The JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless are budget-level noise cancelling in-ears. They have an excited, v-shaped sound profile to add thump and sparkle to your favorite tracks and while they don't have a companion app, they offer three EQ presets within their controls. They have a decent battery performance, too. However, their ANC is just satisfactory and does almost the same amount of noise-isolating in the mid to treble-range as when used passively. That said, they're an affordable choice if you're looking for truly wireless headphones with an ANC feature.
Our Verdict
The JLab Audio JBuds Air with ANC are alright for neutral sound. These headphones have an excited v-shaped sound profile that packs boom and brightness. However, it's not completely neutral. On the upside, their controls offer three EQ presets so you have a little more control over your audio experience.
- Three EQ presets available.
- Terrible passive soundstage.
- No NFC or multi-device pairing.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air with ANC are good for commute and travel. These in-ears are quite small and lightweight, which makes them easy to take with you. They're also comfortable and have a continuous battery life of 8.4 hours. Unfortunately, their ANC feature struggles to cut down bass-range noise like bus or plane engines. It fares better when reducing ambient chatter.
- Satisfactory ANC.
- Lower audio latency mode available.
- Controls aren't the most responsive.
- No NFC or multi-device pairing.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air with ANC are great for sports and fitness. These lightweight, portable, and comfortable in-ears are stable enough for moderate physical activity and have a rating of IP55 for dust and water resistance, although we don't currently test for this. They also don't have any cables that can snag while you're moving.
- Stable fit.
- Controls aren't the most responsive.
- No NFC or multi-device pairing.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air True Wireless with ANC are okay for office use. They're decently comfortable and can block out a great amount of ambient chatter around you. They also don't leak too much sound and their 8.4-hour battery life should be enough to get you through your 9-5 workday.
- Satisfactory ANC.
- No NFC or multi-device pairing.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air True Wireless with ANC aren't recommended for wireless gaming. While you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, the latency is likely to be too high for gaming. They also aren't compatible with Xbox One or PS4 consoles.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air with ANC are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used on a wired connection.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air with ANC are acceptable for phone calls. The integrated microphone has a disappointing recording quality, and your voice seems muffled and dark. It also has some trouble separating your voice from moderately noisy environments. On the upside, it has an ANC feature that can reduce some noise around you so you can focus on your call.
- Satisfactory ANC.
- Disappointing recording quality.
- No NFC or multi-device pairing.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 24, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Nov 17, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Nov 11, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 21, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The JLab Audio JBuds Air True Wireless with ANC come in one color variant: Black. You can see the label for the model we tested here. If you come across another variant, let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC True Wireless are sleek noise cancelling in-ears. They have a satisfactory ANC feature but it falls a bit short when compared to other truly wireless headphones like the Amazon Echo Buds (1st generation). While they don't have a companion app, they offer three EQ presets via their controls so you can tweak their excited sound a bit more. Check out our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds, the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ear headphones, and the best noise cancelling headphones.
The JLab Audio GO Air POP True Wireless and the JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless are quite similar, but the JBuds are a bit better. The JBuds have much lower Βluetooth latency and have an ANC feature, although it only offers a slight improvement over their passive isolation capabilities. Also, they're rated IP55 for dust and water resistance, while the GO are only rated IPX4 for water resistance. Ηowever, the GO have a somewhat longer continuous battery life and a better mic recording quality.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless and the JLab Audio JBuds Air Truly Wireless are similarly designed in-ears. The biggest difference in features is that the JBuds Air ANC have an ANC feature, but it doesn't perform as well as the JBuds Air's passive noise isolation. The JBuds Air ANC also has longer continuous battery life at the trade-off of having fewer additional charges. They also have a lower latency Movie mode, which can help reduce audio-visual syncing issues, a better-balanced sound profile, and come with a pair of foam tips.
The Apple AirPods Pro are better truly wireless headphones than the JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable and feel better built. They also have a more neutral sound profile, and their ANC can isolate more noise. However, the JLab have a somewhat better performing integrated mic and battery performance.
The JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless and the Astro A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro 2017 are two very different headphones with different strengths. The Astro are better suited for wired gaming as they're more comfortable, feel better-built, and come with a MixAmp, which offers more gaming-specific controls. They also have a better overall microphone and have companion software to further customize them, though some users have experienced issues using it. However, the JLab are better suited for casual use as they have a more stable fit, come with a decent ANC feature, and have a wireless design that lasts over eight hours on a single charge.
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