The JLab JBuds Mini wireless earbuds offer more features than you would expect from their small size Powerful sound and special features are combined in one of the smallest true wireless designs ever made Access to the companion app extends the ability to personalize the Buds in a variety of ways, including audio customization and ease of use
JLab even includes high-end features such as an ambient listening mode and a Bluetooth multipoint that allows pairing with two devices simultaneously; for a quarter-sized bud, these are some serious specs They're also inexpensive, available at JLab's online store or Amazon for $39/39 pounds
Of course, not everything runs smoothly with the JBuds Mini There are a few bugs that affect connectivity Lack of noise reduction also degrades call quality and voice assist So much for the major drawbacks All other performance is fine
See why these are by far down some of the best inexpensive wireless earphones you can buy right now
You can really come across it as you can in fact we promise, anyone can quickly forget about this person exactly how {} these look IP55 rated dust and water resistant JLab comes in five colors including charcoal black, sage, and teal and teal, but the most eye-catching colors are green and hot pinkNo matter which color I chose, it fit perfectly and had great comfort In fact, I wore the JBuds Mini for four hours each day and my ears never got tired An additional pair of ear tips is available, so listeners with different ear shapes can also rest easy
Even more attractive is the tiny charging case, which is slightly larger than a Snickers bar and almost half the size of Apple's AirPods Pro case It is also lighter than most keychains Speaking of which, JLab has added a textile strap loop so that this accessory can be attached to a backpack, keys, or other EDC (everyday carry items)
It lacks JLab's signature integrated charging cable, which is understandable; JLab's signature integrated charging cable is a given I am happy that JLab finally supports USB-C charging The USB-C cable is even included with the purchase At the same time, it is bittersweet not to see the attachment stored at the bottom of the case
While the best audio performance is not necessarily a hallmark of the brand, the JBuds Mini is some of the best sounding buds in the sub-$50 brand The bass-oriented profile produces a lively sound right out of the box, thanks to the default JLab Signature EQ, but you can swap out the equalizer settings in the companion app for an even better sound experience I found the balanced EQ (EQ 2) to be more suitable for all music genres Ignore the bass boost (EQ 3) as it muddies the sound image Listeners can also create their own sound profiles by manually adjusting the frequencies of the 10-band EQ
Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse's "Valerie" maintains a vibrant bop Heavy bass lines and pounding drums provide a rich sound, and Winehouse's vocal energy bursts through the 6mm driver But it was old-school salsa classics like "Descarga Fania - Live" by the Fania All Stars that caught me off guard I never thought I would enjoy this recording with a full orchestra The percussion was impactful, the bongo slaps and hammered drums inspiring me to tap my feet on my desk The vocals were crystal clear and everything you would expect from this low-cost badass Background details, such as the crashing cymbals and the bongo bells in hand, are clearly audible
JLab has a Music mode and a Movie mode, but I could not tell the difference in performance between the two We recommend sticking with Music for all media content
The Bud works with standard codecs (SBC, AAC) and handled streaming music from the best music streaming services well aptX and LDAC are not supported
These buds do not have active noise canceling capabilities, but they do successfully block out noise passively when listening to music They provide a tight seal around the ear canal and prevent outside sound from creeping in
JLab is to be commended for being one of the newer audio brands that offer multiple customization tools in their line of inexpensive earphones We have already mentioned some special perks such as equalizers and music/movie modes, and the JLab Sound app offers several more features that enhance the user experience
While ambient listening modes are a rarity for this low-cost bud, JLab offers Be Aware, which increases awareness of one's surroundings; how does it compete with rival elite options such as Jabra's HearThrough mode? First of all, it's bad Just be aware that these buds may pick up outside sounds You may hear your co-workers gossiping about you from the private room on the other side of the room, or you may hear an oncoming car on an evening walk Safe Hearing sets volume limits to protect your hearing Touch Control allows you to assign media controls to different input methods, such as single tap, double tap, triple tap, and long press
Another cool feature is the notification bar that appears when you start the phone or swipe down the top of the touchscreen It displays the battery level for each bud Pressing it brings up a menu that enables Google's "Find My Device" feature to locate a misplaced bud
Choose where you want to make your voice or video calls The JLab's microphone provides excellent voice capture, allowing you to hear people's voices loud and clear, but it is also super sensitive to ambient noise My wife was amazed at the clarity of my voice in the house; she could hear the sound of me walking around the house She then began to hear the sound of me walking around, the air conditioner vent, and my son playing with his craft toys
Excellent voice capture carries over to digital assistance Again, JLabs microphones pick up every syllable spoken to accurately interpret voice commands However, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri need a certain amount of silence to register them
JLab has included high-end wireless features in these buds: Bluetooth 53, Google Fast Pair, and multipoint technology Obviously there are a few bugs that the engineers forgot to fix, but the trio works well for the most part When paired with two devices at the same time, sound is customizable only when the smartphone is playing Another problem I often experienced was high frequency noise from the buds after disconnecting Perhaps a future firmware update will fix these issues
It is impossible to overstate how great the JBuds Mini is for the price The sound quality is perfect, and the feature set is more extensive than competitors' products under $50 Battery life of 55 hours on a single charge (up to 20 hours with the charging case) may seem inadequate, but it is more than adequate given the small, practical design
Important areas such as call quality and connectivity could have been more polished The lack of a built-in charging cable is also sad For those who want high performance in a small, affordable package, JLab's latest badge is worth having on your keychain
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