This JLab JBuds Air Pro is a follow-up to the JBuds Air, one of the best affordable wireless earbuds. It keeps many of the features that made the original a top seller at online shops, including bass-centric sound, sturdy construction, rapid auto-connect capabilities, as well as a small charging case with a built-in USB connection. Ambient listening mode, improved battery life, & multipoint technology are all included in this edition.
For $60, that’s a tempting package, but the low MSRP comes with compromises, the majority of which are decided to carry over from previous brand releases (it’s a way to upgrade the charging system, JLab). Despite its flaws, the JBuds Air Pro is a reliable gym companion that costs less than half of what a few of the best exercise headphones cost.
What you will see here?
Price and availability
The JBuds Air Pro is available exclusively via JLab for $60. There is just one color option: black. A charging case, 3 types of different-sized gel tips, a user handbook, and a two-year warranty are all included in the box.
Every other month, new entry-level sports buds appear on the market. The energetic-sounding Tribit MoveBuds H1 ($89) featuring ear hook design as well as the sturdy Skullcandy Dime ($26) are two fresh offerings worth checking out. Other JLab models worth considering are the Go Air Pop ($20) and Go Air Sport ($30).
Design and comfort
These buds are identical to their predecessors and any other oval JLab type. Aesthetics have remained mostly unchanged. The entire frame is made of durable black plastic and is sweatproof, dustproof, and water-resistant to IP55 standards. To put it another way, the JBuds Air Pro could resist a lot of abuse, such as heavy dampness or severe spills on concrete.
Its charging case is slim and features the trademark built-in USB cord at the bottom. It’s sturdy and holds the buds in place, while the cover is weak, and dropping the case at the incorrect angle risks spilling the buds all over the floor.
For buds this thick, comfort is acceptable. Throughout the day, you used them for hour-and-a-half periods; slight pain around the concha was noted in between breaks. During exercises, your ears should not become fatigued. Also, at 0.18 ounces, the buds are far lighter than popular competitors such as the Beats Powerbeats Pro (0.7 ounces).
The JBuds Air Pro will also provide you with a secure fit. The shape of the buds contoured to my ears, and the gel tips provided a tight seal that held the buds in place. On runs, you never had to adjust them, and slippage was never an issue.
Controls and digital assistant
JLab’s willingness to program each set of buds with a complete range of media controls is something you’ve always admired. You get advanced functions (volume, listening mode activation) that are cleverly assigned on both buds in addition to basic functions (call management, playback, digital assistance). Input techniques consist of single, double, triple, and lengthy taps.
JLab even incorporated motion detection, which automatically pauses material when you remove the buds and resumes playback when you replace them. This functionality, as well as the touch controls, functioned well.
JLab’s mic array captured vocals effectively and accurately executed Bixby and Siri voice commands. Basic requests like “what is your next event” were misinterpreted by Google Assistant as “what is molecular.” This wasn’t the case most of the time, as Google’s AI bot handled most orders correctly, but you’d be negligent if you didn’t mention one particular gaffe.
Special features
If you’re seeking wireless earphones with more mobility and features, you’d recommend purchasing elsewhere. JLab has two applications, one for the above burn-in tool and another for the Epic Air Sport ANC specifically.
Buds control all the other functions. Fortunately, they have a few that are useful, such as Movie Mode, EQ3 Sound, & digital help. Ambient listening & multipoint technology add two more features to the JLab JBuds Air Pro earbuds.
JLab’s variant of Transparency mode is Be Aware Mode, which is wonderful for boosting your awareness of your surroundings. Several of the noises in the immediate neighborhood hearing. Particularly voices that were loud and clear. This got the chance to say a few words to the missus before stepping out for a run. You can hear bicycles and talkative runners on the same route, as well as trucks coming up the block & construction activities on the Intracoastal Waterway once you are on the road.
Bluetooth multipoint isn’t something you’ll find on many low-cost wireless earbuds, so JLab’s decision to give this feature to owners is significant. It functions flawlessly. The JBuds Air Pro allows you to control audio on two devices at once without scrambling the connections. It is nice to be able to utilize the Samsung Galaxy Note S22 Ultra during workouts and then go right into the MacBook Pro without having to unpair.
Bluetooth 5.1 influencs how successfully Bluetooth Multipoint communicates with devices and performs. The connection remains stable, and the wireless range is up to 60 feet.
Sound Quality
The JBuds Air Pro earbuds has a pleasant sound character and equips with JLab’s patented EQ3 Sound, a three-EQ setting found on all JLab wireless earbuds. Each mode (Bass Boost, Balanced, JLab Signature) may activate directly on the buds and alters the sound for the better or the worse, depending on the song you’re listening to.
The 6mm driver offers snappy bass on workout favorites like Jamiroquai’s “Shake It On,” which heightened in Bass Boost mode but it seems like bass drumsticks had to hit into the eardrums. Essentially, you want to eat the forceful low end before starting a run. All of that bass also drowned out the mids & highs. Switching to Balanced brought the focus to the mids and breathed new life into the airily spoken chorus over the peppy production.
Balanced, on the other hand, was the favorite since it finally sorted out the low end & maintained it punchy while giving more clarity to a midrange.
When approaching the finish line, Sebastien Tellier’s “La Ritournelle” was the ticket. To hear every auditory element clearly, the frequency range was balanced and neutralized. The string arrangements were captivating, and the percussion was forceful, while the other modes hit harder. The signature gave the soundstage an airy feel that emphasized highs (the violins sounded so clean). But the lows were still overly harsh and the mids reduces. Bass Boost enhanced the scary lows and lowered instrument clarity.
Movie Mode
When it comes to comfort, the JBuds Air Pro isn’t the best option for viewing movies, but that didn’t stop JLab from creating a Movie Mode to eliminate audio lag when watching videos. Because the quality is same in both Movie and Music Modes, you couldn’t identify the difference in performance.
The only audio codecs supported are AAC and SBC, however the former was sufficient for high-quality streaming on the Google Pixel 6 Pro & MacBook Pro. You only can listen to music from Apple Music and Spotify.
You can also get an audio burn-in utility from JLab via iOS or Google Play. For those unfamiliar with the burn-in procedure, it involves playing static noise or music for a few hours to break in your buds and headphones and improve audio quality. The verdict on if it works is yet out. Just know that it’s available if you are interested then try it.
Noise isolation is adequate, allowing for quiet listening in environments with little background noise. Any discussions on the phone or in the living room are silenced. The concentration is frequently broken by high-frequency sounds such as the son’s sobbing and his new whistle toy.
Call quality and connectivity
The call quality is satisfactory. Though JLab JBuds Air Pro earbuds claims that the MEMs microphone in each bud makes clear calls, this isn’t true. People on the receiving end of voice & video calls expressed dissatisfaction with the low volume and tinniness. They could still hear it and understand much of what you said. But conversations should disturb by loud background noises and the wind.
There were no dropouts. While the smartphone charged in the bedroom, Bluetooth 5.1 kept calls active while you strolled about the house.
Battery life and charging case
JLab JBuds Air Pro earbuds manages to set the bar for affordable wireless earphones with good battery life. The JBuds Air Pro has a 9-hour battery life and a 36-hour charging case. Do the math, and you’ll have four additional charges to last you around 2 weeks before recharging. This is longer than some of JLab’s other buds, such as the Go Air Sport (8 hours), but less than the Epic Air Sport ANC, which leads the category (11 to 15 hours). What counts most, It suppose, is that you receive more than the AirPods Pro’s industry average of 4.5 to 5 hours.
Even though this sounds fantastic, there is still a huge issue with charging. When it was first introduced a few years ago, the built-in USB cable was a neat feature, but it now wants to upgrade and compels customers to find a USB port to charge the case. All other models offer better charging options (lightning/USB-C charging or fast charging).
Conclusion
Many of JLab’s low-cost wireless earbuds are similar to one another. The JLab JBuds Air Pro earbuds follows in the footsteps of its brothers. But the additions of Bluetooth Multipoint and also be Aware Mode set it apart as one of the brand’s best products. It appeals to brand aficionados and budget-conscious exercisers because of its powerful sound, responsive controls, solid connectivity, and longer runtime in a water-resistant design.
