I'm An Audiophile, And These $20 Earbuds Pass My Sound Quality Check

2 weeks ago

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

The JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds are disposable connected Amazon for $22.
They sound amazing, particularly for nan price.
The JLab app is basal to get nan astir retired of these earbuds.

Some mightiness deliberation noise-canceling is simply a gimmick and debar utilizing it connected their earbuds. That's a mistake, because noise-canceling exertion tin make a large quality successful earbuds' wide audio quality.

Also: These $60 headphones person nary business sounding this bully for nan value (and they're comfy)

This is particularly existent connected nan debased broadside of things, wherever bass tends to beryllium dramatically weakened pinch noise-canceling off. But erstwhile ANC is done right, it tin move a mediocre brace of earbuds into thing special.

Such is nan lawsuit pinch nan JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds.

The Jlabs Go Buds ANC earbuds successful their case.

What is noise-canceling?

If you've ever wondered really noise-canceling works, it's elemental connected nan surface, but making it effective tin beryllium rather difficult. The exertion utilized successful headphones intends to trim unwanted ambient sounds by generating sound waves that are nan nonstop other of nan noise. To execute this, headphones and earbuds usage built-in mics and processors to cognize what sound is basal and past nutrient it.

There is simply a caveat to this. If you're wearing earbuds while being progressive extracurricular (such arsenic running), I would highly propose you disable noise-canceling during that period, truthful you tin perceive nan ambient sounds. You don't want to tally retired successful beforehand of a car because you couldn't perceive it. Use nan characteristic pinch care.

My experience

After unboxing nan Jlab Go Pods earbuds, I had to first springiness them a afloat complaint (as nan artillery was beautiful overmuch dormant retired of nan box). Once nan afloat complaint was achieved, I opened nan case, unlocked my Pixel 9 Pro, and waited a mates of seconds earlier Quick Connect did its thing.

I past put them successful and fired up Spotify. I Immediately realized what was going on: nan ANC was off. So I installed nan JLab app from nan Google Play Store. Sometimes it ruffles my feathers that an app has to beryllium installed for earbuds, but aft doing this for a fewer years, I'vr travel to recognize that immoderate devices require nan tuning you tin get from an app.

Also: The apical headphones wide successful 2025

In nan app, I turned nan ANC on, and instantly nan sound changed. Without nan ANC on, nan midrange was overpowering, nan bass was weak, and nan highs were muffled. With ANC on, nan bass was beardown and rich, nan mids were subdued (but not overly so), and nan highs crisp.

And that was without rubbing nan EQ.

Also: These Google earbuds connection nan eventual listening acquisition for Android users - moreover connected non-Pixel phones

When I opened nan EQ characteristic successful nan app, I was really impressed pinch really delicate it is. I've grown utilized to EQ successful earbuds app not really having that overmuch effect (especially successful nan lows and highs), but nan JLab app is nan exception. The 10-band EQ makes a immense difference, and allows you to finetune nan sound to your nonstop specifications.

The app besides includes an interval timer for workouts, which is really handy. The only downfall of this characteristic is that you person to retrieve to commencement it earlier your workout.

With nan earbuds connected to nan app, these babies earnestly impressed me, nary matter what genre of euphony I threw astatine them.

As acold arsenic soundstage, nan JLab Go Pods ANC mightiness not person nan widest, but it's not astatine each shabby. You get capable meaning and separation betwixt instruments and voices that each tin beryllium intelligibly heard and placed.

Also: These $300 Swarovski earbuds aren't my style, but their sound value has maine hooked

During my playlist, Rush's "Tom Sawyer" hit, and nan earbuds blew maine distant pinch a move sound that I couldn't judge was pouring retired of a brace of earbuds that only costs $22. You publication that right: $22.

I've tested earbuds that costs 4 and 5 times arsenic overmuch arsenic nan JLab Go Pods ANC that didn't sound this rich | and exciting. Granted nan "Moving Pictures" medium mastering was superior to most, truthful nan way sounds bully connected conscionable astir anything. But this bully for $22 is unheard of.

Just remember, this astonishing sound was achieved by turning ANC connected and adjusting nan EQ successful nan Custom tab. Out of nan box, nan Jlab Go Pods ANC do sound for illustration a $22 brace of earbuds. Just instal nan app and set arsenic needed, and you'll beryllium arsenic impressed arsenic I was.

ZDNET's buying advice

Twenty-two dollars is simply a bargain for a brace of earbuds tin of producing sound of this value (after tweaking it done nan app). If your fund is tight (or you simply don't want to walk that overmuch connected earbuds), don't hesitate to acquisition nan JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds.

I've tested a batch of earbuds and cannot retrieve a brace that was this awesome and costs truthful little. If I could deterioration accepted earbuds erstwhile running, these would beryllium my go-to. Unfortunately, I sweat excessively overmuch for earbuds of this shape factor.

JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds tech specs

Hybrid ANC (active, ambient, talkthru)
Drivers - 10 mm dynamic
Google Fast Pair support
Water guidance - IP55
2 noise-canceling mics
Battery life - 7.5+ hours of play clip connected a azygous complaint and 26+ hours pinch nan thief of nan charging case, and 10 10-minute speedy complaint gives you 5 hours.
Connectivity - Bluetooth 5.4 pinch multipoint connectivity
Low latency mode