HSP/HFP/A2DP/AVRCP
GENERAL
Weight: 5g per earbud, 50g charging case
IP Rating: IP55
Warranty: 2 year warranty
JLab JBuds Air True Wireless Earbuds
