JLab JBuds Sport ANC 4 Review

JLab’s $69.99 JBuds Sport ANC 4 aim to appeal to fitness fanatics on a budget with an ear hook design and an above-average IP rating. The earphones don’t fit securely, however, and produce poor audio. Their active noise cancellation (ANC) isn’t effective enough to rely on in loud environments. Ultimately, you’re much better off with the Editors’ Choice-winning, $99.95 JBL Endurance Peak 3 earphones for exercise, which trade ANC for more engaging sound, an exceptionally secure fit, and better durability.

Design: A loose fit

The JBuds Sport ANC 4 closely resemble JLab’s other workout-focused earbuds, which means they look a bit ordinary. The company logo on the outer panel of the earpiece sets them apart, as do cobalt, graphite, teal and pink color options. JLab sent me graphite models for testing.

Despite their ear hook design, the earphones don’t fit particularly well. They easily shifted around my ears during testing, which is not good for exercise. They never fell out of my ears directly, but the problem persisted regardless of the three sets of included eartips I tried. Lack of a good seal also has implications for noise cancellation.

Internally, the 10mm dynamic driver provides a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. They support Bluetooth 5.2, SBC codec, Google Fast Pair and multipoint connection with up to two devices. The JBL Endurance Peak 3 earphones feature AAC for Apple users, as do the $79.99 Anker Soundcore Sport X10.

The controls are slightly different than other JLab earbuds, thanks to a touch surface on the outer shell and a second one on the hook that supports swipe gestures. Out of the box, the controls on both sides are the same. Tap once to play or pause music, double tap to skip to the next track, or triple tap to skip to the previous track. A long press switches between noise cancelling, be aware (clarity) and off modes Meanwhile, swipe surfaces handle volume. You can change all of these controls through the app, as well as set independent controls for each earpiece. I appreciate the variety of options; For example, you can configure gestures to switch EQ modes, activate your voice assistant, or control a workout timer.

An IP66 rating means the earbuds are completely dustproof and can withstand powerful jets of water. As such, inclement weather or a sweaty workout won’t pose a problem. Be sure to dry them completely before docking as the case offers no protection against dust and water. For reference, the JBL Endurance Peak 3 earbuds have an even more impressive IP68 rating that makes them more suitable for the toughest exercise and running conditions. If you want to spend less, the $39.99 Tribit FlyBuds 3 offer an IPX8 waterproof rating.

The charging case is relatively large because it has to accommodate the ear hooks. It also has a built-in USB-C charging cable that slots into the bottom for storage when you’re not using it. On the downside, the cable is short, so it must be close to an outlet. You’re out of luck with wired charging if the cable breaks, though wireless charging is available as a backup. Three LED lights on the front indicate charging status. Oddly, the earbuds dock into the case the opposite way you wear them (left earpiece over right and vice versa). This is ostensibly to optimize space inside the case, but it makes for an awkward removal process.

JLab says the earbuds can last about 9 hours per charge with ANC on, or 14 hours with it off. The case offers 31 hours of battery life with ANC on and around 46 hours with it off. These numbers are above average, but keep in mind that your normal listening volume will affect your real-world results The company says that a 10-minute charge will give you an hour and 40 minutes of playback time.

App Experience: Lots of features, but a bit outdated

JBuds Sport ANC 4 works with the JLab app (available for Android and iOS). It offers a decent set of features but could use a design refresh. Once you connect the earbuds to your device, you’ll see the battery level of each earpiece at the top (but not the case). Follow the different settings section below.

For example, you can switch between Noise Cancellation, Stay Aware, and Off modes, as well as adjust levels for the first two. A built-in EQ provides 10 bands between 31Hz and 16kHz for a nice level of customization. Audio presets including Balanced, Bass Boost and JLab Signature (default) are also available. As mentioned, you can tweak the on-ear controls. The options appear unnecessarily small in the app, however, which can make the process difficult.

A unique feature here is an interval timer, which can mark the start and end of an interval with audio signals. The signs were a little confusing to decipher at first, but I eventually got used to what they meant. You can set interval times, as well as configure an on-ear gesture to add more time, run or pause the timer, skip intervals, and more. It’s probably not the easiest way to track workout intervals, but it can be useful for those who don’t want to wear a watch or tracker.

Alternatively, you can switch between music and low-latency movie modes, set volume limits for safe listening, and download firmware updates. The app does not offer a location- or word-based search feature.

Noise Cancellation: Suffers from subpar fit

Noise cancellation is weak at best and annoying at worst. In tests, the earphones removed some of the low-end rumble from a plane’s engine, but most of the other frequencies common to airplane cabins came through clearly. On a noisy bus, they cut through the rattle from doors opening and closing as well as some low-end engine sounds. Earbuds were relatively ineffective at reducing voice volume in a cafe.

The biggest problem, however, is that earbuds never create a strong enough ear seal for ANC to be effective. I had to constantly adjust their fit to get any kind of effect. To be clear, other earbuds I’ve tested with ear hooks don’t have this problem. The aforementioned Anker Soundcore Sport X10 earbuds, for example, create a stronger seal that enables much more effective ANC.

Be aware mode is good for short conversations as it amplifies most of your surroundings. However, it struggles with high frequency reproduction and introduces a hiss to the audio, making it sound unnatural.

Sound Quality: Unpleasant out of the box

To test audio performance, I turned off ANC and selected the default JLab signature preset. The earbuds sound decent overall but not exciting. Poor representation of high-end frequencies hinders a proper listening experience.

The knife’s “silent scream” sounds muddy in comparison. Drivers accentuate bass synths and clip some high-end frequencies from percussion and other instruments to help open things up a bit. The lead synths also lose some of their bite.

JBuds don’t sound too good on Bill Callahan’s “Drover.” While the lead vocals sound reasonably rich, the percussion and strings on the guitar are lacking. Even the normally prominent kick drum bleeds a little into the background. The lack of good instrument separation also makes the track sound more ordinary than ordinary.

Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” reveals more vulnerability. The lack of high-end detail isn’t much of an issue given the track’s lo-fi vibe, but it does mean that neither Lamar’s nor Rihanna’s vocals seem to be a priority. The sub-bass also suffers from a lack of extension.

In orchestral tracks like the opening scene of John Adams Another is the Gospel according to MaryThe driver seems to highlight all the wrong frequencies. The strings sound a little too shrill, the brass is muted, and the vocals fade into the background. The earbuds’ inability to separate instruments and produce low lows and highs creates an inconsistent presentation.

Enabling ANC radically improves audio response. More low frequencies come in, so the sound signature is more balanced. This mode sometimes limits high frequencies, but otherwise it’s a problem. Otherwise, I recommend trying EQ as it allows you to dial in a curve that improves performance somewhat.

The mic array works as a whole. When I tested it by recording a voice memo on my iPhone, I noticed a bit more bass than usual and some minor Bluetooth artifacts. Still, these earbuds are ultimately fine for phone calls and the like.

Verdict: Twenty Budget Workouts That Don’t Work

The JLab JBuds Sport ANC 4 are affordable and durable, but that’s where the positives end. A poor fit means they don’t stay in place well enough to be usable for intense exercise or create a secure enough seal for effective noise cancellation. Furthermore, they don’t sound compelling out of the box and require tweaking. Overall, most fitness-minded shoppers should get the Editors’ Choice-winning JBL Endurance Peak 3 earphones, which offer more exciting audio, a tough IP rating, and AAC codec support for $99.95. If noise cancellation is a must, the Anker Soundcore Sport X10 earbuds are a decent alternative with bass-forward sound and a price close to the JBuds Sport ANC 4.

About Christian de Luper

Contributor

Christian De Loper is a consumer technology reporter based in sunny Santa Cruz, California. Christian has reported on technology for over 10 years, with bylines in many major technology publications. Christian has a bachelor’s degree in music technology and lives at home with his wife, daughter, and cat. Despite being an Australian who now lives in Santa Cruz, Christian has only surfed once—and not well.

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