Review: JLab Go Air Sport, Wireless Workout Earbuds (Graphite/Black) – Excellent sound, comfort, and functionality for price point

Unbiased review of affordable J-Lab Goers Sport earbuds with remarkable sound and extended battery life... Read more

Specifications

Brand	JLab
Model Name	Go Air Sport
Color	Black
Form Factor	In Ear
Connectivity Technology	Wireless

Introduction

There’s a pervasive myth out there that good quality always comes at a steep price. However, my recent experience with JLab products proved otherwise. They give life to the idea that you can meet simple, fundamental needs with budget-friendly products – without skimping on quality.

Debunking the High Cost Quality Myth with JLab Product

Quality should never be compromised by cost and JLab makes sure of this. One product that truly embodies this principle is the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds. At the affordable price of $30, this product demonstrates that one doesn’t need to dent their bank account in order to enjoy good sound quality and a decent user experience.

Initial Impression of the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds

To be brutally honest, my initial thoughts of the JLab Goers Sport earbuds were quite skeptical. It’s a common presumption that a low-priced product might underperform, but this didn’t turn out to be the case. As a user, my eyes were opened to how the Goers Sport balances quality and affordability. I dove into the features and the value they offer, noticing how they managed to execute a design that doesn’t skip on delivering essential features – sacrificing some luxurious ones like wireless charging – while still keeping the price low.

Key Features

• JLab focuses on sound quality and battery life
• Features responsive touch controls for ease of use
• Offers independent earbud use and long-lasting battery

Alright, let’s talk about key features of the J-lab Goers Sport earbuds. As soon as you lay eyes on this product, you can tell that JLab placed a strong focus on delivering great sound quality and battery life, without leaving your wallet empty.

Focused Sound Quality and Battery Life

The J-Lab Goers Sport packs a decent punch in terms of audio delivery. Remember, we’re talking about a $30 pair of earbuds here. In my experience, these aren’t just gym earbuds – you can comfortably use them for an everyday run, a hectic commute, or a relaxed walk in the park without ever feeling like you’re missing out on sound quality.

Their battery life is impressive as well. The buds come with eight full hours of power, which is plenty for the average user. I used these for working out, commuting and even some downtime and never once ran out of charge. It’s a rare thing to find in this price range, and a major win for JLab.

Touch Control Features for Easy Hands-free Usage

These earbuds feature handy touch controls that were responsive and reliable during my tests. A simple tap or swipe was all it took to play, pause, or skip tracks. Because of the fuss-free touch controls, I didn’t have to constantly reach for my phone, which makes everything from commuting to working out a whole lot easier.

Independent Earbud Use and Long Battery Life

An unexpected but welcome feature of this product is the ability to use each earbud independently. This is especially handy when you need to keep an ear open for surrounding sounds or if you simply prefer having one earbud in.

The battery life once again gets a serious nod here. Despite my regular use, I never found myself needing to charge these earbuds sporadically throughout the day. The assurance of long-lasting power makes my day-to-day listening experience a breeze.

Noteworthy Trade-offs: What’s Missing?

In spite of their impressive features, JLab’s earbuds aren’t perfect. For instance, they lack the luxury of wireless charging and the “speak-to-chat” feature – a potential drawback for some. But considering their price point, these exclusions are perfectly understandable.

When it comes to sonic performance, don’t expect the audio perfection of top-tier brands like Sennheiser, but rest assured, these earbuds definitely deliver value for your dollar.

Unboxing and First Impressions

• Earbuds offer three equalization settings for personalized audio
• Provides 32+ hours of Bluetooth playtime
• IP55 sweat and splash-proof resistance for active lifestyles

Unboxing the J-Lab Goers Sport earbuds was much like any other product, but with a few minor delights tucked inside. There’s something satisfying about the simplicity and minimalism of the packaging, boding well for the actual product.

Three Equalization Settings for a Personalized Experience

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that these earbuds have three different equalization settings – Jlab Signature Sound Setting, Balanced Sound, and Bass Boost – to choose from. These options provide flexibility and customization depending on your personal audio preferences. This is quite rare for affordable earbuds and I appreciate the audio control this offers.

Bluetooth Play time and Comfortable Ear Hook Design

The promised 32+ hours of Bluetooth playtime strikes a chord with consumers like me, who appreciate longevity and extensive use between charges. Coupled with the ear hook design that seemed really flexible in hand and comfortable when tried on, the product does promise an equipped user experience.

Clear Calls with C3 Call Technology

The earbuds come equipped with C3 call technology – a feature that promises clear call quality. Although I was initially skeptical – many earbuds tend to overpromise and underdeliver on call quality – I was open to being proven wrong.

Sweat and Splash Proof Resistant Features

A quick read of the product description mentioned an IP55 sweat and splash-proof resistance. If true, this would make the earbuds a good fit for users with an active lifestyle or people needing earbuds that can handle minor accidental water splashes.

While the unboxing and first impressions have been largely positive, there’s a clear understanding that the proof of the pudding is in the eating or in this case, in the wearing, testing, and experiencing the product first-hand. Next, we’ll delve into the personal fit and comfort of these earbuds, so stay tuned for more.

Personal Experience with Fit and Comfort

• Earbud sizes vary for enhanced user experience
• J-Lab Goers Sport accommodates glasses wearers
• Gives superior passive noise isolation

While it’s important to consider the technical features of any earbud, it’s equally fundamental to consider how they feel. In my own trial, the J-Lab Goers Sport certainly had a few standout moments as far as fit and comfort are concerned.

The Perfect Fit: Exploring Different Earbud Sizes

One thing that truly stood out for me was the variety of earbud sizes packed out of the box – a thoughtful touch by JLab. The medium sized ones, I presumed, gave an almost perfect fit. It just goes to show how having more options truly enhances the user experience. Having said that, everyone’s ear size and shape are different. You may need to experiment a bit to find the right pair that fits you.

Fitting Tip:

1. Make sure to twist and adjust the earbuds until it feels just right – you will notice the difference almost immediately.

Earbuds Compatibility with Glasses: A Personal Experience

One thing many brands overlook is the compatibility of their earbuds with glasses. J-Lab Goers Sport, I noticed, sat comfortably even with my spectacles on. Yes, sometimes they would hook over my glasses when fitting them on, but with a bit of adjusting, compatibility was hardly an issue.

Note:

• The fitting experience of the earbuds may vary for users depending on the design of the glasses they wear.

Noise Isolation: A Hidden Unmentioned Benefit

The pair also appears to offer superior passive noise isolation, which felt like a silent feature that was not highlighted enough. This level of isolation provided a buffer to outside noise, which was a definite benefit in loud environments like a gym.

When it comes to fit and comfort, the JLab Goers Sport manages to tick almost all the boxes. They’re accommodating to a range of ear sizes, and are quite comfortable to wear all day long. While the fit can be a bit tricky for those of us wearing glasses, a little patience and adjusting should do the trick.

Analyzing the Sound Quality

• JLab Goers Sport delivers value-for-money sound quality
• Preferences lean towards Balanced and Bass Boost settings
• Performance exceeds regular AirPods in Balanced mode

Now, to the crucial part every music fan wants to know – sound quality. When it comes to this topic, products like JLab Goers Sport often face higher scrutiny due to their significantly lower price tag. But surprisingly, this pair did not disappoint.

The Great Divide: Comparing J-Lab Goers Sport with Sennheiser

True, when drawing a direct comparison with a high-end brand like Sennheiser, the Goers Sport might not reach the same standards, especially in terms of richness and detail of sound. However, it’s essential to keep the price difference in mind. When you’re equipped with these $30 true wireless earbuds, you’re not expecting the luxury of a Sennheiser experience. Instead, you’re looking for a pair that delivers more than its cost, and that’s exactly what the JLab Goers Sport does.

Favourite Sound Settings: Balance and Bass Boost

Unpacking the sound settings, JLab Goers Sport offers three options – Jlab Signature Sound, Balanced, and Bass Boost. As far as personal preference goes, I heavily leaned towards the Balanced and Bass Boost settings. The JLab Signature Sound, although not entirely displeasing, felt a tad bit too mids-focused for my taste. The Balanced setting seemed to strike just the right chord in terms of maintaining audio fidelity across various genres.

• Bass Boost: When switched to this setting, the earbuds pump out a decent amount of lows without getting musically overbearing. Of course, when you push the volume up, you might find the bass mildly overshadowing the other elements. However, at moderate volume levels, I found it quite satisfying for genres like hiphop and rap, where you really want your bass to come alive.
• Balanced Setting: Shifting to the Balanced setting made a noticeable difference in the audio quality. Podcasts, music, audiobooks – you name it, and the Balanced mode made it a pleasure to the ears. If anything, I found the earbuds’ performance on this setting better than the regular AirPods, which is laudable considering the vast price difference. Plus, it was considerably easy on the ears, even during long listening sessions, thanks to a less overpowering sound output.

So, in terms of sound quality, the JLab Goers Sports excel in delivering a value-for-money experience without overtaxing your eardrums. It’s a win-win situation in my book.

Call Quality and Environment Testing

• J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds have good call quality
• Effective passive noise isolation in quiet and noisy environments
• Performance justifies the budget-friendly price

One of the key performance metrics in wireless earbuds lies within the quality of calls they deliver and how they cope in a variety of environments. After all, usability is not just about the music, right?

Testing Call Quality in a Quiet Office Environment

To kick-start this assessment, the first environment I explored was my quiet office space. The J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds performed considerably well here. The heating vent which was placed just under my desk was on, and even though I could hear a faint noise, the earbuds’ passive noise isolation proved to be quite effective. The clear calls feature with the C3 call technology, albeit basic, was impressive. The conversation was clear and, consequently, the overall experience is quite promising.

Exploring Call Quality Amidst Environmental Noise

Then there’s the question: how well does it perform in a noisy environment? This calls for a much-needed ambient noise test. Having created ambient noise with about 70 to 80 decibels, I switched from my inbound camera microphone to the earbuds’ microphones to see how they reacted to the change in environment. The results were decent. Expectedly, there was some background noise, but the earbuds managed to suppress many distracting sound artifacts. When I stopped the background noise, the difference was significant.

Is it perfect? No. Is it satisfying for 30 dollars earbuds? More than you could expect.

The passive noise isolation and the adaptive microphone technology can handle noisy conditions reasonably. However, it’s fair to say that having a conversation in a crowded, bustling environment might not be an entirely smooth sailing experience. But for an everyday, regular use case scenario, it works rather well.

Just remember, there are some trade-offs, and noise cancellation in a loud environment is not a guaranteed feature in budget earbuds. So while the performance might not be top-tier, it definitely makes the grade for its price range.

All things considered, J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds’ call quality, despite its shortcomings, deserves some applause. After all, it’s a budget-friendly product offering better-than-average results.

Reviewing Touch Controls and Latency

• Earbuds’ touch controls work with touchscreen-compatible gloves
• Latency is negligible, even with continuous mic usage
• Earbuds perform well across music, calls, and learning apps

Having a seamless and user-friendly touch control system is a must for any earbud. During my experience, touch controls and latency is one area I found intriguing with these earbuds.

Accidental Discoveries: Compatibility with Touch Screen Gloves

One fascinating discovery I made was quite by accident. On a chilly day, I found that the touch controls still worked fairly well through my touch-screen-compatible gloves. It wasn’t perfect but it was definitely functional, which I found to be an impressive feature and a true testament to the sensitivity and practicality of the touch controls.

Exploring Latency Issues with Daily Usage and Learning Apps

In our technologically reliant society, latency can cause a significant hindrance to the user experience. I had the opportunity to test the J-Lab Goers Sport earbuds with a language learning app named Duolingo that relies heavily on microphone pick-up and sound output.

• The Good: To my delight, the earbuds handled the continuous opening and closing of the microphone for language repetition exercises quite impeccably. There were no noticeable lags or hitches for this function of operating the mic. The contrast was stark when compared to some high-end earbuds that struggled in the same scenario, making this a definite win for J-Lab.
• The Bad: Despite the positive experience overall, I did come across minor audio latency issues while streaming videos, although quite negligible and expected for this price range.

Latency really depends on individual use cases. For a day-to-day user like me, who listens to music, podcasts, takes calls and use language learning apps, J-Lab performed impressively, delivering in crucial moments, especially considering their budget-friendly price.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the touch controls are quite responsive even in unexpected scenarios like the one with touchscreen gloves, while latency remained respectable for most functions. This earbud’s performance, functionality and responsive nature in these areas definitely adds value to its appeal.

A Critical Look and Conclusion

After exploring all the aspects of the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds, it’s time to take a step back and critically evaluate the experience.

A Few Drawbacks

Every product has room for improvement, and while these earbuds have been impressive, there are a couple of drawbacks worth mentioning.

• Firstly, earwax accumulation on the ear tips. The tips seemed to attract more earwax than other earbuds I’ve used. It’s not a deal-breaker, but a minor annoyance that needs attention during product maintenance.
• Secondly, the case size. It’s quite large, which hampers portability to a certain extent. However, one can argue that this allows for the excellent battery life so it does serve a practical purpose.

The Wishlist

While the product delivered in most key aspects, there’s still room for the wishlist. Personally, I would have loved to see more variety in terms of color options. The trend towards more vibrant and neon colors in tech accessories is quite appealing and it would be great if JLab could expand their color range, adding a bit more personality to the product.

Final Verdict: Appreciating the Total Package Experience

Wrapping up, it’s fair to say that for the price point, these earbuds have a lot to offer. Sound quality, battery life, and comfort are all notable. While it lacks some of the bells and whistles of more expensive competitors, it does an excellent job at meeting the basic needs and even surpassing expectations in key areas like passive noise isolation and equalization settings. It’s a reminder that not all quality products need to break the bank. This is where the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds truly shine; offering a high-quality, budget-friendly alternative for music lovers.

Minor issues aside, these earbuds represent value for money, contribute positively to user experience, and serve as a reminder that often, simplicity is key. All in all, if you’re looking for quality performance that doesn’t empty your wallet, the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds could very well be your next best purchase.

Should you buy the JLab Go Air Sport, Wireless Workout Earbuds (Graphite/Black)?

Buy it if…

You’re looking for a cost-effective audio solution

With a reasonable price of $30, J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds deliver decent sound quality, touch controls, and a long battery life that competes with more expensive products on the market.

You’re an on-the-go listener

With the flexibility of using each earbud independently, eight hours of playtime in each earbud, and no need for constant charging, these earbuds are perfect for those who want a seamless audio experience while out and about.

You want comfort and noise isolation

The earbuds come with three different sizes to ensure the right fit, offering excellent noise isolation for a submersive experience. They fit well with glasses, ideal for spectacle wearers.

Don’t buy it if…

You prefer top-tier sound quality

If you’re an audiophile who craves for the crystal clear and crisp sound of high-end brands like Bose or Sennheiser, the sound from these earbuds might not meet your expectations.

You are in need of wireless charging and other luxury features

The J-Lab Goers Sport earbuds lack features like wireless charging and speak-to-chat, which can be a deal-breaker if you prefer advanced tech features.

You’re particular about aesthetics

Currently, there are limited color options available. If you prefer bright, neon, or fashionable choices like transparent earbuds, you might want to wait for the future releases.

FAQ

How is the sound quality of J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds?

The sound quality is pretty decent for their price range. They come with three equalization settings: JLab signature sound setting, even sound, and bass boost. They may not match up to the likes of Sennheiser, but for the price, they are satisfactory.

What is the battery life of the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds?

The J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds offer a remarkable battery life. You get eight hours in each earbud and collectively, you can enjoy a playtime of 32+ hours.

Can I use the earbuds independently?

Yes, each earbud can be used independently for your convenience.

Do the earbuds have noise cancellation features?

While the earbuds do not have active noise cancellation, they do offer passive noise isolation which works well to block most Background noises

What about the fit and comfort of these earbuds?

The earbuds come with three different sizes to ensure a perfect fit. They are also compatible with glasses. The ear hook design is highly flexible and provides comfortable use.

Do the earbuds come with touch control features?

Yes, they do. The touch control features worked well and are pretty responsive, even through gloves. There were no glitches or latency issues noticed during the review.

Are there any issues regarding call quality?

The call quality has been tested in various environments, quiet and noisy. They performed decently well for their price range in all cases.

Do the earbuds come in different colors?

Unfortunately, at the time of the review, they came in limited colors. More vibrant color options could be expected in the future.

Are there any negatives or cons about the J-Lab Goers Sport Earbuds?

A few minor complaints include earwax retention on the ear tips and a sizable case. Also, they do not come with a charging brick.