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Tom's Guide
8 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
These open-earbuds are the most secure I've tried for working out — and they're cheaper than Bose and Beats
I've been well and truly won over by open-earbuds. I know that when I'm out on a walk, working out or commuting, I can rely on them to stay aware of my surroundings and enjoy my music at the same time. So when I tested the JLab Epic Open Sport and realized how comfortable and secure they felt, I was ready to hail them as some of the best running headphones around… but the sound quality couldn't win me over entirely. While there's only one color option, the rest of the design is very sleek. They offer the choice of touch or button controls and have Custom EQ settings too. The multipoint connection is great for when you're fielding calls on the computer and listening to music on your phone. But the environmental noise canceling on the microphones when taking calls is pretty much non-existent and the sound quality of the music varies heavily depending on what genre you listen to. And if your music of choice is anything other than upbeat workout music, you'll be disappointed. You can find out more about how I got on with the earbuds in my full JLab Epic Open Sport review. Price $114/£99 Charging case dimensions 3 x 2.65 x 1.05 inches Charging case weight 1.75 ounces Earbud dimensions 1.8 x 1.6 x 0.75 inches Earbud weight 0.59 ounces Color Black Total battery life 30 hours Wireless charging Yes Multipoint Yes Waterproof rating IP55 Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.4 Bluetooth codec SBC, AAC, LDAC The JLab Epic Open Sport open-earbuds are available for purchase at Amazon U.S. for $114 and at Amazon U.K. for £99. They are a little more expensive than the rest of JLab's usual budget range, but they still don't cost as much as premium brands like Bose or Beats. Within the price, you also get a two-year warranty on the buds. These buds are only available in a Black colorway with silver accents, but if you wanted a little more color choice, you could take a look at the JLab Go Air Sport earbuds. These aren't open-ear, but are a fraction of the price of the Epic Open Sport at just $30, and offer six color choices. The EarFun Clip open-earbuds ($89) are an ideal choice for open earbuds with great sound quality and are cheaper than the JLab Epic Open Sport. Or the Soundcore Aeroclip open-earbuds also offer extreme comfort with great sound customization, but are just a little more expensive at $129. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The JLab Epic Open Sport earbuds look sleek. Since they are black with silver accents, they always complement what I wear from my workout gear to my more put-together outfits when I'm out and about. I would like to see some other color options, though, since the rest of the JLabs range, like the JLabs Go Pods ANC or the JLabs JBuds Sport ANC 4, come in a range of vibrant colors. The case for the earbuds measures 3 x 2.65 x 1.05 inches, so they're a little bulkier than earbuds I would normally go for. That being said, I could still fit them into my jacket pocket to go for a run (with a bit of a squeeze). Despite the size, the plastic case is light as a feather, weighing just 1.75 ounces, although it feels a little flimsy and scratches easily. The buds themselves are extremely sturdy though, and have a flexible ear hook with a silicone cover to ensure they stay in place and don't slip around. The hook can be pinched to make it tighter around the ear. They weigh 0.59 ounces, so I didn't feel them much when I was moving around. That being said, after wearing them for a few hours I noticed they were becoming uncomfortable around the back of my ears. The earbuds rest at the entrance of the ear after hooking around the top This places the 14.2mm speakers directly over the ear canal, but as with all open earbuds causes sound leakage (although nothing major). The buds have an IP rating of IP55, so they're dust and sweat resistant, and can cope with rain, so no need to worry if you're caught out by the weather when running or on your way home from the gym. The JLab Epic Open Sport earbuds have both touch and button controls. I love that you get the option between the two: buttons leave less room for error when active, but you can also have effortless touch controls if that's what you prefer. These controls can be customized in the JLab App. The beauty of open-earbuds is that you can stay aware of your surroundings while listening to music, and the JLab Epic Open Sports do a great job of letting in ambient sound. I was able to maintain conversations while still listening to my music, and I didn't need to turn the volume down when I was out for a run in a busy area. One of my favorite times to use open-earbuds is when I'm commuting on the train and need to listen out for announcements about train times and delays. The Epic Open Sports let me enjoy my music while staying aware of any changes that affect my journey. There is an environmental noise-canceling microphone on each earbud, so I tested them out by calling my mom. Despite the earbuds supposedly canceling noise, my mom could still hear the typing of my keyboard in the background, but she said my voice was clear. From my perspective, my mom's voice was tinny and sounded a little high-pitched. But I know that call quality on open-earbuds can be great, as when I tested the Soundcore Aeroclips, they even decreased wind buffeting. The JLab Epic Open Sport earbuds use Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity. With this, there is a connection range of 30 feet, so I was able to walk around and get some chores done without having my phone glued to my side. The buds are also Google Fast Pair enabled, allowing Bluetooth connection on Android devices with a single tap. The buds have multipoint connection so I was able to connect to my laptop and phone and switch seamlessly between the two without having to disconnect. These earbuds can use SBC, AAC, and LDAC audio codecs, so are able to cope with Hi-Res streaming if you have a compatible device. The sound quality of the JLab Epic Open Sport open-earbuds can be great, at least with the right settings tweaked in the companion app. The JLab App allows you to make quick alterations to the sound profile of the buds via a custom EQ. In the app, there are two presets, JLab Signature and Balanced, and the option to create a custom EQ. I started off by testing out JLab Signature, as this is the default sound. I was immediately impressed by how well balanced the bass and mids sounded, and the profile complemented most of my audio testing songs. For instance, 'Banquet' by Bloc Party felt full and well-rounded, with sharp vocals. However, with stripped-back songs, like 'All Your'n' by Tyler Childers, the sound was flat and entirely lacked depth. This profile seems better suited to songs with higher levels of production. I then tested out the Balance EQ preset with 'Hypersonic Missiles' by Sam Fender. On this preset the music sounded muted and the punchiness of this song was completely lost. That being said, the vocals were prominent but sounded flat, and almost empty. Using the 'Custom EQ' section of the app I was able to create a preset to boost the bass performance and test the drivers. For this test I listened to 'I Wanna Be Adored' by The Stone Roses, a song with a heavy reliance on bass to carry it through. There was no distortion to the track from increasing the bass, so I was impressed there, but the rest of the instruments fell flat. No matter how much I played with the mids and highs, the drums were lost whenever the bass was turned up. There are better options if you want bass as the Earfun Clip open-earbuds were able to enhance the bass performance. The custom EQ settings are hard to use in the JLabs App, as the sliders are very jumpy and often don't register my commands precisely. I didn't have this issue when using the Soundcore app while testing the Soundcore Aeroclips, and also has a lot more choice of presets. As well as the two music presets, there is a movie mode button in the app. I used this setting to listen to a podcast and found that the speech was far more pronounced than in music mode. It also works well for enhancing the sound of speech when watching YouTube videos. The JLab Epic Open Sport earbuds have a total rated battery life of 30 hours — 7 hours in the buds and an extra 23 hours with the charging case. I let the buds play for 4 hours at a moderate volume and they had 50% battery remaining. The case has wireless charging, which is useful if you don't have a USB-C cable on hand. There is a quick charge option but 10 minutes only gives an hour of battery. So if you wanted to take them out for something longer than a short run you'd need to wait a while for them to charge up. The EarFun Clip earbuds that I recently tested were able to get two and a half hours of battery with just a 10-minute charge, and they are cheaper at $89. While I wanted to love the JLab Epic Open Sport open-earbuds, there are some glaring issues preventing that from happening. That's not to say these are bad earbuds by any means: the comfortable and secure fit, not to mention the IP55 rating, make them great for working out. Meanwhile, the choice of touch or button controls suit these equally to die-hard fans in one camp or the other. The multipoint connection makes them great for flicking between work calls and music on your laptop and phone. And the option of custom EQ settings in the JLab app helped to enhance certain genres of music. Unfortunately, the unpredictable sound quality couldn't win me over entirely. These buds are definitely more suited to upbeat music, as opposed to stripped-back acoustic tunes, which isn't great for everyday listening when I enjoy a variety of genres. But if you like listening to upbeat music while you work out this won't be an issue. For a more consistent music experience, I would recommend the EarFun Clips. The environmental noise cancelling for calls isn't very good and the person on the other end of the call could hear all of my paper rustling and typing. And it may be material, but having only one color option really limits the look of these earbuds when compared to the options in the rest of JLabs' audio range. With that said though, these are buds I would definitely reach for again when going out on a run or getting a quick yoga session in. I just won't be reaching them for long-term wear on a daily basis.
Tom's Guide
01-08-2025
- Tom's Guide
These top-rated earbuds sound great and are on sale from $19 — 5 JLab deals I'd shop now at Amazon
JLab has to be one of the most underrated audio brands out there. Tom's Guide's audio team has reviewed a bunch of their earbuds and consistently give them high scores, praising their sound quality, battery life and useful features. Best of all, their earbuds are usually seriously cheap. That gets even better right now, as there's a huge JLab sale over at Amazon. For starters, I recommend picking up the JLab Go Air Pop Plus on sale for $19 at Amazon. These have solid sound quality, up to 35 hours of battery life and Bluetooth 5.3 on board. And you don't need to just take my word for it — these earbuds have a 4.4-star rating based on over 10,000 Amazon reviews. Keep scrolling to see all my favorite JLab deals. For more savings, see our Amazon promo codes and check out the deals I'd get from $8 in Best Buy's weekend sale. Wireless earbuds have come a long way, and now, you can get a solid-sounding pair of buds for under $25. While not all budget earbuds are up to par, the JLab Go Air Pop True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds are an ace pick. We gave the previous version of these earbuds a 4-star rating in our JLab Go Air Pop review. The upgraded version brings longer battery life, IPX4 water resistance and Google Fast Pair. Like the neutral colored headphones we saw in the Beats X Kim Kardashian collab? Well, you don't have to spend a fortune to get some stylish, great-sounding headphones in a neutral shade — right now the JLab Go Air Pop Plus Tones are on sale for just $19. These sound great for their price and deliver up to 35 hours of battery life. Our Senior Fitness Writer, Nick Harris-Fry, swears by these earbuds as being perfect for running and gym workouts. They offer long battery life, a secure fit and impressive sound quality for the price, and come in seven colors. If you want an affordable sporty alternative to buds from Beats, Apple and Bose, then look no further. These earbuds can do it all: surprisingly excellent sound quality, an impressive IP66 durability rating, 26 hours battery life, and 3 ANC modes. Our JLab Go Pods ANC review said these are truly some of the best cheap wireless earbuds money can buy. The JLab Epic Air Sport ANC (2nd Gen) are a fantastic purchase for novice exercisers requiring sonic fuel to boost their routine. They have a more refined soundstage (when you enable the Balanced EQ) that continues to place bass at the forefront, but also gives mids and highs some attention for pleasant audio consumption. Jlab's signature earhook design is dependable for on-ear stability and built for longevity, thanks to durable construction and IP66 certification for dirt, sweat and water resistance.
Forbes
28-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Target Back-To-School Sale: Save Up To 76% This Week
Summer is quickly coming to an end, and that means school is right around the corner. So Target's Back-To-School Sale has arrived at the perfect time. Now through Aug. 2, you can shop deals like school supplies starting at 25 cents, 25% off kids' clothing and 30% off kids' shoes. The sale includes steep savings from major brands like JLab and Vera Bradley, as well as Target exclusives including Cat & Jack and All In Motion. From now until Aug. 2, you can save up to 76% on school supplies like wired headphones, reusable ... More water bottles, backpacks and more. ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTOS: RETAILER Target's back-to-school deals aren't just for kids in K-12—college students and teachers can also save big right now and 20% off a qualifying purchase with their school ID. Here, I compiled a list of the best deals across the site. Best Deals From Target's Back-To-School Sale Kids' Apparel Kids' Shoes Backpacks Lunch Essentials School Supplies Target Back-To-School Sale: Deals On Kids' Apparel Get 25% Off These Sporty, Lightweight Shorts Target All In Motion Run Shorts (Girls') Shop At Target Take 25% Off This Top-Rated Athletic Shirt Target All In Motion Raglan Active T-Shirt (Boys') Shop At Target Save 25% On This Uniform Essential, Which Is Available In 10 Colors Target Cat & Jack Short Sleeve Interlock Uniform Polo Shirt (Girls') Shop At Target These Classic Yet Comfortable Pants Are Less Than $15 Target Cat & Jack Straight Fit Uniform Pants (Boys') Shop At Target Stay Cozy In School With This Lightweight Sweater Target All In Motion Airy Sleek 1/2 Zip Sweatshirt (Girls') Shop At Target Score 25% Off This Versatile Hoodie Target All In Motion Spacer Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt (Boys') Shop At Target Target Back-To-School Sale: Deals On Kids' Shoes These Pull-On Sneakers Are Perfect For Gym And Sports Target All In Motion Kids' Sutton Performance Sneakers Shop At Target Save 30% On These Everyday Sneakers In Red, White Or Black Target Cat & Jack Kids' Boston Court Sneakers Shop At Target Get 30% Off These Cushioned And Breathable Sneakers Target All In Motion Kids' Ira Lace-Up Performance Sneakers Shop At Target These Top-Rated Sneakers Are Less Than $20 Right Now Target Art Class Kids' Benni Skate Sneakers Shop At Target Take 30% Off This Pair Of Maximum Comfort Sneakers Target Cat & Jack Kids' Alexander Retro Sneakers Shop At Target Target Back-To-School Sale: Deals On Backpacks This Water-Repellant, Spacious Backpack Is 30% Off Target All In Motion Faux Neoprene Backpack Shop At Target This Bag Has Plenty Of Pockets, And It's 30% Off Target Cat & Jack Two Pocket Backpack (Girls') Shop At Target Save 30% On This Sleek And Chic Backpack Target All in Motion Lifestyle Backpack Shop At Target This Backpack Is 30% Off In Four Colors And Prints Target Cat & Jack Two Pocket Backpack (Boys') Shop At Target Get 30% Off This Option With Room For Electronics, Water Bottles And More Target All In Motion Sporty Backpack Shop At Target Target Back-To-School Sale: Deals On Lunch Essentials Score This Lunch Bag At 20% Off In 17 Colors Target Fulton Bag Co Upright Lunch Bag Shop At Target Take 20% Off This Durable, 16-Ounce Water Bottle Target Thermos Stainless Steel Funtainer Water Bottle Shop At Target Organize School Lunches With This Bento Box For 20% Less Target Bentgo Modern Leakproof Lunch Bento Box Shop At Target This Spill-Resistant Water Bottle Is Less Than $20 Target Hydrapeak Kids Stainless Steel Water Bottle Shop At Target Pack Snacks In This Set Of Reusable Pouches For $12 Target Fulton Bag Co Leatherette Snack Pouch Sacks Shop At Target Take $49 Off This Top-Rated Lunch Bag Target Vera Bradley Outlet Lighten Up Lunch Crossbody Bag Shop At Target Target Back-To-School Sale: Deals On School Supplies Keep A Long-Lasting Supply Of Pencils With This Pack For Under $5 Target BiC 26-Pack Mechanical Pencils Shop At Target Get 13% Off These Adjustable, Wired Headphones Target JLab JBuddies Studio On-Ear Kids Wired Headphones Shop At Target Check Off Markers From Your School Supply List With This Discounted Set Target Crayola 10-Count Washable Markers Shop At Target Take 20% Off This Compact Pencil Case Target Up&Up Hard Sided Zipper Pencil Case Shop At Target Save 17% On These Multicolored Highlighters Target Sharpie 4-Pack Highlighters Shop At Target
Tom's Guide
26-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I usually give budget earbuds a tough time, but not this $29 pair — here's why I won't stop until everyone owns them
I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to audio products. I find that if my earbuds/headphones/speaker/soundbar falls short of expectations, I can't ignore it. When I'm listening to music I want to be immersed in that music. That's why I'm on a mission to find the best wireless earbuds — although so far, there's a clear winner, and it's the $249 Apple AirPods Pro 2. But still, I'm yearning for the best budget earbuds. Why must all semi-decent earbuds be so pricey, I thought, while testing pair after pair of cheap buds, slowly losing hope. I was beginning to think that good inexpensive earbuds were a myth. But then, I tested the JLab Go Pods ANC. Without a shadow of a doubt, these are the #1 top budget earbuds money can buy right now. That's the whole article — you don't need to read any further. If you want the best cheap earbuds, it's the JLab Go Pods ANC or bust. If you want a little more information, though, please do keep reading. The JLab Go Pods ANC are some of the cheapest earbuds I've ever seen... and they're on sale for $29 right now. These earbuds can do it all: surprisingly excellent sound quality, an impressive IP66 durability rating, 26 hours battery life, and 3 ANC modes. These are truly the best cheap earbuds money can buy. As a professional audio reviewer, I've tested my fair share of earbuds now. I've tested $30 pairs, $50 pairs, $80 pairs, $100 pairs, $150 pairs... you get the picture. I've tested a lot of earbuds. And the truth? More often than not, the sound quality is disappointing. Some of the best sounding earbuds I've tested are the $129 Skullcandy x Bose Method 360 ANC and the $70 EarFun Air 2 NC. But these are rare diamonds in the rough, and trust me when I say there's a lot of rough. I've been impressed by JLab gear in the past (the JLab JBuds Lux ANC are, to date, the only budget over-ear headphones I've ever recommended), but the JLab Go Pods ANC seemed too good to be true. Why? Because they're literally $36. So it's fair to say that I didn't have high hopes — but boy, was I wrong. The JLab Go Pods ANC sound awesome. Thanks to the fully-configurable 10-band EQ in the JLab app (which I'll discuss in full later), the sound style can be adjusted to suit your tastes. Listen to bass-heavy electronic? Up the bass. Want to get the most out of your singer-songwriter's voice? Up the treble. I found an EQ that suited most genres of music and I stuck to that. I enjoyed a balanced yet complete soundscape, with loud and infectious bass and strong, clear treble without a smidge of tinniness. Truly, for $36, the sound quality is unmatched. No other cheap earbuds come close to the JLab Go Pods ANC — not even other JLab earbuds. These earbuds literally have me tearing my hair out and screaming, "Why? How?" How are they so cheap? Why do they sound so good for $36? I don't get it. These earbuds are truly a miracle. But you best believe it. Most budget earbuds I test have a companion app, but sometimes it either doesn't work (Mixx StreamBuds Ultra Mini, $69) or is only available on one pair of earbuds (Belkin). The JLab app has a huge range of functions: the aforementioned 10-band EQ customization; a range of ambient soundscapes like bird noises and waves; volume limiter to protect your hearing; touch control customization; interval timer for HIIT workouts; activate music or movie mode. As you can see from the image above, the JLab app is absolutely stuffed full of features. I had a blast customizing my EQ one band at a time, finding the optimal setting, cycling through the ambient noise soundscapes, and playing with the touch controls to find my ideal setup. I absolutely adore this app, and made my experience with the JLab Go Pods ANC even more enjoyable. Here, I will give an honorable mention to the EarFun app, which I think it just as great as the JLab app. EarFun also makes affordable earbuds, but none are quite as affordable as the $36 Go Pods ANC. I can't really do much else now but let the numbers speak for me. These earbuds are the same price as an entree at a nice restaurant, a week's worth of gas, just a couple days of groceries. It's very rare to get earbuds of this quality at this price. I'd expect the JLab Go Pods ANC to cost at least $70 — and that's still cheap. Some of our highest-rated budget earbuds so far are as follows: EarFun Air 2 ($49), EarFun Air 2 NC ($69), EarFun Air Pro 4 ($99), Soundpeats Air5 Pro ($79), and the Soundcore Liberty 5 ($129). But what do all of these earbuds have in common? They're not as cheap as the JLab Go Pods ANC. Some of them are three times the price, actually. Seeing as the JLab Go Pods ANC have an IP rating of IP66, they have a companion app, a 2 year warranty, excellent sound quality for the price, 3 ANC modes, 26 hour battery life (better than AirPods Pro 2), and the case isn't flimsy... I'm just lost for words. And I write for a living. As I said above, I just don't get how these earbuds are so cheap. I can't wrap my head around it. It's unfathomable, unbelievable, inconceivable... And yet, the earbuds exist. They are sitting on my desk next to me as I write this. At just $36, these are — realistically — a pair of earbuds that everyone could have as a backup pair. Obviously they're good enough to be your only pair, but in a pinch, the JLab Go Pods ANC won't let you down. They didn't let me down. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
25-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I wasn't expecting much from these $69 budget earbuds — but they actually impressed me with their punchy sound
JLab reliably produces budget earbuds that actually sound good, such as the JLab JBuds Pods ANC. If you're looking for a good pair of earbuds that costs less than $70, this is it. Sporting a premium design that makes the earbuds look pricier than they are, the JBuds Pods ANCs are also very comfortable. The ANC is effective and doesn't give you much to complain about, while their long battery life is the cherry on top of the cake. Even though the earbuds' default out-of-the-box sound profile leaves a lot to be desired, it can be easily corrected via the app — and it makes the earbuds sound fantastic across most genres. If the lack of aptX and LDAC support and no wear detection doesn't put you off, these could be the best cheap wireless earbuds for you. For the complete breakdown, read my full JLab JBuds Pods ANC review. Specs JLab JBuds Pods ANC Price $69 / £59 Colors Black Frequency response 20Hz-20KHz Battery life (ANC on) 7 hours, 31 hours (charging case) Battery life (ANC off) 10 hours, 56 hours (charging case) Multipoint connectivity Yes Paired devices max 2 Connectivity Bluetooth 5.4 with SBC, AAC Weight 0.31oz (each bud) Durability IP55 The JLab JBuds Pods ANC earbuds retail for $69 / £59 and are available in just one colorway: Black. If you want more colorful earbuds, it might be worth considering the JLab JBuds Mini ($49) but you'll be missing out on ANC. The JBuds Pods ANC are priced similarly to the likes of the EarFun Air 2 NC ($69) and the Soundpeats Air5 Pro ($79). The sub-$70 price tag also makes the JBuds Pods ANC a great budget alternative to the Apple AirPods Pro 2 ($249), the Sony WF-C710N ($119) and the Bose QuietComfort ($179). The JBuds Pods ANCs are good value for money because they have long battery life and they boast great sound quality. The JLab JBuds Pods ANC feature a drop-stem design, similar to the Apple AirPods Pro 2, the EarFun Air 2 NCs and the Soundpeats Air5 Pros. It's nothing special and nothing we haven't seen before, but I like the matte finish on the buds and the case. I think it lends the JBuds Pods ANC a premium edge and makes them look pricier than they actually are. As for comfort, the JBuds Pods ANC fit snugly in my ears. Each earbud weighs 0.31oz, so slightly on the heavier side when compared to, say, the 0.16oz Air5 Pros. Still, the JBuds Pods ANC didn't feel too heavy during my testing, and I comfortably wore them for five straight hours. I stuck with the default tip size, but if you have smaller or bigger ears, there are two extra pairs included in the box. The JBuds Pods ANCs' charging case feels premium too. Its plastic shell doesn't feel fragile, which I found wasn't the case with the likes of the Sony WF-C710N or the Bose QuietComfort. That's a brownie point for JLab. The JBuds Pods ANC also one-up the QuietComforts when it comes to durability, as they're IP55 rated as opposed to the QuietComforts' lower resistance rating of IPX4. The IP55 rating means the earbuds are resistant to low-pressure water jets from any direction and dust. They're also sweatproof, so you can wear them while working out. The JLab JBuds Pods ANC utilize Bluetooth 5.4 with support for AAC and SBC codes. Unfortunately, there's no aptX or LDAC support which I've seen in similarly priced earbuds, like the EarFun Air 2 NC and the Soundpeats Air5 Pro. It's worth grabbing either those or the EarFun Air Pro 4 ($89) if hi-res streaming codecs are important to you. The JBuds Pods ANC can connect up to two smart devices simultaneously thanks to multipoint connectivity. The earbuds also feature Google Fast Pair, and my Google Pixel 7 Pro was quick to recognize the JBuds Pods ANC as soon as I took them out of their case. Within seconds, I was listening to music. I also found it easy to swap between watching YouTube videos on my MacBook Air M2 and listening to music on my phone. But similar to the Air 2 NCs and the Air5 Pros, the JBuds Pods ANC don't feature wear detection, so playback doesn't pause when a bud is removed and doesn't automatically resume when you put it back in your ear. Controlling the JLab JBuds Pods ANC is easy as pie. Like most other earbuds today, they don't sport any physical controls, so everything is done via a combination of tapping and holding. Alongside being able to adjust volume, play/pause, answer/reject calls, and cycle through EQ presets, you can also double-tap the left earbud to toggle Siri or Google Assistant. In my testing, the earbuds were responsive and registered all my commands quickly. The JBuds Pods ANC are accompanied by the JLab app, available on iOS and Android, and it's your one-stop shop for customizing all JLab gear. The app is easy to use with a straightforward interface. Here, you can customize the JBuds Pods ANCs' touch controls, ANC level, and toggle spatial audio. You can also customize the 10-band equalizer, and I highly recommend doing so. I found the JBuds Pods ANCs' default sound profile (out of the box) tinny and lacking in depth and bass, so I customized the EQ to see if I could fix the problem — and I did. It's very easy to do so and you can move it in tiny increments to really fine-tune the sound to your liking. On the daily, I use my trusty Marshall Monitor IIIs to listen to music, but I challenged myself to forget about them for a few days and use only the JLab JBuds Pods ANC. Now, the Monitor IIIs are a class apart and it would be unfair to pit the JBuds Pods ANC against them, but even then I was impressed with what these budget buds are capable of. To test the earbuds, I listened to a few genres — such as rock, indie, EDM, metal, etc. — on Qobuz, one of the best music streaming services. As I mentioned up top, I don't think the JBuds Pods ANCs' default EQ sounds good. It sounds tinny and lacks character so I highly recommend diving into the app's EQ settings and fine-tuning the sound. Once I'd done that, it completely transformed the earbuds. Bass sounded punchy with some warmth to it, and vocals sounded loud and clear. Green Day's 'One Eyed Bastard' sounded detailed, with each guitar riff clear and not too distorted. This was also the case with 'Vignette' by Twenty One Pilots. The synth and bass worked together and harmonized well, and Tyler Joseph's high notes never sounded piercing either. Turning to softer songs, I listened to 'Paris, Texas' by Lana Del Rey and the JBuds Pods ANC made her vocals feel like a lullaby and almost ethereal. Every drop in octave was clear as was the subtle backing vocals. The JBuds Pods ANCs boast great bass response too… within a limit, which I'll discuss soon, but let's talk about the positives first. The bassline in Pink Floyd's 'Money' was powerful and clear as I was able to hear every note plucked. It was punchy but never felt booming or 'too much.' One area the JBuds Pods ANCs struggle in is when there are a lot of instruments involved, as they get easily overwhelmed. I noticed this as soon as I put 'Une vie à t'aimer' from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an orchestral, power ballad with many percussion and string instruments. The song started off fine but as soon as the electric guitars and drums kicked in, everything sounded muddled together and, overall, the song sounded unpleasant — and I never thought I'd say that about such a fantastic track. I also noticed this while listening to 'Von Dutch' by Charli xcx where the bass sounded booming and overpowering and I wanted to take the JBuds Pods ANCs out of my ears instantly. Overall, though, the JBuds Pods ANC are great for most music and while they struggle with heavy tracks, it's important to remember that they cost less than $70. For a pair of budget earbuds, they are not bad at all. But if you want a balanced sound profile, I'd recommend saving even more on the JLab Go Pods ANC ($36). As the name suggests, the JLab JBuds Pods ANC feature hybrid active noise cancelation. Of course, at this price, I can't expect it to be better than the Sony WF-C710Ns' or the Bose QuietComforts'. But still, it's effective enough to block out most sounds. I first tested them indoors with music playing and ANC on, and I could hear the clickity clackity of my keyboard — but to be fair, I was using a loud keyboard (the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical). I swapped to a quieter keyboard, the Hexgears Immersion A3 TKL, and the JBuds Pods ANC blocked out the sound of its keys. I couldn't hear my partner saying my name and she had to wave to grab my attention too. Outdoors, I could still hear traffic even with ANC at its highest level but again, I'm not expecting budget earbuds to make me feel lonely with mindblowing ANC. I do appreciate that there's a 'Be Aware' transparency mode, though, which can be toggled by holding the left earbud, and it ensures you're aware of the sounds in your surroundings. I like that I don't have to remove my earbuds every time I need to speak to a cashier at a grocery store. The JLab JBuds Pods ANCs' battery life is fantastic. With ANC off, the earbuds can last up to 10 hours and the charging case provides an additional 46 hours, so 56 hours in total. This, of course, drops when using the earbuds with ANC on. You can then get 7 hours of playback time and an additional 24 hours with the charging case (31 total hours), which is still respectable. To test these claims, I left the earbuds playing music at 50% volume with ANC on and they needed to go back into the case after just over 7 hours, which is accurate. Compared to competing rivals, the JBuds Pods ANC boast longer battery life. For context, with ANC on, the EarFun Air 2 NCs have a 6-hour battery life and 27 hours with the charging case, while the Soundpeats Air5 Pros have a 7.5-hour battery life and 37.5 hours with the case. Heck, this is even better than the pricier Sony WF-C710Ns (30 hours) and the Bose QuietComforts (31.5 hours). With ANC off, the Air 2 NCs can last up to 9 hours (40 hours with charging case) and, again, the WF-C710Ns fall short of the JBuds Pods ANCs with just 33.5 hours total with a charging case. If you want a pair of earbuds that don't make you worry you're going to run out of juice while out and about, I'd highly recommend the JBuds Pods ANCs. The JBuds Pods ANC feature quick charging, and JLab says that charging the buds for 10 minutes yields 2 hours of playback time. Also, the case is compatible with wireless charging. I was able to use my Google Pixel 7 Pro's Battery Share feature to charge the case as well as a wireless charging pad in the office. If you want a pair of earbuds that sound great and don't break the bank, then get the JLab JBuds Pods ANC. I found these earbuds very comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, and I love that they look pricier than they actually are, thanks to the matte finish. They also boast long battery life and come with a user-friendly companion app for EQ customization — and you'll need it because they don't sound great straight out of the box. With the EQ adjusted, though? The 11mm drivers do a fantastic job of making most genres sound lovely. However, it's worth noting that the earbuds don't have aptX or LDAC support and wear detection, if that has an impact on your purchasing decisions. Overall, the JBuds Pods ANCs will keep you happy for a long time. They're awesome for music and the long battery life will have you listening for hours and hours.
