The Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are a slight upgrade of the previous version, the Jaybird Run Truly Wireless, but they're still very similar. These headphones are a great choice for the gym, thanks to their very stable fit and IPX7 certification for water resistance. They're also versatile enough for daily use, thanks to their decent noise isolation, which will help give you some peace on your daily commute and keep you concentrated in the office. Unfortunately, their control scheme can be hard to use and lacks some common functionality. Their out-of-the-box sound profile is fairly well-balanced with a bit of extra bass, but you can easily customize them via a parametric EQ within their companion app.
Our Verdict
The Jaybird Run XT are decent headphones for mixed usage. Their out-of-the-box sound profile is a bit cluttered and bass-heavy, but their companion app gives you access to a parametric EQ, so you can customize the way they sound. They're stable enough for most strenuous workouts, and their in-ear fit isolates a decent amount of ambient noise. Unfortunately, their 4.5-hour battery life won't be long enough to get through a full workday, but they charge in under an hour, which is great.
- Fairly versatile sound profile.
- Good customization options in app, including parametric EQ.
- Compact and stable sports design.
- Poor controls.
- Slightly bulky in-ear design may not be comfortable for long periods.
The Jaybird Run XT are alright for neutral sound listening. They have a deep and punchy bass with just the right amount of thump and body, but they tend to sound a bit boomy and muddy in the upper bass region. Their mid-range is very good and even, but unfortunately, the treble range lacks detail on voices and lead instruments and sounds fairly sharp on S and T sounds. On the bright side, you can fully customize their sound through a parametric EQ in their companion app.
The Jaybird Run XT are a good choice for commuting or travel. They do a good job of isolating out ambient noise, and they'll even help a little at blocking out the low rumble of bus or plane engines. While their battery life should be long enough for your work commute, you might need to take breaks to charge them during long flights. On the bright side, they barely leak any audio, so you should be able to listen at higher volumes without disturbing people surrounding you.
The Jaybird Run XT are great for sports. As the name suggests, they're designed for sports and, thanks to their stability fins, they don’t move around during physical activity. Like with most in-ears, they won't cause your ears to get hot, and they're certified IPX7 for water resistance. Unfortunately, their button layout can be a bit difficult to use since you have to choose between volume controls and being able to skip tracks, which is a little disappointing.
The Jaybird Run XT are fair for the office. They isolate well against work environment noises like ambient chatter and A/C systems, and since they barely leak, you can listen at higher volumes without disturbing your coworkers. Unfortunately, their battery will need to charge every 4.5 hours, and their slightly bulky in-ear fit isn't the most comfortable for long listening sessions.
The Jaybird Run XT aren't recommended for wireless gaming. They have very high latency on PC and iOS, which will likely result in some lag. While their latency should be low enough on Android for gaming, their integrated microphone is mediocre overall.
The Jaybird Run XT are Bluetooth-only headphones that you can't use wired.
The Jaybird Run XT are mediocre for phone calls. Like with most Bluetooth in-ears, their integrated microphone makes them good for taking calls on the go, but unfortunately, their microphone doesn't perform very well. Your voice will sound muffled and lacking in detail and will easily get drowned out in even moderately noisy environments.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 20, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Apr 09, 2019: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Jaybird Run XT are great headphones for sports, but perform quite similarly to the previous model, the Jaybird Run Truly Wireless, but are now certified IPX7 for water protection against immersion in water. If you already have the original model, they might not be worth the upgrade if you don’t need the extra water resistance.
See our recommendations for the best noise cancelling earbuds, the best wireless earbuds for running, and the best true wireless earbuds.
The Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are an upgraded version of the Jaybird Run Truly Wireless and are slightly better, but may not be worth the upgrade if you have the first ones. The XT have better wireless range and now have an official IPX7 rating for water and sweat resistance, which the original didn’t have. The XT also offer slightly more battery life, but that’s about it. Weirdly enough, the newer XT models have way more latency than the original model, which wasn’t great to start with.
The Jaybird Vista and Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are very similar sports headphones, but the Vista are a slight improvement. They are a bit more comfortable, and their case is noticeably smaller, which makes it easier to slide it in your pockets. Their controls are easier to press, and they feel a bit better built, as well. They also offer a bit more battery life. On the other hand, the Run XT take less time to charge, and their fit isolates better against ambient noise.
The Jaybird Tarah Pro Wireless and the Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are both great pairs of headphones for sports. The Tarah Pro have better controls, feel slightly more durable, and last much longer off a single charge. On the other hand, the truly wireless design of the XT makes them more portable, as well as eliminates the possibility of their cord getting snagged while working out. The XT's case also charges via a standard micro-USB cord, while the Tarah Pro use a proprietary charger.
The Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are more versatile headphones than the Apple AirPods (1st generation) due to their good isolation performance and the fact that you can easily change the EQ inside their companion app. The Jaybird are great for sports, and they fit nicely into the ears to block ambient noise, which is useful for commuting and using at the office. While both headphones offer about the same battery life on a single charge, the Apple's case offers way more additional charges. Also, the Apple are more comfortable and less bulky to carry around in their case and feel better made than the Jaybird.
The Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless and the Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are both decent pairs of truly wireless in-ears that are great for sports. The Jaybird are a bit more comfortable, have a more stable fit thanks to their stability fins, have a better app with parametric EQ, and charge quicker. On the other hand, the Jabra last longer off a single charge, have a slightly better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, have better controls, and support multi-device pairing so you can easily switch between two devices.
The Jabra Elite Active 65t Truly Wireless and the Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are two great truly wireless headphones for sports, but people might prefer the functionalities of the Jabra over the Jaybird. The Jabra have onboard volume controls, which the Jaybird is lacking; this could be a deal-breaker for some. They also block a bit more noise and feel slightly better-built. They also have lower latency and can connect simultaneously to two devices. On the other hand, the Jaybird are a bit smaller and a bit more comfortable than the bulky design of the Jabra. Their app also offers better customization thanks to a fully parametric EQ. They also feel a bit more secure in the ear thanks to their stability fin sleeve options.
The Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are slightly better truly wireless headphones than the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless. The Jaybird feel more stable, isolate much more background noise thanks to their closed-back design, have a better quality microphone, and have a much better companion app which gives you access to a parametric EQ to customize their sound profile. On the other hand, the Bose are more comfortable, feel slightly better-built, and have a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box.
The JBL UA True Wireless Flash and the Jaybird Run XT Truly Wireless are both great sports headphones, but the JBL might have a small edge over the Jaybird for people who want great performance out of the box. They have a better default sound profile, but they don’t have an app with an EQ that can let you customize their sound signature like the Jaybird. On the other hand, you’ll get a battery performance out of the Jaybird, but their control scheme is more limited and harder to use as you need to push the buds inside your ear canal even more, which can be uncomfortable.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Jaybird Run XT look almost identical to the previous model, the Jaybird Run Truly Wireless, but without silver accents around the earbuds. While the earbuds themselves are fairly bulky, they don’t stick out of your ear too much, which is nice. They have an understated design that isn't too flashy, and while we bought the black model, they're also available in gray.
The Jaybird Run XT are very lightweight and decently comfortable. They come with a few tip and fin sizes to help you find the best fit. However, the earbuds are fairly bulky and put a bit of pressure within the ear canal.
The Jaybird Run XT's controls are poor, and they suffer from the same issues as the previous version. While you can pause/play music, skip to the next track, and answer/hang up phone calls, their control scheme lacks a default volume control, and you can’t rewind or go to the previous track. While you can set your preferred controls inside their dedicated app, you can’t have volume controls and play/pause simultaneously. The single button on each bud is also very hard to press, meaning that you need to push the headphones even deeper into your ear canal, which can be uncomfortable, especially with multi-press commands.
The Jaybird Run XT's wireless in-ear design makes them a super breathable headset to use for sports. They trap a little heat in the ear canal due to their in-ear design and stability fins, but the difference is negligible and won't make you sweat more than usual.
Like most truly wireless headphones, the Jaybird Run XT are very portable and fit in most pockets and bags. Their charging case is a bit taller than some other options but should still fit in most pockets.
These earbuds come with a hard charging case that will protect the headphones from drops and mild impacts. The case is a bit bulky compared to other truly wireless designs, meaning they won't fit as nicely in your pockets as the Samsung Galaxy Buds Truly Wireless.
The Jaybird Run XT's build quality is good. They feel almost identical to the previous model but are now rated IPX7 for water resistance. While the case feels a bit plasticky, both the earbuds and the case feel solid overall and should survive a few accidental drops or bumps. If you want a pair of headphones that look and feel even more durable, check out the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Truly Wireless 2019 or the JBL UA True Wireless Flash.
Once you achieve a proper fit with the included tips and stability fins, the Jaybird Run XT feel very stable in the ear. Even during strenuous workouts or runs, they don't move around much and should stay in place. However, you can't adjust the stability tips on the go, like with the Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless.
- Jaybird Run XT earbuds
- 3x stability fin sizes
- 4x tip sizes
- Charging case
- Micro-USB charging cable
- Manuals
The Jaybird Run XT's sound profile is somewhat well-balanced but will likely sound a little bass-heavy and dull. While they'll be well-suited to genres like EDM or hip-hop, they should be versatile for most other popular music genres as well.
Like most in-ears, the Jaybird Run XT's frequency response consistency is outstanding. As long as you achieve a proper fit with the included tips, you should experience their sound profile the same way every time you use them.
The Jaybird Run XT's bass accuracy is good. The entire range is fairly even, with just a bit of overemphasis, especially in the high-bass range. This means that overall the bass is balanced and punchy but might be slightly boomy and muddy-sounding.
The Jaybird Run XT's mid-range accuracy is excellent. The overall response is quite even and relatively flat, but vocals and lead instruments are nudged slightly towards the back of the mix. This emphasizes the bass range, causing some music to sound slightly muddy and cluttered, though this may not be noticeable to everyone.
The Jaybird Run XT's treble accuracy is only okay. The response is slightly uneven, with low and mid-treble frequencies being recessed, causing a lack of brightness and presence. Meanwhile, the slight peak in mid-mid treble and high-treble may cause some sibilants to sound slightly piercing.
The Jaybird Run XT's peaks and dips performance is decent. The peak in bass followed by the dip in the mid-range will cause these headphones to sound a bit cluttered and muddy by pushing vocals and instruments to the back of the mix, emphasizing the bass range. The peaks in mid and high treble may cause some sibilants to sound slightly harsh and piercing.
The Jaybird Run XT's imaging performance is excellent. Like most closed-back in-ears, their weighted group delay is very low, resulting in tight bass reproduction and a transparent treble. The L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched in amplitude, frequency, and phase response. This ensures accurate placement and localization of objects, like footsteps, voices, and instruments in the stereo field. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.
Like most closed-back in-ears, the Jaybird Run XT's passive soundstage is terrible. This is because creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage is largely dependent on activating the resonances of the pinna. The design of in-ears and earbuds fully bypasses the pinna and doesn't interact with it. Also, because these headphones have a closed-back enclosure, their soundstage won't be perceived to be as open as that of open-back earbuds like the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless, Google Pixel Buds 2017 Wireless, or the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless.
The Jaybird Run XT don't have any virtual soundstage features.
The Jaybird Run XT's weighted harmonic distortion is decent. While you may notice some distortion and artifacts, overall, it'll likely be hard to hear and won't bother most people.
These are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when you use these headphones at these settings.
Their passive isolation performance is very good, and they perform nearly identically to the previous generation, the Jaybird Run. While they'll only help a little in blocking out the low engine rumble of buses or planes, they do an excellent job at blocking out background speech. Ηowever, if you want earbuds that allow you to hear your surroundings, you may prefer the open-back Apple AirPods (3rd generation) Truly Wireless.
The Jaybird Run XT's leakage performance is excellent. The majority of their leakage is way below the noise floor of an average office, so even at very high volumes, you likely won't bother those around you.
These headphones have an integrated microphone in the earbuds.
Like with most Bluetooth headphones, the microphone's recording quality is only okay. Your voice will sound muffled and lacking in detail but should still be easy to understand.
Like with most integrated microphones, noise handling is poor. Even in only moderately loud environments, it will be hard for the person on the other end of the line to hear you.
Their battery lasts 4.5 hours off a single charge, which is sub-par. They only take around 45 minutes to fully charge, but unfortunately, the case only gives two additional charges, which is less than most other options. On the upside, they turn off automatically when idle for a few minutes to save battery life.
Note: We needed to measure the earbuds' charging time with the case plugged in, or else the LED indicators would turn off during our testing, with no indication as to when they were done charging. However, it's unlikely that this impacted the charge time result.
The Jaybird MySound is a great app for iOS and Android that gives you access to an excellent parametric equalizer and a community-oriented design to share your presets and playlists. You can also find the earbuds' last known location if you misplace them, and you can switch to an alternate control scheme that changes the right and left buttons to volume controls instead of track skipping and voice assistance. While its in-app player works for Spotify Premium users, it doesn't work for free accounts or any other streaming services.
These headphones are Bluetooth only and don't support NFC or multi-device pairing. Unfortunately, their PC latency is higher than the previous version, the Jaybird Run Truly Wireless. While we measured low latency on Android while watching YouTube videos, unfortunately, it was much higher on iOS. It's worth noting that apps and devices seem to compensate for latency differently, so your mileage will likely vary in real-life usage.
These headphones are Bluetooth only.
The Jaybird Run XT are truly wireless headphones that you can't use wired. They come with a short Micro-USB cable for charging their case.
You can only use these headphones via Bluetooth on PCs, and they aren't compatible with the PS4.