The good:The Jays A-Jays Three earphones are inexpensive and provide impressive sound quality for the money. They also offer a sleek, compact design with a durable ribbon-style cable, and the package includes a splitter accessory.
The bad:The A-Jays Three earphones aren't comfortable for everyone. Jays headphones are hard to find in the U.S, and highs are slightly muddled at times.
The bottom line:The Jays A-Jays Three earphones look good and sound impressive for the price, but not all genres of music perform equally, and comfort will no doubt be a problem for some.
Swedish headphone maker Jays isn't exactly a newcomer to the market, but the company's products don't get a ton of attention in the United States--probably because they're so hard to find here. But if you can find them (because they are, in fact, sold here), you'll likely be rewarded with a stylish, solid-sounding set for a reasonable price. Such is the case with the A-Jays Three earphones, a pair of $60 ultracompact in-ear 'buds with a ribbon cable.
The Jays A-Jays Three earphones are stylish in a low-key way. The all-black design is sleek but not eye-catching; it's certainly understated enough to appeal to most tastes. We're particularly fond of the flat, ribbon-style cable, which not only looks nice but also seems more durable than the standard cords found on most headphones. However, the connections at the earpieces and plug do seem slightly susceptible to damage. The plug housing is reinforced with flexible rubber, but the fact that it's straight rather than L-shaped may cause some issues during the typical user's wear and tear.
Since 2003, Jasmine France has worked at CNET covering everything from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices to MP3 players. She currently cohosts the Crave podcast and spends the majority of her time testing headphones, music software, and mobile apps. Full Bio
