Cheap Earbuds - Jlab JBuds Hi-Fi Noise-Reducing Earbuds Review

Jlab JBuds Hi-Fi Noise-Reducing Earbuds wound up being a surprising purchase. At just $9.95, (I ordered via Amazon, but their site offers the same price), I wasn't expecting much - especially after my recent run-in with some other cheap earbuds, which I reviewed here. I got much more than I bargained for, in the best possible way. Check these cheap earbuds out, you won't be disappointed.

I tend to be a very brand-loyal person. I'm often a picky customer, so I find I have the best track record by sticking with companies who have other products I like. In my Maxell earbuds review, that came back to bite me - I'd come to expect good quality from them, even from a $5 pair of earbuds. My experience with Jlab earbuds is the total opposite. I'd never bought any of their products before - and in fact, had never even heard of the company - but my risk was rewarded with a great product.

First, and most importantly, these sound incredible. No crackling or white noise, just pure sound. From my personal testing, these did well at any volume range I'd ever reasonably listen at. In fact, in terms of sound quality these earbuds remind me of my beloved (now dead) Sennheiser cans - which is a huge compliment, as they're the best headphones I've ever had. Getting that kind of quality from any headphones is an achievement in and of itself, let alone cheap earbuds. Paying less than $10 for these babies makes the score that much sweeter.

These are advertised as noise-canceling earbuds, and so far they live up to that claim very well. I work in a very busy environment, with the front door, the street, and a big-screen tv all just a few feet away. When I settle in to work, I plug in my headphones and try (usually in vain) to filter out those outside noises. The night I tested out these headphones was the first night in weeks that I've been able to work in peace. They filtered out everything!

One caveat is the shape of these earbuds. They have a long (about 1") hard plastic piece which extends past where typical earbuds "bend" at the ears. This took a little getting used to positioning correctly, but I think this may actually help these earbuds avoid wire damage from the constant bending. Apart from those initial positioning issues, these are very comfortable to wear (even for long periods) and fit nice and snug in the ear to help out those noise-canceling properties.

Worth mentioning is how these came packaged. When I originally got these in the mail, I didn't know what to expect. Was this green packaging, or just cheap? These came in a large zippered baggie, with a few inserts. Opening up the package, I found a small owner's manual and product guide. Most interesting was the inclusion of a set of replacement tips (which sell for $3.95 on Jlabs' site), and a free 1 year product warranty. They mention a VIP club membership that would extend your warranty to 3 years, but their website shows that hasn't been fully implemented yet. Still, free product replacement for something that breaks as frequently as headphones do is a big deal. Especially when you didn't pay much to begin with.

I'd definitely recommend these cheap earbuds to anyone looking for high-quality sound at a low price. I'm really glad I took a chance on Jlabs - I don't think I'll need new headphones anytime soon, but I'll look to them when I do.