Our Verdict
The Jaybird X2 are good sports headphones that do decently well for mixed usage. They passively block ambient noise better than some active noise canceling headphones we've tested. They're compact enough to fit into your pockets and they're easy to carry around on your person so you can have them on you at all times. Unfortunately, unlike the X3, you cannot EQ their sound quality. On the upside, they sound good enough for most listeners.
- Excellent leakage perfomance.
- Stable in-ear fit.
- Good noise isolation.
- The in-ear fit is uncomfortable for some.
Above-average for neutral listening. They do not have the benefit of a customizable sound like that of the Jaybird X3 but they pack a powerful bass and a decently well-balanced midrange. They're slightly bright on some track but their default treble response is a bit better than that of the X3 out of the box(with no EQ). Unfortunately, since they have a small closed in-ear design they will not sound as spacious as more neutral listening focused open back headphones which will not be ideal for some listeners.
Good for commuting. They isolate well against ambient noise, they're portable and have an easy-to-use control scheme. They should be suitable for most commuters and they have a slightly longer lasting continuous battery life than the X3 and the Jaybird Freedom. Unfortunately, their pretty standard in-ear fit will not be the most comfortable for all users, especially on long trips.
The Jaybird X2 are good headphones for sports. They have a stable in-ear fit. They're also wireless and sufficiently compact to carry around on your person everywhere you go. Also, their passive isolation is more than enough for the ambient noise of a gym but might be a bit too closed for runners and bikers that have to monitor their environment for cars and traffic.
Above-average for office use. They block a lot of ambient noise and barely leak, so you will rarely distract your colleagues even if you like to listen to your music at higher than average volumes.
Below-average for gaming. They have a mediocre microphone, and a bit too much latency to be suitable for gaming. They also have no customization options and their Bluetooth only design will not work with consoles.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Jaybird X2 are above-average in-ear headphones. They have a stable wireless design that's ideal for sports and won't easily fall out of your ears. They comfortably fit into your pockets and come with a sturdy case that protects them from damage. They barely leak any sound, even at high volumes and block noise surprisingly well for passively isolating headphones. They won't let the ambient noise of a gym or busy commute, ruin your listening session. Sadly, they struggle a little with their audio reproduction. See our recommendations for the best earbuds with a mic, the best Bluetooth earbuds, and the best wireless headphones under $100.
The Jaybird X2 are a better headphone overall than the Bose SoundSport Wireless if you prefer in-ear designs over earbuds. The X2 have stronger passive isolation in loud environments thanks to their in-ear fit. The X2 leak less than the SoundSport Wireless, so you can play your music at really high volumes to mask more noise and not distract the people around you. The SoundSport Wireless, on the other hand, have a comfortable earbud fit, which most will prefer over in-ears like the X2. They also have a better-balanced sound, come with an app, and support NFC which the X2 does not.
The Jaybird X2 slightly edges out the Jaybird X3 in performance and convenience. The X2 has a micro USB port on the back of the earbuds, so you do not have to keep the charging clip attached, out of fear of losing it like on the X3. The X2 also has a slightly better latency performance, although both headphones won't be ideal for watching a lot of video content or gaming. On the upside, the X3 supports the Jaybird MySound app, so you can customize their sound quality to better match the audio you are listening to. They also have a better, more durable build quality than the older X2 model, and easier to use controls.
The Jaybird X2 are a slightly better wireless headset overall than the Jaybird Freedom. The X2 have a much simpler charging port on the back of the right earbud, so you do not need to carry around a bulky charging clip like with the Jaybird Freedoms. The X2 also have a longer battery life, lower latency, and a slightly better-balanced default sound but can't be EQ'd. The Freedoms, on the other hand, have a more portable design (when not using the charging clip) and smaller earbuds that are a bit more comfortable than the X2. They also benefit from great app support so you can customize their sound quality to better match what you are listening to.
The Jaybird X2 Wireless are a better sports headphone and headset overall than the Anker Soundcore Spirit X Wireless. The Jaybird have a more isolating in-ear fit, that's better for noisy environments and commuting, and a slightly more portable design since they do not have ear-hooks like the Anker. The Anker, on the other hand, are a bit more stable thanks to those ear hooks and have a longer battery life with a more comfortable in-ear fit than the Jaybird.
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 X2 are great looking headphones. They have a sleek, sporty style that feels high-end. They come in a variety of color schemes but typically have a bright, two-toned color palette that's eye-catching and adds to the sporty appeal. The in-ear buds are also not much larger than a typical in-ear model, although these headphones are wireless.
The Jaybird X2 have typical in-ear fit. If you do not find in-ear headphones to be comfortable, then you will experience the same issues here. On the upside, they are amazingly lightweight and offer a variety of tips, some made of memory foam, which may help you find a more comfortable fit.
The control scheme for these headphones is functional but a little cramped. It offers call/music, track skipping, and volume controls. Unfortunately, the buttons are too small and do not provide good tactile feedback, which makes them slightly difficult to use.
The Jaybird X2, like most in-ear headphones, have a very breathable design. They come with optional stability fins that do have a bit more points of contact with your ear than typical in-ears. But overall since they do not cover or your outer ear, they won't make you sweat more than usual, even during more intense workouts. They're a good choice for sports and running.
These headphones, like most in-ears, are very portable. They will easily fit into your pockets. The earbuds are not much larger than regular in-ear headphones and thanks to their wireless design they fold up into a very compact format for transport.
The Jaybird X2 come with a great hardshell case that looks stylish and will keep the headphones safe from hard falls and water damage. It's a much better case than the one provided in the Jaybird X3's box.
The build quality of Jaybird X2 is above-average. The plastic used for in-ear buds feels robust and able to withstand a decent amount of physical pressure without cracking. They're also very lightweight and dense enough, to not get damaged from a couple of drops. However, the cable connecting the earbuds is a little thin and is slightly more susceptible to wear and tear than some other wireless in-ear headphones.
The Jaybird X2 are incredibly stable headphones. They stay in place, while doing sports or any physical activity and come with a variety of stability tips. That combined with the tight in-ear fit, makes these headphones ideal for gym use. Their wireless design also makes it less likely that they will be hooked on something and yanked out of your ears.
- Jaybird X2 Headphones
- Earbud tips (x6 sizes)
- Stability tips (x3 sizes)
- USB charging cable
- Carrying case
The frequency response consistency is excellent. This is assuming the user is able to achieve a proper fit and an air-tight seal using the assortment of tips that come with the headphones. That way, they should be able to get consistent bass and treble delivery every time they use the headphones.
The Jaybird X2 have a great bass. Their LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, which is excellent. Also, low-bass and mid-bass are flat and within 1.3dB of our target. This results in a deep and punchy bass capable of producing low thump and rumbles common to bass-heavy tracks. However, high-bass is overemphasized by more than 2.2dB, making the overall bass slightly boomy and muddy sounding.
The Jaybird X2 has a very good mid-range performance. The overall response is even and well-balanced, but it shows about 3dB of recess centered around 700Hz. This pushes vocals and leads slightly to the back of the mix by giving more emphasis to bass and treble frequencies.
The Jaybird X2 have a very good treble. The overall treble response is decently balanced. Low-treble is even, flat, and within 1.3dB of our neutral target. This is important for producing vocals and lead instruments with proper detail and brightness. The dip around 6KHz, will have a small negative affect on the clarity and presence of vocals/leads. The peak around 10KHz, however, could make the treble sharp and piercing on sibilances (S and T sounds), which will be mostly noticeable on vocals and cymbals.
The imaging performance is excellent. The weighted group delay is at 0.12, which is very good. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were very well-matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (instruments, voice, footsteps), in the stereo image.
The Jaybird X2 have a poor soundstage. This is because creating an out-of-head and speaker-like soundstage is largely dependent on activating the resonances of the pinna (outer ear). The design of in-ears and earbuds is in such a way that 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 (1st generation) Truly Wireless or the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless.
The Jaybird X2 have a great isolation performance. In the bass range, where the rumble of bus and airplane engines sit, they achieve more than 9dB of isolation, which is decent. In the mid-range, important for cutting out speech, they isolate by more than 22dB, which is great. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds, they isolate by about 42dB, which is excellent.
The leakage performance is great. Like most other closed-back in-ears, these headphones don't leak in the bass and mid ranges. The significant portion of their leakage is in the treble range and between 3KHz and 6KHz, which is quite a narrow range. The overall level of the leakage is not loud either. With the music 100dB SPL the leakage at 1 foot away averages at 22dB SPL and peaks at around 39dB SPL, which is way below the noise floor of an average office.
The in-line microphone of the Jaybird X2 is mediocre. In quiet environments, speech recorded or transmitted with this mic will sound relatively thin, and muffled and lacking in detail. In noisy environments, they will struggle to separate speech from background noise even in moderately loud situations, like a busy street.
The microphone has a mediocre recording quality. The LFE (low-frequency extension) of 354Hz suggests that recorded/transmitted speech will sound a bit thin. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 3.5KHz results in a speech that is relatively muffled and lacking in detail. The bump around 2KHz adds a little to the intensity and brightness of speech.
The microphone is mediocre at noise-handling. In our SpNR test, they achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 16dB, indicating they are best suited for quiet environments and will struggle to separate speech from ambient noise in moderate and loud situations.
The Jaybird X2 last decently long on a single charge for wireless in-ear headphones. They also charge relatively fast. This means the battery life is quite decent, but the lack of an auto-off timer and the fact you can't charge and play audio at the same time makes the overall battery performance mediocre at best. Also you still have to charge them at least once throughout a day if used continuously.
No compatible app.
The Jaybird X2 do not have simultenous multi-device or NFC pairing but will pair fairly easily with most Bluetooth devices.
The Jaybird X2 have a surprisingly decent latency performance for a Bluetooth headphone with no latency codecs. They won't be the best choice for watching videos or gaming but they perform better than most Bluetooth headphones including the Jaybird X3.
The Jaybird X2 are Bluetooth-only headphones with no wired option. If you want a good sounding wired in-ear, check the 1More Triple Driver.
They do not have a dock. If you want a headphone that's versatile and has a dock, try the SteelSeries Arctis 7. However, it won't be as compact and easy-to-carry around as the Jaybird X3.