JBuds J2 Premium Hi-FI Noise Isolating Earbuds (boqari blue)

Reviewed by

Jasmine France

on 01/14/2009

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See all products in the JBuds J2 series
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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating
Average user rating: Write your own review

Price range:

$13.99 - $19.99

Compare prices:

Amazon.com	$13.99
Amazon.com Marketplace	$19.99

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Quick specs
Product type: Headphones
Design: In-ear ear-bud
Color: Boqari blue
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Add to my list Product summary

The good: The JLab JBuds J2 earphones are inexpensive and offer a definite improvement over stock earbuds. They're comfortable and come in an array of colorful options to match pretty much any MP3 player on the planet.

The bad: The JLab JBuds J2 earphones suffer from a muted high-end and muddled overall sound.

The bottom line: The JLab JBuds J2 earphones are a comfortable set and a reasonable step up from the stock earbuds that came with your iPod, but audio purists should steer clear.

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CNET editors' review

CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Reviewed by:
Jasmine France
Reviewed on: 01/14/2009

Photo gallery:
JLab JBuds J2 earphones

After shelling out $100 or more for a new MP3 player, dropping more of your hard-earned cash on a pair of headphones may not appeal to you--especially given that a working pair is generally packaged with the device. However, that stock set isn't doing you any favors in the sound (or comfort) department, which is why we always recommend upgrading, even if it's only to $15 earbuds. Or you could aim a little higher and pick up a set of JLab's JBuds J2 earphones, which carry an MSRP of $80 but list for $30 on Amazon. They're definitely not worth the higher price point--highs are muted and music has a muddled quality on the whole--but they're comfortable, offer some sound isolation, and come in pretty much every color combo you can imagine. Most notably, the J2 earphones offer a stark improvement over stock 'buds.

Other than the color options--of which there are many--the JLab JBuds J2 earphones offer a pretty standard Y-cable design. The cable, which measures 50 inches and terminates in a gold-plated straight plug, feels fairly thick and durable, but there's no slider to help prevent tangles. The earpieces aren't the smallest we've seen, measuring 0.37 inch in diameter, but the straight aperture allowed CNET testers to get a relatively secure and comfortable fit. JLab includes three sizes of silicone sleeves to help in that regard.