You’re busy and active and cords just get in the way. These two sets of headphones will let you listen to music, books, or podcasts, and take calls without tangles while you’re on the go. Let’s look at them both to see which set is best for you.
JayBird BlueBuds X Sport Bluetooth Headphones – Midnight Black
Eight-hour battery life! JayBird understands that we don’t want to have to charge until the day is over. These headphones fit around the neck and either over or under ears and they’re super lightweight. JayBird says they’re the smallest Bluetooth headphones in the world.
The tips are removable and a lot of users recommend getting different ones. They say the stock ones on the BlueBuds X either don’t stay in or aren’t comfortable enough. (The new version X2 offers foam tips from Comply.)
The inline controls (power, volume up and down, phone answer and reject, or audio track change) are nice, but the voice control feature is even better. The headphones provide voice prompts and beep to acknowledge volume changes. Since there is a built-in microphone, a phone with a feature like Siri can make calls and control apps hands-free. Since these are Bluetooth headphones, they can pair with and remember up to eight different devices in case the user wants to enjoy them with mp3 players, phones, computers, tablets, and more. They don’t pair by NFC like the Jabra Rox can.
JayBird says they re-wrote the Bluetooth SBC codec to make music sound better through their BlueBuds. Users seem to appreciate it. It’s come a long way from the first Bluetooth headphones even though it isn’t yet as pure a sound as wired ‘phones provide.
Although they last for hours and have days-long standby time, at some point they need a charge. The right earbud has a micro USB port for the included cable. They can charge on a USB port of a computer or with some phone chargers. The tiny LED light goes from red to green when they’re done. When the BlueBuds are being used with certain phones the battery status appears right on the screen.
More features of the JayBird BlueBuds X
- Lifetime warranty against sweat
- 1-year limited warranty
- Weigh less than half an ounce!
- USB 2.0 compatible charging cable and silicone carrying case
- Compatible with Apple Watch, iPhones, and most Apple products, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Moto Actv MP3 players and GPS, PC, Mac and more
Jabra ROX Wireless Bluetooth Stereo Earbuds (Black)
The Jabra Rox might be bigger and heavier (by a lot) but they have some interesting features. First, besides Bluetooth, they can pair with NFC phones, or at least the ones that allow this kind of use.
Like the BlueBuds, they are resistant to dust and moisture so they can be worn while the user exercises. They have a Kevlar-reinforced cable, so they’re strong. Their EarWings are made to keep the buds in the user’s ears without falling out. They also come with EarGels for a more comfortable fit. Unfortunately, it’s the same story as we heard about the Rox—these are not the most comfortable headphones ever.
Jabra gives just a 5.5-hour battery life for talk time, and days of standby without charging. On the bright side, the earbud magnets, when pressed together, turn off the headphones when they’re not being used.
There’s a sound app put out by Jabra that the user can install on their phone so they get the full Dolby Sound effect. Otherwise, outside of the app, the sound quality isn’t quite as nice as on the Rox. Voice control is just for pairing, and battery and connection status.
More features of the Jabra Rox
- One-year limited warranty
- Come with a carrying bag, USB cable, and multiple sets of EarWings and EarGels to get the right size fit
- Charge in about 2.5 hours and have up to 18 days of standby time
Recommendation
Jabra might have been one of the first Bluetooth headphone players on the scene, but they are being shown up by JayBird’s improvements. If you prefer the NFC pairing feature and if it will actually work for you, the Rox might be your better option. They might also be good if you don’t use them for hours every day and want more standby time between charges.
JayBird is clearly the winner in sound quality and active battery life. If you’re using your headphones a lot, these are the ones for you. Plus, you can use voice control for a lot of features like hands-free calling and app control (if your device allows it).
Click here to purchase JayBird BlueBuds X on Amazon!
Click here to purchase Jabra ROX on Amazon!